The Promise…..

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also

had been baptized, and [while He was still] praying, the [visible]

heaven was opened

And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove,

and a voice came from heaven saying, You are My Son, My

beloved!

In You I am well pleased and find delight!”

Luke 3:21, 22

 

This is a very familiar passage of scripture we can all agree. Pretty

straight forward as well but there is something else I saw that I

would like to share.

Jesus was about to start His ministry. But before He started He

had to be baptized. Something powerful happened as He got

baptized. The Holy Spirit came upon Him.

As I read this scripture I couldn’t move on. There were some

things which stood out for me.

 

Jesus would not be able to accomplish His mission without the

Holy Spirit. He would not be able to do all the things He did

without the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t getting baptized because it

was a “nice” thing to do.

Without the baptisim of the Holy Spirit Jesus would be powerless

and He would fail His mission.

As I was getting these insights I couldn’t help wonder if I really

understood the role of the Holy Spirit in me.

 

“However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is

profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away.

Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper,

Advocate, Intecessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you

[into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him

to you [to be in close fellowship with you].”

John 16:7

 

I have not fully understood the role of the Holy Spirit in my life.

I have taken Him for granted but I see now.

I was wrong!

 

But it makes sense right, all the sense in the world! It makes

sense how God uses the foolish, the broken, the weak, to do

great things.

I have issues, major issues, flaws, weaknesses……..

I don’t do the right thing a lot,

I think wrong,

I get afraid at times,

I struggle speaking to strangers about Christ,

I struggle with self esteem,

I am lazy,

I am selfish…..the list goes on and on

 

We are broken but God knows that and He has the answer….

 

Let’s look at one man who had major issues, Peter.

He was afraid, he doubted Jesus a lot, and he denied the Lord

three times. He had issues like we do but….

 

“But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and

adressed them: You jews and all you residents of Jerusalem,

let this be [explained] to you so that you will know and

understand;

listen closely to what I have to say.”

Acts 2:14

 

He was bold!

 

“And [Peter] solemnly and earnestly witnessed (testified) and 

admonished (exhorted) with much more continuous speaking and

warned (reproved, advised, encouraged) them, saying, Be saved

from this crooked (perverse, wicked, unjust) generation.

Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were

baptized, and there were added that day about 3000 souls.”

Acts 2:40, 41

 

He wasn’t afraid anymore. He spoke with power and authority,

something he didn’t have before.

 

“But Peter said, Silver and gold (money) I do not have; but what I

do have, that I give to you: in [the use of] the name of Jesus Christ

of Nazareth, walk!

Then he took hold of the man’s right hand with a firm grip and

raised him up. And at once his feet and ankle bones became strong

and steady, “

Acts 3:6, 7

 

I could give you more examples but you get the idea. There

was an amazing transformation in Peter’s life. He wasn’t perfect

but there was a change. He was spirit-filled!

He did amazing things for God because he had the Holy Spirit

living in him.

May we get a revelation of what it means to be spirit filled.

As I end I would like to share one more scripture:

 

“And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead

dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the

dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable)

bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11

 

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me, lives

in you. I missed it somewhere but I see now.

I want to walk in the same power Jesus did? I need Him…

Without Him there is no power, no impact, no fruit!

What about you?

Will you seek Him, cry out to Him?

We all need Him if we are going to impact this world for Christ!

God bless you friends……

 

Rolain

 

photo credit: google images

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pray for someone……

“And when he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further and arrested Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread [the Passover week].

And when he had seized [Peter], he put him in prison and delivered him to four squads of soldiers of four each to guard him, purposing after the Passover to bring him forth to the people. 

So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him  was persistently made to God by the church (assembly). Acts 12:3-19

This year I made a decision to change the way I pray! I can’t pray the same way I prayed in 2014. There must be a change! So I started praying for others more frequently. I decided to take it seriously. I always knew it was the right thing to do but this year I got more serious about it. And then I came across the scripture above! Let me show you how it challenged me:

Peter was in deep trouble. Herod had arrested him and was planning to kill him to please the Jews! But the bible tells us,

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. Acts 12:5

When I read this I realized something, our prayers have power, whether we are praying into situations we are facing in our own lives or whether we pray for people, our prayers have power.

The church prayed and Peter was delivered out of prison! He was rescued out of Herod’s hands! But get this, the church didn’t understand the power of prayer because when Peter came to their door they didn’t believe Rhoda! It can’t be so with us. We must pray with the understanding that our prayers are powerful and God answers prayer. I want to encourage you to pray for someone. Your prayer is important. It will make a difference in that person’s life.

