Pastor Kris Belfils

by

2014 – Year Of The Open Door

2014 - Year Of The Open DoorWe have just entered the threshold of 2014. A new year. A new beginning. But this new year is different from other years that have just begun. This new year will be full of open doors of opportunity for the church and for your individual life.

I have spoken on Doors of Distraction first because that is usually what happens. Too many distractions can prevent us from walking through the right doors and fulfilling our purpose. It is interesting how many people miss what God wants to do in and through them all because they get distracted with unnecessary things in their life.

I sense a fire in my spirit about this. We have to be committed and focused this year, more then any other year or we will miss opportunities that will bring out our full potential. Often people don’t think they have very much potential and never look beyond their abilities. In order for us to obtain the new, we have to look beyond where we are and have the courage and commitment to step out into the new door of opportunity available to us.

1 Corinthians 16:9 ESV

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

I have used this verse for every message in this “Doors” series. I want you to get it in your spirit. The open door is wide with possibilities. The sky is the limit!

Do you have a door of opportunity available to you? Yes you do! But you say, how? I don’t see it? That is the first and biggest issue you need to overcome. Many times the open door comes with adversaries.

I think we think opportunities will be so good and so amazing there won’t be any strife or hardship. Wrong! We will have to conquer the giants in the land. We will have to face our fears. We will have to let go of our past all in order to walk through the threshold of the new open door that awaits us.

There may be even people who oppose what you believe you are suppose to do for God.

God’s Word translation for 1 Cor. 16:9 states: “I have a great opportunity to do effective work here, although there are many people who oppose me.”

You will experience opposition when God opens a door of opportunity to you. It is a given. Many adversaries.

Adversaries means: “antikeimai (an-tik’-i-mahee) From G473 and G2749; to lie opposite, that is, be adverse to: – adversary, be contrary, oppose.”

There will be people who will be in contrary with you. They will say the exact opposite of what you are believing. They won’t be encouragers. People will question if you heard God or not. They will question your motives. They might speak lies about you and you have to deal with other people believing those lies. They may even think you are arrogant, but keep your focus on the open door and that God has called you to this threshold.

Do you have some people in your life who always oppose you? Maybe you have even walked through the threshold of your open door of opportunity and they are right there being a naysayer.  Remember that naysayers come when you least expect it and from the least likely source.

I have experienced many naysayers in my life. People who were once for me and for what God was doing in and through me and then something changed in them. Be it a small mindset of how they viewed me or what God wanted to do, or even jealously, still they changed and started to oppose the move of God in my life.

Rejection! It hurts, especially when it comes from someone who was a close friend or relative. What will you do with rejection? There has to come a time in your life where you separate how you feel from what you are called to do. What I mean is if we allow our emotions to rule us during times of opposition we will forfeit victory.

Our emotions will lead us down a rabbit trail. Emotions are fickle. They are real and can overpower your ability to act or take action. Many times I have to push down my hurt or anger so I can accomplish what God required of me. If we don’t conquer our emotions, especially when it comes to opposition, we won’t walk through the door of opportunity, let alone fulfill and accomplish what the open door contained.

Let’s look at that verse in the Modern King James Version.

1 Cor. 16:9 MKJV

“For a great and effective door opened to me, and many are opposing.”

“For a great and effective door opened…” It wasn’t just a simple door or a small door, or a door that won’t have an effect. It was a great and effective door presented to Paul. When presented with such a huge opportunity to preach the gospel, Paul was eager to stay, but he also saw there were many people opposing it, especially coming from the religious leaders of his day.

Interesting the opposition opposed something godly. They opposed anything that had to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t find it strange when people oppose our reaching out to others for Christ, especially when that opposition can come from people within the church.

The enemy will bring division. He will use Christian against Christian. Be aware of this. Don’t fall into this trap. Realize your fellow Christian is on your team and don’t oppose them, but work with them to build the Kingdom of God. Too many times Christians get off track and decide their fellow Christian is the enemy. This is a lie! I don’t know how many times people have come against me, their Pastor, because they think I am ignorant of their matters or that they know better. This is rebellion. If you oppose someone who is your authority, you are in rebellion.

Repent and stay under the authority God has placed in your life. They are your covering that God has placed you under for your protection. Don’t fight it!!! Don’t give your authority figure a hard time with your rebellion. They have a heavy enough load to carry and don’t need you to dump more heaviness onto them by your rebellious attitude.

Galatians 6:10 KJV

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Do good to your fellow Christian. Do good to your pastor and leaders. It will go well for you if you do. People are not your enemy. Fellow Christians are not your enemy. Learn to discern why you oppose another Christian. If the answer is fleshly, be real with yourself and stop the opposition. If someone opposes you who is in the faith, don’t start a fight with them, just trust God that He will complete what He started in both of you.

When you experience opposition don’t be intimidated. Be determined to walk through the “great effective door” in all the authority God has given you.

The word Door in this verse is an abundant opportunity for usefulness. The word “door” is used to show an occasion or an opportunity for doing something, anything of great effect. Again a door is the means by which we have entrance or access; and because the door is open, it means access is available right now! The opportunity is now!

Never ask God to open a door and then remain where you are. When God opens up an opportunity before you, and you know it is God as it lines up with His Word, take steps to walk through it and don’t hesitate. To hesitate is to take steps backward. To hesitate is to say, “I don’t know if I should do this.” Don’t allow the open door opportunity to pass you by all because you were scared or intimidated. Turn all that around and use it for your leverage to press in and to walk through the great open door before you.

Eph. 5:15 – 16 NIV

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

So be careful how you live. Be wise in how you live. Make the most of your life by making the most of every opportunity placed before you. God didn’t just create you to live and then to die. The in-between part is where we will be held accountable. I don’t know about you but I want God to say to me when my time is done on this earth; “Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into my rest!”

God has throughout history opened doors of opportunity to His people. I did not become the Pastor of Hope Fellowship because I was smart, or because of the degrees behind my name, or because someone voted me in. I became the Pastor of Hope Fellowship because God graciously opened the door and appointed me. He ordained me to become the Pastor. That is what Jeremiah 3:15 states: “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” If that’s not good enough for you, it was God opening the door to salvation by sending His only begotten Son to take away the sins of the world. We were not good enough, smart enough, rich enough, nor righteous enough. Yes my brothers and sisters, great things happen when God opens a door for you!

A door of opportunity is a chance to do something greater then yourself. How awesome is that? God has mandated this opportunity for you.

God is into opening doors for His people. He did it for the Apostle Paul, and He will do it for you. Remember that the number four means Door? Four is the value of the Hebrew letter Dalet:  ד.Dalet means door. The letter Dalet is the fourth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. 2014 is a year of  the open door. What will you do with the opportunities God brings your way?

Paul asked that God would open the door.

Colossians 4:3

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”

Again, never ask God to open a door and then remain where you are. Walk through the opportunity and watch what God does!

Did you know that God promises to open doors!

Matthew 7:7 – 8

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Are you knockin’? He will open the doors of provision. Doors of reconciliation. Doors of the second chance. Doors of salvation of souls. Doors of prosperity. Open doors for deliverance and breakthroughs! Open doors for revival.

