7/1/2013
Living in your Promise Land
Continuing to read in Joshua 17, I came across some scripture that really jumped out at me. Joshua had given the hill country to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. They went in to claim and possess the land. They were to drive out the Canaanites from the cities and dwell there. It had been given to them as commanded by God. Then Manasseh’s sons came back and told Joshua that the Canaanites were too strong and they could not drive them out and requested additional land so that there would be enough for both of them. My question is… Really? You are willing to live with your enemy? Let’s go on… Their excuse was that they were such a large tribe, they needed
additional land. Joshua refused saying, “Yes you are a great tribe, but you will go and drive out the Canaanites,
clear the land and then there will be enough for you to dwell”.
Later on, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim became stronger, Joshua 18:1-5, but they still did not drive out the Canaanites but let them remain and co-exist with them. Joshua reprimands them and says, “How long are you going to let this go on”? Joshua even says… If you are such a great tribe, then get in there and drive out the
inhabitants and clear the land your selves! He sounds just a little frustrated to me.
Two things stood out to me.
The first one was that they were not satisfied with what had been given to them. If they had obeyed the commands and driven out the enemy, cleared the land, then there were be enough. They did not put forth
the necessary effort to drive them out. Instead they went back and asked for additional land. One thing that I have recently learned was to receive “MORE” in the Kingdom of God, we must be good stewards of what has already been given. Look at Matt 25:14 where the owner that gave the 1, 5, and 10 talents. When he returned and asked for an accounting, he was pleased with the ones who took what they had been given and brought back increase. But the one that just buried it and returned it was cast into darkness. To “increase” in the Kingdom, we must cultivate what God has given to us. That will set you up for promotion/increase. Why would we be given more when we have not even used that which we have been given?
The second thing was that the real reason the tribe of Joseph wanted more land was because “the Canaanites” were there and they were too strong to drive out. The Canaanites represent sin in our lives. It can also represent
unbelief (which in its self is sin), and strongholds (things we believe that are not true). In Connie Swain’s book,
“True Freedom”, she defines strongholds in Chapter 2. Strongholds provide reinforcement to wounds and lies that have made their way into our lives. Take time to read this book if you are struggling with any type of wound or lie that you are experiencing. It can help you to get True Freedom. Strongholds can be lies that have become so entrenched in our lives that we begin to think they are truths that we cannot live without. We build walls to help protect the belief or lie. It might not be a lie… But the enemy has rooted it so deeply that it becomes part of us and we don’t even want to get rid of it. Sin has a way of getting in to the point that we either justify it or it becomes too strong to root out on our own. This is a spiritual battle. Paul speaks extensively on this in 2 Cor 10.
The tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim were willing to co-exist with the enemy and tried to make an excuse that they were too great to drive out. The tribe increased in strength, but instead of driving them out, decided to just leave them along and live along side them. There will never be enough room for sin and Christ in our lives. Light and darkness cannot coexist. Light always wins. Darkness is the absence of light. Jesus is the light of the world and in Him there is no darkness!
To tear down the stronghold, to rid ourselves of darkness, we need exposure to the Light. When we allow Jesus to come in and destroy the idols and strongholds in our lives, we will find new territory and new promises that we can explore. Fear is gone and doubt no longer exists, because He walks with us. He leads and guides us into ALL the promise land! He fights with us and He always wins…
Father, I give you permission to examine every area of my heart. Shine your glorious light into every spot and show me any wounds, lies, beliefs that are not of you. I don’t want anything remaining in my life that is not ordained by you. I want to experience and walk in every promise that you have for me. I want them to be experiential and not theory. I choose to not sit idly by and just look at my inheritance. I choose to face the enemy, and have the faith to believe that he is no match for me. My faith and trust is in You and You alone. When you expose a wound or lie, give me the boldness to face it head on and not waver from my goal. My desire is to be all that you have created me, to have everything that you have given and promised to me, to do the work of the Kingdom, to bring Heaven to Earth, to change this world to look like your world. I surrender all!
6/28/2013
Possess your Promised Land
In Joshua 13, God told Joshua that he was old and yet there was much land that that still remained to be possessed. What land? The land that God had promised to the children of Israel. Their promised land. Their
inheritance. The land had been claimed and “secured” by the Israelites. Joshua had done all that God had commanded. He had destroyed the major cities and killed all the kings. This had been the command of God.
