Let’s Not Look Back in the Midst of Chaos

“18 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”  Isaiah 43:18-19 

Although times of chaos may seem an unlikely time to be made anew, God is always working in our lives no matter what is going on around us. This is a time of transformation, change, and growth. Now is not the time to look back on what once was; but look forward to the things that will be. God is using this time to restore you, to restore your family, and to give you perspective. The chaos we are experiencing is nothing more than a process, to make you anew and to bring you closer to Him.

Objective:

To understand that prayer and fasting is meant to bring us closer to God which allows us to get to know Him better. We need to submit ourselves and our past to Him. Let’s cleanse ourselves, sanctify ourselves and release the person that we used to be, which includes the things that once made us feel unworthy of His love and mercy. We need to forgive ourselves and give way to God to work in our lives. By looking back at the people we used to be, with the errors we may have committed that may have affected us deeply, we are creating obstacles and barriers to the purpose that God has for our lives. 

Do not let the past bind you, even though uncertain times make it easy to go back to old habits. Instead, know that God is working in your life and making you a new creation in Him. 

CREATION CRIES OUT

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 8:19

OBJECTIVE:

To understand that we will see changes and healing only when our intimacy with God is consistent with our lifestyle.

God is preparing His Church to give birth to the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are living in difficult times, yet we are about to see the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ here on earth.

In times of crisis, we are encouraged to seek God more than ever and to cry out for His presence.

Psalm 86:6-7

Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

God wants us to find peace in the midst of trials and crises; to seek Him more than ever, and to be certain and trust that God has everything under control; that He remains God, that He rules in the midst of any situation, and that we can put our trust in Him.

There are situations we will not understand, but in the midst of everything we must invoke our almighty God, recognizing that He is Sovereign.

Psalm 77:1-6 

I cried out to God with my voice—

To God with my voice;

And He gave ear to me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;

My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing;

My soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled;

I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old,

The years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night;

I meditate within my heart,

And my spirit makes diligent search.

These are times to have a more intimate relationship with God, to continue growing in the Lord, and to partake of this glorious manifestation; let us remain consecrated and surrendered to God.

Let our desire be to give birth to the life of Christ, may we not see one another from afar or be insensitive to the actual events of crises, but that we may be moved to mercy, so that we may bring a message of hope to people, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ to all those souls who do not yet know Him.

Isaiah 66:7-9

7 “Before she was in labor, she gave birth;

Before her pain came,

She delivered a male child.

8 Who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?

Or shall a nation be born at once?

For as soon as Zion was in labor,

She gave birth to her children.

9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.

“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.

COMING OUT OF CHAOS IN HIS LIGHT

The earth was total chaos, darkness covered the abyss, and the Spirit of God moved on the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:2

We see that, in the beginning, the earth was a chaos, it was in darkness, and it was empty.  Today the world seems to be in the same condition that the earth was at the beginning. We can see extreme confusion and disorder, riots and vandalism, anarchy and rebellion, and the governments of the nations have unpredictable behaviore.  But just as the Spirit moved in the beginning, it is moving today on the face of humanity waiting for the eternal word of God to be spoken through the church!

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of fasting, praying, and interceding is to be able to approach God'sheart to hear what He is speaking; this is achieved in intimacy, and thenit will be known in broad light.

Don't be silent; it is time to declare what God tells us in intimacy.

Matthew 10:27

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

We, the church,  have the answer to the world. God has allowed a global pandemic to cause a lockdown.  But we know that God provides all things for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to their purpose,  Romans 8:28. So let us use this time to enter God's secret place, to know his heart and learn to hear his voice. Thus we will speak only what He says, as the verse above says in Matthew 10:27, and not what the world in chaos is saying.  When we live in God's secret place, our hearts become one with His, this leads us to enter into an agreement with God and his Holy Spirit. If the Church does not enter into an agreement with God, nothing will happen.  The Prophet Amos swrote: Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos3:3

The Church needs to walk together and the power of the Holy Spirit today more than ever!  The Holy Spirit is not like a pond in us, but it is  like a powerful river, ready to flow!  It is time to proclaim the word of God filled with the power of the Spirit of God via zoom or  facetime. Seeking God's presence empowers us to speak a message that transforms a world into chaos.

Let's use this time of lockdown wisely, it's no longer a quarantine, look for the things above, the eternal things. Do not seek the earthly, which is only temporal and causes death. Let us look at what God says in his word:   But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.  Jeremiah 23:22

We, the Church, filled with the Spirit, have the great privilegeoflust in the midst of chaos to enlighten the heart of God through the proclamation of a powerful Gospel that transforms, taking away chaos, darkness, and filling all emptiness in the world.

