February 5, 2015 by Pastor Kris Belfils

On The Heels of your Turnaround Breakthrough!

I was asking God what the year 2015 means or holds and He brought to my attention e-sword Hebrew number 2015. Here is what I found:

hâphak
haw-vak’
A primitive root; to turn about or over; by implication to change, overturn, or overthrow. (condensed from H2015 Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Definitions.)

This is a year of God turning around the things we need changed. He has already overthrown the enemy. He has no power over us or anything connected to us. This is the year for a Turnaround Breakthrough!!

Breakthrough: a sudden increase in knowledge, understanding, an important discovery that happens after trying for a long time to understand or explain something.

More definitions of Breakthrough:
-an offensive thrust that penetrates and carries beyond a defensive line in warfare
-an act or instance of breaking through an obstacle
-a sudden advance especially in knowledge or technique
-a person’s first notable success

Synonyms: advancement, advance, enhancement, improvement, refinement

Antonyms: setback

Don’t get discouraged with a setback. Turnaround breakthroughs are coming to you this year and this is what I am hearing in my spirit: God is turning things from what was to what it should be.

It’s time to advance into new things, new places, and even new realms of God’s glory. The more we allow God to heal us, the more He shines and His glory is revealed. We let go of what was holding us back last year and press ever forward into the new of this year.

You are on the heels of your turnaround breakthrough! It is interesting the term “on the heels of.” I came across this the other day and it really fits in so many ways with my message. “On the Heels of” means “closely following.” It is a phrase we use when something is close to something else, to come or follow hard after.

I love that! King David was known as one who “Followed hard after God.” We could change the wording and say, “David was hard on the heels of God!” He was a chaser of God. Thinking about this we can see that our turnaround breakthrough is coming hard on the heels of some hardship or trial in our life…. then the Breakthrough comes!!!

Personally I have been experiencing for over a month pain on the heels of both my feet. It was just this past week that it laid me up and I could hardly walk. Pain shot up from the balls of my feet like a knife sticking in my heels and going up my legs. It brought me to tears several times. God used the pain in my heels to get my attention to how close my own personal turnaround breakthrough really is to me. I believe with everything inside of me this new year is a breakthrough year! God uses things in the natural to get our attention in the spiritual.

What areas do you need a breakthrough in?

-Fear (phobias)?
-Physical body?
-Spiritual life?
-Finances?
-Your Past?
-Relationships
-Ministry
-Living arrangements?
-Marriage?
-Mental prisons
-Old mindsets?

I believe you are on the heels of your turnaround breakthrough. Instead of giving God the 12 things You need to do so you stay saved today… “Well God If I don’t get a breakthrough I just can’t go on, I mean I got to hear from you today God. I am going to church today and I have to have a word from you!” Are you desperate for a turnaround? Has that been your prayer lately? Get ready, get ready, get ready your turnaround is a comin’!!!

I have something for you… Stop being selfish, deposit yourself with God, be a blessing everywhere you go. You will have life and not know what end is up! Follow His example in living, and if need be in dying. (To self) Just a side note: All disobedience is related to selfishness.

I shared in my last message: “Obedience Brings Blessing” that when we obey we will be blessed. Trust me, if you choose disobedience you are delaying your turnaround breakthrough and may even prevent it from coming.

When we die to self and desire what God wants and follow His Word, we are setting ourselves up for increase. We decrease which allows God to increase more of Himself in our lives.

Gal. 2:20 AMP Bible
I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

I give myself away to God (my will, thoughts, emotions, desires, etc…) and that makes me usable for His glory. God loves you and has great plans for you. You are His baby.

I believe this is a turnaround year of divine reversals, breakthroughs, multiplied grace and new beginnings. Many things that did not seem to break through last year will begin to break through this year if you keep believing in faith.

As a seed is planted in the ground and dies then starts the process of pushing its way up to the surface, many of your breakthroughs are just about ready to spring up. Just because you do not see anything occurring on the surface does not mean that nothing is happening, but quite the opposite. You need to persevere in prayer until you see the harvest start to pop up from underground.

If you stop continuing to pray, praise, declare, and thank God just because you don’t see it, you might stop the process when you were so close – maybe only hours or days away from your breakthrough. There is a lot happening under the surface, even if on the surface you don’t see it yet; your faith is pushing the manifestation to the surface.

Daniel could have given up on the 20th day of his fast and would not have had the angelic encounter and answer to his prayers for his nation if he did not persevere until He got the answer.

Daniel 10:11 – 13 NKJV
And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty0one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”

Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary describes the “Prince of the kingdom of Persia” as an angel of darkness. John Gill Exposition of the entire Bible states an evil angel, or Satan – the prince and God of this world, or one of his principle angels under him. He was employed to do mischief in the court of Persia, and against the people of God. Scofield Reference notes refers to the phrase “prince of” as the intimidation is clear that the holy angels are sent forth in behalf of the heirs of salvation, so demons are concerned in behalf of the world system of Satan.

The angel of darkness, or satan himself, waylaid the angel sent by God. He told him that every day he was praying it was affecting the breakthrough for the angel to get to Daniel; his prayers were the fuel to get the angel to him. True persevering faith will be needed this year to pray without ceasing until you see the promise manifest, the turnaround breakthrough!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus…

There are other examples in the Bible of people pushing and pressing to get their breakthrough. One example that really touches home to me is Jacob. His name means: supplanter or deceitful (One who takes the heel). He was born a twin to Esau. When it was time for the two to be born Esau came out first but Jacob was holding onto Esau’s heel. Ultimately Jacob stole Esau’s birthright and pretended to be Esau so Jacob would bless him (the first born). Esau found out and wanted to kill Jacob so he fled. From the beginning of Jacob’s life he was a planner, a schemer. He dealt with everything in his life that way. In turn, he was schemed upon by Leah’s father, Laban, for Rachel. God wanted to change this about Jacob. It came down to a wrestling match with Jacob and an angel (or God Himself).

Do You Limp?

Genesis 32:24 – 31 (NKJV)
“Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name? He said, “Jacob.” And he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.”

Frederick Buechner, one of the most read authors by Christian audiences, characterizes Jacob’s divine encounter at the Jabbok River as the “magnificent defeat of the human soul at the hands of God.” It’s in Jacob’s story we can easily recognize our own elements of struggle: fears, darkness, loneliness, vulnerabilities, empty feelings of powerlessness, exhaustion and relentless pain.

Even the apostle Paul experienced similar discouragements and fears: “We were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5). But, in truth, God does not want to leave us with our trials, our fears, our battles in life. What we come to learn in our conflicts of life is that God offers us a corresponding divine gift. It is through Him that we can receive the power of conversion and transformation, the gift of not only surrender, but freedom, and the gifts of endurance, faith and courage.

In the end, Jacob does what we all must do. He confronts his failures, his weaknesses, his sins, all the things that are hurting him . . . and faces God. Jacob wrestled with God all night, alone. It was an exhausting struggle that left him crippled. It was only after he came to grips with God and ceased his struggling, realizing that he could not go on without Him, that he received God’s blessing (Genesis 32:29).

What we learn from this remarkable incident in the life of Jacob is that our lives are never meant to be easy. This is especially true when we take it upon ourselves to wrestle with God and His will for our lives. We also learn that as Christians, despite our trials and tribulations, our strivings in this life are never void of God’s presence, and His blessing inevitably follows the struggle, which can sometimes be messy and chaotic. Real growth experiences always involve struggle and pain.

Jacob’s wrestling with God at the Jabbok that dark night reminds us of this truth: though we may fight God and His will for us, in truth, God is so very good. As believers in Christ, we may well struggle with Him through the loneliness of night, but by daybreak His blessing will come. (www.gotquestions.org/Jacob-wrestling-with-God.html#ixzz3QKx7G4eU)

The limp represented letting go of his old life, and his old nature, Jacob died to self.

Truthfully, I have a hard time trusting people who haven’t developed a “limp.” People who don’t “limp” are usually weak, and fearful over little things. They don’t know what it means to persevere. Why? Because they give up too quickly.

Limping people show they’ve pressed through a struggle for a blessing. Their limp shows up wherever they go. They walked through a fight or a struggle, even with God, to come out the other side victorious.

You can spot “limpers” everywhere you go. They are the ones who are tenacious in dealing with things that come up in their life. They are those who have faith and know who they are in Christ. They are those who know what it is like to lack and know what it is to receive. Those who have a spiritual limp have wrestled with God over things and come out stronger, better, and forever changed over it. They are people who say, “I am pressing, pushing through this in Jesus Name!” They don’t allow their circumstance to win, but cry out to God for help and a blessing. They are those who have wrestled with God and have given up their self-will and said to God, “Not my will but yours be done! They have decreased so God could increase in their lives.

Your setbacks are positioning you for a come back. Your struggle will not last forever. Your pain is not permanent. You will not remain where you are forever. A change is coming! You are close to a miracle! You are on the heels of a breakthrough!

You are on the heels of a miracle! You are about to enter into the greatest season of your life! You are on the heels of a turnaround breakthrough! Regardless of what you see or how you feel, a change is coming! You may be weeping today but you will be rejoicing in the morning!

Your payday is coming!

Are you willing to wrestle with God for your Turnaround Breakthrough? This is your year to let go of self and reach for the new God has for you. It is time to press into God and see within yourself your hunger for change. What are you made of? Do you limp or are you walking in your own understanding and your own ways? Today is the day for turnaround change!!!

Say with me: Turnaround! Breakthrough! is coming to me in Jesus name!

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils
www.krisbelfils.com
www.hopefellowshipspokane.com
www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

December 18, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

The Songs Of Christmas: The Song Of Mary

We all know of how baby Jesus was born. But have we ever looked at the expressions of certain key people during that time? Mary is the first character to be approached by an angel, Gabriel, to share how highly favored she was and how blessed she was among women.

She was favored by God. This means that she was endued with grace. She was favored as the Lord was with her. She was human just like you and I. But I believe she received favor because she was humble, quick to obey God, and lived her life doing the right thing. She was highly favored among women. She was beautiful inside and out.

Grace is “unmerited favor,” meaning something we receive despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mary needed grace from God just as the rest of us do.

God gave His unmerited favor to us when He forgave our sin through the sacrifice of His Son. We can ask for His favor to go before us where ever we go. We are His children.

The word Favor means “to grace, that is, indue with special honor: – Make accepted, be highly favored. This is our portion too.

Sometimes we receive God’s favor when others think we shouldn’t. I love it when God uses the foolish things to confound the wise. When He uses me in spite of what others think I deserve or what they think I should be doing.

God brings promotion not man. We can receive a promotion that we were not even qualified for. That’s God’s favor! When God gives you favor He puts you somewhere you have no qualifications, or maybe even no right to be there and it is God who keeps you there. Trust in God for His favor and His staying power.

Remember when God does promote you that you are nothing without Him. Tell yourself: “I am everything in God and I am nothing without Him!” This will keep you humble which is what Mary was and I believe that is why God favored her so highly.

Mary was told by Gabriel that she would have a Son and He would be called, Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:32 – 33 NKJV)

Mary’s response began with a question: “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” (Luke 1:34). Then Gabriel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)

Not only that but the angel proceeded to tell Mary that even Elizabeth, who was Mary’s relative, has also conceived a son in old age, and was six months along. She was called barren, but “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Mary then responded, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” This shows quick obedience, humility, and trust. Mary was just an ordinary young lady with an extra ordinary assignment.

She went to visit Elizabeth and as she greeted her and when she did, the babe in Elizabeth’s womb leaped and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth quickly spoke with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:42 – 45)

The Song of Mary

This leads us to Mary’s response and a beautiful song came forth from her heart and spirit. It truly is an outward expression of what God was doing inside of her.

Luke 1:46 – 55 NKJV
And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

1. Mary gives God all the praise!

My soul magnifies the Lord…

Mary immediately makes God bigger by magnifying Him with her soul. Her very core of who she was bursts out with praise. She knew who she was and Who God was in her life. She knew it was nothing she had done to receive this amazing favor with God. It was all God’s doing.

When amazing things happen to you be quick to praise God for them and realize it wasn’t you, but God who brought it to you! Thanking Him is praising Him. Don’t be quick to take all the credit. Can you imagine if Mary took all the credit? How prideful that would have been. No, Mary was very humble in her view of herself and what was told to her. God could trust her with this amazing assignment He had for her. Can God trust you? What is your character like? Would you be trustworthy if God gave you an assignment? What are your dreams and desires? Can God trust you if He gave you what you wanted? Would you be quick to respond in praise and magnify the Lord like Mary did?

2. Mary rejoiced!

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior…

Those who magnify the Lord are those whose spirits rejoices in God their Savior. If you are not rejoicing then look to see if you are magnifying the Lord. Are you making God great and glorious in your inner being?

Not only was Mary quick to praise God in all of this, but Mary’s spirit rejoiced in her God her Savior! Rejoice means to feel or show great joy or delight. Some synonyms: happiness, pleasure, joy, gladness, delight, elation, jubilation, exuberance, exultation, celebration, and merrymaking.

Mary allowed her joy to be seen and heard! She couldn’t keep it quiet. It is a natural thing to express joy or gladness outwardly and in Mary’s case, she did it with her entire spirit. This is worship in action. She was a worshipper and worshippers are quick to express their joy.

We find in the Bible many verses about showing our joy, here is just one…

Psalm 47:1
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

In this verse we see clapping and shouting is a way of expressing our joy! God has done great things for all of us. Let us be people, like Mary, who express our joy to God outwardly.

Next we see why Mary magnified and rejoiced in Her God.

Mary magnified the Lord

3. For what God has done for her.

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me…

She had never seen God so great as He now showed Himself to be to her. How personal to be chosen to give birth to God’s Son.

She was humble. She was capable of handling being the Mother of God’s Son without it going to her head.

Mary speaks of the blessing her privilege would bring her, For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. Mary would not be blessed because of any special or superior worth or perfection of her nature, but because of the Child she would bear. She regarded herself as unworthy to receive this favor, yet, not only Elizabeth but all generations would call her blessed. She realized this honor from God was incredible. Mankind would call her blessed. She was a simple human touched by divine power and presence.

God owes Mary nothing, but Mary owes God everything. She knew she shouldn’t be worshipped but God alone. When generations will call Mary blessed this means they are going to praise God because of the marvelous manner in which He honored her.

Think of that simple young girl in her hiddenness having been told that her name would be repeated, and recognized as blessed, until the world ends. Nobody knew her yet she was destined for greatness. Mary didn’t take any glory for this. She placed the honor at God’s feet with her words and attitude. This is a powerful lesson on how to receive distinctions, honor, and being exalted. We should give all the glory to God when He raises us up.

God cultivates the unseen to eventually be seen for His glory! Get ready to shine for Him when He takes you out of your hiddenness!

~ Pastor Kris Belfils

In verse 49 Mary gives the reason for her blessedness as God’s mighty power and holiness which brought about her conception. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. Because the All Mighty God had worked in this pure, set apart, and sinless way, His name would be recognized as holy, completely set apart from sinfulness.

Verse 50 not only does Mary exalt God’s power and holiness, she also lifts up His mercy. AND HIS MERCY IS upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.

God’s mercy is available to the reverent or “to those who fear Him,” that is to those who in heart and mind are filled with worshipful or devout regard for God. These are the genuinely God-fearing and pure people God does not withdraw His kindness from.

Though God bestows common grace on all, He reserves special consideration, special mercy for those who fear Him. These are those who bow before His holiness and marvel at His kindness. Those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

4. For what He has done for mankind.

He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.

To thoughts of how God was towards herself, Mary shifts her thoughts to how God is towards others.

The “arm” is the symbol of strength. God has shown His strength to all mankind and will continue. God and God alone is supreme. No one or nothing is greater then our God. No one and nothing is stronger then our God.

Man can boast and be proud and think they are the best, but God will dethrone them and exalt the lowly and humble. This is foolishness to those who don’t believe or follow God. God did this with Mary, He did this with His Son from being born in a manger to being seated at the right hand of God, and He will do it with you and I as we stay close to Jesus and follow God’s ways.

