The courageous step.

In this season the Lord wants us to take a step of faith. He wants to show Himself strong on our behalf and He wants us to know He is with us.

I have been learning this lesson this year and one thing was made very clear to me,

The Lord is not sitting on a couch somewhere, waiting for things to get better, no! He is looking for people who will trust Him to do the impossible.

Joshua was a man who had a huge calling on his life. He was Moses’ predecessor and you can only imagine the emotions and feelings he was dealing with.

But in spite of all he was feeling the Lord spoke to him,

 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.””

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

As he was about to take a step of faith into the unknown the Lord told him to not be afraid but to be strong and very courageous.

Taking a step of faith takes strength and courage. Ask the Lord for His strength because you can’t do it in your own strength. That’s something I know He was calling me to do as I wrote my book. Even though it was difficult and even though there were times I wanted to quit, He was by my side helping me.

As I come to the end of this post I have a question for you.

What are some of the things God wants you to take a step of faith in?

Do not be afraid but be very strong and courageous.

 

On another note,

I want to let you know my book is being released on the 19th of September so if you would like to pre-order your copy follow the link which I will put at the end of the post.

Lastly, I have started a series on IGTV called “Behind the scenes” where I talk about fear and the challenges I faced writing my book.

The first episode is out already. Here is the link. Click here.

That’s all I wanted to let you know about.

To pre-order your copy click here.

Bless you friends.

Rolain

In hard times we have a chance…trust God!

The Israelites didn’t stand a chance if God wasn’t on their side. They would have died

in Egypt in slavery had the Lord not saved them. They would have been swept away

by the powerful enemies that fought against them in the desert had God not stepped in

and fought for them. They would have been swallowed up by the giants that resided in the

promise land if God had left their side.

 

We don’t stand a chance if we go at life on our own, in our own strength and power.

We need the Lord so desperately friends. This life is hard, painful, disappointing but in spite

of all that God is with us. He is on our side and He will get us through the hard times we are

facing. It doesn’t matter what mountain is standing in our way, we will get over it because the

Lord is our strong tower of Refuge. He is our Protector and Deliverer.

 

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”

Psalm 34:17

 

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Psalm 34:19

 

We will face hard and difficult times but we need to always remember that the Lord will be with

us through those difficult times. We don’t need to rely on our own ability and strength which is

useless in the day of battle.

We don’t stand a chance if we depend on our strength, intelligence, and ability but we have every

chance in the world when we put our hope and trust in God.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

Bring it all to God.

“Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation]

under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns,

once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

1 Peter 5:6, 7

 

I want to focus on the last part of that verse today. The word says to bring ALL your anxieties,

worries and concerns. But how many times do we try to deal with problems on our own.

I had to stop myself the other day from worrying, from trying to solve a problem on my own.

The truth is the Lord wants to fix every problem we face.

 

The call is to bring everything to Him. We don’t need to carry a single thing.

But because we have been taught to be strong we try to go at it alone. But all that will do is

tire you out. The more I try to go at it alone the more worn down and weighed down I feel.

 

Like I have said so many times before, the Lord is not impressed with our show of strength.

He is impressed with our faith in Him, with the confidence we put in His ability.

Give it all to Him and don’t hold on to anything.

 

Blessings to you friends.

 

Rolain

He gave him back his strength…

“He answered them, The Man who healed me and gave me back my strength, He Himself

said to me, Pick up your bed and walk! 

John 5:11

 

For thirty-eight years the enemy had stolen the man’s health. For thirty-eight years he was under the

power of the enemy. The enemy thought he had won. But he was wrong. The story was not over.

 

The enemy is all about taking stuff away from us. From the moment he was cast out of heaven he

has been stealing, destroying and killing. he doesn’t want us to have the good things God has for us.

But there is some really good news for us.

 

“He answered them, The Man who healed me and gave me back my strength, He Himself

said to me, Pick up your bed and walk!

John 5:11 (emphasis mine)

 

Jesus gave the man back his strength which enabled him to walk again. The enemy’s hold on

the man was broken.

As I read this there are things the enemy has stolen from me that I want back.

The Lord came to restore what was stolen from me. He wants me to have all the goodness

and blessings He planned for me and so it is with you.

 

What has the enemy stolen from you? The Lord wants to give you back what the enemy has stolen.

It may take a day, a month or years but the Lord wants to restore to you what has been taken. The enemy

might think he is in the driving seat but he never was and will never be.

The Lord is gracious and merciful and fights for us!

 

Rolain

When faced with the impossible…

“Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘I am too old to have a baby? 

Is anything too hard for the Lord? 

No! I will return to you at the right time a year from now. And Sarah will have a son.” 

Genesis 18:13, 14

 

Is anything too hard for the Lord? 

