Jesus’ Example
Paul’s Example

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Walking in Overflow:
Walking in the Overflow in 2005 (part I)
Walking in the Overflow in 2005 (part II)
The Power of His presence
Courage and the Word
The Formula For Good Success!
Overflow is tied to Obedience to the Word
The Choice is Yours
The Purpose of Overflow
Rejecting the World and Receiving the Word!
Obedience is the test of Love
Obedience is the key to Relationship
Whatever He tells you to do, DO IT!
The Blessing of dealing with Pride
It all starts in the Mind!
It all starts with a Thought!
Thoughts that lead to Blessings!
Your Life is Shaped by Your Thoughts!
Overcoming the Grasshopper Mentality!
Use the Word that you Have!

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Four Steps to Growth in Christ:
If you Believe right, you have Faith
If you Think right, you have Image
Speak right and you have Likeness
Be right and you have Dominion

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Faith Confessions for Daily Living:
Confession for Increase
Confession for Protection
Confession for Favor with God and Man
Confession for the Blessings of Abraham
Confession for Overflow

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Keys to Walking in Overflow:
The Better Covenant
1. Resolve in your mind and your heart that the Word of God is and will be the final authority in your life.
2. Free yourself all blessing blockers (sin and weights)
3. Seek God for His Vision for Your Life
4. Seek God for an Incremental Vision for Every Year
5. Search the scriptures for the promises that pertain to your vision
6. Confess the Word of God daily over your life
7. Study daily for growth and increase, making a commitment to live what you learn
8. Key 8 – Be single minded, purpose driven, vision focused – no Plan B!

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Breaking the spirit of Fear:
Being able to Hear the Voice of God
Being Established in His Righteousness
Being Confident in God’s Ability
Choosing the right Offer!

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Receiving God’s Vision for 2005 (top of page)

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(Prov 29:18 KJV)  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

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I feel led to pause our series on the ‘Greatest Stories Ever Told’ until next year.  This is the last week of 2004 and I believe it to be a critical week.  As we prepare for 2005, I feel led to recap the series I did on ‘The Power of Vision.’  It won’t be the same series, but we are going to revisit some of the golden nuggets the Lord gave me during that series and at they apply to preparing for this upcoming year.

 

Vision is vital.  People that can see are common, but people with vision are rare.  Mr. Walt Disney sat in an open field many years ago, just shortly after opening Disney World.  At the time, the park had only a few rides.  He sat and looked out into the field for a long time and seemed very preoccupied.  A worker came by and asked him what he was doing.  Mr. Disney replied, “I am looking at my mountain.”  Many years later, at the opening of Space Mountain, a young man introduced Mrs. Disney to the platform.  He said that it was great to have her there, but it was a tragedy that Mr. Disney died without seeing his mountain.  Mrs. Disney took the microphone and corrected the young man.  She told the crowd that although they were seeing the mountain for the first time, her husband had seen the mountain many years prior.  That is the power of vision.  Vision is seeing beyond where our eyes can look.

 

In our text, Solomon speaks of God’s divine revelation.  Let’s take a closer look at some of the true meanings of these words: vision means revelation; perish means to loosely stumble;  keepeth means to guard, protect, and take heed to; law means the instruction, direction, and teachings of God; and happy means blessed.  So, our text could read, “Those who do not hear from God and receive His revelation, loosely stumble through life, but those who take heed to and protect His instructions, direction and teachings are blessed.”  That is the power of vision.  Receiving direction and instruction from God and then following His instruction for a blessed and prosperous life.

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So what does this mean to you today? It means that you have a choice.  You can either continue to live without hearing from God and stumble your way through life, or you can take the time to hear from God in prayer and His Word and then seek to live out was He speaks to you.  God wants us to Find, Follow, and Finish His plan for our life and living.  You can’t accomplish, however, what you do not know.  Why not spend some time this week with God in prayer for direction for 2005?  If someone interrupts you and asked you what you are doing, reply like Mr. Disney did and tell them that you are looking at next year, before it happens!  That’s the power of vision.  You can either be driven by vision or driven by circumstance – the choice is yours!