By doing so, he had secured the promise land.
God then told Joshua to divide this land for an inheritance to the tribes of Israel. Joshua continues to do as God commands. Caleb is one that sparked my interest. He had been with Joshua from the beginning and was one of the scouts for Moses. He was not intimidated by the enemy. He was ready to do battle to “claim” the promise. At the age of 40, he came back with the other scouts to Moses and declared, “We can do it”. I can just see him telling
Moses that if this is the land that God has given to us, then what are we waiting for…Let’s get it on. But everyone else was against it. They were afraid of the enemy. So the wait was on.
Now, 45 years later the promise land was finally secure and Joshua is dividing it up as God instructed. Caleb comes up to Joshua and says, “the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years yet, I am as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me.” Wow... His passion, His strength, His yearning for the Promised Land is still there. Going on he says, “Now give me this mountain… for if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said”…. Caleb believed the word of the Lord, even after 45 years. Caleb received his
inheritance and it became his possession.
What I saw in these verses was this:
1. The promise was not received by everyone that went to scout out the land. They could not see the promise. All they could see was what stood in their way, the enemy. This land was what God had promised his children. His promise was their inheritance. There was a price that Moses and the children of Israel had to pay to secure and stake claim to the land. But because there was not unity in the camp, and there was doubt amongst the troops, they had to wait. The promise was never taken away, but those in doubt and unbelief would NEVER take
possession of the promise.
2. After the lands were secure, Caleb had not forgotten the promise that Moses had made. After Moses died, Caleb and Joshua fought side by side to secure the promise land. Now it was time to divide it up. He was ready. There were still “strongholds” in the promise land. Yes, wars had been fought and kings dethroned. But the promise land was to be divided, battles would still have to be fought to possess the promised land by each individual tribe. In Joshua 14:14 It says, “… Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb… because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.” Even though my inheritance and promises are secure in and by Christ, for me to actually “realize” them, I must pursue and take the steps necessary to enter into that promise.
3. Our salvation was not free. Jesus paid a great price for you and me. An inheritance is passed down from the father to his children. We are Father God’s children, and He has my inheritance. I must look beyond what is in my way and look into the “promises”. I must look at what God has promised me. My promise is secure in Him. God is always speaking. I think He has something to say. After all He is the creator of the universe. I want to hear. What is it that he wants to give to me? Where is it He wants me to go? What is my destiny? On the surface it may look dangerous or an impossibility. If we “accept” that it is from God, then we can’t just sit around and
“wait for it to happen”. I believe that everything that we need in this life, God has promised to provide. But there are NEW promises and NEW gifts that we must go after with strength and courage. Yes, the enemy will not want you to gain any new ground. Why? The more we have in God, the more “Spirit of God” upon us, the more Anointing” we carry, the greater threat we are to the “gates of Hell”. The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Kingdom of God. It does not stand a chance. I want to move forward into the promises of God! The summons to begin to move in and possess that land has come. It is time to move out.. We can no longer “sit on the dock of the bay”. It may take war. If it does, then war it shall be. Not against one another, but the enemy that would keep us from His promise. The enemy that stands in my way is NO match for me and “He that is within me”!
Strongholds that have held me back will have to come down. Bondages that keep me from my promise must be broken; the chains must come off. I not only want to claim the promises of God, but I want to move out and experience them for myself. Promises are little more than theory until they are actually experienced.
I declare that I am a Child of God! I can and do claim the promises that He has for me. I will not be afraid of the enemy for I am seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This world is not my home, I am living this life from the third heaven and satan is “Under My Feet”. I want to live from the Throne Room, with satan beneath me, not above me. Not from earth to heaven and satan always trying block my way. I don’t want to live from earth to
Heaven, but from Heaven to earth. I don’t want to just secure my promises, but to possess my promises.