TIME TO EXHIBIT THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

OBJECTIVE:

The work of the Holy Spirit in our life gives birth to its fruit in our lives; that fruit is exhibited/manifested in our life and allows our character to be formed.

The objective of fasting and prayer is to seek the presence of the Lord. In tandem with the Holy Spirit’s help there can be a transformation in us as children of God. And through this transformation we will become instruments of power to impart to all those who have not yet experienced the light of Jesus Christ.

Love: The fruit is love and all the manifestations derive from love.

If there is no love, we cannot be grateful; without love we cannot love ourselves or our neighbor; without love, we can't forgive.

When we allow God's love to be in us:

- All fear goes away, 1 John 4:18

- We keep his word, John 14:21

- Multitude of sins are covered, 1 Peter 4:8

Joy: When love has been produced in us, there will be joy and we understand that joy is something permanent, not temporary; happiness is temporary, but joy is continuous in our life, no matter what situation we are going through because we have understood that our joy comes from God. Psalms 16:11, Romans 15:13

Peace: when we speak of peace it does not mean the absence of problems, but rather it is talking about the peace that comes from the Lord, which leads us to fully trust in Him even through difficult times. We have peace in the midst of the storm; we have peace in the midst of trials and in the desert. Philippians 4:7; John 16:33

Patience: when the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit has been conceived in us, patience will come as a result of love, joy and peace because when these ingredients are already in us, patience will manifest itself, we will take all things more calmly and we will learn to wait in the Lord. Hebrews 6:15, Romans 8:25

Kindness: It is associated with the concept of benevolence, compassion and mercy; it consists of treating others as we wish to be treated by them. Jesus spoke about this simple principle in Luke 6:31 "treat others as you want to be treated."

Goodness: it refers to the way we should live. A way that we can give testimony of God’s existence. The biblical concept of goodness encompasses the idea of ??excellence. When we preserve a genuine testimony we become vessels of God's kindness, then kindness will be a reality in our lives and in that way we become open letters that can be read by others. Excellence and a good testimony shows the Holy Spirit in our life. 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Faith: It means to depend solely and continuously on God even if the circumstances are not favorable to us. It helps us to take every adverse situation as a blessing, since God's faithfulness is manifested and the important thing is to be willing to do our part and let Him do His. Hebrews 11

Meekness: It is a synonymous of gentleness and humility of heart. Matthew 11:29. A meek person is one who is not easily dominated by anger; it is a special grace of the children of God and denotes authority in everyone who possesses it.

Temperance (self-control): It is the ability to control our mood, overcoming any weakness; it is related to self-control, overcomes any weakness, it is related to self-control and prudence and this should distinguish the believer who is guided by the Holy Spirit who leaves to manifest in wise conduct. Philippians 2:13

NEED FOR LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DISORDER.

“2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”  Genesis 1:2-3 (KJV) 

God always moves in the midst of every chaotic situation. We can see that in the beginning, God’s first order was to create the light in the midst of disorder, and these days, that is what the Lord wants to do in our lives. For many believers, these have been difficult times. During quarantine, we didn’t have the option to go out and be distracted by life’s desires. Being in that situation, there was nothing left but for us to confront ourselves.

OBJECTIVE:

To understand that only the power of God's word gives us the authority to put our lives in order. In the midst of chaos, we can declare a word that gives light to any negative circumstance.

Perhaps those who do not always pray, out of fear began to pray and speak with the Father. During that time of prayer, while being locked up, we realized that there were areas in our lives that were in chaos and disorder - things we didn't want to give up, habits or attitudes that were hidden and we didn't have the courage to face. I believe that this has been a time of process, for us to be in the desert. We may have felt as if there is no end to this process and this could deter us from going through our desert and back to our disorder and chaos.

 God wants to prepare us in order to use us as a powerful instrument in these times, and He is the only one who can make light in the darkness. The whole earth is in chaos, and we are the chosen ones to bring forth the truths of God. It may not be the most pleasant time of your life, but there is a purpose in this whole process. And I want to encourage you to keep moving forward amid the chaos.

1. The desert is necessary to give birth to your calling.

Our Lord himself went through this. After being baptized, he had to go through the process of the desert to fully begin his ministry. It is in the desert where the Holy Spirit empowers you and gives you new authority.

“14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”"  Luke 4:14-19

2. No obstacle will prevent his light from entering our lives

 “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you." Isaiah 60:2

No matter how thick darkness may be, the light of the Lord will always come to your life. The enemy wants your life to be in chaos, confusion and defeat. But when the light of our Lord shines on us, we will rise from the dead! We have to understand that this is the time to shine in the darkness, because the Lord also wants to use us as an instrument to raise the dead. 