In Acts 16 Paul and Silas being locked away deep in prison with chains after healing the demon possessed woman. We may say, “Why do I have to suffer? What did I do wrong?” Listen the enemy just wants to hate on the Children of God. You will come out in victory! Amen!

Acts 16:26 KJV

“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.”

Earthquake opened the doors. Sometimes the open door comes from a shaking in our life! Are you ready? Praise God for the shaking!

We will have challenges. We will have adversaries. We will have people oppose us. Just get your praise on like Paul and Silas did!

Rev. 3:8 KJV

“I know they works: behold, I set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:”

We are going to go through these doors.  

Pray this prayer with me:

“Come Holy Spirit! I receive your anointing for this new year. I thank you for every open door you have placed before me! I will walk through the door. I will obtain what you have for me. You are bringing deliverance, healing, provision, reconciliation, and anything that I am lacking; you will provide. Adversaries will be defeated. You are making me be the head, and not the tail! Above only, and not beneath! Thank you for Your blessings Lord! Thank you for good health! Thank you for healing my body, my mind, and my spirit in Jesus name!”

Get ready! Get ready! Get Ready! Great open doors God will bring to you this year and be determined to walk through and fulfill what God has brought to you in Jesus Name!

Your sister,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.KrisBelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.KrisBelfils.wordpress.com

by

The Hope Series – “Where Is Your Hope?” (Part 2)

Hope Series part 1 graphicProverbs 13:12

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”

Hope Deferred

Delayed hope, or hope put off makes our hearts sick. It grieves our spirit. It zaps our energy and fills our hearts with darkness. God knows this. Don’t give up hope, God hears our cry for help! He will send us our cloud of hope, even if it is very small, it is something we can see and know He is working on our behalf.

Video: “While I’m Waiting”

Will we worship and walk in obedience waiting for God to bring hope and answers? Do you trust God? This is what the Christian faith is all about… faith believing God is there and this brings hope.

Far too often believers give up when their prayer is not answered or things don’t go according to your plans. We think God is mad or didn’t hear our cry. There is an element of faith believing every Christian has to walk through. Do we just love God when times are good, and then when times are hard we give up on God?

We have to be mature believers and decide I will trust God and hope in God no matter the circumstance.

Helpless but not hopeless! In our weakness God is strong. We can stand knowing when we are walking through a hard situation, in our helplessness, God sees our condition. Just like a loving parent sees and helps a helpless child, this is what God does with us. We have to realize this is humility and it is also strength. Humility in that we are not relying on our own abilities, and strength because we totally rely on God’s. This is what David did when facing Goliath. David’s brother, Eliab, thought David was arrogant when he came to the front lines of battle to find out what was going on with his big brothers and the nation of Israel.

Read 1 Samuel 17:1 – 11

1 Samuel 17:11 (NKJV)

“When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.”

Remember one of the words for “despair” is “dismayed.” King Saul and all of Israel had lost hope. They didn’t believe they would prevail. Unbelief is trusting in your own strength. Unbelief is pride, the opposite of humility.

This world will tell you that being humble is to be meek and timid, but that is not humility at all. True humility is not relying on your own strength but on God’s. It is a knowing that God will prevail in spite of circumstances and fears. It is believing God is Who He says He is and walking in His power and insight.

Read 1 Samuel 17:12 – 18

David knew who he was. He was a Mighty Man Of God, yet even his father treated him as a child sending him to look after his brothers and report back what was going on. I am sure David burned in his chest the desire of being on the front lines in battle. Knowing David’s character, and Who He relied on in every circumstance, he wanted to show God’s power by annihilating the enemy. David wasn’t afraid of the Giants or what people thought of him.

David lived in his hopes. Saul, David’s brothers, and the Israelites lived in their fears. It paralyzed them from doing anything great. It put them in bondage and they couldn’t advance. If it weren’t for David, all of Israel would have been killed or turned into Philistine slaves.

Read 1 Samuel 17:19 – 30

Eliab’s view of David was skewed. Eliab believed he was speaking out of insight and wisdom, but Eliab’s pride got the best of him. He asked David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28). Yet, right before all this happened, King Saul was tormented by a distressing spirit and was troubled. The servants of King Saul suggested getting a man who is a skillful payer on the harp to play and ease the king’s spirit. One of Saul’s servants already knew about David. He told the king, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing , a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18).

No matter what our family or others think of us, there will be people who truly see us for who we are; “Mighty Men and Women of God!” David’s older brother, Eliab, never saw David as anything but his younger little brother, who he thought was a prideful, arrogant sheep herder.

Don’t listen to the “nay-sayers” in your life. They don’t see you as God sees you. David was facing Giants. Not only in the physical, but also mentally with his older brother and what he thought of him. If David listened to his older brother the battle would have never been won. The Philistines would have prevailed. David overcame the Giant of Nay-sayers when he turned from his brother and asked someone else what was going on and what was the reward for defeating Goliath.

Philippians 4:13 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

This should be our motto! This should drive us daily to do all that God has called us to do. This is what we have to walk in every situation, trial, hardship, and fear.

Read 1 Samuel 17:31 – 42

The word “Disdain” means:  “lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike, a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient, look down on with disdain, reject with contempt.” Synonyms:  contempt, scorn, condescension, despise, reject, turn down.

How many times have you faced this very experience in your life? People who looked down on you and rejected you for some reason or another. They had disdain in their hearts. Remember that God is a god Who sees! God knows what you are up against. He knows the hearts of everyone involved. Trust that God will bring justice out of false accusations or mistreatment. In the meantime, keep on walking and doing what you believe God has called you to do!

Read 1 Samuel 17:42 – 43

The Philistine taunted David with his words. If David believed them, the battle would have been lost. But immediately David responded to the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:45 – 47

“Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defiled. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword, and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

David didn’t cower after Goliath taunted him with condemning words. No, David came back with words of intimidation and faith. He looked at his Giant and spoke to his Giant the very words his Giant was speaking to him, but with God’s anointing and boldness, and authority. Don’t let the giant intimidate you, you intimidate the giant. Pursue and conquer!

Read 1 Samuel 17:48 – 58

Verse 51

“Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.”

David took Goliath’s own sword, which was still in its sheath, and killed him. The very sword Goliath should have used to kill David. The very words Goliath used to taunt David, was the very thing that happened to him. David used his enemies’ own weapon against him. Goliath didn’t even have his weapon out for battle. What was up with that? If one thinks they are heading into battle, weapons are drawn and ready. Goliath was so arrogant he didn’t even think he needed to defend himself. That is the mind-frame of the enemy. He thinks he has already won, but in reality, he has defeated himself. How? By disregarding the power and authority of God’s servants. We, as God’s servants, God’s warriors, can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We are more then conquerors through Him who loves us! God has already won, we just get in battle position and watch the hand of God annihilate our enemy.

David learned how to walk in hope in spite of any fear he may have had.

Hope prevails

This is how hope prevails in spite of circumstances we face. We have to learn how to find hope. Sometimes we are too weak to walk in hope, but we can stand in it. Stand, knowing God is fighting your battle. Stand, in the face of fear. Remember who is for you and not against you! After standing, God will give you His grace to start walking in His hope. Believe God for a small cloud of hope. Press in to God and expect Him to answer your cry.