Harlan Wright
6/24/2013
Humility with Authority
In my last blog I talked about picking up our call and authority. So many want their call to bring them into a position of notoriety and carry importance to the Church. So many times we can see people that have stepped into their call become more impressed with the importance of themselves than their call. They become “puffed up” with pride, rather staying humble and letting their gift and calling bring Glory to God and impact the Kingdom. Paul said,“I will only Glory in the Cross”. Jesus said that if you want to be great, then you must be a servant. A little humility can go a long ways. Being humble is not about being passive or weak. Jesus said that “All power and authority was given to Him”, yet He was anything but passive or weak. He confronted those that were corrupting the temple and all the while not condemning those in sin. He brought correction and forgiveness at the same time. Everything He did was completely covered with love. He knew His authority and the power He carried and was not afraid to use it to set those in bondage free!
What impresses me was the attitude of His heart as he carried this power and authority. As I mentioned in an
earlier blog, we are All called by God. When we step into our calling and understand our purpose, we then can
operate in the same power and authority as Jesus did. He has given it to us. However, how we handle this power and authority is equally as important. It is not a license to run over anyone. Your call is no more important than another’s call. We come together in Unity as the Body of Christ. Everyone’s call is important to God to accomplish bringing “Heaven to earth”. Honor within the Church is critical. If you want to walk in power and authority (your call), and sustain it, you must also honor another’s call as well. Your call may bring visibility to your local church or the Church at large. You may be an Apostle, Prophet, or Pastor. To sustain the flow of the Spirit of God upon uour life and call, there must be Honor flowing from you to everyone. The lack of honor can and will shut down the presence of God upon your life. But when there is honor, there is no limit to what God can accomplish with and thru your life, as you surrender to Him.
So how we handle our calling and authority is critical. Humility is not passive or weak. Humility does not turn away from sin. Humility does not allow others to walk over us or try to control us. But neither does it give us the right to usurp authority, or to try and control others. Or, to “take over” because “I have the mind of Christ”!
Authority and passion for“Our calling”, unchecked, can cause injury and damage to those we come in contact with. Humility will not run over someone else, but will keep our own passion, authority and “mouth” in check as it deals with others. Humility is strength restrained.
Harlan Wright
6/16/2013
Stepping into the call of God upon your life, brings Authority
Grace and I have been studying the subject of Authority over the last few weeks. It is a very important subject for the Christian who truly wants to impact and bring “Heaven to earth”. We all are called into the Kingdom of God, each one with a personal call and gift(s) from God. What we do with it and how we use it is up to each of us. How we see ourselves in the Kingdom of God has a direct effect on the impact that we can bring. Grace has just posted a teaching on the Wise Regional Pray Network about how we see ourselves.
With each calling and gift from God comes the “Authority”and power to accomplish that call. Do you know what God has called you to do? If yes, then built into that call is the authority and power to impact the world. God never calls and says“hope you can do this”. No! He is with us, providing just what we need to accomplish His call.
First of all we must hear the voice of God and recognize that call. This requires getting alone with God. Too many times we want to do something different than what God has called us to do. We want someone else’s gift or
call. That causes frustration and discontent. It can cause destruction and chaos in both our lives and the lives of those around us. It robs us of peace and our sense of value in “the Church”. When we step into our Call and begin to operate in our authority, we begin to see the power of God flow thru our lives and bring “Heaven to earth”.
People are healed, lives are changed, the captive are set free and the “Church” becomes alive and well because we are operating as God intended. We are doing what we are called to do with power and authority, and not stepping outside of what God is doing. Jesus said he only did what He saw the Father doing, and only spoke what the Father was saying. When we begin to move and operate this way, it also brings peace and rest into our lives, because we do not “struggle” with where we are in the Kingdom of God. Everything operates smoothly and there are no power struggles in the Body of Christ.