 

The Lord was trying to show Sarah that her seemly “impossible” situation was not impossible for Him.

It really was impossible in human standards but not to God. He is bigger than anything we deem “impossible”.

What are you facing right now that seems “impossible”?

 

I am facing an “impossible” situation as well in this season. There doesn’t seem to be an answer to the

situation I am faced with. There is an option of just giving in to fear and hopelessness but this word

spoke to me.

 

Is anything too hard for the Lord? 

 

I know God is challenging me to look to Him and trust. He has been speaking to me through that

verse. There is absolutely nothing in this world that is too big for Him to handle.

Where we make the mistake is trying to go on by ourselves in our own strength but that

won’t work. We will always fail when we try to do it in our own strength.

 

This is not a new struggle. I think of Moses who doubted God’s power and capacity. The Lord had

to remind Him how big He really was.

 

 “The Lord said to Moses, 

Has the Lord’s hand (His ability and power) become short (thwarted and inadequate)?

You shall see now whether My word shall come to pass for you or not.” 

Numbers 11:23

 

Your “impossible” situation may seem like a Mount Everest standing in your way but remember

there is nothing too big for God to handle.

 

 

Bring your fears, your anxiety, and your worries to Him. Put all your hope in Him.

There is nothing too hard for Him!

 

Bless you, friends…

 

Rolain

He promised it!

“The Lord made a promise to David. 

It was a sure promise that He will not take back. 

He promised, “I will make one of your descendants rule as king after you.” 

Psalm 132:11

 

Happy new year to you, friends! I hope you had a great holiday and are ready to continue walking

with God in this new year. God has done so much already and in this new year, He will

continue the work He started all those years ago. He has so much more in store for you.

It’s good to be back writing and I am expectant about what God has in store this year.

 

God’s promises to us are sure. He doesn’t take back what He has promised. He doesn’t change

His mind. When He promises, it comes to pass. When God promised David he would have

a son to rule when he died God is the one who brought it to pass in spite of David’s failings and weaknesses.

(remember the mess with Bathsheba)

 

If we are relying on our own abilities and strength to receive God’s promises then we have missed it.

He wants us to look to Him, to rely on Him. He is faithful to fulfill the things He promised us.

So as we go through the new year let’s remember His promises to us are sure. 

There is no “maybe” or “might” attached to His promises. They are sure and that’s enough for us.

Enjoy your weekend friends.

 

Rolain

 

 

God is waiting for an invitation into your battles.

“Be glad that you are His. 

Let those who ask the Lord for help be happy. 

Depend on the Lord and His strength. 

Always go to Him for help.” 

Psalm 105:3, 4

This verse encouraged me greatly this week. It was a reminder I needed desperately. The Lord is waiting,

hoping I invite Him into my battles. And that’s the problem at times. I go ahead on my own,

in my own strength and lose. But God wants to fight for me. He wants to help me.

The word says, “Let those who ask the Lord for help be happy.”

They are happy because when they ask, the Lord comes in and helps them.

Breakthrough happens, healing, restoration and a whole lot more happens when He helps.

Don’t rely on your own strength. The Lord’s strength and power are available to you. You just need to ask.

The enemy doesn’t want God getting involved in the fight because he knows he will lose.

Invite the Lord to your battles. He wants to take over and fight for you. He wants you to be victorious,

He wants you to be in peace.

“Always go to Him for help”

God always cares about what you going through. If you hurting ask Him for help, if you stressed, speak

up. The point is this, Invite Him into your battles. Not some of them but all your battles. 

He wants to fight for you. 

Bless you, friends!

Rolain

 

When courage is lost.

“[Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; 

their courage melts away because of their plight. 

They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end [all their 

wisdom has come to nothing]. 

Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.”

Psalm 107:23-30

 

“Their courage melts away because of their plight” 

 

I can understand that. Life throws things that have the potential to melt away your

courage. It can throw things that render you hopeless and weak.

Situations that leave you clueless and powerless.

But what I want to look at and discus is how you deal with those situations. There will always

be giants stronger than us. We will always be faced with hard things that we don’t have answers to.

But knowing how to deal with those situations will make all the difference.

 

Psalm 107:23 paints a vivid picture for us. There were sailors out at sea and a storm

arose. The sailors knew a lot about the sea and you would expect that knowledge would help them,

but it didn’t. Their wisdom came to nothing. With all their experience and knowledge there was

nothing they could do. They didn’t have answers.

All hope they had of being saved was crushed. Their courage was lost.

But things turned around because of one thing and one thing alone, God. Their situation turned around

not because they were skilled, not because they were sailors and had tons of experience, and not because

of their strength.

When they cried out to God in their trouble He heard and saved them. The bible says it this way,

 

“Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.”

