Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19

The difference between conviction and condemnation is that conviction moves you forward and condemnation gets you stuck and moving backward. While the devil condemns, God will convict us for our own good—to get us prepared for the next steps. “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:10b-11). Before we can reach nations and reach hearts, we need to deal with our own hearts before the Lord.

Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

Breaking up the fallow ground means that we are willing to change. Live in an attitude of preparation—get ready for what’s about to happen. God is getting ready to rain righteousness, create breakthrough, bring equipment and provision, open up new doors, and place broken people in your life that you will be able to help.

Conviction reveals God is about ready to do something of an increased level in you. You have the anointing and capacity to change people’s lives by a more exponential level than you can imagine. Let this inspire you to receive correction for the next step. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Let’s prepare!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19b KJV

We have a battle to win in this life. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but there is authority and victory through Jesus (John 10:10). One of the devil’s strategies is to bring down our morale, but God has a strategy to help us win on multiple battle fronts. Observing Jesus’ response to the devil will prepare us to win against the enemy’s attacks.

While Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, the devil came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). Jesus, full of the Word, responded, “It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Just as Jesus responded to the enemy with “it is written,” so our standard must be the Word of God. When the attacks come in like a flood and we are feeling overwhelmed, what are we going to do? Speak the Word!

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Romans 8:28, 31, 37

Those lies that are coming at you need an answer. If you aren’t familiar with the Scriptures and promises of God, start getting into the Word. If you’re not a good reader, get the Bible on your iPod. The life-changing nature of the Word of God is more precious than anything else.

Don’t let the devil shut your mouth. Don’t back down in the face of adversity. In the midst of a protracted battle, when several things come at you in a day, take the Word of God and boldly declare who He is, what you have because of Him, and what your rights are as a believer. God is the master of breakthrough!

Keep speaking God’s Word!

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. *The definition of standard is a “point of reference against which individuals are compared and evaluated.”* “standard.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 04 May. 2009.

We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11

When we observe the outcome of Job’s life, we see his endurance and we see the faithfulness of God: “The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold” (Job 42:10).

Longsuffering is the King James word for “endurance,” and it’s a good description of what we need when we’re being long-bothered (Galatians 5:22). Longsuffering doesn’t mean that we have to crawl through life in defeat, but as we encounter the inevitable challenges of life we are to consider the value of endurance and be confident that the outcome of the Lord’s dealings will be breakthrough! Look at these words about Jesus:

When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him [Jesus] until an opportune time. Luke 4:13

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. Matthew 4:11

These verses show that every temptation and trial the devil throws at you has a beginning, middle, and end. If you don’t understand this when you march into a battle you’ll cave in, thinking you’ve been defeated. Don’t quit! God knows how to take bad situations and turn them around. “Then Job answered the Lord and said, ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted’” (Job 42:1-2).

If you’re in the middle of a battle, don’t grow weary and become lethargic and vegetate on TV and ice cream. Strengthen yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). Sometimes this is easier than other times, but God has called us to flat out do it. The world needs Christians who will stand up, have some backbone, and press on! Good things are ahead.

Persevere,

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 NASB

This is the huge deal: God has called us to the royal law of love (James 2:8). Bitterness and unresolved anger give the devil an opportunity to keep us from moving forward: “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27). Thomas Jefferson wisely wrote: “When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.” Though there will be times when we become frustrated, we don’t have to let ourselves become controlled by anger; instead, we can choose to walk in love.

If we aren’t walking in love we are missing it. “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4a). Let’s remember how patient and longsuffering God is toward us, and increase in our capacity to endure.

Love is the catalytic qualifier for breakthrough and blessing. When you crucify your flesh and show mercy, it defiantly deadbolts the door to the enemy and activates a heightened move of the Holy Spirit in your life.

pa•tience n. “The capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint.” Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.

God has called us to this revolutionary idea of love, and we aren’t to misspend in strife the energies that are reserved for mountain-moving. The devil is trying to take you out because he doesn’t want you to fulfill your call. So guard your heart from offense and don’t let strife stop the flow of your fruitfulness. There is breakthrough ahead; don’t back down from the love walk!

Choose Love,

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.