Harlan Wright
6/8/2013
Intimacy with Christ builds our confidence
Intimacy with Christ provokes confidence. It feeds and brings strength to our confidence as it builds our faith. Some people just visit this place every now and then, but there are some that are not satisfied with an occasional visit. Those “visits” with Him intensify our thirst and hunger until we cannot live outside His presence. Intimacy releases faith because it allows us to see God as He truly is, creator and ruler of this Kingdom. We, His people, must learn to live “from” this place of presence rather than “going to” this place. For the dedicated and committed child of God, the Kingdom is within because we are the temple of God. When we live from this place, we can immediately turn our affections to Him and hear His voice, know His thoughts, and feel His heartbeat. We don’t have to go to a church building to find His presence, because He is ever with us, living in us and leading and guiding our every step. We, His people ARE the Church! He wants to reveal His heart and desires to us. Jesus was our supreme example as He walked this earth. He only said what the Father was saying. He only did what the Father was doing. But how did He know what that was? Jesus would get alone with God, and the Father would share His heart. We are the children of God and He will do the same for you and me. Going to “Church” is important, but it is not enough for me. I need to get alone on a daily basis. Not to present a list of things I want, but to keep building my faith and “soaking up” His presence. I love getting alone with God. It keeps the connection, relationship, strong! We hear His voice, and then we “know” what to speak, because it is coming to us from God. We begin to grow in this lifestyle to the point that wherever you are, you can just stop what you are doing and turn your affection toward Him, and He is there. You begin to recognize is voice. You can feel His touch even in a crowd. When we live this way, in and from this place of presence, we can declare the greatness and goodness of God in every situation. We can see a problem, feel the pain of a person and see the bondage, all thru the person of Jesus because we are connected to Him. Then we can declare the His heart, because we are one in Him. Carrying and being aware of His presence, everywhere we go, and every moment of every day, strengthens our faith to bring Heaven to earth. It is the heartbeat of God. God is looking for a people who will carry His presence to a hurting world, to heal the sick, bind up the wounded, set the captive free and bring Heaven to earth. So let’s not think that we have to go somewhere to get into His presence and get the mind of Christ. Let’s be a people that “carry” His presence everywhere we go, bringing and releasing the Kingdom of God.
Harlan Wright
6.5.13
Joy and Happiness
The Joy of the Lord is our strength. So what brings God Joy? You and me. When he sees you and me becoming more like what He intended, I believe it brings Him the greatest joy. That in turn releases even more of His favor and blessing upon our lives.
At Freedom Center in Decatur, Texas, we have been studying about our authority in Christ. It comes when we begin to recognize the calling and gifts of God upon our lives and we begin to “Walk” in that calling. It is not only fulfilling, but it also fills a need in the Kingdom of God. God has a place, uniquely designed for each of His children. When we fill that place with our surrender, we are also complete in Him.
The happiest people on Earth are not the “Rich and Famous”,the one with the most prestigious positions, or the one with the greatest earthly authority. These things only bring happiness for a season. “Happiness” is an interesting study because it is rooted in the “things that happen to us”. But that is another time. True Joy only comes from our Father.
When God “Calls”, He also enables. He never places a call upon us and then leaves, to the best we can. He gives us the “GRACE”, the Power, the Authority, to accomplish that call. When we be begin to recognize the calling, it can bring an unsettled feeling if we look at it from a “human/earthly” perspective. But when we look at it from a Kingdom perspective, then we realize that we are partnering with God, and never alone. He NEVER fails. He ALWAYS wins. We begin to see that ALL things are possible. The strength and gifts needed to fulfill that Call comes from Him. We will not fail when we step into that call and let Him lead the way. He releases more blessing, more power, more favor, the more we surrender to His call. That brings true Joy and Happiness to you and me.
He loves to see His children full of “Joy unspeakable and full of Glory”. He does not want to see us fail, so He is on our side and will even send a “Host of Angles” if needed to accomplish His purposes. He likes me! He loves me. He only has my good in mind.
We can be the most happy and joyful people on planet Earth. That will occur when we completely live in the flow of His Spirit and Grace – Releasing God’s favor and gifts to others. Our Calling and Gifts are never to elevate or promote ourselves; it will always be for others and to bring Heaven to Earth. Our Joy and Happiness comes from allowing God to use us to change our world and bring Glory to Him!
Harlan Wright
Living in your Promise Land
Continuing to read in Joshua 17, I came across some scripture that really jumped out at me. Joshua had given the hill country to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. They went in to claim and possess the land. They were to drive out the Canaanites from the cities and dwell there. It had been given to them as commanded by God. Then Manasseh’s sons came back and told Joshua that the Canaanites were too strong and they could not drive them out and requested additional land so that there would be enough for both of them. My question is… Really? You are willing to live with your enemy? Let’s go on… Their excuse was that they were such a large tribe, they needed
additional land. Joshua refused saying, “Yes you are a great tribe, but you will go and drive out the Canaanites,
clear the land and then there will be enough for you to dwell”.