Your Sister in Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

by

How To Put On New MIndsets – 2013 – A New Year For A New You – Part 4

2013 - A New Year For A New You (How To Put On New Mindsets - Part 4)
In Part 1, we learned how to “Demolish Old Mindsets.” We crushed those old mindsets which prevent us from walking in and obtaining the new. We learned to close our mind off from what we thought should happen and opened our heart and minds to the new God is doing, trusting God when things don’t go according to what we planned.

God’s intention is always superior to our expectation. What He intended for each one of us is far greater then any expectation we have had or could ever have on our own. God’s intentions are always good towards you. He sees our full potential, our vision is limited. This is why we need to demolish the old Mindsets so we can be open to what God intended us to be.

We also listen to God’s voice in everything we do and everywhere we go so we won’t miss His leading and direction. We let go of complacency and learned to not fight the new or any change we may be experiencing. Most importantly, we will never stop believing that God can and will do the impossible in our life. These were all choices that demolished the old mindsets we use to have.

Now, we are ready to put on the new God has for us. But, how do we do that? It is one thing to get rid of, and eradicate the old way of thinking, it is an entirely different thing to receive and put on a new way of thinking.

Always remember God has good things in store for you. Even though we may walk through trials, even though we may experience hardship, God is for us and wants us to live an abundant life. The biggest area we may struggle in is our way of thinking. It is time we break the mental bondage and walk in God’s freedom to be who we were created to be!

                                     How to put on New Mindsets:
1.  Open your mind and heart to new things.

God is doing new things!

Isaiah 43:19 (GNT)
“Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already – you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there.”

God is a God of the new. Yes, we need to remember history, and what has made us who we are today, but to progress, we have to be open to the new God is doing.

Change is the new. In other words, if you change something, it is different then what was there before. It is new. A new concept, or a new way of thinking has to come by changing what we thought before.

                                          Don’t hate change
If you hate change, you will become stagnate or complacent. We should always be growing in Christ. We shouldn’t be in the place with God now as we were last year. We should be climbing new heights! We should be ascending to deeper places with God. We should be more like Him daily.

If your spiritual life hasn’t changed in years, it is a sign you have lost your first love and become complacent. Then you have to ask yourself, “Am I hungry for God, and the things of God?” If your answer is no, then you desperately need change in your life. Chances are you have closed off your heart and mind to new things.

Matthew 9:16 – 17 (GNT)
“No one patches up an old coat with a piece of new cloth, for the new patch will shrink and make an even bigger hole in the coat. Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, for the skins will burst, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins, and both will keep in good condition.”

Allow the Holy Spirit to change you. Crave the things of God. Ask God for the “new” He has for you. Open your heart to more of His presence and more of His love. His love changes you. You can never be the same after you have experienced God’s love. Get rid of the old or fleshly wineskins and replace them with a pliable soft heart. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and see all the new He is doing. Seriously, if you don’t, you will spiritually die. You will have no new life in you. You will be rotting and spiritually stagnate and become a stench to everyone. Do you want this?

2.  Yield to the promptings of correction from the Holy Spirit.

Correction is not fun. Correction says that your actions or way of thinking is wrong and you need to change. Correction shows God’s love as He prompts you to see the sin or the old mindsets in you and gently brings change if you are willing. We can fight God’s correction. I don’t advise you to do that though. Remember God has infinite wisdom, and we don’t. What seems to not make sense to us, like asking someone for forgiveness even when you thought you didn’t do anything wrong, is truly God’s kingdom on earth being manifested. Trust the Holy Spirit and His promptings. Don’t fight correction. We have to be broken so we will think differently and live differently.

Proverbs 13:18 (NKJV)
“Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction, But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.”

When we listen to and heed correction, it is honorable. A true sign of pride in someone’s life is when they get mad when you try to correct them. This reaction shows they are unteachable. Being unteachable is pride, arrogance, and just plane foolishness. We should always have a heart and mind to receive correction. A true friend will tell you if you are doing something that is not okay. They care, and are concerned for you. Don’t shun the correction of a friend.

Proverbs 13:24 (GNT)
“He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”

God always corrects those He loves. Don’t think you have arrived and will never be corrected again. From the oldest to the youngest, we all need to be corrected from time to time. In God’s correction comes a new way of looking at things, and a new way of thinking. Our job is to yield under His correction.

You will soon see how circumstances or trails you go through turn out to be God’s discipline or correction. Not all are, but God will use them to help you look at the new. There are tons of scriptures which talk about God’s correction. Look some up and see what God tells you through them.

Here are just a few:

Proverbs 3:12


“For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Job 5:17, 1
8

“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.”

Hebrews 12:6, 7


“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”

Hebrews 12:10, 11

“For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

I would rather be corrected and be on the right path, then to do my own thing and be on the road to destruction. We need correction in our lives. Be open to it in what ever form God brings it to you.

3.  Look for the New!

The new can be right in front of you and you don’t even know it. It can be so obvious and yet eluding all at the same time. Be alert! Be fierce! Look around you and see what God is doing. Pray and ask God what new things He wants you to see and do. Be open to the unexpected. Don’t put God in a box. He is constantly talking to His people and doing new things. Be eager to dig and find new things.

Here is the main verse for this message again:

Isaiah 43:18 – 19 (CEV)
“Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in the deserts, streams in thirsty lands.”

Do you see it? Anticipate that God is bringing new ways, new days, new life into every circumstance. Sometimes circumstances scream “There has to be a new way!”

A new circumstance, that you have never walked through before, calls for finding out how to deal with and overcome it. You are forced to look for the new.

2 Samuel 6 describes bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the City of David from Obed-Edom’s home. This was a new circumstance. Previously David tried to move the Ark of the Covenant from Abinadab’s house but Uzzah died for trying to stabilize the Ark when the oxen stumbled. David was afraid and placed the Ark of the Covenant in Obed-Edom’s home. News spread that Obed-Edom’s home was being blessed and David longed to bring the Ark back to Israel. So he set out to try again, only this time he changed things up.

As they were bringing the Ark into the City of David, David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. He was bringing in the Ark in a new way, and with much joy. Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. As David worshipped and rejoiced that the presence of God was coming back to the City of David, Michal, who was not participating in the worship, but observed it all from a distance, despised it all in her heart. She rejected the new way of worship. She was critical of how David was dressed, and how he acted. This is so true for today and looking for the new. People can be critical of a new way of worshipping God or how people are responding as the presence of God is being manifested. Worshipping from a far and not participating and experiencing the new along with others, will make you critical. You can’t see it from their point of view as you are totally in a different place and see it from a different perspective. We have to change our perspective in order to experience the presence of God in a new way. This leads us to my next point.

4.  Don’t worry about getting your hair messed up!

2 Samuel 6:20 – 23
“Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself! So David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maid servants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.’ Therefore Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no children to the day of her death.”

“…And I will be even more undignified than this…” We need to learn to lose our dignity for His deity! If we get caught up in what people think we will be in bondage to man. If we care about what God thinks, we will be free to experience new things.

Sometimes putting on a new mindset will mess our hair. What I mean is; it might make you lose your dignity. It might force you to re-evaluate why have you done what you have done and for what reason. Tradition can set our mind in such a mode that makes it hard or difficult to even see the new. Once you have seen the new, your traditional mindset will fight you and express, “It hasn’t been done this way before!” I am sure you have heard the definition of insanity: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” We will never overcome or have a breakthrough if we keep doing the same thing over and over. We have to change direction. If we don’t, we will become stagnate and complacent.