3. You have to shine the light of Christ to manifest his good works.

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2: 9

Always remember the purpose for which the Lord brought you out of chaos! You were born at the perfect time to be chosen as a light in the midst of all darkness present on earth. Everything we do is for the glory of our Lord, to show that in his word there is an answer to our disorder, that we must not trust in man, but in the Lord, who is the only answer.

SHINE IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS

Chaos means complete disorder and confusion. We live in an imperfect world. What can you expect from it? The world will continue to be the world, with its problems, with its evil, with its darkness, the world will continue in chaos. But we have God, who lights up our steps and guides us through the paths of darkness. If God lives in us, we must show his light.

And you might say, who, me? What can I offer to others? I have so many problems that I can't even think of helping others. Just be light for them!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Isaiah 60:1 NIV

OBJECTIVE

During these times of chaos and questions, we are called to enter the presence of God with a contrite and humbled heart, to ask for his mercy for what is happening around us. As a church, we need to be under the mighty hand of God. We are called to lift others up and fulfill our purpose.

Stop complaining, stop thinking that you are the victim, stop thinking that everything bad happens to you. You have so many blessings in your life that you just take everything for granted (that you don't care/don't notice). If you just changed your perspective, you would realize that God has blessed you in a superabundant way.

Isaiah says: GET UP. SHINE. YOUR LIGHT HAS ARRIVED

In order for you to shine in the midst of chaos, first you have to arise = get up:

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:21 NIV

I like this verse because it specifically says that the Lord WILL RENEW your strength. To renew speaks of resetting or restarting something that was interrupted. To renew speaks of making your strength new again, and again, and again.

RENEW YOURSELF! This shows us that there will be weakness, there will be failings. But the nice thing is that despite that, the Lord will RENEW your strength! And if He renews your strength, you can get back up again. GET UP! If you lost your job, get up. If you had a failure, get up again. 

The Lord will renew your strength in order for you to rise up like the eagle and fly like the eagle!

SHINING IN THE DARKNESS

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5: 14-16

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of fasting and intercession is to bring changes to our lifestyle and to be able to shine wherever it is needed. The light that you carry is to shine upon others.

The sense of “giving birth” not only means, labor, birth, expulsion; but also refers to the verb to shine which means to bring clarity or luminosity. In the passage we read, we see the words of Jesus spoken to those who were waiting for an answer from a promised Messiah who would free them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. They were looking for an answer amid the confusion that rang in their ears and which constantly asked them, "If you are the people of God, where is your deliverer? Where is he who heals you? Where is the provider?” And certainly Jesus was the promised Messiah, but the freedom that they needed was first in their minds, from their own paradigms. Jesus was telling them: the answer is found within yourselves; you are the light in the midst of the chaos and darkness that surrounds you; Let your light shine brightly so that others can see your way of life and thus know the Heavenly Father and praise him.

In Philippians 2:14-15 we are told about doing everything without complaining or contention, so that you may be blameless and pure; blameless children of God in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation. It is in the midst of this generation that you have to shine like a star in the sky. Our light shines upon others with our attitudes in the midst of those moments when everyone usually has a reason to complain.

Our light must increase: Proverbs 4:18 tells us that the light of the righteous is like the light of dawn that increases until the day is perfect. This teaches us that we must seek for our light to grow day after day, through the challenges we go through in each area of our life: in relation to our neighbors, with our family, and specially in these times where the world seeks an answer amid disaster, disease, anguish, rebellion, and misuse of authority.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:1818 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

To our Lord Jesus Christ be the glory. May the light of Christ shine in each one of us in these moments more than ever.

ENLIGHTENING THE EYES OF OUR UNDERSTANDING.

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”                       Ephesians 1: 17-18

OBJECTIVE:

To come into the presence of the Lord with heart that is in need, praying and interceding for God to bring a light, a new birth, in order for us to understand the times we are living at and bring hope to the world around us.

This is the time for us to receive the spirit of wisdom (it is important in order not to run in vain) and revelation in the knowledge of God, enlightening the eyes of our understanding, which is the ability to see what cannot be seen naturally, to know what hope means.