Later on, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim became stronger, Joshua 18:1-5, but they still did not drive out the Canaanites but let them remain and co-exist with them. Joshua reprimands them and says, “How long are you going to let this go on”? Joshua even says… If you are such a great tribe, then get in there and drive out the
inhabitants and clear the land your selves! He sounds just a little frustrated to me.
Two things stood out to me.
The first one was that they were not satisfied with what had been given to them. If they had obeyed the commands and driven out the enemy, cleared the land, then there were be enough. They did not put forth
the necessary effort to drive them out. Instead they went back and asked for additional land. One thing that I have recently learned was to receive “MORE” in the Kingdom of God, we must be good stewards of what has already been given. Look at Matt 25:14 where the owner that gave the 1, 5, and 10 talents. When he returned and asked for an accounting, he was pleased with the ones who took what they had been given and brought back increase. But the one that just buried it and returned it was cast into darkness. To “increase” in the Kingdom, we must cultivate what God has given to us. That will set you up for promotion/increase. Why would we be given more when we have not even used that which we have been given?
The second thing was that the real reason the tribe of Joseph wanted more land was because “the Canaanites” were there and they were too strong to drive out. The Canaanites represent sin in our lives. It can also represent
unbelief (which in its self is sin), and strongholds (things we believe that are not true). In Connie Swain’s book,
“True Freedom”, she defines strongholds in Chapter 2. Strongholds provide reinforcement to wounds and lies that have made their way into our lives. Take time to read this book if you are struggling with any type of wound or lie that you are experiencing. It can help you to get True Freedom. Strongholds can be lies that have become so entrenched in our lives that we begin to think they are truths that we cannot live without. We build walls to help protect the belief or lie. It might not be a lie… But the enemy has rooted it so deeply that it becomes part of us and we don’t even want to get rid of it. Sin has a way of getting in to the point that we either justify it or it becomes too strong to root out on our own. This is a spiritual battle. Paul speaks extensively on this in 2 Cor 10.
The tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim were willing to co-exist with the enemy and tried to make an excuse that they were too great to drive out. The tribe increased in strength, but instead of driving them out, decided to just leave them along and live along side them. There will never be enough room for sin and Christ in our lives. Light and darkness cannot coexist. Light always wins. Darkness is the absence of light. Jesus is the light of the world and in Him there is no darkness!
To tear down the stronghold, to rid ourselves of darkness, we need exposure to the Light. When we allow Jesus to come in and destroy the idols and strongholds in our lives, we will find new territory and new promises that we can explore. Fear is gone and doubt no longer exists, because He walks with us. He leads and guides us into ALL the promise land! He fights with us and He always wins…
Father, I give you permission to examine every area of my heart. Shine your glorious light into every spot and show me any wounds, lies, beliefs that are not of you. I don’t want anything remaining in my life that is not ordained by you. I want to experience and walk in every promise that you have for me. I want them to be experiential and not theory. I choose to not sit idly by and just look at my inheritance. I choose to face the enemy, and have the faith to believe that he is no match for me. My faith and trust is in You and You alone. When you expose a wound or lie, give me the boldness to face it head on and not waver from my goal. My desire is to be all that you have created me, to have everything that you have given and promised to me, to do the work of the Kingdom, to bring Heaven to Earth, to change this world to look like your world. I surrender all!
6/28/2013
Possess your Promised Land
In Joshua 13, God told Joshua that he was old and yet there was much land that that still remained to be possessed. What land? The land that God had promised to the children of Israel. Their promised land. Their
inheritance. The land had been claimed and “secured” by the Israelites. Joshua had done all that God had commanded. He had destroyed the major cities and killed all the kings. This had been the command of God.
By doing so, he had secured the promise land.
God then told Joshua to divide this land for an inheritance to the tribes of Israel. Joshua continues to do as God commands. Caleb is one that sparked my interest. He had been with Joshua from the beginning and was one of the scouts for Moses. He was not intimidated by the enemy. He was ready to do battle to “claim” the promise. At the age of 40, he came back with the other scouts to Moses and declared, “We can do it”. I can just see him telling
Moses that if this is the land that God has given to us, then what are we waiting for…Let’s get it on. But everyone else was against it. They were afraid of the enemy. So the wait was on.