5.  Wear the New Mindset well; be Strong and Courageous!

Walk in the authority of God as you wear your new mindset. Don’t be afraid or timid when God reveals new things to you. Share them. Take action. Be bold in your faith! He will reveal more of who He is and what He is doing. Don’t be intimidated by the enemy and what they may say or do.

2 Chronicles 32 talks about how king Sennacherib of Assyria came and entered Judah and camped against the fortified cities thinking to win them over to himself. Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem. He consulted with his leaders and commanders to stop the water from the springs which were outside the city; and they helped him. He strengthened himself and built up the walls that were broken, and built up another wall. He repaired the landfill in the City of David and made weapons and shields in abundance. He set military captains over the people, gathered them together to him in the open square of the city gate, and gave them encouragement:

2 Chronicles 32:7 – 8 (NKJV)
“‘Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”

This was a new situation for Hezekiah and the people of Judah. The enemy put up every hindrance. They even sent messages to try and scare the people and their faith.

2 Chronicles 32:21 (NKJV)
“Then the LORD sent an angel who cut down every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword there.”

God will send his breakthrough in your life this year! This is a year of walking in our authority in God and believing for great things. This is a year of promised blessings to be fulfilled.

I am believing that every hindrance the enemy is trying to make will be lifted from you and I break the power of delays in your life. This is a year of victory over the enemy! Walk in the new mindset God has available for you. Break the mental bondage and walk in God’s freedom to be who you were created to be in Jesus mighty name!

Pastor Kris Belfils
http://www.hopefellowshipspokane.com
http://www.krisbelfils.com
http://www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

by

ThanksLiving – Living A Life Of Praise

Hebrews 13:15 (Amplified Bible)

“Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of the lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.”

A simpler translation is found in the Contemporary English Version:

Hebrews 13:15 (CEV)

“Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus.”

As a Christian, we should always live a life of praise and thanksgiving. Being a seeker of God it is not only a privilege but also our responsibility.

Worship and praise is the purest form of prayer because it focuses our minds and souls entirely away from ourselves and on to Him. What it communicates is pure love, devotion, reverence, appreciation, and thankfulness to God. It’s exalting God for who He is. It’s communicating our longing for Him. It’s drawing close to Him for the sake of being close. When we worship God, we are the closest to him we will ever be. That’s because praise welcomes His presence in our midst.

Praise is a declaration of who God is and what He’s going to do!

Praise is something that comes from within us… “I will praise God even in the midst of the storm.”

Praise is something that comes from without us… “I don’t feel like praising God, but I will because His word commands me to and I know He is worthy.”

Praise goes beyond our emotions and feelings and walks in obedience.

Obedience shows that we love God.

John 14:21 (NKJV)

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Praise is a beautiful thing

Psalm 33:1 (NKJV)

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.”

It is a beautiful thing to see people praise God. I was a Worship Pastor for over 32 years. It thrilled me to bring people to the throne of God in praise and worship. It was a zone that I new I was created to do. Seeing people praise God fueled my spirit. When we would worship corporately, and un-abandoned, I never wanted to leave. It was a beautiful thing.

What does praise do?

-It pleases God’s heart.

-It gives God much pleasure.

-It takes our focus off of ourselves.

-It is a great weapon against the enemy.

How is praise brought forth?

  1. The Spoken word 

We declare with our words who God is in our life, even when we don’t see the answer, God has all the answers.

-Speaking out loud who God is in a given situation helps you remember and also gets it into your spirit.

-It is heard in heaven, on earth, and in hell.

-It is a Decree! “I thank you God for healing me…..”

“I praise You Lord for being the God who sees me and You see me right now in the midst of my pain and trial!”

“I give You praise, Lord, for having a plan for my life and a hope and a future!”

We have to remind our selves what God can and will do in us.

2.  Our Singing/songs

Psa 40:3  

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” 

Psa 149:1

“Hallelujah! Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly.” 

Isa 42:10

“Sing a new song to the LORD; sing His praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea with all that fills it, you islands with your inhabitants.” 

Singing songs of praise is a release. It is a time of action towards God to lift Him high. It frees our spirit to soar higher to new heights.

3.  Our Actions – Shout, Crying out how great God is. Corporate shouts of praise does a body good! Kneeling in humility or laying prostrate before God is showing praise. Obey God’s word is action because we want to please God’s heart.

4.  Our Thoughts/heart/soul – what we think and plan in our hearts

Psa 28:7

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I praise Him with my song.” 

Psa 103:1  

“My soul, praise the LORD, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.” 

Psa 103:22

“Praise the LORD, all His works in all the places where He rules. My soul, praise the LORD!” 

Sometimes we forget to praise God. Sometimes we forget how Good God is. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of both.

We are the only ones who can control the battle in our minds of any negative thoughts we may have about ourselves and our situation.

David reminded himself….

Psa 42:5  (MSG)

“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God– soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” 

Praise and worship turns our focus to where it should be! We think about ourselves or things concerning us 24/7, surely we can live a life of praise and love on God as a lifestyle.

Praise should be such a part of our vocabulary that it spills out constantly.

I find myself constantly saying under my breath, “Thank you Jesus.” “I love you.” “Have Your way!” “You are so good.”

Praise will lift our spirits out of the mundane, out of the trial, out of depression.

ThanksLiving – Living a Life Of Praise

1. When I am troubled by Negative Thoughts and Emotions

Critical speech just cannot come out of a worshiper’s lips. Praise and critical speech

should not come from the same source. I prefer to give God praise then to criticize Him

or his creation (people or myself).

Whenever we express our love for God through praise and worship, we open up the channel through which His love flows into our heart. We invite His presence to come into our lives in a powerful way that, in the process, breaks down the strongholds of negative emotions. That is the hidden power of praising God.

Stormie Omartian

Negative emotions are never God’s will for you. Praise and worship is one of your greatest weapons against them. This is ThanksLiving.

2. When I have Anxiety, Fear, and Discouragement

We all have experienced anxiety, fear, and discouragement at some point in our lives. What do we do when we are experiencing it?

Much of our anxiety comes from “What if” thoughts.

“What if we don’t have enough money to pay the bills and eat?”

“What if I lose my job?”

“What if terrorists come and try and attack the US again?”

“What if the terrorists come to my neighborhood?”

“What if something bad happens to my children?”

“What if my husband dies, what will I do then?”

“What if my past catches up to me?”

“What if I have cancer?

“What if….

We all have our “What If’s,” the question is what will we do with those thoughts and feelings when they come? But God says to not be anxious about anything; Phil. 4:6 – 8 (Read from NKJV)

For me, I immediately start talking to God and say, “God I thank You that you are bigger then what concerns me!” “You are all powerful, all mighty, all knowing, and You are my hiding place.” “God You are in control of my life.” “I give You praise for Your eye is always upon me.” (Psalm 139) “Please give me strength to handle anything that comes my way.” “Please protect my family.” “Please shelter them from any harm.”

When God tells us to not be anxious bout anything, it’s not the same as someone telling us to “cheer up.” It’s not the same as when something terrible happens and a friend says, “Don’t worry.”

