This morning we continue our new series entitled, “The Year of Supernatural Manifestation.” We are 10 days into our new year. As I meditated a few minutes ago, on the morning of Day 11, the Father keeps leading me back to what He expects of us, and that is faith. He has great plans for us this year. He knows the His timing is right to do certain things. But He does not force His blessings upon us. For Him to fully operate in our lives, He requires our full cooperation. God wants our participation in His plans to be voluntary and willing. Obedience is not obedience if it is forced. He wants us to enter every day with an expectation of His best and a heart open to be His representative in the earth. This does not mean we will not face challenges; it may mean we face more challenges than ever. This does not mean life is going to be easy; Godly people are anointed for difficult times. What it does mean is that God will be with you every step of the way, leading you to His best, and looking for you to walk into His best by faith.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. In Matthew 16 Jesus taught His disciples about the victory the Father had already provided. He was not speaking of a victory they could humanly see at the moment. Jesus was speaking of a victory that would manifest itself later, in the earth, but as far as He was concerned, the victory was already done. Faith has the ability to see God’s best, before it manifests in the earth, and then act in the present with a sense of confidence in God’s divine future.
2. In Matthew 16 Jesus was preparing His disciples for the difficult times ahead. Jesus could look down through time, by faith, and see the blessing waiting for them on the other side of the challenges that were coming. So Jesus, with complete faith in the revealed knowledge of what was to come, said the following to His disciples: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Matthew 16:33).
a) When you can already SEE the victory God has provided by His amazing grace, you can face the challenges that are coming with peace in your heart, faith in your God, and confidence in His finished work.
b) When God promises to give you “the victory” over something, you should do two things. First, get excited. Because God has revealed to you what He has already done (in the spirit realm). Your victory, as far as the earth realm is concerned, is only a matter of time. Second, get prepared. Because you can’t have victory without a fight. For this year to be a year of Great Victory, it is also going to be a year of great opposition. The good news is that God has already given you the victory. His grace is already on you to WIN. You must simply have the faith to access His grace for the victory!
c) God never promised you a trouble-free life. What He did was give you His grace to face and overcome every challenge you will face on the road to your purpose.
3. The Apostle John said, “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 Jn 5:4 NIV). The Easy-to-Ready version says, “Everyone who is a child of God has the power to win against the world. It is our faith that has won the victory against the world.” God has already overcome the world. He did this by His power. He extends His victory to us by His grace. We access His victory with our faith.
I will stop here for today and deal with 1 John 5:4 further tomorrow.
Closing Confession: Father, I am excited about 2017! Thank You for giving me the victory, through my Lord, Jesus the Christ. You have already overcome the world. You have already attained every victory I will experience. My role is not to obtain the victory. Jesus already obtained the victory for me. My role is to simply receive and maintain the victory You have already obtained. I do this by faith. My faith SEEs what You have already done. My faith believes and receives what You have already provided. My faith operates in the present, informed by Your revealed future, with a complete confidence in Your divine power. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and prosper!