Keeping our hearts tender towards God keeps us humble. Hardening our hearts towards God and His ways will make us proud and we will go into our own lawlessness.

Mary sings how God has scattered the proud (those who think more highly about themselves in their hearts) like a whirlwind scattering dust, and has put down the mighty from their thrones. God has lowered and will continue to lower those who are proud and arrogant and haughty from their earthly positions and will raise up those who seem insignificant and rejected. Those who are poor will be raised up at their proper and right time. Don’t think the proud or evil doers will not be punished or get away with their doings. God is a God who sees all and responds with justice.

Are you hungry? God will fill you with good things where as He will send the rich away empty handed. The rich stand on their own riches often. Usually riches makes one proud. Sometimes you will find a rich person who is humble. Those who are humble have not puffed themselves up in their own eyes. God can and will work with the humble and broken. It’s the proud and rigid He rejects. Their attitudes are, “Why do I need God when I have everything I need?” I am not saying all rich people are arrogant, but in this song of Mary there are general statements towards the proud and rich because often they are the ones who reject God and His ways.

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be scattered or be brought down. I have experienced having too much pride in my life before and God always comes and humbles me. It is a promise from Him that He will do this. Do yourself a favor and guard your heart from pride. You will be better off for it.

5. For keeping His covenant promises.

He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever…

Mary has been praising God in song for His deeds. In the closing stanza she points out what those deeds have meant to Israel and the promises made to the forefathers. Verse 54 lifts our hopes by calling to mind God’s help and mercy. “He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy,

Through-out Israel’s history God has stepped-in to help the remnant who served Him. The history of Israel tells the story of God’s help and mercy.

God acts and His actions toward His people reflect His mercy. May His name be magnified forever and ever.

Verse 55 proclaims the hope and vindication of God’s covenant promises. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.

Mary was aware that the birth of her Child was a fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham and his descendants. The blessed seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Messiah, who would give His perfect sinless life so that all who believe might be saved.

The God who has helped His people so often in their past distresses and captivities because of His covenant with them, was coming to offer them and all of mankind salvation and deliverance. It is an invitation He still extends to us today.

The Song Of Mary from The Message Bible brings it all down into perspective!

Luke 1:46 – 55 The Message
And Mary said,
I’m bursting with God-news;
I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

It is amazing how one event changed and saved the world. This saving is still available to all of us today. We, like Mary, need a Savior. Let us be people who are humble and quick to respond in obedience and praise to God for all He has done!

Your sister,

Pastor Kris Belfils
www.KrisBelfils.com
www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com
www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

October 1, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

How To Hear From God

Does God speak to people today? We can read in the Bible of different stories of how God spoke to them. In the Old and New Testament there are many events and circumstances of God speaking to people. But, does He still speak to us today? Some people think God is a fairy tale and isn’t real. Others believe He is real but is mute. Some think God stopped speaking after the New Testament. All of those thoughts are wrong. God DOES speak to people today.

How can we hear from God? There are several ways we hear from God and there are many hinderances that prevent us from hearing His voice. One thing is for certain if we are a Christian and follow the Bible, we should hear His voice.

John 10:27 NKJV

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Do you know the voice of your Shepherd? Do you have a hunger in your heart for fellowshipping with Him? Nothing can satisfy our longing for God, except communion and fellowship with Him. It is hard to walk in obedience to God if we don’t know or recognize His voice. We need to know Him. Know His character.

Hearing from God is vital to enjoying God’s eternal plan for our lives. Listening to God is our decision; no one else can make it for us. God won’t force us to choose His will, but He will do everything He can to encourage us to say yes to His ways.

We are sheep and Christ is the Good Shepherd. I love that! We have a Good Shepherd Who is constantly looking out for us. Are you an obedient sheep or a rebellious sheep?

Sheep are listeners and then doers. Sometimes they need correction, well often times. But our Good Shepherd has a rod and staff to guide, correct, and comfort us on our journey in life.

Psalm 23 Amplified Bible

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake. Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

David understood how the Lord was His Shepherd and what His role in his life was. God does lead and guide us through His Word, and through other ways for us to know what steps we are to take.

There are a few things we can do to help us hear God’s voice.

Expect God to Speak to you.

God is always speaking to us today. Remember that you are in a relationship with Him as soon as you received Christ in your heart as Lord and Savior. Relationships take time. We expect people to talk to us, especially those we are close to.

I know my husband will talk to me an I know my husband’s voice. There could be a hundred people in a room with him, and all of them speaking, but I know I could pick out my husband’s voice. 29 years of marriage and communion with him has given me the ear to hear him. I want to hear from him. I expect him to speak to me, if not that would make for a very cold and shallow relationship.

This is the same with God. We have His Holy Spirit living in us and because of that, we do have the ability to tune into His voice. If you don’t know what the voice of God sounds like, spend time praying and reading His word. Take time to listen for His voice. Don’t be the one doing all the talking with your concerns and petitions. Love doesn’t demand. So there are times we wait in God’s presence and expect Him to Speak to us. We take the time to listen.

First, His voice will never contradict His Word. If you wonder if what you are sensing or hearing is from God, go to His Word and He will confirm it. If it doesn’t confirm, then chances are it is not from God.

Another way to know if it is God who is speaking to you is to test and see if the spirit acknowledges Jesus Christ as the Son of God who has come in the flesh.

1 John 4:1 – 3 NKJV

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

I stopped just now and took the time to quiet my heart. “Be still and know that I am God” came to my mind so I stilled myself. Then I waited. It was just a few seconds and this is what I heard:

-I love you

-I am a warrior

-I am strong in Christ

-No weapon that comes against me will prosper

Wow, this really happened. This is what I heard God say as I quieted myself before Him for just a few seconds.

Now, does what I heard line up with God’s Word? Yes, all four things that I heard do line up with His Word. Here are verses to prove what I heard:

–“I love you” – God loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.)

–“I am a warrior” – I do not fight against flesh and blood. (Eph. 6:10 – 18)

“The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.”

~ Charles Spurgeon

–“I am strong in Christ” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

–“No weapon that comes against me will prosper” – Isaiah 54;17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Imagine if we allow ourselves to slow down and rest in His presence and listen to His voice? The good news is God is always willing to speak to us. Sometimes we think God isn’t saying anything, and that may happen at times, but God is always right there wanting to comfort, guide, protect, and shield us if we listen and allow Him to.

Right now let’s stop and take a few minutes to listen to God’s voice. (Speak out what you hear to everyone – most Pastors wouldn’t do this for concern of what people might say, but I know God wants to talk to us right now.)

2. Expect to Hear Him.

Through Christ, and the power of His Holy Spirit, God wants to speak to you on a One-to-one basis, every day. He wants to lead you step by step to the good things He has in store for you. He cares about the tiniest details of your life. He even keeps track of how many hairs you have on your head (Matthew 10:30). He cares about the desires of your heart. And He wants to reveal truth to you that will set you free from worry, fear, past hurts, and so much more.

His plan to share an intimate relationship with you existed before you were even born. The psalmist said of God,[] “Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before they took shape, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16).

Like I mentioned in point 1, I expect my husband to speak to me, and he expects me to speak to him. When we pray, we need to expect an answer. When we want to spend time with God, we need to expect He will speak to us in some way. It might be an assurance that you can trust Him. It might be that still small voice you hear in your mind and heart that brings peace. But if we don’t expect to hear from God, we won’t be listening for His voice.

Doesn’t it stand to reason that, if God knows all of our days and where we are going to live before we are even born, it is important to learn how to hear form Him? Hearing God’s voice is not only exciting, it also keeps us on the right track!

In Matthew 7:13 – 14 Jesus spoke of a narrow path that leads to life and a broad path that leads to destruction, and He told us to stay on the narrow one. If we can discern God’s voice, we can know if we are veering off onto the wrong track, and we can make an adjustment before we reap bad results from a bad decision.

Each of us can hear from God and be led by the Holy Spirit daily! Look at your neighbor and tell them “God is speaking to you, are you listening?”

When you wake up in the morning, before you even get out of bed, tell the Lord you love Him and you are His. Ask Him what He would have you do that day. Even if you have to go to work or school, you can ask God to show you what to say to do that day that would give Him glory. He might have an assignment in the middle of your day that would minister to someone. He might have something precious He wants to tell you about yourself. Expect to hear from God every day. So exciting will be your life!

3. God offers a lifetime partnership.

We need the Holy Spirit guiding us through every day of our time on this earth. God is committed to guide us even until we leave this life, so it seems important to learn how to hear what He is telling us.

One of the many benefits of hearing from God is that He helps us prepare for the future. The Holy Spirit gives the message to us that has been given to Him from the Father. He announces and declares to us things that will happen in the future.

John 16:13 – 15 NKJV

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

We see many instances in the Bible when God gave people information about the future. Noah was told to prepare for a flood that would come to destroy the people of the earth (Genesis 6:13 – 17). Moses was told to go to Pharaoh and ask for the release of the Israelites, but he was also told that Pharaoh would not let them go (Exodus 7). Obviously, God does not tell us everything that will happen in the future, but the Bible says He will tell us of “things to come.”

John 10:4 – 5 NKJV
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.

God will tell us the way to go, but then we have to do the walking. A walk with God takes place through one step of obedience at a time. Some people want the entire blueprint for their life before they will make one decision. God does not usually operate that way; He leads us one step at a time.

By faith, we take the step God has shown us, and then He gives us the next one. At times we may fall down and must get back up; we may stumble, but He always helps us. We continue on by His strength and His grace, knowing that every time we face a fork in the road, God will guide us.

4. Don’t have selective hearing.

When we are unwilling to hear in one area, it may render us unable to hear in other areas. Sometimes we choose to turn a deaf ear to what we know the Lord is clearly saying to us. We only hear what we want to hear; it’s called “selective hearing.”

After a while, people think they can’t hear from God anymore but in reality there are lots of things they already know He wants them to respond to, and they haven’t done so.

The more quickly we do whatever it is the Lord tells us to do, the more quickly He reveals the next step we are to take. Obedience brings blessing. Obedience brings growth. Obedience sharpens our fellowship with God. Disobedience is a growth blocker.

I assure you that if you fight with God every time He tells you to do something, it will make you just plain miserable.

Jesus said, “Follow Me.” He did not say, “You take the lead, and I will follow you.” We may as well just do quickly whatever God says, the way He wants it done, because in the long run, if we want to enjoy God’s perfect plan for our lives, we are going to have to follow Him.

Are you the type of person who when having a conversation with someone you think you are listening but in reality you are thinking of the next thing you will say to them? This is not listening. Oh you may be hearing them, but you are not connecting with what they are telling you.

Personally, I get so frustrated with people who do this with me. In fact, I will down right stop and say, “You are not listening to me!” They will reply, “Yes, I am you said….” but their answer after I spoke tells me they heard what I said but didn’t pay attention to it because they said something totally different then the topic I was on. If we don’t listen to people, who are right in front of us, how can we ever listen to God?

When you ask someone a question in the natural, you have to take time to listen to their reply. If you are thinking about the next question or the next thing you want to ask them, you will not even pay attention or be sensitive to what they are saying in the first place. Seriously, don’t waste other’s time and don’t waste God’s time. Be sincere and really listen. Be a listener.

5. Create an Atmosphere to Hear From God.

If we want to be led into victory by the Spirit of God, then we have to be willing to change our lifestyle as God speaks to us. We need to create an atmosphere that is conducive to hearing from God. By atmosphere I mean the climate, environment, or main mood that surrounds us.

Atmosphere is created by attitudes, and certain attitudes enhance or hinder our relationship with God.

Example: If we live in a constant life of strife, which is a spiritual problem, we can feel that strife in the atmosphere. If we enter a room where several people are angry or upset, we can feel that tension even if nobody is saying anything.

We should work to create and maintain a peaceful atmosphere:

Romans 12:18

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

To enjoy the fullness of God’s presence, we must consistently maintain an atmosphere conducive to seeking Him, honoring Him, and being faithful and obedient to Him.

If we want to hear form God, we must yield our attitudes to the lordship of Jesus Christ and learn to be led of the Spirit in all of our ways.

Attitudes for hearing God

Keep a Listening Attitude.

Listening is an important key to hearing! Have you ever met someone who asks questions, but doesn’t listen to the answers? It is hard to talk to people who are not listening. The Apostle Paul warns us that we will miss learning rich life principles if we don’t have a listening attitude.

Hebrews 5:11 Amplified Bible

Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight].

When we have a listening attitude, we will know it is God Who is speaking. Remember He doesn’t contradict His Word. We can also know what we are hearing by placing it against His character. We must know God’s character in order to know what is from Him and what isn’t. He is gentle, not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing.

Matthew 11:28 – 30 Amplified Bible

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

Listening to God’s voice we know that He will never go against Himself. In other words, if you hear a voice, thinking it is the Holy Spirit, and it goes against the Father or the Son, or against His Word, it is NOT the Holy Spirit speaking to you. If it goes against God’s character, it is not from the Holy Spirit. God’s voice will never tell you to walk in disobedience to His Word, never!

There are many facets of God’s character, and each one of them seems to be more wonderful than the next. He is faithful, true, loving, kind, long-suffering, just, and honest – among many other wonderful attributes.

If I thought I heard God tell me to give up on something just because it was difficult for me, I would question whether that message was from Him, because I know His character is to be faithful. His word says that even when we are faithless, God remains faithful; therefore, when He is told me to do something, it is unlikely He would tell me to give up quickly. He would be telling me to have endurance, perseverance, courage, and to never quit!

2 Timothy 2:13 Amplified Bible

If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.

People need to see God in action and He wants to work through His children. Don’t let Satan deceive you in this area of hearing from God. Know God, know His character, and you will be able to discern the voices that come to you, whether they are His, yours, or the enemy’s.

Jesus said that people have ears to hear, but they hear not; and eyes to see, but they see not.

Matthew 13:15 NKJV

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart and turn, so that I should heal them.

This is all about our attitude towards God and listening to what He wants. If your ear is dull to God’s voice it is time to sharpen it so you can be healed once and for all of your past issues.

Have an attitude to listen, and go the next step and obey His voice. Even if it requires the pain of letting go of past offenses and looking at yourself to change. You will experience a freedom in God you have never experienced before.

II. Keep an attitude of Faith.

I remember when God called me to go to a Lutheran church in Washington state to be their Minister of Music. I was raised Pentecostal and charismatic. But God told me to “Bring the water to the desert.” Much opposition came from the religious group who wanted things to remain the same. They had secret meetings (about 50 of them) discussing the Senior Pastor and I. Ultimately they made the church Board vote to decide on keeping me or not. They printed out over 50 statements of their “concerns” regarding how their church was going. The vote was 3 to 2 to keep me. During that time I had to totally keep an attitude of faith and believe God’s voice of bringing the water to the desert. I wanted to quit many times. It was hard and people came against my character. Why would they invite me to come and be their Minister of Music if they had issues of me being female, and have a pentecostal background in the first place? My attitude would make or break me if I let it. God was teaching me to have a “bull-dog” grip on His words He spoke to me and to keep a good attitude of faith.

Sometimes we give more consideration to what people tell us or what they think instead of what God has said to us. If we pray diligently, hear from God, but then start asking everybody else what they think, we are honoring people’s opinions above the Word of God. This attitude will prevent us from developing a relationship in which we consistently hear from God. This is not an attitude of faith.

Paul had been persecuting the Christians and was not a likely person to be called to preach. If I was one of Paul’s peers, I would have had a hard time believing that he was called. He knew what the reaction to his ministry would be, so he wrote:

Galatians 1:15 – 17 NKJV

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

The Amplified Bible adds: [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone]. Paul said that he kept the news of his calling to himself; he didn’t check it out with “the big guys” who were supposed to always be hearing from God. He knew what God had done with him on that road to Damascus. He knew that he had been changed forever (Acts 9:3 – 8). He knew that the Son of God had been unveiled and disclosed on the inside of him. He knew that he could never go back to the life he had lived. He knew that for the rest of his life he would have to preach the gospel and remain faithful to why he head heard Jesus say to him.