God is not just saying, “Forget about it.” He is giving us the solution. He says we should pray about everything and give praise and thanks to Him. When we do that, He promises to give us His peace that is beyond all comprehension. That means we will have peace even when it doesn’t make sense. That kind of peace will protect our heart and mind.

Praising God is the way to combat all anxiety, and it’s best to do it the moment you sense anxiety over anything. And then continue to praise God until all anxiety leaves.

Whatever your deepest fears are right now, bring every one of them to God. Thank Him that He is greater than any of them.

Fear will lie to you. It will tell you things that are not God’s truth for your life. Fear denies that God’s presence is fully active, and it cancels all hope and faith in God’s power to work in your behalf. But faith, prayer, praise, and the Word of God will conquer every fear. This is ThanksLiving.

3.  When I struggle with doubt

Complaining instead of praising is a sign that we are not grateful to God and doubt His goodness and faithfulness. It shows that we do not believe God is really who He says He is. When we complain, we indicate we don’t trust God and fear He won’t come through for us. We doubt that nothing is impossible with Him. Our lack of faith puts up a barrier between us and Him, and we cut off the avenue by which He can bless us.

Praising God in the midst of times of doubt opens up the avenue by which a fresh infusion of faith comes into our souls. This is ThanksLiving.

Complaining is the opposite of praising! Complaining is really lifting up the enemy. When we praise we lift up God. When we complain we lift up the enemy.

4.  When I don’t see answers to my prayers

When we praise God at the first sign of disappointment and loss of heart, He will open our eyes to the truth and help us see things from a perspective closer to His own.

When we worship God, we open the channel through which God works most powerfully to defeat the enemy on our behalf. We confuse the enemy and weaken him to the point he has to flee.

Even when all hope for our situation seems to be dead, praising God releases His resurrection life to flow in us. This Is ThanksLiving!

5.  When I am attacked by the enemy

Praise is one of the greatest weapons of warfare found in the Bible. We must have a revelation of the power and purpose of praise and worship. As a believer, you should be worshiping and praising with the revelation of what you are doing and understanding its value.

Praise chases the enemy away. The devil hates it when we worship the Lord. It repels him and makes him miserable. It confuses him and makes him weak. It reminds him that he used to be the worship leader in heaven (Isaiah 14) and he blew it! That’s why he will do anything to divert our attention away from worshiping and praising God.

The enemy wants to take our joy away. He wants to make us take our focus off of God and His abilities and transfer our focus onto ourselves and our inabilities. The enemy wants us to feel overwhelmed and out of control. He likes to bring confusion and strife.

All of these things come when we take our focus off of God and onto our situation.

Along with praise, God’s Word and prayer are also mighty to use in battling the enemy.

James 4:7 

“Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

One of the ways we submit to God is by worshiping Him.

One of the ways we resist the enemy is by proclaiming the Lord’s praises. God blesses us with His presence when we worship Him, and in His presence we are kept safe. This is ThanksLiving.

ThanksLiving is a lifestyle of gratitude.

ThanksLiving should be who we are 24/7.

ThanksLiving will propel you to your destiny and help you achieve what you were created for.

Prayer:

“Lord, I pray you would help me to live a life of ThanksLiving everyday, 24/7. I want to please Your heart and lift Your name on high with my words, thoughts, and actions. May my life of ThanksLiving draw all people to you as I know others look at me and are watching what I do. I thank You Lord for Who You are and I look to you daily for direction for every step I take in life. ~ Amen”

Blessings,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.HopeFellowshipSpokane.com

www.krisbelfils.wordpress.com

by

Cultivating A Thankful Heart

Eph. 5:20 

“Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Read Luke 17:11 – 19

Leprosy is a physically debilitating disease. You lose limbs and it deforms your body. Faces are unrecognizable. Often you lose fingers, hands, arms, and legs. It can affect your nerves and respiratory system too. Without proper treatment you will die from it. It is highly contagious and is easily transferred. That is why in the Bible, all lepers were ordered to stay outside the city to keep the rest of the population safe.

People were outcasts if they had leprosy. No interaction with their families or friends. The colony of lepers were their only social interaction.

How many of those ex-lepers do you think felt glad to be free from leprosy as they walked away from Jesus, completely healed of their incurable, disgusting, socially isolating disease? There’s no question about it—all ten did. But how many came back, threw themselves at Jesus’ feet, and thanked him, and was made whole by their gratitude?

Just one.

They all received the outward cure; only one received a spiritual blessing:  wholeness (verse 19).

Luke 17:19

“And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Just like the lepers we can receive a healing too, yet the one leper knew what it was like to be made whole.

The nine thought they were whole. At least they were not suffering like they use to. Their skin healed up, and I believe their deformities from the leprosy were also healed. Yet, the nine had no idea what it really was like to be totally and completely whole.

How can one be completely whole without the Master’s touch? We cannot. We cannot be whole on our own; we need a Savior to make us whole.

The one who came back to thank Jesus was thankful, humble, and broken all at the same time. He shouted praises to Jesus and fell on his face at Jesus’ feet. This was brokenness in action.

Leprosy is progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.

Ten lepers were healed of leprosy, but only one was healed of spiritual leprosy. Why didn’t the others go back and show their thankfulness?

Was it because of…

►Pride?

►Self-centeredness?

Were they too self-centered wanting to go back to their families, their jobs, and their lives? How quickly they forgot the hardship they endured before their healing.

How simple it would have been to go and thank Jesus, the One who healed them of their disease and deformities.

Why did the one go back and thank Jesus?

►He was truly thankful and wanted to show his gratefulness.

►He recognized who Jesus was and he couldn’t help but show it outwardly

Do you think he knew he would be healed from his spiritual leprosy just by saying and showing his thankfulness? No, but what an awesome benefit for a thankful heart.

Cultivating a thankful heart is imperative to our spiritual life.

Another example is the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.

Mark 5:25 – 34

“And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” 

She was an outcast by this time, as women, who were on their monthly, were sent out of the city for the week because they were considered “unclean.” She constantly bled. She constantly was unclean. She was an outcast, and I am sure was scorned by society. How do you think she felt? I believe she felt insecure. She felt she had no value or future. All her hope was gone. Yet she pressed in, through the crowd, and touched someone. This act alone was forbidden by anyone who was bleeding. She didn’t care. She went against society and the law to receive her healing. The woman was broken and fell at Jesus’ feet.

She also received an extra blessing of being made whole. I believe this was not only a physical healing, but an emotional and spiritual healing as well.

In these two examples, neither of them knew they needed to be spiritually whole; they just had a need to go to Jesus. Jesus is the only One who can make us whole. When He touches us we are healed. This alone should bring thankfulness out of your heart.

Cultivate a thankful heart

There are several steps in cultivating a thankful heart. Before we look at those steps, lets look at the word: “Cultivate” for a minute.

The word “cultivate” from the Dictionary means:

1. Prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.

• break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting.

• raise or grow (plants), esp. on a large scale for commercial purposes.

• Biology grow or maintain (living cells or tissue) in culture.

2. Try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill): he cultivated an air of indifference.

• try to win the friendship or favor of (someone): it helps if you go out of your way to cultivate the local people.

•apply oneself to improving or developing (one’s mind or manners).