 

When you are at your wits end, when your courage is lost because of the enormity of the

storm cry out to God. He doesn’t expect you to deal with the storm by yourself. He expects you to call Him.

He expects you to trust Him in the fiercest of storms.

 

When the sailors cried out to God, He delivered them from their distress.

What are you going through today? What trouble are you facing?

Has your courage gone because of your plight? Is your hope lost?

Don’t lose heart in the storm.

God is with you and He will carry you through.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

Having a good attitude when things are bad…….

What is your attitude like in difficult times, when things, are going wrong for you, when nothing

seems to be working in your life? I have been thinking about this today and I think it’s

so critical what your attitude is like.

I am being tested in this at the moment. Things are really bad in my country at the

moment and it’s so hard to have a good attitude in the midst of what’s going on.

Just because it’s easy to have a bad attitude doesn’t make it right to have one. A bad attitude

doesn’t cultivate faith, hope, and peace. It cultivates the exact opposite.

 

Having a good attitude in the midst of hardships is critical.

Look at Paul for example. He went through a lot of difficult things. He had every reason to have

a bad attitude towards life but he didn’t. There is a difference between being discouraged and having

a bad attitude and I think Paul did have days when he was discouraged but I don’t think he had a bad

attitude in the trials he was facing. His focus was on God who was His strength and help.

 

“Are they serving Christ? I am serving Him more. (I am crazy to talk like this.) I have worked much 

harder than they. I have been in prison more often. I have been hurt more in beatings. I have been 

near death many times. Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of 39 lashes with a whip.

Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time they tried to kill me with stones. Three times

I was in ships that were wrecked, and one of those times i spent the night and the next day in the sea. 

I have gone on many travels. And I have been in danger from rivers, from thieves, from my own people, 

the Jews, and from those who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities, in places no one lives, and on 

the sea. And I have been in danger with false brothers. I have done hard and tiring work, and many times

I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times I have been without food. I have been cold and 

without clothes. Besides all this, there is on me every day the load of my concern for all the churches.” 

2 Corinthians 11:23-29

 

He also said,

 

“We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not

give up. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed.” 

2 Corinthians 4:8, 9

 

“Always be happy. Never stop praying. Give thanks whatever happens. This is what God wants for you

in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16

 

Bad attitudes have a way of twisting how we see life. It blinds us from seeing God’s hand in our

life and gets us focusing on the negative. Instead of being joyful and being a light, a bad attitude sucks

the life out of us and makes us sharp and painful towards others. Instead of speaking words of

healing we cut down and kill with our words.

Ask for the Lord’s help when you have a bad attitude because it has to go. (I am speaking to myself

too)

A person with a good attitude sees the total opposite. Even when the storm is raging the person with

a good attitude sees God always! He or she will always be optimistic when everyone else is being pessimistic.

It’s hard to move in faith when you have a bad attitude.

Remember the solider in the story of the four lepers in the old testament? (2 Kings 7:3)

He failed to believe the word from Elisha in a time of famine. That is an apt picture of how destructive a

bad attitude is.

 

And with all that I will conclude. Have a good attitude in life. You won’t get far in life with a bad attitude.

This is my challenge to you.

Blessing to you all.

 

Rolain

 

 

 

He wants to use you….His power is available

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest 

the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

1 Corinthians 1:17

 

There is a power available to us, a power far greater than we have ever imagined.

When Christ died on the cross and rose again we were delivered.

We no longer had to rely on our own strength. We were empowered by what happened on the

Cross.

But let me tell you, I am convicted reading this because I don’t think I have been using this power enough.

I try at times to use my own strength, to get the focus on me but that’s not what Christ intended.

He is my strength, He is the reason I can do stuff.

 

The men and women of old did mighty acts not because they were amazing on their own but because

they accessed the power of YAH. They were very clear about who the “power” was.

 

I look now at my life and see a severe deficiency. I am not using the power of Christ to its limit.

When I teach I could be relying on the the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and use me more. I don’t ever want to

be okay with using my own eloquence, wit, cleverness and many other things to get by.

There is only one thing that touches and changes the heart of a man/woman and that is the Spirit of God.

I am just a vessel, not the power!

 

And here lies the problem, whenever I think I am the power and not the vessel I empty the Cross of Christ

of its power. When I stand in front of the kids I teach on Sunday or wave a flag for worship and think “it’s me”

I empty the Cross of Christ of its power.

 

The Lord wants to use us to do some incredible things but they can only be done when we lean on His

power, His ability, His strength.

We are called to minister in His power and not our own. I hope you have been challenged by the

word you have read today. To touch people, to do what Christ has called us to do we need His power.

We can’t do it on our own steam.

 

Bless you friends……

 

Rolain