Now, 45 years later the promise land was finally secure and Joshua is dividing it up as God instructed. Caleb comes up to Joshua and says, “the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years yet, I am as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me.” Wow... His passion, His strength, His yearning for the Promised Land is still there. Going on he says, “Now give me this mountain… for if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said”…. Caleb believed the word of the Lord, even after 45 years. Caleb received his
inheritance and it became his possession.
What I saw in these verses was this:
1. The promise was not received by everyone that went to scout out the land. They could not see the promise. All they could see was what stood in their way, the enemy. This land was what God had promised his children. His promise was their inheritance. There was a price that Moses and the children of Israel had to pay to secure and stake claim to the land. But because there was not unity in the camp, and there was doubt amongst the troops, they had to wait. The promise was never taken away, but those in doubt and unbelief would NEVER take
possession of the promise.
2. After the lands were secure, Caleb had not forgotten the promise that Moses had made. After Moses died, Caleb and Joshua fought side by side to secure the promise land. Now it was time to divide it up. He was ready. There were still “strongholds” in the promise land. Yes, wars had been fought and kings dethroned. But the promise land was to be divided, battles would still have to be fought to possess the promised land by each individual tribe. In Joshua 14:14 It says, “… Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb… because he wholly followed the Lord, the God of Israel.” Even though my inheritance and promises are secure in and by Christ, for me to actually “realize” them, I must pursue and take the steps necessary to enter into that promise.
3. Our salvation was not free. Jesus paid a great price for you and me. An inheritance is passed down from the father to his children. We are Father God’s children, and He has my inheritance. I must look beyond what is in my way and look into the “promises”. I must look at what God has promised me. My promise is secure in Him. God is always speaking. I think He has something to say. After all He is the creator of the universe. I want to hear. What is it that he wants to give to me? Where is it He wants me to go? What is my destiny? On the surface it may look dangerous or an impossibility. If we “accept” that it is from God, then we can’t just sit around and
“wait for it to happen”. I believe that everything that we need in this life, God has promised to provide. But there are NEW promises and NEW gifts that we must go after with strength and courage. Yes, the enemy will not want you to gain any new ground. Why? The more we have in God, the more “Spirit of God” upon us, the more Anointing” we carry, the greater threat we are to the “gates of Hell”. The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Kingdom of God. It does not stand a chance. I want to move forward into the promises of God! The summons to begin to move in and possess that land has come. It is time to move out.. We can no longer “sit on the dock of the bay”. It may take war. If it does, then war it shall be. Not against one another, but the enemy that would keep us from His promise. The enemy that stands in my way is NO match for me and “He that is within me”!
Strongholds that have held me back will have to come down. Bondages that keep me from my promise must be broken; the chains must come off. I not only want to claim the promises of God, but I want to move out and experience them for myself. Promises are little more than theory until they are actually experienced.
I declare that I am a Child of God! I can and do claim the promises that He has for me. I will not be afraid of the enemy for I am seated in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This world is not my home, I am living this life from the third heaven and satan is “Under My Feet”. I want to live from the Throne Room, with satan beneath me, not above me. Not from earth to heaven and satan always trying block my way. I don’t want to live from earth to
Heaven, but from Heaven to earth. I don’t want to just secure my promises, but to possess my promises.
Harlan Wright
6/24/2013
Humility with Authority
In my last blog I talked about picking up our call and authority. So many want their call to bring them into a position of notoriety and carry importance to the Church. So many times we can see people that have stepped into their call become more impressed with the importance of themselves than their call. They become “puffed up” with pride, rather staying humble and letting their gift and calling bring Glory to God and impact the Kingdom. Paul said,“I will only Glory in the Cross”. Jesus said that if you want to be great, then you must be a servant. A little humility can go a long ways. Being humble is not about being passive or weak. Jesus said that “All power and authority was given to Him”, yet He was anything but passive or weak. He confronted those that were corrupting the temple and all the while not condemning those in sin. He brought correction and forgiveness at the same time. Everything He did was completely covered with love. He knew His authority and the power He carried and was not afraid to use it to set those in bondage free!