World English Dictionary

  1. To till and prepare (land or soil) for the growth of crops
  2. To plant, tend, harvest, or improve (plants) by labour and skill
  3. To break up (land or soil) with a cultivator or hoe
  4. To improve or foster (the mind, body, etc) as by study, education, or labour
  5. To give special attention to: to cultivate a friendship ; to cultivate a hobby
  6. To give or bring culture to (a person, society, etc); civilize

This shows us that we need to be constantly tilling and working our hearts to grow thankfulness. It doesn’t come naturally. We really are born selfish. We have to teach ourselves to share and be nice to others. To cultivate a thankful heart takes work, yet it should spring from deep within when it comes to being thankful for all God has done in our lives.

Steps to cultivate a thankful heart:

1. We have to focus on the good and not the bad. 

Far too often we humans only see the bad in our life. We have to open our eyes to the bigger picture. God has blessed us with many blessings. Even for the fact of you breathing is enough to be thankful for. Still there’s more! Take a look in your life. Refuse to look at all the bad. Take inventory of all the blessings and good. I know you can do this. Remind yourself of all the good: Family, home, food, vehicle, health, relationships, freedom, and so much more are reasons to be thankful.

Romans 1:21 (GW)

“They knew God but did not praise and thank him for being God. Instead, their thoughts were pointless, and their misguided minds were plunged into darkness.” 

We have to praise and thank God for being who He is. It keeps our focus on the good and not the bad. This verse expresses that they didn’t praise and thank God but that their thoughts were pointless, misguided and plunged into darkness.

There is much good in your life if you would just choose to see it!

2.  We have to learn to praise God in the middle of the storm!

It is easy to be thankful when all is well in your world. Praise comes easily when you are on a spiritual high. It is when we walk in the middle of a storm, or a valley that our true character comes out.

Being thankful to God even when things are not so good shows a sign of maturity. We as adults know life has its ups and downs. We also know seasons change. Learn to be thankful in the winter as well as the summer season of your life.

Ecc. 3:1 (NKJV)

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

Being thankful is not denying the circumstance, it is trusting God in the middle of the battle knowing He is with you and is always victorious!

~ Pastor Kris Belfils

3.  We have to look for ways to help or bless others.

Getting our focus off of ourselves and onto others is one of the best ways I have found to help me to be thankful. We can get so self-absorbed we can’t even see our neighbor is hurting. Helping others forces us to look away from ourselves. It immediately shows us we don’t have it so bad, as others may have a harder struggle then we do.

Being self-absorbed shows immaturity. We are not being like Jesus, who gave His very life for us. What if Jesus was self-absorbed, where would we be right now? Lost!

1 Peter 3:8  (GW)

“Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.”

John 13:34  (GNB)

“And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” 

4.  We have to open our hearts to receive from God.

When was the last time you allowed yourself to receive something from God? Why do we toil and struggle to figure things out on our own? Maybe it is because we feel we are not worthy? Maybe its human reasoning? Maybe it is pride?

John 3:16 (Amplified)

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.”

It takes faith to receive this verse as truth! If you receive this verse, you have to receive the entire Bible and all that it says about you. God loves you with an everlasting love. You are deeply cherished.

Jer 31:3  

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” 

Knowing we are deeply loved brings thankfulness. 24/7, 365 days a year is how much you are cherished and loved. God chose to create you! He chose to breath life into you! You are His favorite. Makes me giggle inside to think about that! It brings a sense of belonging and purpose. It brings a heart of thankfulness.

5.  We have to cultivate a thankful heart! 

There is always something in your life to be thankful for. Choose to focus on the good. Choose to praise and thank God even when the storms come.

Helping people and being compassionate is being like Jesus, and opening our hearts to receive from God daily will help us to grow in Christ and spread His love to others.

Being thankful is the only way to live. God has done so much for each of us. Let’s quickly give Him the thanks and praise He deserves.

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

by

A Cry For Revival Series: “Revival Of Our Hearts” (Part 1)

Revival of our Hearts Part 1 (Click here for audio message)

Psalm 69:32 (Amp)

“The humble shall see it and be glad; you who seek God, inquiring for and requiring Him [as your first need], let your hearts revive and live!.”

“…as your first need.” As your first love. We should be placing God as our priority above anything or anyone else in our lives. We need to go back to our first love. When we first met Jesus.

How do we fall in love with Jesus? If we are the Bride of Christ, shouldn’t we be in love with our Groom? Shouldn’t we show our love to our Groom? Psalms 91 really sheds some needed light on spending time with the Lord.

Psalms 91:1–16 (NKJV)

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor  of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the  pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your  side,  And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near  you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the re­ward of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,  even the Most  High,  your dwelling place,  No evil shall  befall you, Nor shall  any plague come near your  dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep  you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you  up, Lest you  dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the co­bra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will   deliver him; I will  set him on high, because he has known My name. He  shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with  him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My Salvation.”

The New King James Bible states, “He who “dwells” in the secret place,” which is emphasizing  a time spent with. It shows a habitation, or a living or abiding in the secret place. What is the secret place? It is that place you spend time with God in. It is God Himself. If we wait and dwell in the secret place, we shall behold Him. It takes time.

It takes time to develop a relationship. Quality time spent with someone brings much reward. We can’t expect to have a close intimate relationship with our spouse if we never spend time with them. I know first hand as my husband and I can drift apart a little when we don’t spend time together. We end up going through the motions of marriage and being in love, but the intimacy is lacking. We don’t share in each others joys or connect with each other emotionally and physically. When we take the time to not only notice each other, but to actually show affection towards one another, it brings a bond that no one can sever. It brings a close intimacy that is very personal and rewarding. It brings security and acceptance. It is fulfilling. This is the same with our relationship with Christ. He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him. “But  without  faith  no  one  can  please God.  We  must  believe that  God  is real and  that  he  re­ wards everyone who searches for him.” (Hebrews 11:6) One of the rewards of seeking and spending time with Him is feeling loved by an all knowing, all loving God.

Revival  of our hearts will bring a deeper love for our God.

“The human heart was made for passion. It was created for relationship.It was designed to experience the fullness  of God.”

S.J. Hill

We are designed and created to receive all that God has for us. We were created for intimacy with God. It is a natural thing to desire a close relationship with God.  This is filling the hole, the spot all humans try to fill in life. Some fill it with drugs or alcohol; others fill it with work or business, while others try to fill it with pleasures or riches. The only thing that can fill it is a relationship with God Himself.

Now, knowing that we were created for a relationship with God, we can pursue that relationship with all passion and fervor. Sometimes we might find indifference in our spirit about being with God. We might feel complacent or in a rut.

Sin Can Cause Indifference

If we settle for less than a passionate relationship with God, we will start to die and eventually fall into a rut or a pit. We become “grave tenders” of our lives instead of living life to its fullest. We see other people living life and enjoying it, yet in our own lives we are dead. We tend our very own grave, and often times we fight or force others to stay away from our grave. A. W. Tozer states in “Rut, Rot, or Revival” that we are in a “circular grave” when sin has entered our hearts. Sin will separate us from God. This is a fact.