 

Confession for this day:  Lord God.  I receive Your Vision for my life.  I am Your sheep and I hear Your voice.  I will Find Your plan through Your Vision.  I will Follow Your plan for all the days of my life.  I will Finish Your plan while I am here on the earth.  The rest of my life starts today.  Speak to me clearly Father concerning Your vision for my family for 2005.  Reveal to me Your plans for this upcoming year and I declare that I will submit and surrender myself to those plans.  I do not perish, because I take heed to Your instructions.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

 

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

 

Receiving God’s Vision for 2005 (part II) (top of page)

 

(Hab 2:2,3 CEV)  Then the LORD told me: “I will give you my message in the form of a vision. Write it clearly enough to be read at a glance.  At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting– it will happen!

 

This morning we continue our mini-series on ‘Receiving God’s Vision for 2005’ with a look a the prophet Habakkuk.   Habakkuk’s first chapter is full of complaints.  The prophet complained about being surrounded with the unrighteousness and having to endure difficult situations.  In the 5th verse, God says, “”Look around at the godless nations.  Look long and hard.  Brace yourself for a shock. Something’s about to take place and you’re going to find it hard to believe.”  In other words, God was telling him that He was going to manifest His glory.  But Habakkuk goes right back to complaining at the 12th verse.  Chapter 2 then provides the answer.  What would help Habakkuk deal with his circumstances?  A vision from God.  God said that He would give him a message in the form of a vision and that he was to write the vision down.  This vision from God, although it would not happen over night, was guaranteed to come to pass.

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So what does this mean to you today? There is so much in this passage.  Let’s glean a few golden nuggets from the text:

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1.       It’s OK to be real with God – the complaining prophet.

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2.       God’s answer to our situation is ‘Word’ or ‘Message.’

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3.       One Word from God can turn our situation around.

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4.       God declares the end from the beginning (Is 46:10), so we must understand that God already knows what the outcome of our lives will be.

 

5.       God gives us glimpses of the outcome in visions (messages).

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6.       His vision allows us to be visionaries, by writing the vision down for others to see and to receive direction from as well.

 

7.       God’s vision may not happen over night, but it will happen.  We must then have the discipline to live our lives in accordance with the vision He has given. We must confidently and actively wait for the vision to come to pass.

 

8.       God is not a man that He should lie (Num 23:19).  If He tells you something is going to happen, it will!

 

God’s vision is often long-term.  He can reveal to us His vision for our lives, but we should also seek God for His vision for every year.  We live out our vision in increments.  Our life is lived out in years, years are lived out in months, and months are lived out in days.  Once we know what God wants to do with our life (long-term), we should then seek Him for a vision for every year.  This annual vision will help us incrementally achieve God’s desired end (Jer 29:11) for our lives.  This way, we can provide direction and guidance for our families every year, with a clear focus of an expected end.  That is the Power of Vision!

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Confession for this day:  Lord God.  You speak to Your children.  I am Your child and I hear Your voice.  You give me the power to see beyond where my eyes can look.  Reveal to me Your vision for my life and then reveal to me Your vision for this upcoming year.  Show me what steps I must take in 2005 that will take me towards my destiny.  Your vision will become the ruler by which I judge every decision in 2005.  My family does not wander aimlessly through life, but we are propelled by Your vision!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

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This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

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Receiving God’s Vision for 2005 (part III) – Jesus’ Example (top of page)

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(Luke 2:49 BBE)  And he said to them, why were you looking for me? Was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father’s house?

 

This morning we continue our mini-series on ‘Receiving God’s Vision for 2005’ with a look at our ultimate example, Jesus the Christ.  Luke chapter two opens with Jesus as a child.  The Bible says that He grew, became strong and wise, and God blessed him.  We know nothing about Jesus between the early years of Herod’s attempt on his life and this morning’s text.  We know that his parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover (as was the custom).  Jesus was not obligated to go, under the Jewish Law, until the age of 12.  When he turned 12, He joined His family on their annual trip.  After Passover, however, his parents left with the usual crowd, not realizing that Jesus stayed behind.  It took them a full day to figure this out and another three days to find Him.  When they finally found Him, He was sitting in the temple, baffling the scholars of the time.  He was only 12 yrs. old, but He was able to go toe-to-toe with astute men in the scriptures.  His parents were very upset when they found Him.  His mother said, “Son, why have you treated us like this?  Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”  This is where we pick up our text.  And he said to them, why were you looking for me?  Was it not clear to you that my right place was in my Father’s house? Let’s investigate the text and what is means about purpose and vision:

 

1.  Why were you looking for me? Jesus indicates here that Joseph and Mary should have known where He was, because they were the only ones who really know WHO He was, at this point.  Probably no one else knew yet what they had on their hands, except for Joseph and Mary, and they should have known that Jesus would maximize the moment on His first trip to Jerusalem.