Paul kept God’s Word in his heart and let it grow and manifest on its own. Then he started doing what he was called to do. Soon others recognized that the calling on him must have been from God. Paul finished by saying, “And they glorified God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place] in me” (Galatians 1:24).

I had to learn how to be led by the Holy Spirit. We all have a conscience. Our conscience will bear witness with the Holy Spirit when God is calling us or guiding us to do something.

Romans 9:1 Amplified Bible

I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience [enlightened and prompted] by the Holy Spirit bearing witness with me.

Did you know God created our Conscience? Doesn’t it make sense that our conscience has to bear witness to the Holy Sprit when He is talking to us? It does. So, never ignore your conscience because it has to line up with God’s Spirit. If you think you have heard from God don’t move on it until you know for sure that it “fits inside.” Everything that is right for our lives has a place on the inside of us, where it is going to settle comfortably.

God may call us to do something we don’t always like in the flesh, but deep inside it will give us pleasure if it is truly a calling from God. For example I am not eager to write a sermon every week because it takes time, prep, and sacrifice, but I know what I am called to do. I am excited about preaching, so I don’t think about the parts of my ministry that are less pleasant.

There is a deep desire on the inside of me that is settled with any inconvenience associated with my calling. I know I have to sacrifice time during my week to write sermons in order to do what God has called me to do.

God may call you into things that you may not be used to doing. You may be scared in the natural, but you will feel that what you are doing fits inside with everything else that God has developed in you. An attitude of faith will help you fulfill your calling.

III. Keep an attitude of patience.

I need to hear from God everyday, and I want to hear from Him about everything. To hear God, we must be willing to wait on wisdom out of a passion for wanting God’s will more than anything else.

We will hear from God much more clearly if we are determined not to move in the heat of our fleshly desires or emotions. We will be blessed if we wait and make sure that we have heard form God before we take any steps at all. Then we should do what God is saying to do, even if it hurts, and even if it costs us something.

Patience is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Patience is not an ability to wait. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that manifests while we are waiting. If patience doesn’t manifest in times of waiting, then we see the fruit of impatience during those times. We all have patience inside of us. What prevents it from coming out is being impatient.

Even this week I had to ask God to forgive me for being impatient waiting for Him to do something or to show me what to do. My flesh can win out and get the best of me sometimes. I hate that! That’s why we have to “die to our flesh” and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in us. His ways are far better then our ways.

We need to wait for sound wisdom before we act on an impulse that we think is from God.

Learn to wait. Emotions that rise and energize us will fall, and emotional impulse won’t carry us where we really need to go. We need God’s energy, which is Holy Spirit determination to follow through and do what God has said.

We can miss God by being in a hurry to get what we want. If we don’t wait, especially in important areas, we will bring trouble into our lives. Patience is becoming more finely tuned in my life all the time.

I have learned that when I feel anxiety rise in me to handle something, I should let it rest for at least twenty-four hours. It is amazing how we can change our mind if we will just let things settle for a few hours. We can save ourselves so much trouble if we will learn to wait on God.

IV. Keep an attitude of obedience.

The psalmist David said of God:

Psalm 40:6 Amplified Bible

Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; you have given me the capacity to hear and obey [Your law, a more valuable service than] burnt offerings and sin offerings [which] You do not require.

God delights in the atmosphere of our obedience. Naturally, it doesn’t do God any good to talk to us if we aren’t going to listen and obey.

For many years, I wanted God to talk to me, but I wanted to pick and choose what to obey. I wanted to do what He said if I thought it was a good idea. If I didn’t like what I was hearing, then I would act like it wasn’t from God. God has given us the capacity both to hear Him and to obey Him. He does not require a higher sacrifice than obedience.

Some of what God says to you will be exciting. Some things God tells you might not be so thrilling to hear. But that doesn’t mean that what He tells you won’t work out for good if you will just do it His way.

If God tells you that you were rude to a person, and He wants you to apologize, it won’t work to answer back, “Well, that person was rude to me too!” If you talk back with excuses, you may have prayed, and even heard, but you haven’t obeyed.

Don’t allow excuses to prevent you from doing what God tells you to do. Excuses stop you from your promised land. Excuses are the easy way out. Excuses are birthed from the flesh. If the flesh wins, sin has won!

Instead, go apologize if God tells you to do so. Take yourself through the walk of obedience and say to that person, “I was rude to you, and I’m sorry.” Now you have obeyed. Now God’s anointing can flow through your life, because you are obedient.

Disobedience is sin. Sin separates us from God. God can not anoint and approve of sin. It goes against His character. Bottom line: Don’t disobey God, but pray and obey.

If you want God’s will for your life, I can tell you the recipe in its simplest form: PRAY AND OBEY

God has given you the capacity to do both. If you do that, before you know it, you will have stepped right into God’s perfect plan for your life.

V. Keep an attitude that honors God.

Another attitude that invites the presence of God into our atmosphere is one that honors Him above all others. We need to have an attitude that says, “God, no matter what anybody else is telling me, no matter what I think myself, no matter what my own plan is, if I clearly hear You say something to me, and I know it’s You, I am going to honor You and what You say above anything else.

Remember He will never tell you do to anything that goes against His Word. His role is supreme in our life. Not our will but His. Most people have a hard time with this. But if we want to be more like Jesus, we have to have the same attitude He did. Jesus said,

Luke 22:42 Amplified Bible

Saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but [always] Yours be done.

The word honor means: “high respect, or esteem, a privilege, regard with great respect, fulfill an obligation or keep an agreement.” (google.com)

We show God respect when we obey Him. He deserves respect. Our attitude should be that God is in charge and I am to listen and obey His orders. I am to honor Him in my lifestyle, the words that I speak, who I hang around, what I watch or listen to, what I think, and what I do with my body.

Even having a critical spirit dishonors God. Being critical of others, or even being critical of God, can prevent us from hearing God’s voice.

There are so many things that can make us “un-clean.” But thank God we live in the New Testament Covenant and we have God’s mercy and grace so we can ask for His forgiveness. We just need to walk away from what doesn’t please Him that we are doing. He will always have something better for us when we do!

Perhaps you have wasted many years walking your own way without seeking God’s guidance. The good news is that it’s not too late to turn and go in a new direction – toward God’s plan and purpose for your life. It is not too late to learn how to hear from God. If you are sincerely willing to obey God, He will guide you on an exciting journey of learning to hear from Him every day of your life.

Get ready for the ride of your life as you walk in obedience and create an atmosphere to hear God’s voice.

Next week we will look at the “Hinderances to hearing God’s voice.”

Your Sister In Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

Sources: Pastor Kris Belfils and Joyce Meyer

May 6, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Responsibility of the Worshiper

Most Christians attend church not with an attitude of contributing but with the purpose of getting as much out of the service as they possibly can. In keeping with that mindset, pastors and worship leaders are expected to see that all the components of the service flow together cohesively and meaningfully. “That’s the pastor’s job!” If something goes wrong, the pastor or worship leader gets the blame, and both are likely to hear about it. The weight of the responsibility for the service is thus seen to fall on the shoulders of those on the platform, and the individual in the congregation is relatively free from feeling any responsibility for the service. But if we truly believe that all Christians are active members of the New Testament priesthood – that all of us are ministers before and unto the Lord – then we must begin to accept the proper responsibility for our role as ministers in the congregation.

Responsibility of the Individual Worshiper

1. Minister unto the Lord.

The first and foremost responsibility of every worshipper is to minister unto the Lord.

Psalm 150:1 (KJV)

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.”

“Praise ye the LORD…” the responsibility to praise and worship does not rest on the pastor or the worship leader; it is your responsibility, it is my responsibility (as an individual), the responsibility of each person to offer up an individual “sacrifice of praise” to the Lord. Far too often we come to church and see what we can get. It is time we come to church to see what we can give. We should be eager and excited to minister back to the Lord in worship. This is our action; to love on the Lord. Tell Him how good He is. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done in your life. Tell Him of His greatness.

2. Prepare ourselves for worship.

Staying up late Saturday night and watching a “horror flick” is not a good way to prepare for Sunday worship. Try to get to bed at a decent hour if possible on Saturday night’s. On Sunday mornings spend some time thinking about God and possibly in prayer before you come to church on Sunday mornings (even if it is in the shower). We want to come with hearts already in tune to the Spirit of God.

Sometimes I feel like I am your cheerleader encouraging you to enter into praise and worship. It shouldn’t take the second or third song during worship before you enter in. You should be ready to enter in to worship even before you come to church, so when it is time to corporately enter in to praise and worship you are hungry for it.

One excellent way to prepare for worship is to deal with any known sin in your life before you get to service. If, at the outset of the service we are trying to come into right relationship with God, we can lose precious moments that could have been spent in vibrant praise and worship. Or if we try to sweep that sin under the carpet, and not deal with it, we will not find a full release in worship.

Do you wonder why you struggle in praise and worship? Do you feel like God is far away? Maybe you need to check your heart and see if there is any thing like attitudes, or issues that prevent you from entering into God’s presence. Again… this is YOUR responsibility as a worshiper.

3. Invest ourselves in prayer for the service ahead of time.

Dr. Judson Cornwall has said that prayer is to the believer as communication is to a marriage – absolutely vital. He defines prayer as communication with God and suggests that the prayerless saint will never be a worshiper.

Jesus gave us a principle that applies here:

Matthew 6:21

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

If we invest ourselves diligently in prayer for the worship service, we will be amazed at our level of concern for and participation in the service. If we spend quality time praying for the service, we will be eager to see a return on that investment and will be ready to become involved to help make it a glorious time.

4. Frequent the place of worship.

Hebrews 10:25 (CEV)

“Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.”

We live in a self-confident society. People make excuses for not coming to church and think they are okay. I have even heard people say, “I am not backsliding” when it comes to not coming. Listen, develop a love for God’s house and His people. I can’t wait to get to church and be a part of the service. I enjoy seeing you all and fellowshipping with you. I come excited to see what God is going to do in all of our lives.

People can get out of the habit of coming to church. We need to get in the habit of coming. Great things happen in the house of God.

We all need the strength and encouragement we receive by fellowshipping with other in the body of Christ. Individually we are only small members in the body; by ourselves, cut off from that body, we will die spiritually.

An arm can’t decide, “Well, I don’t need to go be a part of the body today, I think I will go and do something else. No, that would never happen, yet that is exactly what happens with us. We decide we were at church last week and don’t need to come two weeks in a row so we stay home and watch T.V. or something else. Soon, we miss another Sunday, and then another Sunday until we are not going to church all together. Don’t let this be you. Guard against this. This is exactly what the devil wants to happen with you. Be aware of this and set your mind ahead of time to go to church. I can’t imagine missing a service. In fact, it pains me when I am gone. Let’s develop a love for God’s house, which is God’s people, that won’t be shaken.

We must come into God’s presence by offering up a sacrifice of praise, and we should be prepared to reach out in ministry to other brothers and sisters as the Holy Spirit would divinely direct us.

5. Be self-motivated in our praise and worship.

A worshiper worships at every given opportunity and does not demand some horizontal stimulus from the pastor or worship leader before entering into praise. (Smile) Be ready to worship. Have a hunger for God. Show you love the Lord by volunteering to enter in to worship. Your level of worship and how you enter in reflects your walk with God did you know that. If your walk is shallow and indifferent, so will your worship be.

Psalm 145:1 – 3 Amp

“I will extol You, my God, O King and I will bless Your name forever and ever [with grateful, affectionate praise]. Every day [with its new reasons] will I bless You [affectionately and gratefully praise You]. yes, I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; and His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable.”

David wrote this and he was a worshipper. He knew how to encourage himself in the Lord and we can do the same thing. Allow worship to become a part of your everyday life.

6. Enter readily and wholeheartedly into the praises of God.

Far too many of us are “slow starters” on Sunday morning.

We are like a cold engine on a wintry morning, and I feel like the driver of an old classic car trying to get the thing started by cranking up the engine. Crank it up – a few sputters – then nothing. Crank it again – sputter, cough, sputter, – it dies. Crank it one more time – and finally something seems to “take” and the engine starts.

New sports cars are sometimes rated according to how quickly they accelerate: “zero to fifty in 8.6 seconds.” I wonder how our services might be rated on a similar scale: “zero to fifty in twenty-five to thirty minutes.”

We are to do more than just sing songs. The Psalms exhort us to “sing praise unto God.” Just because we are singing songs, doesn’t mean we are singing praise or truly worshiping. It is possible for us to sing without having our hearts in it at all. Our responsibility is to get our hearts engaged. When you really want to see someone you will make every effort to make it happen. How hungry for God are you? How passionate for Your Savior, the Lover of your soul are you? Don’t allow praise and worship to just be lip service.

When we first come before the Lord, that is not the time to spew out all our problems and cares upon Him. What a terrible way for God to have to start the service! When we first come in, we are to put aside those concerns, block out all the emotional upheavals of the week, put on a garment of praise, put a smile on our faces, and lift up our hearts in thanksgiving and praise to God!

7. Worshiping despite distractions.

How easy it is to blame others for our lack of praise!

-“The worship leader just isn’t flowing with the Spirit of God today!”

-“What’s the pastor doing – she doesn’t look like she’s enjoying the worship service at all.”

-“My, that was a sour note on the piano!”

-“The drums are too loud!”

-“The drums are too quiet!”

-“Why do we always sing the chorus over and over again?”

-“The guitar is too loud!”

-“They never sing the songs I like!”

-“They don’t sing hymns.”

-“I am not a “music person” so I don’t worship.”

-“The people around me are not worshipping so why should I?”

-“This worship leader obviously doesn’t know what she is doing!”

There are “a thousand and one” reasons why we do not praise God. But the responsibility to praise must inevitably return upon us. God never told us to praise “if you like the style of the worship leader” or “when a song you really like comes along.” What does Scripture say?

Psalms 34:1

“I will bless the LORD at all times!”

Even when the worship leader is off key, the pianist does not know the song, and the drummer is too harsh. This comes as an injunction to all of us as worshipers: we must not allow ourselves the luxury of becoming distracted by the sincere but faltering efforts of the musicians or leader. We may be very accurate in our analysis of their deficiencies, but we will rob ourselves of the privilege of blessing the Lord.

Other distraction might be, “Oh, I have to go to the bathroom” and it has been your seventh trip already since you came to church. May be you are allowing your mind to wonder and don’t focus it back on God. Maybe you go and get a cup of coffee? Or, even worse, you are on your smartphone on Facebook or playing a game on your phone instead of putting it away and focusing on God?

8. Be worshipers all week long.

A true worshiper does not enjoy worshiping only on Sunday in the congregation; their life is a continual praise and worship unto God 24/7. Once we have learned that life of worship throughout the week, it is easy to come together in the congregation and praise Him.

When worshipers assemble, the praise ascends immediately. If the level of praise in our congregation is poor, we can be sure the problem is that the people have not learned to live a life of praise throughout the week. We have been called to more than “just visiting” the house of the Lord.

It is easy to confuse worshiping with being a worshiper. Just because someone worships, it does not necessarily follow that he or she is a worshiper. Virtually anyone can worship as the occasion might demand, but relatively few seem to manifest the life-style of a worshiper. When God asks us to be worshipers every day, He is not asking us to do nothing but sing songs all week. He knows we must do other things besides vocalize our worship. But God does ask us to live a life consistent with that of a worshiper seven days a week. Once we adopt that life-style, we will find a song of praise frequently welling up from within. We will begin to realize that everything we do truly constitutes an act of worship unto the Lord, for our daily activities are but an expression of our dedication to God.