A circular grave has no ending and no beginning. In other words, you can’t remember when or how you got in the mess you are in, and you can’t find a way out on your own. You are dead inside. You see no hope, and no way of escape. A dead corpse has no way of reviving it self. A dead  corpse  needs  intervention from a living source to bring life back. Don’t fool yourself by thinking you can get out of this circular grave on your own. Allow the Giver of life to breathe new life back into your dead places in your heart. Allow God to show and direct you out of your circular grave and bring you on solid ground to stand boldly in Him. It will cost you your control. It will cost you your pride, but it is well worth having new reviving life back into your spirit again.

Isaiah 59:2

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, sot hat He will not hear.”

We all have sinned and need a Savior. Receiving Jesus Christ into your heart as Lord is the first step to a revival in your heart, but there is more to repentance then just receiving Christ in your heart. If one is truly repentant they will turn 180° in the opposite direction of their sin.

Satan will try and trip us up in sin. This causes bondage in our hearts and spirit, and a barrier preventing our hearts to be revived. Being aware that sin separates us from God helps us to do our best to stay away and even run from the appearance of evil. The more you fall in love with God the more you want to obey Him and do what pleases His heart.

“Since only sin offends God, and sin  is  extremely  deceitful,  it  can  be  present doing  its deadly  work while the  people  may  not be  aware of it at all  until  it is  called  to their  attention.”

A. W. Tozar (Rut, Rot, or Revival)

Once you realize the sin that is causing you to feel separated from God, immediately  repent and  ask God  to  forgive  you. The short term pleasure of sin is not worth the long term separation from God. The after affects of sin is not worth the pleasures of pleasing God and being close to him. It is natural to be a better person when we are closer to God. It is natural to experience more of God  and His love when sin is not in the picture. Allow  God  to show you right now if you have sin in your life that is separating you from Him. Take the time to repent and walk away from the debilitating and crippling sinful action.

Romans 8:15 (MSG)

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, “grave tending” life.  It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike, “What’s next  Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirit and confirms who we really are. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us an unbelievable inheritance!”

Nothing is worth missing out on our inheritance from God. No sin is so good that it overshadows what we receive from God. No earthly pleasure is more pleasurable then getting closer to God and experiencing His joy and abundant life He has for us. The sacrifice of leaving our sin behind is nothing compared to the relationship we gain with God.

God’s Little Surprises

God likes to give little surprises or gifts daily to his children. If we look we will see them. He loves us. When someone loves another it is natural to give gifts to them. I remember one Valentine’s day, before my husband and I were married, I was living with my mom at the time. My “Soon-­to-­be-­husband” got up early and drove over to my house and left a huge Valentines box on my front porch. He had taken the time to decorate it and cover up what the original contents was. In it was all sorts of candy and chocolate.  I was thrilled when I stumbled on it as I walked out of my house to go to work. It made my day. All day long I couldn’t wait to get home and start devouring the sweet treats left for me by someone who cared.

I have found God will do the same thing with us. Out of the blue I will stumble onto something or receive something unexpected. It might be a loving verse in the Bible, or hearing from a long time friend. It might be something simple as walking outside and hearing the birds singing. I like to think God directed them to sing to me His love songs. It might be news of some organization wanting some of my writings. I remember one day I was walking in Wal-Mart with my two daughters. My cell phone rang and  on  the  other  line  was  someone  representing  an agent of Zondervan. They asked me for permission to use a quote from my book, “The Garbage Man Always Comes On Fridays” in their new “Today’s Devotional Bible” that was to be published several months later. At first I thought it was someone trying to play a joke  on me. I asked them to send me an email stating what they would  like,  and  the  quote  they  wanted  to  use.  Sure enough, when I arrived home in my email in box  was their email. I felt so thrilled and loved all at the  same time. To imagine God bringing this about in my life was tremendous as I knew why I wrote the book. I wrote the book mainly for my healing, and to hopefully help others going through a mistake in their life. God knows all about us and wants to show how much He cares by giving us personal gifts that only He can give.

Be open to surprises from God because they are always there. In turn, I like to give gifts to God. It might be taking the time to stop and thank Him for my life, or to worship Him for who He is. He is my life! It might be helping someone or giving to someone in need as the scripture states, “And the King will reply to them,  Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me” Matthew 25:40 (Amplified Bible).

The Lover of Your Soul

My relationship with the Lover of my soul is precious. He takes my breath away. I wake up in the morning and know I am going into my prayer time. I am excited and filled with love for the One I will be spending time with.

Every time I think about God, deep inside of me, I sense a love and respect for Him. What a joy, what a life to have a personal love relationship with the Creator of the universe. He desires intimacy with all of us. Our Creator longs to spend time with us like a lover should.

When we give God our whole heart, and treat Him like a Lover, it revives us. Our loneliness vanishes and is replaced with an awareness of His constant presence abiding every second of every day.

We are not alone. We have the assurance of knowing Jesus is always with us. This gives us hope. This gives us strength. You feel like you can conquer anything be­ cause the King of Kings is with you.

This is the conclusion of Part 1 of “Revival of Our Hearts” be looking for part 2 soon!

Pastor Kris Belfils

http://www.krisbelfils.com

http://www.hopefellowshipspokane.com

by

5 Stages of Intimacy in Worship

Christianity is a relationship with God. It is not religion or tradition. It is all about a growing, loving, intimate relationship with our Creator.

I want to give you tools to worship the Lord in a loving relationship that is so intimate and rewarding it will change your life.

Why is it that some Worship services, when we sing the songs during worship, it seems dry and meaningless, while other times the level of God’s presence is so high you never want to leave?

There are, I’m sure, many factors why that happens, but the bottom line is, I believe, the depth of our worship only goes as far as the depth of our love for God.

Why do we worship God? What has God done that makes you want to worship Him? Who is God that we should worship Him?

What happens when we are alone with the Lord determines how intimate and deep the worship will be when we come together as the body of Christ.

Worship blesses God; it is not just a preparation for the sermon. Worship is the act of freely giving our love to God. Worship is action! What if God approached you the way you approached Him in worship? Would you like it?

Some people sit down the entire time of worship when the Worship Leader has asked them to stand. They think they are too tired or it doesn’t matter if they sit or stand. It is true it doesn’t matter if you sit or stand to be able to worship God, but what does matter is our engagement in worship. Sitting often disconnects you from worship and allows you to zone out. I am not referring to those who may have a disability or an illness that prevents them to stand too long for a given amount of time. What I am talking about are those who decide to just sit and “check out” of the service until the sermon is preached. Singing or music might not be your “thing,” BUT, worshipping your Creator SHOULD be “your thing.”Our body language tells a lot about our relationship with Christ. If we decide to not participate in worship it screams that we are not interested in God. Remember the worship part of a service is our action, our part to give back to God. It is the way we should approach a Holy God, who has given us so much? How would you feel if God approached you and your needs the same way. What if He decided to “sit down” on the job of being God and was disinterested in communing with you? What if He decided to ignore listening to you and your prayer needs? Yet, this is what we do to Almighty God if we constantly zone out of worshipping Him during the worship part of any service.