The task of the Holy Spirit is to give us hope; I believe that God is cleaning the earth and we have to humble ourselves before God in order for the earth to be healed. Everything man has sown, the time of harvest will come. This will be a time of justice and hope. We would like for this to be over right now, but we really have to walk listening and asking the Lord, because God is a God of order and plans, everything that happens has been scheduled by God. We cannot accelerate what is written, but we do have the authority to say -Lord, we cancel every evil that is rising, growing and increasing- And approach Him with a spirit of prayer, humbling ourselves, asking for mercy and that God may manifest himself with power.

If we have our eyes open, we can show a new path to those who are spiritually blind.

Fasting: September 1-9.

Ending on Wednesday, September 9th with a night of intercession

Devotional 1: Tuesday, September 1

WILLINGNESS AND OBEDIENCE TO THE VOICE OF GOD TO BRING HIS WILL TO LIFE

“Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, 2 and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains. 3 So it was, whenever Israel had sown, Midianites would come up; also Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them. 4 Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. 6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of the Midianites, 8 that the Lord sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 Also I said to you, “I am the Lord your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My voice. 11 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!”  Judges 6: 1-12

OBJECTIVE:

To continue humbling ourselves in the presence of God. If we want to see the light in the midst of so much darkness, the church must stand on its position of kingdom, in order to see a change in our lives and nation. There have been times of chaos and many adversities since the beginning of mankind, but God in his love and mercy has always used somebody to do something new, and this has not changed. God is still interested in manifesting something new in these days and that is what the church is set for.  But, it is necessary to tune our ears to what God wants to tell us and for that we need to be attentive and willing. God is looking for a spiritual womb where by his word and his will can be conceived and given birth to.

In Judges 6:1-12 we are told of the adverse situation that the people of Israel were going through, CHAOS because of disobedience. Still God shows his mercy and speaks to Gideon, who did not believe that God could use him because of his condition, although he had heard what God had done in other times. But, now it was about HEARING God regardless of his condition because what God sees is the POSITION that He has given us.

“13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” 15 So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.” 17 Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. 18 Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.” And He said, “I will wait until you come back.”                  Judges 6: 13-18

• Gideon looked at himself as so small; but God chose him to be in charge of giving birth to something new for Israel! 
• Gideon had to make a commitment and was determined because God trusted him.

Now the question is, are we willing? Will we make the commitment at this time?

God keeps trusting us!

We have been chosen for this time!

Remember: God trusts you!

NEW BEGINNINGS

Ruth 1:1-6

1 In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. 2 The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there. 3 Now Elimelek, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. 4 They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband. 6 When Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, she and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there. 

OBJECTIVE

To pray and cry out to the Lord for wisdom, to know when the end of a time has come, to know when a new beginning has come, to stand firm believing that God has promised to be with us until the end of days, and to pray and intercede so that in the midst of crises we can move forward with a kingdom mentality.

At the beginning of this story, a time of great famine in the entire region was announced. Under those circumstances, this family left and settled in Moab. God had given them a prophetic word, even during difficult times, not to make a covenant with the system - in this case Moab. But they disobeyed.

A CRISIS WILL ALWAYS HAPPEN AT A MOMENT OF CHANGE.

This family reaped the consequences of their disobedience. The wonderful thing is that in Christ Jesus we can have A NEW BEGINNING everyday.

Let's see what happened to this family.

1) They lost their paternity.

2) Naomi was left alone in the midst of pain.

3) She lost her husband.

4) Her children died, she lost her fruit and there was no more reproduction.

5) She did not enjoy her family; she did not lay a foundation on the rock for her children, moreover they made wrong decisions.

But, then we read in verse 6 - then she arose.

THE revealed WORD has the virtue of LIFTING US UP in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Naomi was determined to give her life a NEW START because she heard good news. The Lord had VISITED her people and given them bread.

1) She realized that she was in a system where she would not be blessed.

2) She had a daughter's conviction.

3) She understood that God was giving her a new opportunity to go back to the place she should never have come out of.

Fear, hunger, pandemic, disease, the things we hear, any kind of crises, should not paralyze us. God will never abandon you. Resolve to see with the eyes of the Spirit! There is a NEW BEGINNING after this crisis.

GET UP! Someone is watching you to draw near to you. You have a lot to give and maybe you haven't realized it. Ruth got close to her mother-in-law; she did not have anything of material worth, but Ruth saw beyond that. She saw that Naomi had VISION AND FAITH.

Calm comes after the storm, and God always gives us the opportunity to bear and see the fruit.

I come to declare in the name of Jesus, that there is bread for you and there’s enough for you to disperse. “Man shall not live by BREAD alone, but by the prophetic word that comes out of the mouth of God”. GET UP. There is a NEW BEGINNING!