The enemy doesn’t want us praying for each other.

Think about that! He too knows the power of prayer and he will do all he can to keep us from praying for each other. I will not stand for it, will you? Your prayer has the power to change someone else’s life!

Declare with me,

When I pray things happen.

My prayers have power.

When I pray chains are broken.

When I pray angels respond.

 

One last thing I want to share with you is this:

 

 

Peter was in the most hopeless of situations.

He was guarded by four squads of soldiers of four soldiers each.

He had two soldiers in his cell!

He was bound with two chains in his cell!

There were soldiers outside his cell!

 

If that is not a hopeless situation I don’t know what is. But it is through prayer Peter was set free! No matter how hopeless it seemed he was set free because of prayer! And that for me shows me the power of prayer. Don’t despise the power of prayer! When you pray for yourself or are praying for someone else, know your prayer has power!  God is so good……Amen!

Rolain

 

 

He didn’t understand surrender…….!

 

 

What does it mean to really surrender? I am interested to know how God sees surrender. Let us look at a story of the young rich man who came to Jesus. His story will help us see surrender the way God sees it. As you know the rich young man came and asked Jesus what he should so to get eternal life (Matthew 19:16) We read in a later verse that the young man had kept all the things Jesus had suggested. We will pick up the story from there:

 

“The young man said, I’ve done all that. What’s left?

If you want to give it all you’ve got, Jesus replied, go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.”

That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go. Matthew 19: 20

 

The young man had followed the commandments unwaveringly and to some extent he may have thought it was enough. But it wasn’t. He may of thought he could hold on to those other things because he was following the commandments. He thought tithing, going to church, praying, fasting, listening to Christian music, and reading the bible was enough, He thought that was sacrifice and it is but it was not enough. The word says,

That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crestfallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go. Matthew 19:22

What are you holding on to tightly? The young man couldn’t BEAR to let things go! He held on really tight but real surrender is being able to let those things go. I read this scripture a few days ago and instantly things came up, things that I had been holding onto tightly. I brought those things to God and asked Him to help me let go, I want to really surrender. God wants everything! Partial surrender is not surrender at all. He wants our all……! Will you surrender….??

Rolain

Thoughts and Feelings About 2012.

I have been thinking about this year. It has had good parts and bad and it wouldn’t be fair if I just focused on the good. There are things that I see that I know I could of done better and there are things I should of left well alone. So this post as hard as it is to write is about my failures. I realise that God has given me so much but I shouldn’t take them for granted. I will be accountable for the talents and opportunities I haven’t taken.
I am only going to touch on a few of the failures in the hope that as I read over them over time I avoid making the same mistakes.

The first thing is about the way I see. I have missed some important opportunities because I failed to see. Let me explain what I mean.
The church called for a prayer on the 12/12/12. This was a very significant day but I didn’t go because I had just finished doing a Christmas Production and 3 days of intense teaching. But because I was “tired” I missed out on meeting with God. I missed out on declaring things over my life and my church. I was so convicted. I failed to see that by going I would meet with God. I listened to my flesh and it robbed me of something precious!!!

The other opportunity I missed was when I travelled to Malaysia. I was given some spending money on the last day and instead of using it to pay off my trip I spent it on clothes and the like!!! Again, my flesh got in the way!! I felt so bad. How could I not see that opportunity?! There was an opportunity to put the money towards the trip but instead I used it on myself!!!

I started working at a coffee shop about 3 months ago and I have been lazy to work on my own company! I have seen opportunities and I know I can do both things but I have been lazy. It is crazy….!
The more I write the more I see how I have allowed the flesh to rule me!

I have a mentor and I felt I needed to speak to a certain man to be a mentor in my life. I have been putting it off for some months now. There are so many qualities that I want that I see in him but I have been procrastinating and I have been taught that procrastination is just delayed disobedience! There are times I wonder how God can use me………

The last thing I would like to talk about is sin. I have allowed myself to get comfortable with sin. There are things I am dealing with which came about by my own foolishness!!! How could I be so blind? There are things that I am fighting which I am really not supposed to be struggling with but am because I was just acting the fool………

This year has been a learning one. There are things that need to change. I am not going to have 2012 all over again. 2013 is going to be better and not because I rely on my own strength but because God is for me! Save me from my own craziness Lord.

I am not usually that raw but I needed to vent. If I can’t be transparent with you then what’s the point????
Please remember me in your prayers.
Rolain.