Someone has said, “Don’t ‘lip’ it unless you live it.” We all fall short of God’s ideal from time to time. We do not wait to praise God until we are living a perfect Christian life, or else none of us would ever praise. But as we confess the Lord with our mouth, our life slowly comes into line with that confession.

“Your walk talks, and your talk walks,

but your walk talks further than your talk walks.”

Worship God through your love for Him. Worship God because He sent His Son to set your free to worship! He rescued you. You are a new creation. You are brand new. Your old life has passed away and behold all things are new. Fresh and new. You still have the price tag on you! Make God your everything and you will find you can’t help but worship Him.

May intimacy of our worship break chains in our life! May it open the heavens and we experience God’s kingdom on earth. May we break forth into joy the sets others free. May we see beyond ourselves and minister back to our Creator. We are filled with God’s presence when we worship. We are free!

From one worshiper to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

Some of the material provided in this article is from: Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise & Worship, By Bob Sorge

April 23, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Door of Deliverance

We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is the very foundation of our Christian faith. God made a way for all mankind to be delivered from the wages of sin which the Bible tells us is death.

Romans 6:23 NLT

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I have devoted my life to tell people that Jesus is alive and that He loves them so much He died and took their place. God offers us a choice to be saved from hell and damnation. Even though we deserve the worse, God has given us His best so we are delivered and redeemed and set free from any power sin had on us. It is our choice to receive deliverance or not.

In this message I want to look at the “Door of Deliverance” God has placed before us, to step back and see how God delivered the Israelites from bondage as a foreshadowing of what Christ will do for us, and to see how it is the biggest and best door we could ever walk through. This is the last message on the “Doors” series. What a powerful ending of the open doors to look deeply at the Door of Deliverance God has provided each one of us.

What comes to your mind when you think of the word deliverance? I am sure it conjures up many thoughts.

Psalm 32:7 KJV

“Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah”

God is our hiding place. As a believer no matter what we are going through, no matter what we have done, we can hide in Him. Songs of deliverance is a powerful thought because this is exactly what God does for us as we hide in Him; He delivers us from our trouble. Remember last weeks message; Door of Hope? God places a door of hope in the middle of the Valley of Achor (trouble) [Hosea 2:15]. Right in the middle of our struggles God will open up a door of hope for you.

The word deliverance in this passage means “escape” [pallet (pal-late) Strongs Hebrew and Greek Definitions H6405] and when you bring that word back to the Hebrew primitive root it expands to mean; “out, that is, escape; causatively to deliver: carry away safe, deliver, (cause to) escape” (H6403).

We can escape death and an eternity in hell all by receiving what Christ did on the cross for us. That is first and foremost the biggest door of deliverance God has provided for each of us. I can’t think of any worse trouble then spending my eternal future burning in hell. Remember what the Bible says is true; there is a God, a heaven, a devil, and a fiery hell.

Looking at the word deliverance further:

Joel 2:32 KJV

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.”

The word delivered (malat) is a primitive root (H4422) and is translated; “to be smooth, to escape; to release or rescue, emit sparks, save speedily and surely.”

Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be delivered! This is a promise. We have a deliverer Who is ready and willing to come and rescue us and smoothly provide a way of escape from our troubles and bring us speedily and surely to a safe place. How many of you want to be safe? Me too! Turn to somebody and tell them “You are safe in Jesus!”

Luke 4:18 – 19 KJV

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus read these words from the book of Isaiah in the Synagogue. All present marveled and looked intently at Him. It is what was prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 61:1- 2. But when Jesus read this to the Chief Priests and Elders they didn’t like it. They kept the people in bondage by their rules and laws and rituals. How can this man be professing that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him? This was the beginning of much hatred and rejection from the Religious rulers and eventually plotting to kill Jesus.

The word deliverance (aphesis pronounced af-es-is) in this passage of scripture gives an even better definition: “freedom, pardon, deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission (G649, from G863).

Jesus came to set the captives free from any enslavement. He wants us to walk in freedom because we have been forgiven of all the wrong we have done. Walking in freedom means to walk away from what held you captive. It means to walk in obedience to God and enjoy your life. You never go back to it again. Even our own fleshly, selfish desires can put us in prison and hold us captive, but once you have truly tasted freedom, you no longer want to go back to anything that put you into slavery in the first place.

You and I can be in bondage and not even realize it. Once we come out of slavery we realize how captive we really were. We can be entrapped by sin, un-forgiveness, bitterness,

haughty spirit, our past, or even our future if we allow it. God wants to deliver us all from that and much more today.

Jesus is our Passover Lamb of Deliverance

Did you know that the Passover is being celebrated right now with all Jewish communities. How is this important to this message? Looking at the Old Testament we can see an event that was extremely prophetic for our deliverance.

The Passover lamb was the animal God directed the Israelites to use as a sacrifice in Egypt on the night God struck down the firstborn sons of every household (Exodus 12:29). This was the final plague God issued against Pharaoh, and it led to Pharaoh releasing the Israelites from slavery (Exodus 11:1). After that fateful night, God instructed the Israelites to observe the Passover Feast as a lasting memorial (Exodus 12:14). How amazing they celebrated their deliverance even before they were delivered!

God instructed every household of the Israelite people to select a year-old male lamb without defect (Exodus 12:5; cf. Leviticus 22:20-21). The head of the household was to slaughter the lamb at twilight, taking care that none of its bones were broken, and apply some of its blood to the tops and sides of the doorframe of the house. The lamb was to be roasted and eaten (Exodus 12:7-8). God also gave specific instructions as to how the Israelites were to eat the lamb, “with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand (Exodus 12:11; cf. Ephesians 6:14). In other words, they had to be ready to travel.

God said that when He saw the lamb’s blood on the doorframe of a house, He would “pass over” that home and not permit “the destroyer” (Exodus 12:23) to enter. Any home without the blood of the lamb would have their firstborn son struck down that night (Exodus 12: 12-13).

Exodus 12:13 NKJV

“…And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

When I see the blood… When God saw the blood on the doors He didn’t kill the first born. Those who obeyed God were saved. Not only were they saved but this very act made for their freedom from slavery. They were set free from Pharaoh and Egypt to pursue the promise land.

This is what Christ did for us. The Bible tells us that Jesus is our passover lamb.

1 Cor. 5:7 NKJV

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

The Israelites were to find a lamb with no blemishes. No one else could have ever fulfilled being the Passover Lamb except Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist proclaimed who Jesus was stating He was the Lamb of God.

John 1:29 NKJV

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Jesus was crucified when the passover was observed. The ultimate Lamb was sacrificed for you and me to take away every sin, every wrong we have done, and took our place. He was like a lamb being led to the slaughter and didn’t speak a word (Matt. 27:14).

If it was me I would be telling everyone my innocence so I wouldn’t be killed. But Jesus remained silent. He remained silent for you and I. He knew why He came to earth. He fulfilled His assignment His Father gave Him. Touch someone and say, “He took, my place!”

Power in the blood

There is power in the Blood of Christ. Christ shed blood is the act of dying that leads to our redemption. Most of the time seeing blood makes you think of death, but in this powerful case it means LIFE!

Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Christ’s blood was spilt and applied for our salvation.

20 Things the Blood of Jesus Does*

1. It remits sins (Matt. 26:28).

2. It gives life to those who consume it (John 6:53).

3. It causes us to dwell in Christ and He in us (John 6:56).

4. It is the means by which Jesus purchased the church (Acts 20:28).

5. It is the means by which Jesus becomes our atonement through faith (Rom. 3:25).

6. It justifies us and saves us from wrath (Rom. 5:9).

7. It redeems us (Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9).

8. It brings those who were far away from God near to Him (Eph. 2:13).

9. It grants us the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14).

10. It brings peace and reconciliation to God (Col. 1:20).

11. It has obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12).

12. It cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:14).

13. It is the means by which we enter the most holy place with boldness (Heb. 10:19).

14. It speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Heb. 12:24, NIV).

15. It sanctifies us (Heb. 13:12).

16. It makes us complete for every good work (Heb. 13:20-21, NKJV).

17. It cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

18. It bears witness in the earth along with the Spirit and the water (1 John 5:8, KJV).

19. It is the means by which Jesus washes us (Rev. 1:5; 7:14).

20. It is the means by which we overcome the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:11).

The amazing news is that Jesus didn’t stay dead! No, He rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for you and I. We all need a Passover Lamb! He is our Door of Deliverance. Jesus took the keys of hell and death so that we might not die but live and spend eternity with Him.

Who needs a passover? We all do! We have “do-overs” but this is far greater then any do-over. We have a God who passes over our mess, mistakes, sins, wrong-doings, and washes us all clean and white as snow through His Son, Jesus Christ. This was Jehovah’s plan from the beginning of time. One can not argue over all the facts of how Jesus was our Passover Lamb. What about you? Have you asked Jesus to be your Passover Lamb yet? Don’t hesitate. Today is the day for your salvation, your deliverance as you walk through that open door God has provided for you.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I realize You did come to save me from all the wrong I have done. You truly are the Son of God to take away my sins. I ask you to be Lord of my life and forgive me of it all. Thank you for being my Passover Lamb. Thank you for choosing to go to the cross in my place. You paid it all and I owe you everything. From this day forward I will follow You all the days of my life. I want all of You so I give You all of me. I am free as I walk through Your Door of Deliverance today, Amen!

I rejoice in the Lord for the transformation in your heart today!

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

*(http://frankviola.org/2012/03/01/thebloodofjesus/)

April 14, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Door of Hope

This year, 2014, is a year of open doors. People need hope. I believe we will walk into those low places with people who need Jesus, offering them the entrance to the door of hope whose name is Jesus Christ. As a Christian, we have the answer to all the world’s problems and we should be sharing it to all we meet.

Joel 3:14

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

There will be multitudes who need hope. They will make a decision to come to Christ and live passionately for Him.

I had a dream this past week. In the dream I was at a Presbyterian church in Spokane. First off, I am not Presbyterian and haven’t attended their churches or know their pastors. At this church one of the Leaders came up to me and offered for our church to use their facility and that they would like to give all their property to Hope Fellowship. I was amazed and blessed. They showed me their entire campus of buildings. In the main building there were sleeping quarters and my family and I spent the night from Saturday to Sunday. When we woke up on Sunday morning, I heard people and saw people coming in for Sunday School. I shouted for everyone to lock their sleeping quarters as I went to a side door where everyone was coming in. I looked outside and multitudes were coming into the building for Sunday School. It was snowing very hard outside. I quickly went to the Adult Sunday School class and realized there wasn’t enough room or chairs to accommodate such a large crowd. Then, after Sunday School, more people, by the multitude came into the Cathedral ceiling sanctuary. There was people everywhere. I asked where the pulpit was and it was in the middle of this huge rectangle size cathedral room. People sat all around the four walls. The Presbyterian leaders asked me to come to the pulpit and the crowd cheered. They stated; “We are handing over the keys and the microphone to you. This is all yours!” The crowd cheered. As I spoke my voice would cut out, but the crowd didn’t care, they were all just happy to be there and excited at this new beginning! I woke up shortly after that.

This dream has stayed in my spirit ever since I dreamt it. It brought me hope and joy. All I could see in this dream were open doors and people running in with high expectations of HOPE. I believe this is a prophetic dream of the world today. As much as there will be a great turning away, there will be a great harvest. Be alert and don’t be one who is lead astray by your own desires. Be one who helps bring in the harvest for God’s glory to build His Kingdom. Help people come to the open door of hope.

Today, people have put their hope in so many things and all of them have failed them. They are looking for the real deal. They want to see genuine people expressing living hope. They are attracted to that.

What Jesus did on the cross is everything. He died so that we might live. But He didn’t stay in the grave, No, He is risen. He is alive! It gives us hope for tomorrow.

Hope is the sustainer of life. It’s the motivator to action. It’s the promise of tomorrow. What each one of us needs more of is hope. What our country and world needs is hope.

What is hope? Often we use the word hope as a form of wish. “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” “I hope the Seahawks or Bulldogs win their next game.” However, hope in the Bible, has quite a different meaning.

Hope in the Bible is a “confident expectation of a divinely provided future.”

Biblical hope is a confidence and expectation that God has provided for a good future for you. This morning God wants to fill every person here with hope that God has a great future planned for you.

The opposite of hope is despair or hopelessness. We see examples of despair and hopelessness all around us.

”Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

I would like to add to this quote;

“Despair cannot drive out despair: only HOPE can do that.”

Pastor Kris Belfils

How many times do we try to drive out our own despair with more despair? This will never bring encouragement.

The word despair means: “A state in which all hope is lost or absent, The feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well, abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart. Other terms: Discouragement, disheartenment, dismay, hopelessness, pessimism, resignation, surrender.”

This happens to many people everyday. When a tragedy occurs or our expectations have not been met, we can fall into despair easily. We can fall into despair just by thinking wrong thoughts about our self and others.

There are really only two things you can have in life:

1. Despair

2. Hope

Hope in the dictionary means: “A general feeling that some desire will be fulfilled, grounds for feeling hopeful about the future, Someone, or something on which expectations are centered.”

Having hope is so essential to surviving in life. If we lose hope, we have lost the race.

Despair and hopelessness drives people to harm themselves or others in many ways. Hopelessness leads people to try to escape life’s despair through different kinds of addictions. Despair about your future saps the joy from life.

This is what the world is experiencing today. They have no hope. Some tried to put their hope in the Government or financial institutes, some in their education, some in what they buy or wear. All these things will leave you hopeless.

Psalms 42:11

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”

This verse is telling us to put our hope in God and to praise Him for saving us from our trouble.

What are you thinking? Are you thinking despairing thoughts? Then you will be filled with despair! Despair and discouragement are dead end roads. They lead to no where!They don’t get anything done.

Discouragement leads to despair, despair leads to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness, hopelessness leads to depression and suicidal thoughts, and suicidal thoughts leads down a path of total darkness.

If you are feeling despair, don’t jump to Satan’s illusions. Remind yourself that you are valuable and God has a plan for your life. Tell yourself that your current condition is not permanent. It will pass. Tell yourself you can stand in the midst of all the bad. Also distinguish the difference of something that is truth about you or your situation, or just a lie or illusion the enemy is trying to sabotage you with.

In the natural, darkness always makes us scared, but sunshine and light make us feel safe and happy. The doom and gloom go away instantly when light is put on the subject.

Light is the only thing that can drive out darkness. We sometimes wallow in self-pity or focus on the negative, thinking you will feel better, and the dark cloud will lift. This will never happen. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, and despair cannot drive out despair.

We have to guard against darkness in our hearts and minds. The best way is to focus on, and bring in the light.

Psalm 36:9 (NKJV)

“For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.”

John 12:46 (NKJV)

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”

1 Thess 5:5 (NKJV)

“You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”

John 1:5 (NKJV)

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

Isaiah 60:1

“Arise, shine; For your light has come! and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

We have to set our minds on new things, and what God is capable of doing. We have to turn our thoughts from the bad and purposely set our thoughts on the good.

Jesus said this about our light:

Matthew 5:14 – 16 (NKJV)

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Now let us take a look at Psalm 146 and see what the LORD is doing in our lives, which brings us much hope:

Psalm 146 (NKJV)

“PRAISE the LORD! (Hallelujah) Praise the LORD, O my soul! While I live I will praise the LORD; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Do not put your trust (hope) in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirt departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. The LORD shall reign forever – Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

To overcome Hopelessness we need to remind ourself who the LORD is in our life:

(Based on Psalm 146)

Praise the LORD! (Ps. 146:1 – 2)

Do not put your hope in princes or in man as they will perish (146:3 – 4)

Put your hope in the LORD – it will make you happy (Ps. 146:5)

The LORD made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them (Ps. 146:6)

The LORD is the keeper of truth forever (Ps. 146:6)

The LORD executes justice for the oppressed (146:7)

The LORD gives food to the hungry (146:7)

The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners (146:7)

The LORD watches over the strangers (146:8)

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind (146:8)

The LORD raises those who are bowed down (146:8)

The LORD loves the righteous (146:8)

The LORD watches over the strangers (146:9)

The LORD relieves the fatherless and widow (146:9)

The LORD turns the way of the wicked upside down (146:9)

The LORD shall reign forever, to all generations (146:10)

Psalm 27:14 (God’s Word)

“Wait with hope for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart be courageous.