New beginning: divine destiny

1 Samuel 9:1-5

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

OBJECTIVE

To pray and intercede so that in these times of difficulties we can see the hand of God, we can know that we have a divine purpose in God, whether God has told us or not yet. Just because you are His son/daughter, God will be using your life and speaking to you and  you will be an instrument of service for others by bringing life, manifesting wisdom.

Saul's destiny was to look for sheep.

Before we find God's purpose for our lives we are going to be wandering around. On the outside, Saul had several good characteristics, but he did not have a divine destiny; he was a good looking, handsome and favored young man. What was a man with so many qualifications doing, looking for donkeys? This tells us of people who have not found their purpose in God and many times it is because they are slaves to the words of others. The way Saul became king does not imply that the Lord was not with Him.

I don't know how long you've been searching for what God hasn't told you.

We may think that we’re wasting time.

But Saul had a commission, that's where the word of Romans 8:28 is fulfilled - everything that happens in life has a purpose. Saul went through five regional areas looking for donkeys, but that was what led him into finding purpose.

We see another example in David. How did he come to kill the giant? It was because of his obedience of bringing food to his brothers. And the door to the palace was opened, why? for some cheeses that he brought to his brothers. In fact, his obedience took him to another level. He had to start in some way as an errand for his brothers, by serving others.

1 Samuel 9:6

 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

Here is wisdom ... we have to be vigilant, because God can speak to you through a younger person. Solomon gives us the example of ants because he took the time to learn about their nature. The King of Scotland was removed from his throne and sent to an islet, a place with no growth. He had tried to regain his throne but could not do it. He saw a spider succeed on its fifth attempt to get to a branch, so the king took the spider’s example to regain his throne and made his throne stronger. Ants don't have a boss, but they have wisdom. The smallest things can teach us a lesson.

Sometimes there are no prophetic declarations, because we have forgotten his commandments

Verses 10:11-12

Saul wanted a divine response, but for this to be fulfilled, there had to be an offering. We see the example of the widow of Sarepta, a woman who had a spirit of death. You are the answer for someone who wants to die! The prophet asked for water, which was scarce. In fact, the drought was the prophet Elijah’s fault! Can you imagine? The widow didn't know who she was talking to. Her attitude was a self-prophesying destiny of death. But, even when she did not understand, she was obedient and gave him water. Your miracle is near, just reach out and receive it!

We see another example in the woman with the issue of blood. She had visited all the doctors, and she was getting worse until she heard about Jesus. It’s possible that the harder you try, the worse it will get. And many times, we put what should come first at last. But that prophet who was sent to her did not come to take something away from her, but to give her something. There is purpose in everything when we are in God’s hand.

We need to be useful in the midst of chaos

Judges 3:31(NIV)

After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.

Judges 3:31 (TM) 

Shamgar son of Anath came after Ehud. Using a cattle prod, he killed six hundred Philistines single-handed. He too saved Israel. Samgar delivered Israel from the Philistines.

OBJECTIVE.

It’s important to approach the Lord in prayer and to believe that God has a great purpose for our life. In these difficult times, we believe we can be useful and powerful instruments in the Lord's hands.

In this verse, we are introduced to a man who was determined to do his part to effect change. Nowadays, we see oppositions that try to deviate us from our purpose but God already believes in us. The most important thing in the kingdom is that He believes in you, and that you believe in yourself.

1. It’s so important to have a correct identity to perform our function in and for the kingdom. Samgar was not a judge. It says he was a chief or leader.
2. He had a conqueror's mentality. He saw six hundred opportunities to triumph. He was determined; all were exterminated. Through our journey, if we expect to conquer, we must stay filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God in order to have an open mind.
3. Trust that it does not matter whether we are pastors or disciples. What really matters is to be certain that we are children of God with an assignment. Have assurance of your assignment. Wherever we are, we can fulfill what God has entrusted us.

Judges 5:6-7 

In the time of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the time of Jael, public roads were abandoned, travelers went by backroads. The field workers could not cultivate their own land.

The situation was difficult: there were problems with home sales, there was danger on the roads, there was conflict over food, there was a crisis everywhere.

A human government ruled by four powers was non-existent.

1. Political power = there was no king. We have a KING.
2. They had no military power = they did not have an army. We are an army.
3. Economic power = the economy was bankrupt, it was poor. Our currency is faith.
4. Religious power = they were not constant in their worship of God. We have decided to seek and worship Him.

It seems to me that we are living through something similar these days. In the midst of those circumstances SHAMGAR started from where he was: He was a field worker, he was not a military man, he was not a politician, he was not rich, and he was not religious.