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2.  Was it not clear…  His parents made the journey every year while He stayed home.  I am sure that He asked them questions about the Holy City when they returned.  They should have known that He was going to jump at the chance to spend time in the Holy Temple in the Holy City, with the learned men of the time.  There He was, a young man (12 yrs. old), taking the teachers back to school.  Jesus was clearly where He felt He should have been and was frustrated at His parents for not understanding His vision, purpose, and destiny.

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3.  My right place…  This is the key.  This 12 yr. old understood the power of Vision and discipline.  He submitted Himself to His parents and the law and did not visit Jerusalem until He was of age.  But when He finally did, He got right to work.  He did not waste time.  He was not wandering.  He was not there to socialize.  He was there on purpose.  He was reporting for duty.  He was learning about His assignment on the earth.  He was soaking up the Word of God (His Word, by the way).  He was in His Father’s house, doing His Father’s business.  He was in the right place!

 

So what does this mean to you today? It means that we can have the assurance that Jesus had that we are in the right place, if we do what He did.  We must receive God’s vision (direction), understand our purpose, and then have the discipline to make decisions that will carry us towards completing it!  Even if misunderstood (like Jesus), we should stay focused and drive towards our destiny!

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Confession for this day:  Lord God.  I thank You for Your vision for my life and Your incremental vision for 2005.  I receive it and meditate on it daily.  I discipline myself to make decisions that will take me towards the completion of Your vision.  Where there is no vision, the people perish.  I will not perish, because I have Your vision and it is the ruler by which I judge every decision.  I will not allow the feelings of others to derail me from my destiny.  I live a purpose-filled and purpose-driven life.  I am about my Father’s business, today and every day.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

 

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

 

Receiving God’s Vision for 2005 (part IV) – Paul’s Example (top of page)

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(II Tim 4:7 BBE)  I have made a good fight, I have come to the end of my journey, I have kept the faith.

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This morning we continue our mini-series on ‘Receiving God’s Vision for 2005’ with a look at Paul.  This is the last message I will share in 2004.  I pray that our diversion from ‘the greatest stories’ to focus on vision has been a blessing to you.  Perhaps the most important nugget on vision that I continue to share is that vision should become the ruler by which we judge our decisions, therefore exercising discipline to reach our full potential in Christ.  The goal being to “die empty,” after we have poured out of us, everything that God poured into us.  We cannot die empty, however, without vision.  Vision allows us to acknowledge when it is that we have arrived at our destination.  Yoggi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you might end up somewhere else.”  God’s vision for our lives gives us the ruler, yes, but it also gives us a target.  It becomes our desired goal and our expected end.

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Paul was a man of vision and focus.  No doubt, God gave him clear direction for his life.  This vision gave Paul drive and passion.  When we know where we are going, we are able to aim for that target and overcome insurmountable circumstances. Paul endured everything from stonings to shipwrecks, from blistering heat to freezing cold, and from betrayal to imprisonment.  He also laid hands on the sick and watched them recover, went on three region-wide crusades (missionary journeys), helped establish churches, was a pastor to pastors, and wrote half the New Testament.  I guess it is safe to say that Paul had a full life.

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This brings us to our text.  Our text is amazing and encouraging to me.  It tells me that, even with everything that God used Paul to do, he acknowledged that everything was not done; but that his journey was complete.  He knew that everyone on the planet had not heard the gospel.  He knew that every person was not saved.  He knew that Christians still needed guidance.  He knew that his sons still needed direction.  But Paul was able to say, “I have come to the end of MY journey.”  Why?  Because he knew what the end was!  He knew what God had called him to do and he disciplined himself to complete it before he died. That is the power of vision!

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So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

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1.       Paul knew what the end of HIS journey was and we must seek God for the same.

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2.       Paul did not get there over night and neither will we.  That is why it is important to seek God for a vision for 2005 and every year after that.  If God shows you where you will be in 30 years, it is not realistic to think that you will accomplish every needed to get there in 2005.  So ask God to show you what you must do in 2005 that will take you towards completing His vision for your life.