How about being distracted constantly during the worship part of the service? Looking at your phone, or rummaging through your purse or pockets while people are focusing on God and singing His praises is a slap in God’s face. Again, what if God approached you that way? You see it is not about the songs, the Worship Leader or team, the volume, or even our desires, it is about God and giving Him what He deserves. He deserves our undivided attention. He deserves our entire focus and praise. Far too often people treat worship as a hassle or an obligation. This is not true, and so far from what it really is. Worship is our engagement, our heart and mind focused on the King of kings. We have lost the fear of the Lord if we treat worship with disrespect. It would be like the priests in the Bible to come with “profane” or “strange fire.” Fire that was not birthed from the Holy Fire, fire that was not commanded by God to give.

When I took on the role of “Worship Leader” many years ago, I read some verses in Leviticus that impacted me and changed my life forever.

Leviticus 10:1 – 3 (NKJV)

“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. [] So fire went out from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.”

This shook me to my very core and sobered me to see the importance of offering my praise and worship with a pure heart and to always remember corporate worship is a holy event and to never treat it in any other way.

Worshipping God really shows you are hungering and thirsting after Him. True worshippers hunger for God. When a corporate worship service is open to them, they run at the opportunity to get their hunger satisfied. No need to “wind them up” to worship God, they enter in immediately. This shows good spiritual health.

Concerning worship C.S. Lewis states: “Inner health made audible.” 

You need to know that…

When you are feeling week…. You worship

When you are feeling vulnerable… You worship

When your time of solitude, or your creativity hits a dark moment… You worship

When you’re feeling tempted… start to worship

When you’re feeling angry… start to worship

When you’re feeling disappointed… start to worship

When you want to express your love to God… you automatically worship

There are some key stages to obtain intimacy in our worship. These are just a few I have realized.

5 stages of Intimacy in worship

  1. Remembering what God has done (He is faithful).

What has God done that makes you want to worship Him? Let’s take a look:

a. Because  God has redeemed us! Redemption/Freedom!

Psalm 111:9

“He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.”

Nehemiah 1:9 & 10

“But you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name. Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.”

In this verse in Nehemiah the word “redeemed” is translated:

Redeemed, padah: “To release, preserve, rescue, deliver, liberate, cut loose, sever; to free; to ransom. This verb describes God’s desire to free us!

Another meaning for the word “redeemed” is:

Redeemed, ga’al: “Ransom, redeem, repurchase; to set free by avenging or repaying. Ga’al refers to the custom of buying back something a person has lost through helplessness, poverty, or violence.

You can find the Hebrew meaning of ga’al in these verses:

Isaiah 52:9

“Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.”

Jesus saved us from what we deserve… Hell! He has rescued us from sin and from ourselves.

Psalm 72:14

“He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be their blood in His sight.”

Jesus saved us from what we deserve… HELL. He has rescued us from sin and from ourselves.

I self-destruct without pursuing God in my life. When I choose my own way, I often make bad choices in the flesh. When I lean on, and trust in the Lord, I will never be disappointed because God is faithful to help me through anything.

Redemption alone is a wonderful reason to worship God. I am free from Hell. He has set me free from sin and death!

b. Because God has loving kindness and mercy that endures forever.

1Ch 16:34

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.”

Psa 106:1

“Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.”

How long is FOREVER? Forever: Without ever ending, an endless period of time, for everlasting time, without interruption

Psa 117:2

“For great is His faithful love to us; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah!”

Psa 118:1

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.”

Psa 118:2

“Let Israel say, “His faithful love endures forever.”

Psa 118:3

“Let the house of Aaron say, “His faithful love endures forever.”

Psa 118:4

“Let those who fear the LORD say, “His faithful love endures forever.”

I think you get the point. There are many more scriptures that talk about God’s love, or righteousness, or mercy enduring forever.

God shows His loving kindness to us when He forgives us of what we have done. He allows us to go through hardships to make us stronger. This is His loving-kindness. He spares us from death and hell. This is His loving-kindness. He makes us to lye down in green pastures. This is His loving-kindness.

Psalm 23:2

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

This gives us reason to worship Him for always showing us His loving-kindness and mercy.

c. Because God is always with me!

Heb 13:5

“Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.”

God promises to never, ever leave us. He is always there wherever we go. He is your Best Friend. You can talk to Him anytime. There is never a moment that God is not with you.

Joshua 1:5

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Forsake: To quite or leave entirely, abandon, desert, to give up or renounce, to give up (formally held dear), to leave someone who counts on you, to leave in a lurch.

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

We never have to worry if God is with us. He is always there. That is a promise. That is a reason to worship Him passionately!

d. Because God longs to have communion with me.

He longs — not just desires or wants, but longs — to be intimate with us. God desires to be personally known by us, just as a young man desires to know and be known by the woman he loves.

“. . .As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” — Isaiah 62:5

The word marriage implies intimacy, and intimacy implies vulnerability. If a marriage does not involve these two profoundly personal and often frightening sentiments, it is only an indifferent contract between two people who know each other’s name and can recognize the other’s face — nothing more. It produces nothing of worth; it is just barely beyond the acquaintance level.

A true marriage is a union of one spirit with another. It is a deeply intimate binding of two souls, where more than just thoughts and secrets are shared. God wants to have relationship with His creation. He yearns to have a true marriage with us. God invites us beyond anything we could hope for or imagine: He invites us to truly know Him.

e. Because God hears, listens, and answers my cry.

Psalm 72:12 – 13

“For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy.”

2.  Draw close and place your trust in Him.

As we draw close to Him, He never rejects us!

When a couple is strongly married, they can draw close to each other knowing the other will not pull away or reject them. This brings security.

The closer we get to Jesus, the more we realize we can trust Him. Intimacy brings security. We are safe and secure from all harm.

We can trust God that He has the best intentions for us.

We can trust Him because His word never lies.

3.  Reveal your heart’s cry and desire.

When I am up close next to Jesus, I can share the most precious things in my heart. He wants to hear our desires (He already knows). He wants to share in our joys and our sorrows. He comes to our cry.

It is hard to share an intimate moment with someone when they keep their distance. ~ Pastor Kris

2Sa 22:7

“I called to the LORD in my distress; I called to my God. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.”

Psa 3:4

“I cry aloud to the LORD, and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah”

Psa 18:6

“I called to the LORD in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears.”

Psa 34:15

“The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry for help.”

       4.  Listen to His heart’s desire, which is always towards you.

It would be very selfish if we just cried out to the Lord our needs and never took the time to listen to His heart. When we are up close and personal with God, we can’t help but hear His heartbeat. It becomes our desire to hear His heartbeat the more we spend time with Him. He will share intimate things about our life. He will bring healing and restoration.

      5.  Express your love to Him.

Those  have been forgiven much, loves much!

Luke 7:47

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Do you realize you have been forgiven MUCH? You have not been forgiven little. We all have sinned a lot and fall short of the glory of God. For one to be forgiven much, we have to show our worship to Him in a passionate way. One cannot help but extravagantly worship God because of what He has forgiven in our lives.

Spend time alone with God. Realize how much He loves you. Express your love to Him.

Remember He is Your Portion! He is everything you need and more. It is easy to come to a loving God Who knows our ever need, thought, and desire. But it makes it even clearer to come to God knowing who He is and what He has already done for us.

Take some time and look up in the Bible some verses about praise or worship and apply them to your life.

Your Sister In Christ,

Pastor Kris Belfils

www.krisbelfils.com

www.hopefellowshipspokane.com