How do I know that? by the tool he was using. He became a leader, but it didn't happen overnight. He led Israel through those four powers, even when he was none of them. He didn’t just sit around and wait for things to get better.

Your beginning starts from where you are now.

God has given you knowledge, wisdom, revelation.

We are called to be on alert and do whatever is within our reach.

God bless you.

I NEED THE ANOINTING!

Ephesians 4: 1-4, 4: 11-12 (NLT)

1  Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

OBJECTIVE:

To pray and ask the Holy Spirit to forgive us for not including Him in our way of living. To pray that the Holy Spirit brings us a powerful visitation in this time of transition.

I firmly believe that God wants us to understand that when He ascended, He did not leave us alone, but He sent us someone like Him.

God does not want us to grieve the Holy Spirit.

We all want a revival and we are going to see it when the Holy Spirit brings a VISITATION, but he does not stay because of the following reasons.

1) He does not stay when he is grieved. How do you grieve the Holy Spirit?

When we retain an offense against a brother. We have to examine ourselves to see if there is something that is affecting it, whether you are right or not.

2) When we are offended we do not realize that our heart is trapped by that offense 

and we tend to judge all things with an offended heart.

We need a healthy heart that is free. What is a free spirit? It is that one that is not imprisoned with anger, wrath, jealousy, envy, etc. All these works trap your spirit and therefore you cannot have communion with the Spirit of God.

3) All sensitivity is lost when our spirit is trapped by these works = sin.

John 6:63 (NTV)

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life

How can a person grieve the Holy Spirit?

1) By ignoring Him. We must give full attention to Him, for He is not a thing, He is a 

person and He likes us to serve Him.

2) When we force him to see and hear what is against his will, watching lustful 

programs, being arrogant, speaking vain words, etc.

I think we all agree that if the church of God has ever needed power, that is NOW. Acts 1: 8 (NTV) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Our inheritance is not to be weak; however many of us have just settled. The power of the anointing helps us overcome anything. There is power in the anointing, but there is also a price to pay. The presence of the Holy Spirit guides us to live in the power of anointing, if we are willing to pay the price of obedience.

What is that price?

Acts 4:13 

They couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus.

The key is to be with Jesus over and over again, constantly, not only in times of need; that is the objective of these prayers and fasting, to be with the Lord longer, to know him better and to have a fresh anointing.

The word accompanied by the anointing will sustain us for the rest of the time, we have to be prepared for any event.

The trials we face are to learn to obey God.

We need challenges to grow in character and anointing. Challenges are our friends because they bring us closer to God.

The more challenges, the more we pray, the more we fast, the more we intercede.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you because we grow in character through obedience and character will sustain the anointing to make sure it is not diluted.

If there is injustice, forgive; you have no right to hold offenses. He wants to be the owner of your whole being, He does not want a hotel, but a house that is clean and without bitterness.

Receive a fresh anointing today!

MODEL PRAYER TO RECEIVE WHAT WE ASK.

Matthew 6: 9-15 (NIV)

This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11  Give us today our daily bread. 12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

OBJECTIVE:

To know that through prayer, we can break every fear that does not allow us to freely approach our Heavenly Father.

Everything I ask the father, he can give it to me, but I have to learn to ask for forgiveness as well as to forgive those who have offended me. And this time has been designed to offer God a heart that is pure and free of offenses; this is a time for the hearts to be healed in order to enjoy the three paternities that God has given us.

• Anointing is accomplished through prayer.
• The habit of intimate prayer brings us closer to the heart of God.
• Prayer is a dialogue with the Lord.
• Prayer leads us to know the Lord more.
• Prayer imparts an anointing to your life.
• The word of God says that He does not reject a heart that is contrite and humble.
• It also teaches us that we can freely enter into the presence of the Father.

The  Lord’s Prayer is the model for us to approach Him.

1) To come closer having the certainty that we are His children and He is our father.

To examine our hearts to make sure there are no conflicts about our paternity.

Many people find it difficult to approach God as a father because they were orphaned children, or did not know their father, or were rejected, or because the father died when they needed a father.

Meditate for a moment. How has your relationship with your biological father been? We cannot approach God as a father, if we have a broken soul, if we have resentment towards our biological father.

Many lose the blessing of the heavenly father, because there are fractures and the blessing is diluted therein.

God has provided us with: spiritual fatherhood, biological fatherhood, ministerial fatherhood.

2) Recognize that He is Holy. Hallowed be thy name.

3) Ask that his kingdom be established in our hearts.

4) Declare that HIS will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

5) We can approach him with faith to ask for the natural bread, but also to ask for 

the spiritual bread, which sustains us, we must always long for it. "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."

