When the Intensity Gets Turned Up

When the Intensity Gets Turned Up

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise."
(1 Chronicles 16:35, ESV)

TODAY'S WORD:

Whenever life gets difficult and it seems like the intensity has been turned up, that’s a sign you are closer to your victory. When those lies are bombarding your mind, when you’re tempted to get discouraged or feel like throwing in the towel, that’s not the time to back down. That’s the time to dig your heels in and put on a new attitude because you are closer to your victory. 

Maybe you’ve had a lot of things come against you. It seems like the more you pray the worse it gets. You’re doing the right thing, but the wrong thing is happening. The easy thing is to say, “Forget it. I don’t have to put up with this.” “This marriage is never going to work.” “I’ll never be able to raise this child.” Or, “I don’t like this job.” No, instead of getting discouraged, instead of going around sour and bitter, you need to say, “I’ve come too far to stop now. I’ve been through too much to back down. I realize the reason the intensity has been turned up is because I’m about to embrace my victory!” Keep standing, keep praying, keep hoping and stay in faith even when the intensity gets turned up!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, You’ve seen everything I’ve been through. You know what I’ve had to endure. I trust that You are working behind the scenes and leading me into victory. I keep my faith and trust in You and expect to see Your mighty hand in Jesus’ name! Amen.

Sep 16, 2014 Witnesses Just Share What They’ve Seen God Do by Rick Warren “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15 NIV) Everybody you see this week has a hidden hurt. And everybody you meet this week needs a massive dose of hope. When you share hope, you’ll have a willing audience. The hope that best helps people is the hope from somebody who says, “Been there, done that.” That’s how God wants to use you. God wants you to be a hope dispenser by sharing your experiences and what God has done for you. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (NIV). God wants you to be his witness. Most people are scared to death to be a witness. They think a witness means they have to explain why Jesus died on the cross, quote Scripture verses from memory, and know a bunch of theology and doctrine. You don’t have to know a single Bible verse to be a witness. Do you know the difference between a witness and an attorney? It is the job of the attorney to press the case, to show the evidence, and to ask for a decision. Not once in Scripture does Jesus say, “You will be my attorney.” It’s not your job to convince people to accept Christ. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job. You’re not called to be an attorney. But you are called and commanded by God to be a witness. What do witnesses do? They say, “This is what I saw. I saw the blue car run into the red car.” Are you an expert on cars? No. Do you know anything else? No. You just share what you’ve seen. That’s called being a witness. How does God want you to be a witness this week to the unbelievers in your life who are hurting and need hope? He wants you to say, “Pain really got my attention. Let me tell you what I learned. I learned that I need people in my life when I’m going through pain. I learned that God is all I need. You don’t know God is all you need until God is all you’ve got. I learned that God’s going to hang with me no matter what.” You share the lessons you’ve learned through your pain. You say, “Let me tell you about a time that something bad happened to me but God brought good out of it.” That’s what God commands you to do — pass on your hope. Talk It Over What are the good and bad experiences in your life that you believe God can use to impart hope when you share them with someone else? Think of one person in your life that you can share an experience from your life with this week. What will encourage that person and give hope? How can you better prepare yourself to be a witness?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWm6SWu8f9c