Yes, wait with hope for the LORD.”

We have to wait with hope for God. We have to be courageous and strong in our waiting. The word; “wait” was a bad four letter word to me. I hated waiting. Waiting made me feel I did something wrong. It made me feel I wasn’t ready. But, this is not why we have to wait at times. Waiting helps us to mature in Christ. Waiting burns out the impatience in us. Waiting is better then rushing into something without God’s wisdom and direction.

Human nature gives up easily when we pray and don’t see our prayers answered. We pray once, and no answer, so we give up, or think it is not God’s will. We have to be persistent in our prayers and in faith. God is looking for people who have their hope in Him and don’t give up when they don’t see an answer to their prayer.

A great example of praying and not giving up is Elijah. I am sure Elijah waited with hope as he prayed to God for rain to come.

Read 1 Kings 18:41 – 46

Elijah could have given up after the first time praying for rain and then sending his servant to go up mount Carmel to see if any clouds were forming. Elijah’s hope was in God and he believed God would come through. Again and again Elijah prayed without any answer to his prayer. He pressed in and continued to pray.

Elijah persevered and kept praying and believing God would come through. He was relentless! He didn’t stop praying until God gave him a sign. It was in a form of a cloud the size of a man’s hand. It was all he needed to move on in his life. God gives little clouds to spark hope in our hearts that He is working and bringing the answer.

We can learn from this great man of God. We too need to keep praying without giving up. We too need to believe God will answer in spite of our circumstances or what we see or don’t see happening.

The hope is knowing God is faithful! What He did before He will do again. He used men and women in the Bible to bring about His agenda and His Kingdom. He wants to use us too.

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Faith in action requires a time of waiting. The word “Hope” is interchanged with the word wait in the Bible. HOPE: Is the place between praying and answered prayer!

It can seem like God didn’t hear us or holds his answer from us.

Where can we get the hope that we need in life? …….Our hope comes from Jesus.

Matthew 12:21 (NIV)

“In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Some people put their hope in wrong things and they are disappointed. But everyone who puts their hope in Jesus will never be disappointed.

Hope for the multitudes to give them a door of hope in trying times is our heart here at Hope Fellowship!

Hope is the only thing that stands against fear. Having hope propels you to keep trying in the middle of your fears. This is the action or active part of hope. Hope helps us to stay focused. If we don’t have hope, we will fall into our fears and doubts and give up.

Let Hope arise in you today! The Hope of Jesus Christ is powerful. No one can take that away from you. Hope sustains you. Hope keeps you.

You might be living in a hard situation right now. It might seem hopeless, but remind yourself Who is living inside of you! Jesus, the conqueror of death! Jesus, the giver of new life and new beginnings!

Door of Hope

Hosea 2:15

“I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.”

This verse is for all who are facing trouble right now, be it financial trouble, family trouble, physical trouble. I don’t care what trouble you have, maybe emotional trouble? God will give you hope in the middle of your troubles.

“Her” is basically Israel, but can refer to all of us as God’s people today. “I will give her…” we are the bride of Christ! We are so blessed. We can be called “him” and “her;” the bride of Christ.

“I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.”

What a wonderful prophecy. Now, see the words, “door of hope?” In Hebrew; Pethach tiqvah. There is a Jewish Anthem entitled; “The Hope.” HATIKVAH it is sung to remember that as long as deep in the heart a Jewish soul yearns and looks to Zion our hope will not be lost.

Hope doesn’t mean; “I hope things will happen.” No, hope means it will happen. What you dream and believe in God will happen. God will meet the desires of your heart. God says, “Have hope!” Man says, “Don’t raise your hope.” God says, “Raise your hopes as high as the throne of God, hallelujah! Amen!” You have a God. Those other people who say, “Don’t raise your hope.” They don’t have a god. You have a God of grace, of goodness, of mercy!

Do you know where He puts this door of hope? Do you know where to find the door of hope? God says there’s no temptation, no testings, no trials that has come on you that God will not give you the strength, and will find the way of escape. There is a door in every test! There is a door. Where do you find this door of hope? In the Valley of Achor! What is the Valley of Achor? Listen this is a word for all of you!

The word Achor means: trouble in Hebrew (Strongs Hebrew and Greek Dictionary).

It means trouble! Wow, in your valley of trouble. When you are in trouble you don’t feel like you are on the mountain, no you are in the valley. You may say, “Pastor Kris I have all these bills looming. I feel crushed.” God says, “In your valley of trouble I will open to you a door of hope!” “Pastor Kris, you don’t understand. The Doctors have given me some bad news.” You are going through a valley now and God is going to put the door of hope before you. And every time you open this door you step into life more abundantly (John 10:10). You will find pasture. God puts a door there.

Listen, don’t open other doors that man tries to put there. The Door is Jesus. When you open the Door you will find life, and life more abundantly!

So what trouble are you going through right now? God is putting right now, in your valley, a Door of hope. His name is Jesus, and what do you do with a door? Open it. Jesus says, “I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” Once He comes in your sickness goes out! Once He comes in your lack goes out! Once He comes in, peace in the house. And by the way people forget that Jesus says, “I knock at the door” in Revelation 3:20. It is not written for sinners. It is written for the church. Okay, but He invites you to open the door. He will not break down the door. The door of grace has only one knob and it is not out side, the knob is inside. Jesus can only knock, you have to open the door and say, “Lord Jesus, come into my trouble, come into my mess. Lord, I don’t know what to do, my hands are off.” Then Jesus will say, “Come you will find pasture and life more abundant has come.”

Zacheous opened his door and said, “Come in,” and Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house!” Hallelujah! Amen! Let’s do that right now!

Your Pastor,

Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

March 24, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Breakthrough the Threshold of the Open Door

God spoke to my heart back in August of 2013 that He wanted me to preach on Doors this new year. Since January I have written and preached message after message on Open Doors for 2014. In doing so, I believe I made myself a target of the devil as I have experienced attack after attack not only in my own life with my health, but in my family, and church as well. At one point I felt I was doing something wrong and even felt like giving up. But, that was not the answer. Far too many times when we are right at the threshold of our breakthrough, right at the doorway of an open door, we will experience the attack of the enemy.

Satan does not want us to take any ground from him. When we rise up and make a stance for God and taking the land for Him, it angers the enemy. Then we experience difficult circumstances and our faith weakens.

Crossing Over the Threshold of Open Doors

As I was going through the attacks of the enemy I didn’t see it as attacks. All I saw was the struggle and the hardship I had to walk through. Maybe this is you too. I pray this message ministers to you as the content ministered to me and allowed me to see more clearly what was really happening. The following is taken from Sandie Freed as well as my own writings.

Are you having to go through what you might refer to as a difficult time right now? And, even though it has been prophesied that this is a year of open doors and experiencing double blessings and breakthrough, do you feel as if your faith is weakened and that it is difficult for you to hold on to finish the race?

If you are contending for your new levels of increase and breakthrough, please allow me to give some insight as to how to properly respond to the new level of spiritual warfare needed for this season. And, let me assure you that you are not alone in this. Many Believers are experiencing difficulty crossing over into their promises in this season.

Opposition At The Threshold Of Open Doors

Sandi Freed writes: Recently I was in Katy, Texas, to minister at Wanda Roberson Ministries’ conference entitled “Stepping Through Open Doors.” When I travel, it is not unusual for me to have a dream from the Lord which exposes territorial strongholds and plans of the enemy. I love the faithfulness of God to expose any area of opposition that attempts to enslave His children! The night before I spoke at the conference, I had a dream of a threshold with an open door. At the threshold, there was a python snake that attempted to wrap itself around God’s children as they were going through the door. (More on the python spirit in a bit.) This evil spirit would attempt to weaken its victim by squeezing the life and breath out of its body. Also, there was a strong spirit of fear attached to this python spirit, and just the fear alone kept people from being empowered to cross over into enlargement and increase.

There was much contending at this threshold as the enemy would lash out with false accusations, fear, anxiety, and cause weakness (both physically and spiritually) in its attempts to hold on to each of us. Satan’s desire is to keep us from getting past our past. Saints of God, listen up – the enemy does not want you to believe God for your breakthrough. He desires to weaken your faith by creating circumstances in your life that are completely opposite of what God has promised you. Bottom line – your land of promise, your open door, awaits your arrival and crossing over, but the enemy does not like the fact that you are at a threshold of great, great breakthrough.

I read this prophecy from Marsha Burn on March 12, 2014:
“I have opened a door to the season ahead of you. It will be a time when you will be able to see and understand spiritual truth with greater clarity–a season of freedom from bondage and past difficulties that will bring refreshment to your soul. You stand at the very threshold of a new beginning, []but you must first put the past firmly behind before you can move ahead. Let go of everything that is holding you back, says the Lord.”

Perilous Times

So, why are we being promised open doors, double blessings, and many of God’s “suddenlies” if we are also experiencing such difficulties? Well, I believe that we are living in what 2 Timothy 3:1 refers to as perilous times.

2 Timothy 3:1 NKJV
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:”

The word “perilous” is a Greek word chalepos (pronounced kahl-ep-os’) and it is translated as meaning “difficult, i.e. dangerous or (by implication) furious.”

I can relate to this translation as I have also been experiencing some difficult times. And, I certainly believe that satan is furious that each of us is determined to cross over into increase!

Interestingly, another interpretation of perilous is “reduction in strength.”

I can relate to feeling weak – both physically and spiritually. How so? Well, the enemy would like to squeeze the life out of me and weaken my faith; plus, I am struggling with physical strength at the same time.

And, a further study concerning perilous times reveal that it is linked to another Greek word which means “to let down, strike, and to lower (as into a void.)” Translations take this even one step further by explaining that during perilous times we even experience “chasms.” (See Strong’s Concordance #5467, #5465, and #5490.)

Did you see that? Let me make it clear. Satan desires to cause us to believe that we are not seated in heavenly places in authority over him! He desires to deceive us into believing we have a lower position! He is attacking our belief systems at the threshold of open doors.

And now, get this: He wants to “void” our promises by deception. He desires to create a chasm between us and our promises. How can he deceive us? Again, by creating situations in our life that seem to oppose our promises. Satan desires to weaken our strength, weaken our faith, and strike out with opposition at the threshold. However, we need to remember this important fact as we contend against satan and the python spirit – Jesus Christ has already won the victory. His Blood was shed so that you are empowered with grace to cross over into your Promised Land! Our minds must be renewed to that truth as we defeat every enemy that attempts to oppose us. Let me encourage you with this thought – IT IS NOT AS IT APPEARS! This truly IS your season to access the unseen!

The Python Spirit

In Greek, the term used for divination and witchcraft is “python.” It is connected to a word meaning “to twist.” A python is a large and muscular snake that will “twist” itself around its prey and kill it by squeezing or constricting until it suffocates.

“The python spirit is loosed whenever Jezebel is in the midst. It squeezes life out of hope, breakthroughs, finances, and lives. It ‘constricts’ us to the point that we are unable to move forward into our future. As the python constricts with every squeeze, we feel the restraints and therefore are contained in old patterns of behavior and hopelessness.” ~ Sandi Freed

It is very clear that a Jezebel spirit and python work together to weaken the hands of God’s children as we build His Kingdom.

Back To Perilous Times

Let’s get back to more on “perilous times.” A careful study on 2 Timothy 3:1-9 describes what is experienced during this season. Mankind will witness a season where they “love themselves,” boast in themselves, are “disobedient to parents,” ungrateful,” “loving money,” and “unholy.” It goes on to describe mankind as “unforgiving,” “without love,” “loving pleasure more than God,” and “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Traditions of man have robbed us of demonstrating God’s power, being unthankful and ungrateful – and how these areas rob us from experiencing freedom in Christ. For the sake of time, I will only discuss just one of these manifestations that we might be experiencing during such troubled times, because I believe it is very significant. We simply must return to our first love. Love is a powerful weapon against our enemy.

Love Is a Weapon

There is no doubt that we are in a new season of contention. We are instructed in 2 Corinthians 10:4 that our weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. However, did we really ever consider the fact that love is a weapon?

Think about this: God is love, right? And because He loved the world, He sent His Son. Yes – because He loved – the Father sent Jesus. Jesus came to earth with a purpose.
1 John 3:8 tells us that Jesus came with the purpose of destroying the works of the devil! And because Jesus also loved, He laid down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Because of love – satan was defeated.

As New Covenant Believers, we are no longer under the Law. In fact, Jesus said that the greatest commandments were to “…love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31, paraphrased). Those two commandments are centered on love. Love is the greatest gift, and also the greatest tool in warfare.

Restore Your Love and Passion

It’s possible to lose our passion when we experience hard times. Yet, there is another reason we lose passion – I call it spiritual burn out. How does this occur? Well, when we are believing that what we “do” for God is more important to us than who we already “are” in God, we get completely caught up in “works.” “Works” will weaken us, wear us out, and cause us to lose passion for God. I know this from first-hand experience.

When we are burned out, our fiery passion leaves. What we need are two things in order for us to experience restored love and passion for God: The fire of God to touch us and, secondly, repentance.

To experience His fire, we simply need to lay our lives on the altar. It’s not a difficult thing, really. We have a tendency to make this action difficult. Think about this: In the Old Testament, when a sacrifice was laid upon the altar, the fire of God came to consume it! If you want God to consume you, and I believe you do – simply lay down your will and surrender to His perfect will for your life. Think about it as “total abandonment” in Him. Remember, one of the manifestations during perilous times is being “lovers of ourselves,” and the lack of love for God.

Now, let’s talk about repentance. Many believe that God is just waiting for us to mess up so that He can smack us with a big stick! I believed that for years; and a belief system like that sends us running away from God rather than to Him. Repentance is all about changing the way you think. In other words, we need to change the way we think about God and also about ourselves. If we press into the love of God, running to Him in times of trouble and difficulty, we will be empowered with grace to cross over our thresholds!
His love for us will become our weapon against any python, Jezebel, or witchcraft stronghold! And, when we are empowered with the love of God, we are also empowered to love our neighbor and ourselves! This is important because we need each other. Unity releases life (see Psalm 133)! Unity will destroy the destructive power of python that attempts to steal life from us!

Christ died to give us salvation. The Greek word for salvation is the word sozo, which basically means that His love and sacrifice provided salvation, healing, deliverance, protection, and all that Heaven has to give us! Aren’t you thankful for the love of God today? I know you are. Your threshold awaits your crossing over – today!

Breakthrough

Who doesn’t want or need a breakthrough in their life? Everyone is wanting it. Maybe you have struggled and gone through some hard times and you still are persevering? This would be a good time for a breakthrough in your life.

Lately in my life I have been praying for and believing for BREAKTHROUGHS! Breakthrough in relationships, breakthrough in my spiritual life, breakthrough in our church, and so much more. It has been something that I have brought to the Lord often.

God is working on your behalf even if we don’t see the results we are looking for. Don’t give up!

How do you press through in prayer when when it’s 11:59 p.m.—almost midnight—in your life?

Imagine this: You’re heading for destiny, moving with confidence in the right direction. Suddenly, you’re distracted by something demanding your attention. But when you stop to attend to the matter, your path is altered forever.

Such was the case with Paul and Silas in Acts chapter 16. En route to a prayer meeting, they met a fortuneteller who was rebuked by Paul because of her mockery of him and Silas as men of God. Paul commanded the evil spirit to come out of her, and the girl was set free.

She was a slave, however and because her masters were no longer able to profit from her psychic powers, they had Paul and Silas thrown in jail. The ministry duo was suddenly thrust from prayer to prison.

Think about that. On your way to what God has for you, there’s a detour in your well-constructed plan. Although painful, such times are common in the life of every believer. But what do you do when you’re passing from one season in life to another, when it’s 11:59 p.m.—almost midnight—in your life?