6) Be certain that if we ask God to forgive us our sins or offenses, we are forgiven, 

but because we have also decided to forgive those who have offended us. If we do not forgive, we remain spiritually bound to the person we do not want to forgive.

7) Do not let us fall into temptation and deliver us from evil.

We are always tempted, that is why the Lord’s prayer is a guide, to be able to approach the father, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can stand firm.

He who thinks he is firm, see that he does not fall.

There is a mutual responsibility in the Lord’s prayer. Today more than eve, we need to have a prayer lifestyle. It is when you are in prayer that the Lord ministers his holy anointing to you.

I have decided to completely change to be like HIM!

Ephesians 4:22-24 

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

OBJECTIVE:

In every devotional, let’s take the opportunity to pray and learn more about the Lord. May we be one with Him in that intimacy. The purpose of fasting is to break chains of injustice, to destroy all those obstacles that do not let us advance to reach our prophetic destiny.

Nothing that happens on earth happens in vain, everything works out for good.

Romans 8:28 (NTV)

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.

We have to learn that everything that happens to us has a purpose which is for us to grow and mature. I have to make the decision to surrender and get rid of the old nature, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

WE WANT TO BE LIKE HIM.

If it is accompanied by internal changes, prayer is powerful when witnessing.

This isn’t always easy because it requires discipline. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can leave our old way of living behind and get rid of who we were because it was corrupted by the DESIRES OF THE FLESH.

Romans 13:12 (NTV)

12  The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

This is an exhortation that is related to what is expected at the end of this age, the arrival of the new day, that is, the return of Christ.

This is a time to be prepared and to be formed like him.

It is time to get rid of the old, to stop doing what we are doing, and to get rid of it.

Romans 13:13-14

13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

The word teaches us what we have to get rid of these things in order to become like Him.

Our goal is to reach the perfect humanity that is conformed to the full stature of Christ.

Confessing Jesus as our Savior is the beginning of a process of transformation. It’s the doorway when embarking on a journey with the word and power of the Holy Spirit to reach maturity.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I AM A NEW CREATION (have a new nature)?

1) I decide to take off the dirty garments and put on the garment of God. God has 

already done everything. Now, we are facing ourselves for changes.

I have to warfare against myself to destroy those obstacles, for my own good.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NTV)

17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2) I renew my way of thinking.

3) I renew my thoughts to make a fair judgment and not judge people.

4) I manifest a life or righteousness and purity, based on God’s word.

5) I stop saying lies to my neighbor and God.

6) I can get angry, but I do not have to stay like that.

7) He who used to steal, stops stealing from his neighbor and from God.

8) We stop speaking obscene words and start speaking words that edify others.

9) We allow the Holy Spirit to rule our life.

10) The life of the Kingdom is DETERMINATION.

Ephesians 4:31-32 

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Nowadays, because of the way we live our life in Christ, in an environment where we no longer have the freedom to lay hands on people, each child of the kingdom is being taught by God and the Holy spirit in order to have a daily personal TRANSFORMATION.

Today, you have the opportunity before the Lord to RESOLVE to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

CONCLUSION

1 Corinthians 15:49

And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.

Amen.

GOD’S SPRING IS FLOWING IN THE DESERT

Isaiah 43:19 

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

OBJECTIVE:

To pray and believe in our hearts that, even though we are going through difficult times, the Lord will do something new. He will make a pathway where we believe that it is impossible to see the hand of God work. The rivers of God will flow in your favor.

What is a desert? It is an arid, deserted, solitary place. 

As children of God we have a promised land. Many times, we have to go through deserts to get there, which is called processes.

There are deserts where the Holy Spirit empowers us to come out in victory and there are other deserts that are caused by our bad decisions.

For the Israelites the desert lasted 40 years. They wandered through the desert before reaching the promised land.

Deuteronomy 8:4 

For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell.

God manifested Himself powerfully with His people, even though they were a rebellious, unbelieving and murmuring people.

God never abandoned them in those 40 years. Their clothes did not wear out despite all their walking and their feet did not blister or swell.

God only asks for obedience, holiness.

This year (2020) has been a very difficult year; for many it has been a desert.

We have experienced deserts, loneliness, pain, suffering, illness, anguish, fear, and separation from our families. We’ve been deprived of our freedom regarding our coming and going.

This has been a desert that God has allowed for us to know his love and power. The sole purpose is for us to grow in faith and move into another level of life.

Romans 12:2 exhorts us not to conform to the system of this world, but to renew our thoughts, our hearts, our words, in order to know not only the good, not only the pleasant, but the perfect will of the Lord.