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3.       Write the vision (Hab 2:2) down (or print it out) and post it where you can see it daily.

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4.       Consult the vision before you make major decisions in 2005.  If the decision will take you towards your vision, then do it.  If not, then don’t.  Allow God’s vision to be the ruler by which you judge your decisions.

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5.       There will be many things that are ‘OK’ to do in 2005, but not everything that is ‘OK’ is beneficial.  Paul said, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial…” (1 Cor 6:12 NIV).  The things that are beneficial are those things that line up with God’s vision.

 

Confession for this day:  Lord God.  I walk in discipline daily.  I allow Your Vision for my life to be my focus and my target.  I also receive your incremental vision for 2005 and declare that I will govern myself in accordance with your vision and direction.  Although many things are permissible for me, I will control myself to do only those things that are beneficial, in accordance with Your vision for my life.  I will some day be able to repeat the words of Paul and say that I have come to the end of MY journey.  I know what MY journey is and I will complete it, through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Nothing can stop me!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

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This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

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Walking in the Overflow in 2005 (top of page)

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(John 10:10 AMP)  The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

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Happy New Year!  I wanted to get back to our series on the ‘Greatest Stories’ this morning, but the Holy Spirit let me another way.  Anything other than a message on overflow would be a message out of season right now.  The Holy Spirit has declared through several men of God that this year is the Year of the Overflow and the Holy Spirit has confirmed this in my heart.  I have shared several messages from John 10 in general and our text in particular.  Jesus is speaking in the text and I want to focus on another purpose of His coming – Abundant or Overflowing Life!  The Greek word used for life in this text is the same word used in the very familiar John 3:16.  It deals with salvation or eternal life with God.  But Jesus did not come for salvation from death alone.  He also came that we might enjoy our current life to the fullest.  Yes, I want to make it to heaven, but I also believe that it is the will of God that I enjoy the ride! With that it mind, let’s take a look at the latter part of the text.

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Jesus says that in addition to providing us eternal life, He also came that we might have life in abundance (to the full, until it overflows).  This word translated abundance literally means to exceed measure, over and above, more than is necessary, superadded.  I particularly like the last word in that definition – superadded.  I first saw this word in Albert Barnes’ commentary on this text.  He said, “The word denotes that which is not absolutely essential to life, but which is superadded to make life happy. They shall not merely have life – simple, bare existence – but they shall have all those superadded things which are needful to make that life eminently blessed and happy.”

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So what does this mean to you today? A few things:

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1.       The purpose of the thief is to steal, kill, and destroy.  This is not new.

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2.       The purpose of Jesus was to deal with the problems of sin and death.

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3.       Jesus dealt with both sin and death, provided us eternal life through His blood, but also declared that He came that we might enjoy Abundant and Overflowing life – here on the earth!

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4.       If this was a purpose of His coming, then we must acknowledge that abundance and overflow are His will for our lives.

 

5.       There are times and seasons for everything (Ecc 3).

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6.       The Holy Spirit has declared that 2005 is the Year of the Overflow or in other words, the Season for Increase.

 

7.       Make a demand on this season.  Tap into this anointing.  Seize the opportunity.  Pray and seek God for direction for 2005 and then seek to walk it out in excellence and overflow.

 

8.       God is a God of progression and not regression.  Thank God for 2004, but know that the Best is yet to come!  The end is greater than the beginning (Ecc 7:8).

 

Confession for this day:  Lord God.  You sent Your Son to die that I might life.  Your Son also declared that He came that I might have abundant life.  You have spoken through several vessels and declared that 2005 is the Year of the Overflow.  I agree with both the words of Jesus and the Holy Spirit speaking through men and I make a demand on this anointing.  I declare that 2005 will be the best year of my life.  I walk in overflow and abundance.  I receive the superadded this year.  There will not a shortage in any area of my life.  I receive supernatural revelation, wisdom, and understanding this year.  I receive health, strength, and physical soundness this year.  I receive favor, preferential treatment, and victory this year.  The best is yet to come.  I walk in Overflow in 2005!  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

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This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

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Walking in the Overflow in 2005 (part II) (top of page)

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(1 Th 3:10-13 AMP)  [And we] continue to pray especially and with most intense earnestness night and day that we may see you face to face and mend and make good whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your faith.  Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) guide our steps to you.  And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you,  So that He may strengthen and confirm and establish your hearts faultlessly pure and unblamable in holiness in the sight of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) with all His saints (the holy and glorified people of God)! Amen, (so be it).