What impresses me was the attitude of His heart as he carried this power and authority. As I mentioned in an
earlier blog, we are All called by God. When we step into our calling and understand our purpose, we then can
operate in the same power and authority as Jesus did. He has given it to us. However, how we handle this power and authority is equally as important. It is not a license to run over anyone. Your call is no more important than another’s call. We come together in Unity as the Body of Christ. Everyone’s call is important to God to accomplish bringing “Heaven to earth”. Honor within the Church is critical. If you want to walk in power and authority (your call), and sustain it, you must also honor another’s call as well. Your call may bring visibility to your local church or the Church at large. You may be an Apostle, Prophet, or Pastor. To sustain the flow of the Spirit of God upon uour life and call, there must be Honor flowing from you to everyone. The lack of honor can and will shut down the presence of God upon your life. But when there is honor, there is no limit to what God can accomplish with and thru your life, as you surrender to Him.
So how we handle our calling and authority is critical. Humility is not passive or weak. Humility does not turn away from sin. Humility does not allow others to walk over us or try to control us. But neither does it give us the right to usurp authority, or to try and control others. Or, to “take over” because “I have the mind of Christ”!
Authority and passion for“Our calling”, unchecked, can cause injury and damage to those we come in contact with. Humility will not run over someone else, but will keep our own passion, authority and “mouth” in check as it deals with others. Humility is strength restrained.
Harlan Wright
6/16/2013
Stepping into the call of God upon your life, brings Authority
Grace and I have been studying the subject of Authority over the last few weeks. It is a very important subject for the Christian who truly wants to impact and bring “Heaven to earth”. We all are called into the Kingdom of God, each one with a personal call and gift(s) from God. What we do with it and how we use it is up to each of us. How we see ourselves in the Kingdom of God has a direct effect on the impact that we can bring. Grace has just posted a teaching on the Wise Regional Pray Network about how we see ourselves.
With each calling and gift from God comes the “Authority”and power to accomplish that call. Do you know what God has called you to do? If yes, then built into that call is the authority and power to impact the world. God never calls and says“hope you can do this”. No! He is with us, providing just what we need to accomplish His call.
First of all we must hear the voice of God and recognize that call. This requires getting alone with God. Too many times we want to do something different than what God has called us to do. We want someone else’s gift or
call. That causes frustration and discontent. It can cause destruction and chaos in both our lives and the lives of those around us. It robs us of peace and our sense of value in “the Church”. When we step into our Call and begin to operate in our authority, we begin to see the power of God flow thru our lives and bring “Heaven to earth”.
People are healed, lives are changed, the captive are set free and the “Church” becomes alive and well because we are operating as God intended. We are doing what we are called to do with power and authority, and not stepping outside of what God is doing. Jesus said he only did what He saw the Father doing, and only spoke what the Father was saying. When we begin to move and operate this way, it also brings peace and rest into our lives, because we do not “struggle” with where we are in the Kingdom of God. Everything operates smoothly and there are no power struggles in the Body of Christ.
Harlan Wright
6/8/2013
Intimacy with Christ builds our confidence
Intimacy with Christ provokes confidence. It feeds and brings strength to our confidence as it builds our faith. Some people just visit this place every now and then, but there are some that are not satisfied with an occasional visit. Those “visits” with Him intensify our thirst and hunger until we cannot live outside His presence. Intimacy releases faith because it allows us to see God as He truly is, creator and ruler of this Kingdom. We, His people, must learn to live “from” this place of presence rather than “going to” this place. For the dedicated and committed child of God, the Kingdom is within because we are the temple of God. When we live from this place, we can immediately turn our affections to Him and hear His voice, know His thoughts, and feel His heartbeat. We don’t have to go to a church building to find His presence, because He is ever with us, living in us and leading and guiding our every step. We, His people ARE the Church! He wants to reveal His heart and desires to us. Jesus was our supreme example as He walked this earth. He only said what the Father was saying. He only did what the Father was doing. But how did He know what that was? Jesus would get alone with God, and the Father would share His heart. We are the children of God and He will do the same for you and me. Going to “Church” is important, but it is not enough for me. I need to get alone on a daily basis. Not to present a list of things I want, but to keep building my faith and “soaking up” His presence. I love getting alone with God. It keeps the connection, relationship, strong! We hear His voice, and then we “know” what to speak, because it is coming to us from God. We begin to grow in this lifestyle to the point that wherever you are, you can just stop what you are doing and turn your affection toward Him, and He is there. You begin to recognize is voice. You can feel His touch even in a crowd. When we live this way, in and from this place of presence, we can declare the greatness and goodness of God in every situation. We can see a problem, feel the pain of a person and see the bondage, all thru the person of Jesus because we are connected to Him. Then we can declare the His heart, because we are one in Him. Carrying and being aware of His presence, everywhere we go, and every moment of every day, strengthens our faith to bring Heaven to earth. It is the heartbeat of God. God is looking for a people who will carry His presence to a hurting world, to heal the sick, bind up the wounded, set the captive free and bring Heaven to earth. So let’s not think that we have to go somewhere to get into His presence and get the mind of Christ. Let’s be a people that “carry” His presence everywhere we go, bringing and releasing the Kingdom of God.