Transition occurs because God is altering His plans for us. There is a three-step process during such times: burden, birthing and breakthrough.

First comes the burden. On their way to jail, Paul and Silas were dragged into the marketplace to face the authorities. Even the crowds participated in their humiliation. They were beaten and stripped, and then thrown into prison. But they were not alone.
Life’s transitions may leave you feeling attacked. You may feel beaten and stripped of your spiritual and personal dreams. It may seem as though layers of divine protection have disappeared. This stripping simply means God is taking off the old and exposing you to new life and new assignments.

Then comes the birthing. To be beaten means God is molding us into His image. Jeremiah 18:6 says: “‘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 you are in My hand, O house of Israel'” (NKJV).

Think of a muscle. Have you ever had a really good workout, but the next morning felt sore? Your muscles were in a breakdown stage, which is critical. Without it, the muscles can’t rebuild themselves.

It was humiliating enough for Paul and Silas to suffer, but why did the crowd have to participate? Our transitions are often similar. It’s not enough to suffer in silence or privacy; it seems as though God chooses those broken moments to put us on display.
Paul and Silas were confined to prison, but at about midnight—perhaps it was 11:59 p.m.—their confinement birthed their true assignment: prayer and praise. In the midst of confinement, they blessed the Lord.

Lasting change is birthed out of pain and often filled with isolation. But there’s no better time to feel God’s presence than during your “spiritual 11:59 p.m.” During these times, praise God for who He is. Recall past victories, and in spite of how you feel or what you see, praise Him for His promises. Your worship will promote stability and assurance.
Then you’re ready for the breakthrough. Paul and Silas’ prayer and praise caused tremors in the realms of darkness. Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the building, and the doors were opened.

Explosive breakthroughs will come in your life as you continue to lift up the name of Jesus. Breakthroughs bring the favor of God on your life, which releases His plans for you.

Soon, your doors will swing open, chains will fall off, and those standing by will marvel at your life. When we become a testimony of God’s faithfulness during painful transitions, not only are we blessed, but others will observe our breakthroughs and will be touched by our release. Desperation will prompt them to ask, as the jailer did, “What must I do to be saved?”

The passage in Acts concludes with the jailer restoring Paul and Silas as the magistrate sent word to release them. Likewise, God can cause the same people or situation that imprisoned you to bless you.

When your clock strikes 11:59 p.m., know that it’s time to rejoice. Whether you are in a period of burden or birthing, remember that explosive breakthroughs are born around midnight. So, let the celebration begin.

Your land of promise, your open door, awaits your arrival and crossing over, but the enemy does not like the fact that you are at a threshold of great, great breakthrough. We are in perilous times right now ,… Like it says in the book of Timothy!! We are crossing over to our promise land this year. The faint hearted wont make it,… God does not want you to shrink back!! Its time to do warfare and take it to the enemy. The devil does not want you to go into your promise land this year. He will fight you with every thing he has. I am putting you on notice,.. this is for real!!! Its time to pray,…. “church”,….. and take authority over the devil. Remember,… as long as you show up for battle you will win!! But you have to show up everyday. Bind that devil in Jesus name !

Let us pray:
Father God, today we are believing for Your empowerment of grace as we come to Your throne. We repent for settling for religious works rather than pressing into Your desire for relationship. Forgive us for losing our passion for You. We turn from dead works today. We surrender our will to Your perfect will today. Consume us with Your holy fire and restore passion. Thank You that Your love is a weapon against our enemy during these troubled times. Thank You that love has already defeated satan’s plans and that I am now empowered to enter into my future. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I will be believing with you that you will breakthrough the threshold to your open door today!

Your sister,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.Wordpress.com

Content of this article is from Sandi Freed, Pastor Kris Belfils, and Charismamag.org.

March 18, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Overcoming Door Phobia (Dealing With Fear)

Fear, we all have to deal with it, sometimes everyday, in our life. Fear can paralyze us if we allow it too. Fear does serve a useful purpose in that it is a vital response to physical and emotional danger—if we didn’t feel it, we couldn’t protect ourselves from legitimate threats. But if we allow it to rule above our faith, and what God wants us to do for His Kingdom, the devil wins. Remember that the devil is full of fear.

I’ve heard the saying, “Fear is nothing more then faith in the devil.” Ouch! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to ever have faith in the devil! We are serving the enemy when we fear and pull away when God wants us to push forward and persevere and expect a breakthrough.

Everyone struggles with fear! Fear is a spirit!

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

The word “fear” in this text is translated in the Greek as “timidity.” God doesn’t want us to be timid. We get timid and pull away instead of pressing forward and taking the land.

Fears is something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension, a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain whether the threat is real or imagined!

What fear can cause

Fear can cause us to reduce the size of God and elevate the size and opinion of man.
Fear can cause us to reduce the size of God and elevate the size of your problem.
Fear can cause us to lead people in the wrong direction.
Fear causes us to stay quiet when we should clearly speak up.
Fear causes us to be passive about an issue that The Lord has clearly brought to our attention.
Fear causes us to seek consensus rather than really seeking the voice of The Lord.
Fear causes us to not engage the broken, the hurting, the misfits and the neglected.
Fear causes us to refuse to embrace change. (Fear of the unknown)
Fear causes us to try and control things and take matters into our own hands rather than trusting The Lord and trusting others.
Fear causes us to conceal sin and shame in our lives when God’s Word is so clear that we should ask others for help.
Fear causes us to seek the easy decision, what’s comfortable rather than seeking the right one.
Fear makes us choose wrong choices.

This fear phobia is America’s number two-health problem. It makes us tense and can cause depression. Many diseases have their roots in fear and depression. According to medical experts, stress, induce by fear, can easily lead to peptic ulcers, kidney disorders, high blood pressure, indigestion, liver disorders, etc. Fear is the most destructive force in the world today. “Fear, worry and depression have killed more people than all the wars combined; have brought about more health problems than all the germs put together and have been responsible for more failures than those caused by economic imbalances.” (christian-faith.com)

So what do we do with our fear? I don’t know how you have dealt with fear in your past, but it is my heart to help you overcome any fear, especially if it is a phobia to walk through an open door of opportunity.

How to overcome fear

1. Overcome fear with faith.

Fear is the opposite of faith.

A.W. Tozer said, “Fear is of the flesh and panic is of the Devil.”

It seems when we entertain thoughts of fear, and allow it to settle in our spirit, panic will set in. Many people have had panic attacks in their life all due to fear. Most of the time the fear is something we think will happen and not a factual outcome.

Example:
These past few weeks have been pretty trying on me because of having a gallbladder attack and then having surgery to remove my gallbladder. I was taken to the ER twice during this process. On the second time I was experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. It was after the surgery and my fear was that I might be having a heart attack or a blood clot. The more the pain increased, the more my fear grew, and the less able I was to breath. It zapped me of any strength and my teen daughters had to get me into my car and then drive me to the ER. Thank God someone was walking into the ER as my daughter drove up to the ER doors and they helped me get into a wheel chair and then into the ER. Now, you have to know something about my mother’s health history to really understand my fears. My mother had a stent put into her heart in November of 1995 and then a week later I had to drive her to the ER with shortness of breath and chest pains. She did have a blood clot and they had to do open heart surgery on her and she never came off the Heart and Lung machine and died. So my fear on this day I was taken to the ER was that I was going to die just like my Mother did almost twenty years previous. All the signs were there, and the more I was in ER over this the more my fears grew. I couldn’t make my breathing calm down and even after they gave me some pain medicine through the IV, I still felt the pain and my breathing was still poor. Friends came into my room and I really thought I was seeing them for the last time. My husband came in and I wept and could hardly breathe because my emotions were getting the better of me all because my symptoms were manifesting outwardly and it became fact to me. Ultimately they did some tests and I found out I had a hernia from the Gallbladder surgery and the hernia will bring on chest pains and shortness of breath.

All this said, I was thinking I was going to die because it had all the signs of what happened to my mother, but the factual outcome was that I had a hernia. Knowledge is power and it eased my mind after I was home and experienced these same symptoms again. I knew it was the hernia but to be truthful it really felt like a slight heart attack. My faith was low and fear was supreme in my thoughts. We act on our fears. There is no question about that. When I experience that pain again, I have to start talking to myself and telling myself that “I will live a long life!” That “God is not finished with me yet!” That “there is more work for me to do with my family and ministry.” I say even out loud that “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” and that “God is healing this hernia, and the Gallbladder surgery. This helps my faith to grow and fear leaves.

The Bible says, that Satan is like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). He roars that he might make us afraid. The roar of a lion can actually paralyze its prey causing it to be its easy target. If Satan can create fear in us, we become an easier prey for him to destroy.

God offers us faith as Romans 12:3 says, “For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.”

Everyone is given the measure of faith as a born again Christian. You have faith, you don’t need to pray for it. I don’t need to pray for faith, I just need to use the faith that I have. The more I use the faith that I have, the stronger it will get. Faith can grow and the only way it grows is if you use it. Faith is a powerful force that resides on the inside of our spirit. When it is released tremendous things can happen.

We have to have faith to get up in the morning. We have to have faith to raise our children, or drive in traffic, or get married and stay married. So also we need faith to overcome our fears. Faith is a decision we make about where we are going to put our trust. Our trust has to be in God and His Word. He is for you and not against you. He has great plans for you. He brings opportunities for you to walk in and wants you to walk in them fearlessly.

There are times I feel anointed to preach the Word of God, then there are times. I may be fearful or don’t sense God’s anointing that I have to step into it by faith and God always meets me and helps me to get to where I need to be.

We can release our faith in three different ways: by praying, by saying, and by doing. Stop saying how you feel or think and start saying what God says about your situation. Allow your faith to arise in times of being afraid. The shield of faith is your best weapon to overcome the lies and roars of the enemy.

2. Confront your fear.

What we cannot perceive, predict, understand or explain, creates in us an unknown fear. That is why children are afraid of the dark and cautious of strangers over which they have no control. We need to learn how to confront our fears. Again, “Knowledge is power.” Once we understand what the core issue is, it decreases its hold on our life and the fear subsides.

Sometimes when we go through fearful experiences, we fail to analyze it. Understanding what was previously unknown can go a long way to dispelling fear. Understanding a problem is 90% of the solution.

Be determined to overcome and confront what is making you fearful. You can never overcome anything you don’t confront! We can fear our past, or fear of natural disasters, fear of relationships, or fear of a new job or opportunity. When we choose not to confront, the fear controls you and your decisions.

Confrontation is not usually pleasant or comfortable. Most people don’t want to confront issues in their life. They would rather live with it, allowing it to rule them, instead of overcoming and pressing forward with out the bondage of it all. But when someone has confronted issues in their life, and overcome them once and for all, they look back and ask themselves, “Why didn’t I do this a long time ago.” You see now they are walking in freedom instead of the bondage the fear or their flesh had on them.

It is a night and day difference of being paralyzed by your issues and trying to live your life from day to day in struggle and misery, then to confront the issues and decide you want to change, (and be determined to change) and walking out the other side as an overcomer in liberty and power. It’s your choice: Fear and bondage vs. Freedom and power!

3. Be courageous.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but courage is actually forward motion in the presence of fear.

God wants us to be strong and courageous. He spoke this to Joshua many times before he crossed over the water to possess the promised land.

Joshua 1:6 – 7 Amplified Bible
“Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

Joshua was just getting ready to face the giants in the land and to possess the promises God gave Moses forty years earlier. He needed courage to be encouraged to go even in the face of any fears he may have experienced.

Hebrews 13:6 Amplified Bible
“So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?”

What can man do to me? Our flesh screams daily for being comfortable. Our spirit should be tenuous to overcome our flesh and to press forward with the new God has waiting for us.

The Webster dictionary speaks of being encouraged as: “to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope.” This is what we need to do for ourselves. We need to encourage ourself in the Lord. I have written on this in my article, “How To Encourage Yourself In The Lord.” It is the number one article on my Blog. Daily I have people reading that article and they found it by searching the internet on “How To Encourage Yourself.” Everyone of us need to be encouraged daily. If we lose our courage, we have lost the war.

Courageous is “possessing or characterized by courage; brave” (dictionary.com). We need to have brave hearts in this journey of life. Anyone can give up and retreat. It takes a courageous person to press on in the midst of fear or discouragement.

4. Ask for God’s peace to reign supreme.

John 14:27 Amplified Bible
“Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]”

God has given us His peace. It is one of the fruit of the the Spirit. We already have it. Allow it to grow in your life. “Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.”

There are times it comes right down to our choices. Do we choose to be fearful and intimidated, or do we choose to walk in God’s peace and assurance that He never leaves us and will take care of us. If he takes care of the sparrow, surely He watches over you and I!

Luke 12:6 – 7 Amplified Bible
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And [yet] not one of them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. But [even] the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many [flocks] of sparrows.”

God doesn’t want us to walk in intimidation. He wants us to walk in boldness and to have our spirits be at peace.

Philippians 4:6 – 7 Amplified Bible
“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

5. Confront the devil and cast him out!

Never let fear fool you into thinking there is nothing you could do about it. Sometimes by the grace of God, with a little effort you can put an end to that danger. You must have an active engagement with the problem, or in other words take precautionary measure. If you fear that your children may catch polio, then get them vaccinated.

Don’t allow anything, or anybody to rob you of your God-given peace! There is a gospel song that sings; “Shake shake shake, shake the devil off. Shake shake shake, shake the devil off. Shake shake shake, shake the devil off. In the name of Jesus, shake the devil off.” This is what we need to do when troubled by the enemy. He can’t do anything to us, only if we let him. His biggest weapon he uses against us is our own mind and what we think. So he will fill your mind with doom and gloom. He will tell you that there is no hope. These are the times we confront the devil and cast him out, and shake him off! Amen!

In order to overcome fear brought about by Satan you must have a bold confrontation with him. Jesus did this many times when dealing with and casting out evil spirits.

Col. 2:15 Amplified Bible
“[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].”

You must realize the fact that Satan is real, but a defeated foe. We will overcome when we take our authority in the name of Jesus. For greater is He that is in us then he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

You must read and know what the Bible teaches about Satan and his evil devices and also about the authority of the believer over Satan. Believers, united with the Lord Jesus Christ, have the same authority to claim and use which our Lord used against wicked spirits.

Some Devices the enemy uses:

a. He blinds us.

2 Corinthians 4:3 – 4 NKJV
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

The enemy wants to blind the unsaved and the saved from the Truth of God’s word and who He is.

b. Gets people hooked on the “Things in/of the world.”

1 John 2:15 – 17 NKJV
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

When it comes to the world we are tempted in three areas: The lust of the flesh, The lust of the eyes, and The Pride of Life. There are many examples in the Bible that show exactly this. Eve was tempted in Genesis 3:6 and it shows all three of these devices the enemy used on her:

Genesis 3:6 NKJV

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Eve saw that the fruit was good, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise,” this is the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Our flesh is constantly saying, “Feed me, give me what I want!” In this case, Eve looked and saw that the fruit was good and pleasant and desirable to the point of disobeying God and pursuing action to satisfy those thoughts. This is how the devil tempts us with the things of the world. Everyday those temptations are clamoring for our attention. Be determined to seek God over the matter and walk in the Spirit instead of satisfying the flesh.

Jesus is another example. In Matthew 4:1 – 11 we read how Jesus was “…led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” He had fasted for forty days and nights and was very hungry. His flesh longed for food and then the tempter came onto the scene. I believe this is in the Bible to show us how even Jesus, the Son of God, was tempted in all three areas the enemy uses but in this case, Jesus didn’t fall for his devices.

Today the devil uses these tactics through Immorality (lust of the flesh), materialism (lust of the eyes), and arrogance (pride of life) that’s why we need to be in the Word of God and in prayer to stay close to God. Even the strongest Christian can fall. Don’t be deceived into thinking you are strong and would never fall away. This is pride in itself. Always have a humble heart that wants to please God instead of your flesh!