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This morning I am led to share another message on Overflow.  I received many responses to yesterday’s message agreeing with me – in the Spirit – that this is the Year of the Overflow and this morning I was led to our text.  This is a bit strange for me, because I don’t normally list so many verses as the focus text.  Being that the text is so long, we will not go into the background – other than to say that this is the benediction to the letter – and rather jump straight in to gleaning some golden nuggets from the text that apply to our lives today, especially in this new season:

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1.       Overflow requires faith:  Paul prayed that the imperfections of their faith would be mended.  I have shared many times that, as Christians, everything that we do, we do by faith.  If our faith is lacking or wavering, it will stifle our ability to tap into the anointing for Overflow.  Our faith is mended or made perfect through receiving and responding to the Word of God!

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2.       Overflow requires love:  Paul says, “may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people.”  No doubt, there are many who will want to stake a claim on the Year of the Overflow and seek God for financial increase, but without love, you are nothing (1 Cor 13). John taught us that God is love (1 Jn 4:8).  Love is not something that God possesses, love is what He is.  If you pursue things (money, houses, etc.) without developing character, then you will be sadly disappointed.  God wants us to pursue Him.  If we pursue Him (love), things will pursue us.  You cannot have the overflow without love.

 

3.       Faith and Love remove the Blessing-Blockers:  Paul says that if we walk this way (faith and love), the Lord will strengthen, confirm, and establish our hearts faultless and unblamable in holiness.  This is very important, because when we walk in offence with others, we block God’s favor and blessings upon our life (Mark 11:25).  Paul told the Galatian church that faith works by love (Gal 5:6).  When we operate in faith coupled with love, we are free of anything that will block God’s blessings over our life. When we remove the Blessing-Blockers, when will Walk in Overflow!

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Confession for this day:  Lord God.  Overflow requires faith.  My faith is mended through receiving and responding to the Word of God and I declare that I operate in faith in every area of my life.  Overflow also requires love.  You are love.  You live in me.  I declare that Your love permeates through me today like never before.  I increase and overflow in love for all people.  Faith works by love.  I couple my faith with Your love and declare that every Blessing-Blocker is removed from my life.  I repent of sin and cast away every weight.  I am covered by Your blood and made holy through Your Sacrifice.  I am ready to walk in Overflow this year.  This is the Year of the Overflow and I receive it by faith, working by love.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!

 

This is Today’s Word!  Apply it and Prosper!

 

The Power of His presence (top of page)

 

(Jos 1:5 NIV)  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

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This morning we continue our series on ‘Walking in Overflow in 2005’ with a message about Joshua.  Last night I was meditating on the direction of this ministry and the messages the Lord wants me to share and He led me to Joshua.  He told me to learn from Joshua, because we are in a similar situation that He was in.  I asked God to further explain and He did.  He reminded me of how Joshua was one of the 12 spies who searched the Promised Land and only one of the two that came back actually believing that they could take the land.  Joshua knew what God had already done and knew that God would not forsake them.  He was ready and willing to go in Canaan and take the land for God.  He was like us in that we know many of the things that we want to do for God in life and we sometimes sit back and Dream Big Dreams.  We know that God can do it, but we secretly wonder if the timing is right.  In Joshua’s case the people rebelled against God and did not think that they could do it.  God was so upset that He actually told Moses that all those people (20 yrs. and older), Moses included, would die in the desert and never see the Promised Land (Num 14:35).  The only people that God would spare would be Joshua and Caleb, because they believed that God could do it.

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God then took me to Joshua 1.  This book opens with the God saying to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead.  Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.”  This is significant because it sparks a shift in timing.  The death of Moses and his generation meant that the judgment of God was over and the time for increase and overflow had arrived.  God was telling Joshua that it was time to take the land.  They had experienced Egypt – the land of not enough.  They had experienced the wilderness – the land of just enough (daily Manna).  But now it was time to experience Canaan – the land of TOO MUCH STUFF! Or in other words, the land of the Overflow!  We will deal with this more in the days to come, but this morning I want to focus in on a key aspect of the preparation of Joshua.  To get Joshua ready for the shift and the increase, God reminded him of His presence and His power in our text.