Harlan Wright
6.5.13
Joy and Happiness
The Joy of the Lord is our strength. So what brings God Joy? You and me. When he sees you and me becoming more like what He intended, I believe it brings Him the greatest joy. That in turn releases even more of His favor and blessing upon our lives.
At Freedom Center in Decatur, Texas, we have been studying about our authority in Christ. It comes when we begin to recognize the calling and gifts of God upon our lives and we begin to “Walk” in that calling. It is not only fulfilling, but it also fills a need in the Kingdom of God. God has a place, uniquely designed for each of His children. When we fill that place with our surrender, we are also complete in Him.
The happiest people on Earth are not the “Rich and Famous”,the one with the most prestigious positions, or the one with the greatest earthly authority. These things only bring happiness for a season. “Happiness” is an interesting study because it is rooted in the “things that happen to us”. But that is another time. True Joy only comes from our Father.
When God “Calls”, He also enables. He never places a call upon us and then leaves, to the best we can. He gives us the “GRACE”, the Power, the Authority, to accomplish that call. When we be begin to recognize the calling, it can bring an unsettled feeling if we look at it from a “human/earthly” perspective. But when we look at it from a Kingdom perspective, then we realize that we are partnering with God, and never alone. He NEVER fails. He ALWAYS wins. We begin to see that ALL things are possible. The strength and gifts needed to fulfill that Call comes from Him. We will not fail when we step into that call and let Him lead the way. He releases more blessing, more power, more favor, the more we surrender to His call. That brings true Joy and Happiness to you and me.
He loves to see His children full of “Joy unspeakable and full of Glory”. He does not want to see us fail, so He is on our side and will even send a “Host of Angles” if needed to accomplish His purposes. He likes me! He loves me. He only has my good in mind.
We can be the most happy and joyful people on planet Earth. That will occur when we completely live in the flow of His Spirit and Grace – Releasing God’s favor and gifts to others. Our Calling and Gifts are never to elevate or promote ourselves; it will always be for others and to bring Heaven to Earth. Our Joy and Happiness comes from allowing God to use us to change our world and bring Glory to Him!
Harlan Wright
1.28.13
I was thinking this morning about a statement made in church last night. Matthew 10, Jesus said "The kingdom of God is at hand...."! The time of waiting is fulfilled. He has come and the "the kingdom of God" is so close it is within reach. Our reach. It is time for the church, you and me, to reach out and take hold of it!. The time of waiting is over. I believe that 2013 will be a year of great breakthrough - a year of deliverance and freedom like never before. It is within our reach, so let's take hold and bring His kingdom to life and make a difference in the hurting lives around us. Let people see lives that are free from the past and bondage. We are now free to live life to its fullest because the kingdom of God has been grasped by the church and brought to earth. No more life as norm... We are living life full of Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. His kingdom is within reach so let's take hold and bring it to earth.
Harlan
I was thinking this morning about a statement made in church last night. Matthew 10, Jesus said "The kingdom of God is at hand...."! The time of waiting is fulfilled. He has come and the "the kingdom of God" is so close it is within reach. Our reach. It is time for the church, you and me, to reach out and take hold of it!. The time of waiting is over. I believe that 2013 will be a year of great breakthrough - a year of deliverance and freedom like never before. It is within our reach, so let's take hold and bring His kingdom to life and make a difference in the hurting lives around us. Let people see lives that are free from the past and bondage. We are now free to live life to its fullest because the kingdom of God has been grasped by the church and brought to earth. No more life as norm... We are living life full of Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. His kingdom is within reach so let's take hold and bring it to earth.
Harlan