Jesus came against these devices of the enemy but first he spent time in prayer and fasting. Shouldn’t we at least spend time in prayer and reading God’s word, and fasting if need be, to overcome these things in our own life. It is a fight for you soul. Who is going to win?

c. Persecute those who are trying to do right.

Wow, seems we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t, right? Wrong! We should count it all joy when we experience trials and persecution. We are a threat against the enemy! I would rather be a threat to the enemy then to be fearful and passive and live a mediocre life.

1 Peter 5:8 – 9 NKJV
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

We can defend against this by encouraging one another and building each other up. Don’t isolate yourself and think you will overcome, no that is a trap of the enemy too. Be determined to fellowship with other believers and go to church. Keep on keeping on and growing in Christ. Yield to God’s Holy Spirit and be willing to change. Don’t grow weary in doing good. Don’t give up!

d. Get believers to enjoy evil company.

1 Cor. 15:33 NKJV
“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

There is one thing to try and win an unbeliever to Christ, and another to just hang around them and eventually enjoy doing what they do and becoming what they are. They will corrupt you. You will feel pressure to do what they are doing. It takes a strong fish to swim against the current. Take a look around you. Are most of your friends non-believers? Chances are you will follow and enjoy their company more then following Christ. Be aware of this device.

e. Discourage believers through unChristlike Christians.

Is there such a thing? Yes there is. Today we call them “worldly Christians.” These are those who believe in Christ but fail to follow after Him. They would rather take on the behavior of the world then to die to their flesh and live for Jesus.

You know you are a worldly Christian if you consistently miss several Sunday services on a given month. You are a worldly Christian if you swear a lot and take the Lord’s name in vain. You are a worldly Christian if you don’t want to come to church drunk. You are a worldly Christian when the world does contrary to the Word of God and it doesn’t bother you.

There is even another name for worldly Christians. They are called, “Backsliders.” If you have missed a few Sunday services and then attend one, then miss three and then attend one, and miss a month, and then attend one service, you are a backslider. I am sure I have offended many already by stating such. I really don’t care. Your comfort is not my priority. Your salvation is!

You see we deceive ourselves when we think we are okay and don’t have to read our Bible, pray, or attend church on a regular basis. God has placed these things in His Word to warn us for a reason. I know I will self-destruct if I rely on my own understanding and following the ways of the world. I will lead my self astray, but I will think I am totally okay and can handle it. Is that you? Have you said those words? If so, you can change and correct this immediately by making a decision in your heart to stay close to Jesus and hunger after Him. When we do, we will hunger to read His Word, we will hunger to pray and fellowship with God, we will hunger and desire to attend church on a more regular basis. We will hunger to live a life pleasing to God, Amen!

I have seen too many “worldly Christians” come and go from churches and lose out on the best God has for them, all because they have chosen poorly and chose the ways of the world and not the ways of God’s Kingdom.

Matthew 24:12 NKJV
“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”

Has your love grown cold for God and His ways? Chances are you started to be influenced by the world. Don’t allow your love for God to grow cold. Nurture it daily. When worldly Christians or unChristlike Christians come up to an on fire Christian, they usually try and speak down about attending church, or give lame excuses why they weren’t at church. You might say, “Pastor Kris, aren’t you being a little to harsh? No! I have a passion to see you come back to the Lord. Don’t ever think you are immune from backsliding. We all can fall from being close to Jesus just by turning and walking down a wrong road. God is a gentleman and will give you free choice. He wants you to live for and serve Him out of love, not out of obligation. We stay close to God because we love Him and we realize staying close to Him eliminates most of our problems. We have trials, but at least they won’t be because of some stupid choice we did relying on our own understanding instead of leaning on and relying on God!

Why would I talk about backsliding and being a worldly Christian when I am talking about our fears and overcoming them? Far too often people will be fearful and think they cannot overcome and then turn slowly away from God and the things of God. Don’t let this be you! Be determined to be strong and courageous and face your fears. Often we have to do things afraid. It doesn’t mean we don’t have courage, quite the opposite, it means we do have courage in spite of our fears.

Do you think the children of Israel, when possessing the promise land with Joshua, had many fears even though there was a huge door of opportunity in front of them? Of course they did, but this time, compared to the first time with Moses, they had a leader who was obedient and listened to the Lord for every step they were to take.

I want to share with you that that is my heart: to be a leader who walks in obedience and listens to what the Lord tells me for every step. I may not be perfect, and you may not be either, but we are in this journey together overcoming our fears and possessing the land God directs us to!

From one courageous determined believer to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com
www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com
www.KrisBelfils.WordPress.com

February 11, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

Keys to Open Doors

Doors are all around us. You have a door to get into your house, to go from one room to another, to get into your car, to get into the store, and even the bathroom. I am sure if we took a pole of how many doors we walk in and out of each day we would be surprised at the number.

2014 is the Year of the Open Door. This is the fifth sermon in my Doors Series God placed on my heart back in August of 2013. There will be many doors that will be placed before you this year and beyond. What will you do with that open door? Many will get discouraged because they either don’t see the door or they will walk away from it because it seems too hard to open. Don’t let this be you!

God is growing us numerically, spiritually, prophetically, and in all directions by His Holy Spirit.

God has been speaking to my heart about His anointing of His Holy Spirit that will draw people to Him. Often churches don’t talk much about the Holy Spirit. They are either afraid, uneducated, or have decided it was for the Book of Acts but not for today. I am here today to tell you that the Holy Spirit longs for a living breathing relationship with everyone of us. He has gifts to give that will fall right in line with our natural gifts and talents to unlock doors for you this year.

Listen, if you had the key to open a vast treasury wouldn’t you use it? That is the same with learning the keys to open the right doors in our life. To me, using the key, is the same as God opening the door. He has given us keys to unlock and open doors, our job is to learn what those keys are and to us them for God’s glory.

Keys To Open Doors

1. Manifestation (Gifts) of the Holy Spirit.

God has blessed us already with some natural gifts and talents. Maybe you like to serve, or work with people or children. Maybe you like to teach or be a leader. Maybe you like to help others or like to have people over to your house and love on them. There are so many natural strengths we have. Most of the time we are told to focus on our weaknesses and work on them. But to me that is wasted energy. The Holy Spirit is helping us with our weaknesses and brings change as we yield to Him. Truly God cannot be strong in our life if we don’t have weaknesses (2 Cor. 12:9 – 11). Let’s develop and focus on our strengths and allow God to launch us through any door He has set up for us.

Take a look at your strengths and see what you are good at in the natural, then you can look at the Spiritual gifts and even the Fruit and combine them to be a useful and effective person for God.

Let’s look at the Manifestation of the Spirit, or Spiritual Gifts, and the fruit of the Spirit.

1 Cor. 12:7 – 10 NKJV

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”

Gal. 5:22 – 23 NLT

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

I wrote down some of the natural abilities I and others see in me and then combined them with the manifestation of the Spirit I see God using me in. (I share these things not to boast, but to give an example to look at. All of this is for the glory of God and to edify the body of Christ.) Then, I added all the fruit of the Spirit, and you can see how they work together to edify the body of Christ, grow the Kingdom of God, and to open doors. We may not have all the gifts of the Spirit, but we do have all the fruit in us, they just need to grow.

Natural Gifts	Gifts of the Spirit	Fruit of the Spirit
Teacher	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of Spirits, Interpretation of tongues	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Caring, Compassionate, Encourager	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Healings	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Creative/Dreamer of Dreams(Music, Writing, Graphic Design)	Faith, working of miracles, Interpretation of tongues, wisdom, knowledge	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Leadership	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Visionary	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Interpretation of tongues	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Tenacious, endurance, perseverance, Determined, Committed	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Faithfulness, loyal, trustworthy, honest, integrity	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Patient, Merciful	Healings (Spiritually, Emotionally), Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Self-Starter and Finisher	Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Prophecy	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Out Spoken, Bold, Not afraid of Confrontation	Prophecy, Faith, Discerning of Spirits	Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

You see it is when we walk in obedience, and practice His gifts, we will edify the body of Christ and do mighty things for God. What natural gifts and talents has God given you? What gifts of His Spirit has God given you? It is time we use them in the body and to help each other grow in Christ.

It is amazing how God uses our natural God-given abilities, with His gifts of His Spirit, to create the very key to open doors.

The apostle Paul assures us that each of us within the Body of Christ have different gifts that are a response to God’s grace.

Romans 12:6

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly…”

And Peter reminded his readers that they were on earth to glorify God through the use of their gifts.

1 Peter 4:10 – 11

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Proverbs 18:16 promises us, “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”

The manifestations of the Holy Spirit + our natural gifts + Fruit of the Spirit = Keys to open doors.

2. Commitment

“Too many Christians have a commitment of convenience. They’ll stay faithful as long as it’s safe and doesn’t involve risk, rejection, or criticism. Instead of standing alone in the face of challenge or temptation, they check to see which way their friends are going.”

Charles Stanley

There is a lack of commitment in the world, and in the church. Are you a great starter but not so good at finishing things? It is probably because you are not committed. Commitment will keep you when you want to give up.

The word Commit means: “to give trust or charge, to pledge or engage oneself, to bind or obligate, to entrust.” So commitment means: “the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself, a pledge or promise” (dictionary.com).

Psalm 37:5 – 6 NLT

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.”

We see in this verse when we commit everything, all our ways, to the Lord and trust Him, He will help us. He will make us shine radiantly. Constantly committed to God. This brings success.

As the Israelites committed to obey the commands the Lord gave them, they were prosperous and succeeded. But when they broke their commitment and disobeyed, they were in bondage.

Where is your commitment level? It takes commitment after you walk through the open door God gives you to fulfill what that open door contains. It is easy to give up. Most people take the easy road when things get tough. When things don’t turn out how you expected do you decide to quit or find something else to do?

Laziness is an enemy of commitment. Letting your flesh win is not walking in the Spirit. Our flesh always takes the easy, lazy, most comfortable road. But that road never produces good results. When our flesh wins, we lose!

I saw an advertisement on the television the other day that shocked me. I actually thought it was a joke and was waiting for the punch line but it never came. This commercial was advertising a website about buying divorce insurance. This website states and I quote: “Over 50% of marriages will end in divorce. Insure that you are protected and lawyer bills are paid.” It also has a picture of a red paper heart with a woman ripping it in two. I couldn’t believe it. You are buying insurance saying, “I will get a divorce some day.” Where is the commitment in your marriage with that mindset? What is that?

Commitment! There is lack of commitment in marriages, church, jobs, friendships, family, beliefs and so much more. What happen to the days when people, even Christians, were faithful to their word? Where they showed up when they said they would? When they are committed even when it costs them something? This is integrity and it gives God a good name instead of a bad one.

When it comes to the work of God, your commitment will determine your promotion! God can not give you more when your commitment level where you are at is low. Don’t be deceived. When you are faithful with the little God has given you, He will then give you more. We don’t get a promotion when we are slackers. We get promoted because we show we are committed, faithful, good work ethics, responsible, and trustworthy. Is that you? If not, be determined to change and learn how to commit.

There was a time when my commitment level was low in many areas of my life. I would bolt when I didn’t like my circumstances. I would leave places when I felt I was treated unfairly. If I got tired of working at one place, I would look for another. When my friends didn’t agree with me I would stop being their friend. God showed me this and it grieved my heart. I saw my lack of commitment and also saw the consequences of it. Instead of believing everyone else was wrong, I had to look at truth and that I was wrong. Now, my commitment level has skyrocketed. Very seldom will you see me out sick or leave some place due to being upset. God showed me how to have a “bull-dog” grip on the things He wanted me to stick with. I am determined to stay committed and receive the promotion God has for me. I am determined to stay in agreement and reap the fruit of my long-suffering and endurance.

What about you? Where is your commitment level? If you leave or don’t finish what you started it is time you restart. Don’t decide to stop your participation all because it isn’t convenient or not fun any more. Decide you will finish what you started. Decide you are not a quitter. See where God takes you.

3. Be Trustworthy.

Trustworthy means: “able to be relied on as honest or truthful.” Some synonyms are: reliable, dependable, honest, honorable, upright, truthful, ethical, virtuous, and unimpeachable.” An antonym is: “unreliable.”

Being trustworthy is so important. This effects your family, job, church, finances, reputation, and so much more. If you have in the past been a person who is not trustworthy it takes a while to build that trust in others again, especially if it was your behavior for many years.

Being trustworthy will keep and maintain you after you have walked through the open door. Don’t be a person that decides they are good after walking through the open door and then think you have arrived. No, that is just the beginning.

Remember my message of “What’s behind door #1, #2, or #103?” Many are called and few are chosen. Many are called to do great things but few will do great things, Why? Because few will take responsibility for the call. It doesn’t end with a call, that’s where the work starts. First comes the call, then comes the work, then comes the sacrifice, then comes the never giving up, and then comes the “going all the way through.” This requires commitment and being trustworthy.

Proverbs 11:13 ESV

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.”

Colossians 3:9-10 ESV

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Slandering someone is not being trustworthy. Lying about anything is not being trustworthy.

Did you know that saying you will be somewhere and then not show up is a lie? You may not even give it a second thought but it is sin. This is a hard one because we can justify our actions away thinking it is no big deal if we don’t do what we said we would do. But in really it is a lie and we are expecting others to be okay with it. It shows your lack of integrity and character.

Colossians tells us to not lie to one another. This is the old self before you knew Christ. We have put on the new because we are new creations after the image of our Creator. Is God trustworthy? Yes! Does He lie? No! Then that is what we should be doing as well. Be people of integrity and do what you say you will do and be where you say you will be.

Get ready for an exciting new year in 2014. There is no limit to what God will do in and through you. Be open! Be ready! Be trustworthy and committed!

4. Be Faithful.

Being faithful is being loyal, constant, and steadfast. Commitment, Trustworthy, and being faithful all go hand in hand. Do you see a theme here? This is what it takes to staying constant in your life and to keep on keeping on with what God has opened before you.

Faithfulness is doing the right thing when you are the only one doing the right thing! It doesn’t matter if someone else is unfaithful. Our job is to remain faithful in what God has given to us. Be faithful in your relationship with God. Don’t be an off and on again Christian. What a slap in the face of God to have a relationship with you when things are going well, but when things are tough, you close your heart and do your own thing.

If you see that you are an unfaithful person thank God for the people who have put up with you. It will take some time to build trust back in them once you decide you will stay faithful. It is okay. Be determined to remain faithful when you are trying to show others you are faithful.

During testing and trying times be determined to be faithful. Don’t give up on things. Don’t quit!

You may say, “Pastor Kris it is just too hard.” “I don’t understand why I have to go through this?” You need these hard years so you will grow. They are specifically designed for you because God is developing character. You only develop character when you refuse to run! We develop good character in the trials and uncomfortable places. Be determined to get your blessing out of what God is trying to teach you. You are in the Holy Ghost cooker! Get ready for the beautiful aroma of God’s character to shine in you as you yield to God’s Holy Spirit’s promptings to change.

You may say, “I just don’t have any joy so I think I will go somewhere else.” You cant run away from something and still not have any joy. You won’t have joy where you decide you want to bolt too. In other words, you are the common denominator in both places. Allow God to change you from the inside out. Give God your worries. Obey His word! A lot of our turmoil in our life is all because we don’t want to obey God’s word. Obedience brings blessing. There is joy in obedience. You will find peace when you obey God.

We all go through silent years of growth before God brings us to the open door of promotion. After Jesus’ birth, we don’t hear anything about Him until He was twelve years old. Then we don’t hear anything until he was thirty. Scriptures just tells us, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52) during those years.

Be faithful now and don’t give up!

Gal 6:9 NKJV

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Keep on keeping on! Tell yourself, “I will never give up!” Press through those testing and trying times! Everyone on the face of the earth has to learn this lesson.

Heb 6:11 NKJV

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.”

