Acts 12:5-7
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.
7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
Eph. 3:16-20
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—
19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
God is bigger than all our LIMITATIONS.
Ephesians tells us that God is at work in us.
That word “WORKS” IS “ENERGEO”, He is working within us to empower us to BREAK OUT.
The problem is NOT with the limitation; it is with our THINKING and BELIEVING.
2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
“Always” means every time.
“TRIUMPH” is a picture of a victory procession of a Roman General celebrating overcoming the enemy.
Church, limitations are seldom external, they are mainly INTERNAL.
So what do you think is limiting you? What fear? Is it Physical? Education? Finance? Failure? Disappointment?
Think! Is this really what is holding me back?
Challenge yourself.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
It’s the story of Jephthah.
Let’s talk about limitation.
He was born illegitimate.
His mother was a poor prostitute.
Then she abandoned him.
His family rejected him.
He was thrown out of his home.
He was bitter and had resentment.
He suffered injustice because he lost his inheritance.
He was rejected by the village authorities.
He had limited education.
He was in spiritual darkness and oppression and idolatry.
Based on Deuteronomy 23:2-3, because he was illegitimate he was rejected from the house of God.
Meaning he could not go to church.
He was living under the curse of rejection.
Church, when you play the blame game for where you are at in life:
You become a victim
You become bitter
You become LIMITED!
Hear me, your limitations do not define who you are.
Judges 11:1
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah.
The name Jephthah means “He will open. He will breakout. He will loose him.”
His name was prophetically describing who God saw him to be. God sees you according to faith, what He designed you to be.
God said he was a mighty man of valor. His nature and character was the result of what he CHOSE TO DO!
MIGHTY means “hero, one who behaves boldly, a warrior.”
VALOR means, “force, strength, courage.”
This is what he became based on his choices. He refused to let bitterness or blame rule him, he took responsibility.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
It’s Time For Your New Normal
Daniel 9:19
O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
So God says, “Now get ready.” It’s time the church get back to at least the Book of Acts.
There are things that we can tap into to turn the church around and CROSS over into this new normal.
So let me tell you some of the operational dynamics of the Book of Acts. They, as believers, were totally committed to the Lord Jesus.
Sounds easy! Except it means we obey Him no matter what He asks and go where He goes.
Today people commit and the next day change their mind. This has to be Daily. In Acts they were totally devoted to the Word of God.
I’m looking for some people like that, people that want their life to be like Christ, People that will search and then apply.
If you want POWER, the power is in His WORD! These Acts Christians lived a simple life based on kingdom principals.
Cared for each other and helped people, they acted in compassion for people and were devoted to Jesus.
Freely you have received, freely give.
Crossing over to new things is NOT just a one-time thing.
We must enlarge our capacity for more. Yesterday is NOT enough.
God is NOT a historic God but a PRESENT one.
Deuteronomy 26:16-17
16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
17 Today you have proclaimed the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice.
Church, hear me, when God’s Word goes out, there IS NO REVERSE gear.
If He says a nation will change, it will change.
In the Book of Acts cities were changed as they were FILLED and refilled again and again.
They spoke in tongues; they gave prophecy and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
When the strength of Holy Spirit is in us, we can fight our enemies.
Man is spirit and we possess a soul and live in a body.
When our soul and spirit say YES! LOOK OUT!
Our body is the outer shell and we carry the body, NOT the body carrying us.
Come on Church. Read the Book of Acts and DON’T LIVE A NORMAL LIFE!
When you know the power of the Spirit, you won’t be afraid of any other spirit.
You have the NAME of Jesus. When we pray, we stand in that name. When demons attack, we stand in that name.
The name of Jesus will unlock doors and hearts and we use it to speak against the power of hell.
Most don’t know how to use His name. If we believe in His name, we will cast out demons and the sick will recover.
We must NOT become complacent after receiving so much food until we don’t have the hunger anymore. Intensity for Him and hunger must grow inside us.
I am expecting miracles this month. Something supernatural to get us ready for the future.
In a time of war, WE MUST BE CLEAN! If we expect a miracle it will happen. If we don’t expect, we will get NOTHING.
Matthew 8:2-3
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
God IS ABLE.
God is WILLING.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
So God says, “Now get ready.” It’s time the church get back to at least the Book of Acts.
There are things that we can tap into to turn the church around and CROSS over into this new normal.
So let me tell you some of the operational dynamics of the Book of Acts. They, as believers, were totally committed to the Lord Jesus.
Sounds easy! Except it means we obey Him no matter what He asks and go where He goes.
Today people commit and the next day change their mind. This has to be Daily. In Acts they were totally devoted to the Word of God.
I’m looking for some people like that, people that want their life to be like Christ, People that will search and then apply.
If you want POWER, the power is in His WORD! These Acts Christians lived a simple life based on kingdom principals.
Cared for each other and helped people, they acted in compassion for people and were devoted to Jesus.
Freely you have received, freely give.
Crossing over to new things is NOT just a one-time thing.
We must enlarge our capacity for more. Yesterday is NOT enough.
God is NOT a historic God but a PRESENT one.
Deuteronomy 26:16-17
16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
17 Today you have proclaimed the Lord to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice.
Church, hear me, when God’s Word goes out, there IS NO REVERSE gear.
If He says a nation will change, it will change.
In the Book of Acts cities were changed as they were FILLED and refilled again and again.
They spoke in tongues; they gave prophecy and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
When the strength of Holy Spirit is in us, we can fight our enemies.
Man is spirit and we possess a soul and live in a body.
When our soul and spirit say YES! LOOK OUT!
Our body is the outer shell and we carry the body, NOT the body carrying us.
Come on Church. Read the Book of Acts and DON’T LIVE A NORMAL LIFE!
When you know the power of the Spirit, you won’t be afraid of any other spirit.
You have the NAME of Jesus. When we pray, we stand in that name. When demons attack, we stand in that name.
The name of Jesus will unlock doors and hearts and we use it to speak against the power of hell.
Most don’t know how to use His name. If we believe in His name, we will cast out demons and the sick will recover.
We must NOT become complacent after receiving so much food until we don’t have the hunger anymore. Intensity for Him and hunger must grow inside us.
I am expecting miracles this month. Something supernatural to get us ready for the future.
In a time of war, WE MUST BE CLEAN! If we expect a miracle it will happen. If we don’t expect, we will get NOTHING.
Matthew 8:2-3
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
God IS ABLE.
God is WILLING.
Yours for revival,
Pastor Francis Armstrong
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