The Lord our God is in control of what is happening!

What is happening now, has happened before, Ecclesiastes 3:15.

God fed a people who tempted him, who put him to the test.

Deuteronomy 8:3 

Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

I want to tell you that He will not abandon us and that He will surprise us.

Everything we have lived and are living now, is a lesson so we may understand that man does not live by BREAD alone, but by every WORD that comes out of His MOUTH.

So prepare yourself!

Stay prepared in your mind and heart, because God will do something new with your life if you believe it.

Remember that everything comes to light; this will be a time of revelation in the darkness.

God will always open a way where you least imagine it, even if we are going through deserts or the valley of shadows, etc.

Speak the word of God, and rivers of living waters will flow from within you!

The freshness of the Holy Spirit will remove all loneliness and we will walk with faith and in the assurance of His word.

PRAYER:
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for all of your provision because you have sustained us to this day.

"New Beginnings"

First day of fasting: Saturday, August 1, 2020

"HEART TRANSPLANT SURGERY"

Ezekiel 11: 19-20-21 

19 I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. 20 Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But I will punish the people who love to worship filthy, disgusting idols. I will punish them for what they have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.

PRAYER: Father, in the name of Jesus, I come before you acknowledging that I need a heart transplant surgery. I give you my heart so that the Holy Spirit may guide me. I surrender all that hinders my walk with you.

GENERAL OBJECTIVE: For all of God’s children to check and align their hearts with the word of God, through the healing and liberation that the Word of God brings.

In His mercy, God gives us the opportunity to hope for a new heart. This is the time when God will use a scalpel on our hearts with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. If you are willing, He is ready to do an individual work of TRANSFORMATION.

There are hearts that are wounded, proud, foolish, deceitful, rebellious, wicked, evil, callous, malicious, hardened, deceived, betrayed, inveterate, lost, dedicated to idols, full of plans to do evil, lacking repentance and far from God.

There are many reasons for a heart to harden, for example, Pharaoh's heart in Egypt hardened in Exodus 4:21

THE HEART IS A SPRING OF LIFE.

Proverbs 4:23 (CEV)

Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.

The mind and heart are united. God longs for his children to have a heart that believes in his word; believing gives power to the mouth, this is how we become freed from a wounded heart. A wounded heart becomes bitter and that bitterness becomes a seedbed for the devil.

A wound that has been healed becomes a bond, and that bondage becomes an influence of the devil.

You have the power to free yourself today and receive healing and life.

Luke 6:45 (GNT)

45 The good man says good things because good is in his heart, and the bad man says bad things because evil is in his heart. For what abounds in his heart speaks his mouth.

This is the day when the power of God and the Holy Spirit heals you. You are the one to remove from your heart everything that is hurting and allow God to put a new heart and spirit. What for? So you can live.

Ezekiel 11:20 (GNT)

20 Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God. Wonderful opportunity!

THE KEY TO HAVING AND MAINTAINING A NEW HEART AND A NEW SPIRIT.

Proverbs 4: 20-27 (GNT)

20 Listen to my words, my son; pay attention to them. 21 Never lose sight of them, engrave them in your mind! 22 They give life and health to everyone who finds them. 23 Take care of your mind more than anything in the world, because it is the source of life. 24 Avoid saying false things; get away from the lie. 25 Always look ahead, always look straight ahead. Take a good look at where you put your feet, and you'll always be on firm ground. 27 Do not stray from your path; avoid walking in bad steps.

1) Pay attention to the word of God.

2) Never lose sight of His word.

3) Engrave the word in the mind, and learn to renew the mind.

4) The word gives you life and makes you sensitive.

5) Take care of your words, do not to speak lies.

6) Stay focused, look forward.

7) Look closely where you walk.

8) All this will bring security and firmness on your way (Jesus is the Way)

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

God is not pleased with those who do no stop these practices. The day will come when God will ask for an account of their behavior.

Ezekiel 11:21 (GNT)

21 But I will punish the people who love to worship filthy, disgusting idols. I will punish them for what they have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.

What are those disagreeable and detestable practices?

Deuteronomy 27:15

Proverbs 16: 5

Romans 1: 26-31

God will ask us to render accounts for our behavior.

Our calling is to keep our heart healthy and free; where Jesus is the only one who governs our life.

Matthew 22: 37-40 GNT

37 Jesus said to him: - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind." 38 This is the most important and the first of the commandments. 39 But there is a second, similar to this; says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 40 On these two commandments all the law and the prophets are based.

It is my hope that today you can be free and that Jesus Christ reign in your heart.