5. Be humble.

Being humble means to not be proud, not thinking of yourself as better than other people. Once we walk through our open door, and we start advancing, pride can come to our heart. We start thinking we have gotten to where we are by ourself. We start having a twisted view of ourself.

Pride goes before a fall, and usually some character building times too. There are reasons why God doesn’t share everything that will happen in our life. He wants us to rely on Him when we make mistakes, and see our humanity compared to His deity. We are nothing without Him.

Why do you do what you do? What are your motives? We need to get our motives right. Do you do what you do to be seen by people? We have to have the mindset that if God isn’t in it, then we shouldn’t do it.You will flow with ease and with a smile, and you will have success if you will change your mindset.

You have no idea what God will do when your heart is purified of pride. Did you know that believing your success is all your doing is really “works of the flesh?” Thinking it was your bright idea instead of God’s. We can reason things out and think, “If I do this, this will happen.” Then we do exactly what we thought, succeed, and start to think we are better then someone who is struggling just to pay their bills each month.

I wonder how much we give up and miss all because we try to get some attention to ourselves? We miss out on what God would love to do for us if we would only trust Him and stay humble.

We have to remind ourselves daily that we are nothing without God! This helps us to not get full of ourselves. If we do, it is over. We will fall from that prideful throne.

Here are some scriptures on being humble:

2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV

“If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn form their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Did you notice the “If – Then” statement? If we humble ourselves, then God will move. God will not move on our behalf if we are full of pride, full our ourselves. But if we humble our selves, God will always move. A broken and contrite heart God will never despise. He will never turn away from brokenness. Thank God for that!

So what does humility have to do with opening and walking through an open door? Humility will help you maintain your place in that new open door. Humility will sustain you and help you to handle success in the right way. Amen!

6. Be Bold.

What? You just told us to be humble, now you are telling us to be bold? Yes I am. We can maintain humility and still be bold at the same time. The key is to be bold in Jesus and who you are in Christ! Realizing you are nothing without Him, but you are everything with Him.

We can have a zeal for God and meekness or humility for self. Jesus was humble but when it came to God and the things of God, He was bold like a lion.

Being bold in the face of fears is what we need. We need to be bold and strong knowing God is always with us. Don’t allow your fear of the open door prevent you from walking through it and keeping it. We are children of the King! We are King’s kids. We take the land that is before us for God’s glory and for His Kingdom!

Walk in the boldness of the Spirit. Walk in the gifts God has given you. As they unlock the door, you boldly do what God has called you to do. If we are timid instead of being bold at this point, we will give the land back to the enemy. We will not be victorious. We will give up.

Ask God to help see yourself through His eyes and not your own. He sees a mighty warrior! He sees the battle won. He sees a successful son or daughter following His Word and His example.

2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,”

Having hope gives you boldness. We have the best hope ever as a Christian. Stand strong in your belief. Now is the time to tell others of Jesus’ saving power. Today is the day of salvation, Amen!

God’s Holy Spirit gives us boldness!

Acts 4:31 ESV

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

We are a Spirit-Filled church! Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you to overflowing to empower you to walk in boldness. The Holy Spirit takes our timidity away and infuses us with His presence and power. Let’s walk in this boldness everyday! Don’t be intimidated by the enemy. Sometimes we have to get out of our own way and allow God’s presence to abide in us. Once we do, we will see things from a different perspective. We will see things from God’s view. We will want to advance His Kingdom and speak forth His Word with boldness.

Allow His presence to infill you and walk in God’s boldness to open the doors and walk in the new God has for you. You were designed to communicate the Word of God to your world! Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Speak life with the boldness God wants you to walk in.

7. Be Tenacious

Tenacious: “tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely.” (Webster Dictionary) Another word to describe tenacious is relentless.

We have to be tenacious with our faith and believing for good things. If God has told you of a promise and it hasn’t come to pass yet, be tenacious and keep believing. Don’t get robbed of a blessing by letting go of your dreams God gave you.

There are several examples in the Bible of tenacious people and the reward of their tenacity.

Elisha was determined to receive a double portion from Elijah. He was promised if he sees him being taken up he will be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit to be upon him. Many times Elijah told Elisha to stay while he would go further, but Elisha would not. He was tenacious to receive the double portion anointing and he did (2 Kings 2:1 – 15).

In Matthew 15:21-28, we read of a mother who begged Jesus for help. Initially, He refuses her, yet she continues pleading for her daughter.

Matthew 15:21 – 28 NIV

“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Her tenacious faith turned Christ’s heart toward her and her child, granting what the woman requested.

The parable of the persistent widow’s story as accounted in Luke 18:1-5 illustrates how we are to be tenacious.

Luke 18:1 – 5 NLT

“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

Even as the authority (the judge) stood against her, she never let go of her hope. Be tenacious.

Samuel’s mother Hannah probably couldn’t have guessed that she’d bear a child, let alone one of the more influential prophets of the day. The despair she felt because of her physical barrenness could have crippled her faith. But, she continued to weep and pray for her miracle.

I Samuel 1:11-17 NIV

“And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

This is the year of the Open Door. Be determined to unlock and walk through any door God brings before you by using your natural gifts with the manifestations and the fruit of the Spirit. Be committed, trustworthy, and faithful all the days of your life. Stay humble as you experience success in this open door and be bold in your faith and tenacious to never give up. You will fulfill your destiny as you lean and trust in the Lord every step of the way.

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.wordpress.com

January 28, 2014 by Pastor Kris Belfils

How To Deal With Doors Of Distractions

As I mentioned my first message on Doors of Distractions; “What’s Behind Door #1, Door #2, or Door #103” that “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 20:16b). God has a purpose for each of us that He wants us to fulfill. In fact the biggest and most precious thing is our relationship with God. We should be growing in Christ daily and the devil wants to distract you from it.

There are so many things that demand our time and energy. Some things can’t be avoided like going to work or caring for a loved one, but most of the distractions we face CAN be avoided if we would just deal with them properly.

In this message we will look at some distractions and how to deal with them.

1 Corinthians 16:9 ESV

“For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

Many adversaries! Many things that will try and distract or even prevent you from walking through that door of opportunity to distract you from effective work and growth!

Let’s look at some possible distractions and how to deal with them.

1. Self-Control

Just say, “no” and have self-control to get back on focus with your life. Be determined to accomplish what you know God wants you to accomplish. There might be times when you have to say no to a friend or loved one. It’s okay.

Sometimes we need some alone time and just close and lock the door, turn off the TV, phones, electronic devices, and just hide away with God and spend time with Him. We may need to do that with other things in our life to get things done too.

Twenty years ago cell phones were only for the rich, and even then they were only to call out and receive calls. There was no such thing as a “smartphone.” Just smart people who knew how to use the phone, LOL. If you wanted to get a hold of somebody you either had to call them on a land line or wait until you saw them the next day at school or work and discuss what was needed. It’s okay to have self-control with our phones. The only time you shouldn’t turn off your phone is when you know your parents or your boss need to get ahold of you. (Smile)

Proverbs 25:28
“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.”

Galatians 5:22-24
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

We need self-control in all areas of our life. Self-control is our friend that keeps on track. Self-control will help us not get distracted in our call and to obtain the prize God has waiting for us.

2. Guard your heart.

2014 will be a season for you to set a watch and guard your heart. (Bill Burns “A Year of Prophetic Alignment and Divine Fulfillment” Jan. 17th, 2014)

The Bible refers often to the “Door of your heart.” We ask Jesus in our hearts as Lord and Savior and then what? The door of your heart gives access to virtually everything. That is why we read that Jesus is knocking at your door.

Rev. 3:20 NKJV

“ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

I like that; “If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” This is what happens when we ask Jesus in our hearts to be Lord of our life. We are not only saved from eternal damnation, we have the King of kings living inside of us and we taste and see that He is so good. We commune with Him because we have allowed Him access to our lives. You see asking Christ in your heart is just the beginning. Then the relationship starts and the communing and growing in Him begins.

Psalm 141:3 – 4 NIV

“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.”

I did a message about guarding your heart on my blog. It was under the title; “Revival of our Hearts.” You can read it in its entirety at www.KrisBelfils.wordpress.com

Proverbs 4:23 (Amplified Bible)

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.”

Some guards to place in front of your heart from “Revival of the Heart” https://krisbelfils.wordpress.com/?s=revival+of+the+heart:

Don’t give your heart away so easily.

Fix your eyes on Jesus!

Listen to what you are saying.

What are you feeding your heart?

Exercise to strengthen your heart.

Don’t lose heart.

Don’t Harden Your heart.

(From Revival of our Hearts by Pastor Kris Belfils)

Sometimes we need to guard our hearts of getting too involved with other people and their problems. There is only one Savior, and that is Jesus Christ. We can get distracted by trying to save everybody we meet.

We waste a lot of energy by trying to solve the world’s problems and neglect our own. Sometimes we think, “I need to do this ministry, or be with that person!” Yes, there are many times we need to reach out to others but not to the exhaustion of yourself. Even Jesus hid away and spent time with God. One thing is so true; there is only one Jesus and we are not Him.

Sometimes we tend to sacrifice instead of obey what God wants us to do in our life. God is looking for obedience. As we get our priorities straight, we will be less distracted in life and be more affective for God’s kingdom and to others as well.

3. Trust God.

Trust God to answer your prayers and concerns.

Trust God that He has a plan to work out circumstances and relationships.

Trust God that His word is true and that He will fight for you.

Trusting God helps prevent the distraction of trying to figure things out on our own. This brings peace.

Proverbs 3:5 – 6 NKJV

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

We can trust God in all things. Trying to figure things out on your own is a huge distraction thief. Right in the middle of building your tower you can have something come up that can prevent the construction from happening. Don’t worry, don’t fret, just take it to God and trust that He will show you what to do. Don’t waste valuable time trying to reason or work it out. When you ask God for direction, trust He will give it to you. When He does, be obedient to His direction and keep on keeping on.

4. Self-Sabotage.

I have talked about “Self-inflicted Imprisonment” and how we can put ourselves in a prison by how we think of ourselves and others. This can prevent us from growing in Christ, fulfilling our call, and isolate us from true friendships and fellowship. Be aware of sabotaging yourself. We can be one of the biggest distractions to our success. The way we think and reason can create chaos. Too many rabbit trails can derail your efforts.

We can sabotage ourselves by thinking wrong thoughts or lies. What are you thinking about yourself? Most of the time we think negative thoughts about ourself. We might think we will never measure up so why even try. Remind yourself that you are a new creation and the old self has passed away and the fresh and new has come. Jesus set you free. You don’t have to walk in bondage any longer.

Refuse to allow self-sabotage to distract you in your life with Christ.

5. Self-Pity.

Self-pity will absolutely stop your progress from moving forward. Avoid it all all cost. Feeling sorry for ourself doesn’t get things done. It only puts you in a pit of no hope. Self-pity is a form of pride. Being in self-pity places the focus totally on you instead of what you are called to do.

Your self-pity can prevent you from reaching out to others and then, what you were suppose to do for them, never happens. Self-pity is a vision robber. You will never accomplish your dreams because self-pity skews your view. if you sit around always feeling sorry for yourself. What a lonely place to live on the corner of poor me and what about me!

Matthew 16:24-25 ESV

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

We are to deny ourself. In other words, deny what your flesh wants. Deny wishing you had more or was prettier, or that no body cares about you. These thoughts are all lies and they prevent us from truly following Christ.

Dead people don’t have rights (Gal. 2:20). We don’t even have a right to feel sorry for ourself. Remember what Jesus did for you and paid the ultimate price for your salvation. Let’s not ignore it by feeling sorry for ourself. We are a new creation and we have hope, and joy, and peace, and so much more! There is no time to wallow in self-pity when God has called us to greater things. Self-pity brings you down and depression will always be present. Be determined to keep your focus on good things and what your purpose is, Amen!

I saw this prophetic word and felt it very appropriate for this Door series message and specifically this point of self-pity.

“Refuse to allow discouragement to undermine your sense of well-being and effective life experience. Stay balanced by not giving your emotional reactions too much weight or attention. In your evaluation, there are steps you can take to improve your current situation, but there are also things that are beyond your control. Do what you can and trust Me with the rest, says the Lord.”

by MARSHA BURNS

6. Perfectionism and a People Pleaser.

Thinking we are less-then will put us on a hamster wheel of trying to be perfect. If you are a perfectionist chances are you have to have all your ducks in a row, you have to always be perfect in your endeavors or you won’t try anything because you might fail. There is peace knowing in our weakness God is strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

This verse should liberate any perfectionist! God’s grace is always sufficient for you in any circumstance, any challenge, any endeavor you may face. It is okay to not be perfect because then it gives God the chance to shine and be strong in your life. If you try to shine all the time you are actually taking God’s glory from him.

Paul boasted all the more in his infirmities (physical or mental weakness). God wants to be strong in you and in all that you face. We tie His hands when we try to do things our way with the mentality of always needing to be perfect. We will make mistakes. It is a fact of life. When a perfectionist makes a mistake, it is very difficult for them to live with, thus they have a hard time coping with their life. Self-hatred is usually present because they hate themselves for making the mistake.

Listen, God doesn’t want us to live like this. That is why He sent His Son to take away the pressure of always being perfect. Lean on Christ’s salvation He has died to give you and allow yourself to relax and just be you; an imperfect vessel saved by God’s grace!

Being a people pleaser is a close relative to being a perfectionist. Approval addiction is running ramped in the world today. I know as I was an Approval addict most of my younger life. If someone didn’t approve of what I did or say, I would change it so they would approve of me. I didn’t want to do anything wrong. I didn’t want people to think bad of me. This lead to a life of turmoil and stress. Every time I would try and get man’s approval and didn’t achieve it, it would feed my self-hatred. I always thought there was something wrong with me and that I never measured up. God showed me through some mistakes in my life that no matter how hard I tried to win people’s approval there will still be people who disapprove of me. Why? Because people always look at the outward appearance and judge what they think you are. God never does this. He always looks at your heart. It was freeing to know that God knew me better then I knew myself. Because of my frustration of always having someone disapprove of me I got to the place where I really didn’t care what people thought of me or my actions. If God approved, that is what was real, not my addiction of wanting people to like me and approve of what I did. This whole process God brought me through birthed the song I wrote: “Cross of Grace.” The bridge of the song states: “My self-worth is in Your cross. It’s where I belong. I’ve found my home. I’m not alone you are near. I have found my place behind your cross of grace.”

If you are an approval addict there is hope. You have to let go of what you think you want people to think of you. We have to let go of what you think people are thinking of you. When God approves of you, and He does, that is all that matters. Now, I am not saying to go out and do what ever you please. For one thing God wouldn’t approve of you then. What it does mean is that you are free to be yourself. God made you and He is pleased with His creation. It doesn’t matter what others think of you because God doesn’t make mistakes in His creation.

Rest in knowing you are God’s and He is yours.

Do yourself a favor and be aware of Distraction Thieves and guard against them from now on. Be wise to the distractions from the devil, from others, and from yourself. Relax and enjoy your life God has given you. No one can enjoy your day or your life, only you can. Stay focused, love the Lord, and be thankful for all that God has blessed you with.

Don’t get distracted running to Door #1, Door #2, or Door #103. Really know if the door you are in front of is what God wants you to walk through. Ask yourself, “Is this a distraction or is this something God wants me to do?” This will save time, energy, and possibly our sanity! We always have many choices behind different doors. God is not a game show host of “Let’s make a deal” behind different doors. No, He always directs His children in the path they are to take.

From one focused child of God to another,

Pastor Kris Belfils

Pastor Kris Belfils

Seeing people transformed by the power of God!

Mothers

On The Heels of your Turnaround Breakthrough!

The Songs Of Christmas: The Song Of Mary

How To Hear From God

Responsibility of the Worshiper

Door of Deliverance

Door of Hope

Breakthrough the Threshold of the Open Door

Overcoming Door Phobia (Dealing With Fear)

Keys to Open Doors

How To Deal With Doors Of Distractions

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