A thought for today

Posted on April 19, 2016 by growintheword

Expectation

When a person leaves the house with an umbrella and a rain jacket, though there is not a cloud in the sky, he or she does so, because they have been informed that it is going to rain. They have faith in the report they have received, even though currently, it doesn’t look like it will happen.
Likewise, if God told you it will happen, have faith that it will happen, even if it doesn’t seem like it right now. Get prepared for it and walk in expectation. What God has promised is on the way!

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I won’t complain

Posted on April 18, 2016 by growintheword
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Walking in the Anointing II “Protecting the anointing”, Bible study 04/06/16

Posted on April 13, 2016 by growintheword

 

anointing

Synopsis of Bible Study 04/06/16

Delivered by Bishop Walker III.

 

The anointing is the power and presence of God on your life

  1. One of the most profound illustrations of anointing given in the bible is when the dove ascends on Jesus after he was baptized by John. Christ literally means, “the anointed one”. When God’s presence or affirmation is on your life, it doesn’t matter what or who likes you. The anointing just opens doors for you.
  2. 1 John 2:20 (NKJV) says 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.[a] – The anointing reveals things to us. To walk this thing out, you have to be aware of the attempts to rob you of your anointing.
    1. 1 Samuel 15:23 (NKJV) says 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”-Saul was rejected from being king.
    2. 1 Samuel 16:14 (NKJV) says 14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. – The Lord withdraws from Saul and as a result, he ends up with a distressing spirit.
  4. According to the scripture, we see that God has taken his hand off of Saul, because Saul had rejected the precepts of God. Saul still has his position as king, but not the hand of God being on him, like it had been in the past. When God took his hand off of Saul, it was replaced with a depressing spirit. Now Saul is in a distressed state, because he has a title, but something is missing. The same anointing that works through you to help others, can crush you if you don’t protect it.

Don’t confuse anointing with gifts and talents

  1. Gifts are entirely different. Romans 11:29 (NKJV) says 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. – When God gives a gift, you can actually operate in it with the anointing missing from your life. Saul was king for about 13yrs after the anointing had gone from him. There are people functioning even today in roles, after God has fired them.
    1. When you are anointed, you can tell when someone else is not anointed. For example, a person may be able to sing, but there is no anointing to go with it. At this point, they are operating only on their skill. Another example would be you seeing a preacher that can really preach, yet their congregation never grows. They can preach, but they have to work harder to make a connection with their congregation, because there is no anointing to go with it.
  2. Your obedience keeps the anointing on your life. Your disobedience can cause you to lose your anointing. It is painful to watch someday try to operate when God has taken his hand off of them. After all, your talent can only take you so far. It is the anointing of God that takes you places your talent can’t take you. This is evident in people who preach an awesome word every Sunday and yet there congregation never grows. Their sermons are liking one key ingredient. It is the anointing!

Steps to remain close to God

You’ve got to know the power of having an intimate relationship with God. Psalm 91:1 (NKJV) says 91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”- We must come to a place where we are sincerely ready to trust God. When we are in the space of the presence of God, he creates a perimeter around us. This means there are things that can’t penetrate that perimeter.

To remain close to God, we must

    1. Pray daily –1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV) says 17 pray without ceasing, – This scripture reminds us to pray without ceasing. Remember Jesus said to the disciples, not to be like the hypocrites who want to be seen praying in public. Don’t be concerned with praying for show or praying in the King James language. Having a simple conversation with God is ok.
    2. Spend time in God’s word- Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) says 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.- You got to grow in God’s word. You can’t just rely on Bible Study and Sunday morning for your time in the word. Church is the only thing that we do as a people, where we don’t read the manual. You got to study to show yourself approved! This is how you get closer to God.
      1. There are two types of blocks Bishop Walker experiences. One is writers block and the other is bible reader’s block. The level that Pastor’s study in order to present a relevant word to us, can make reading the bible seem like work. It can start to seem like a job. The problem is, when it came time for Bishop to study for himself, it was hard to do, because he seemed like work. We can’t expect our Pastor to always prepare for us and never prepare himself.
      2. How did Bishop get over these blocks? It was by reading the wisdom books. If you read Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and Psalms (considered to be the wisdom books), you will be drawn back to God and regain your zeal for learning more about him!
    3. Trust God. Psalm 73:28 (NKJV) says 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works. – To remain close to God, you got to trust him. You trust everyone that you consider to be close to you, so why wouldn’t you trust God, if you claim to be close to him?
  • Stay connected to your local church. Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV) says 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, – When you stay connected to local church, you receive the word that is designed for you. The church is the only place we want to disconnect with, because of the things folk do and say, that we don’t like. People do stuff that you don’t like on your job, but yet you still go every day. You got to hear for God. You are here, because God is giving you a word.

 

  1. Remain close to people who are close to God.
    1. 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV) says 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
    2. Amos 3:3 (NKJV) says 3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? – Your relationships with others can determine how close or far away you are from God. Let nothing separate you from the love of God.

Don’t compromise the anointing

  1. Before the anointing was passed on by the use of a horn and oil, it was passed through by the laying on of hands, by the father. In Genesis 25:29-30 (NKJV) 29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.[a] 31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” We must first remember the acronym HALT. It means we are the most vulnerable for attack when we are hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. – Jacob says if you want something right now, give me your not yet.
    1. Genesis 25:32 (NKJV) 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”- Esau is about to die of hunger. He needed immediate gratification, therefore he decided to sell his birth right.
    2. Genesis 25:33-34 says (NKJV) 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.- Jacob gave Esau bread and stew. Esau carelessly handled his birthright and as a result, affected his whole bloodline. Just think instead of saying the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they would have been saying the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Esau.
  2. This isn’t the first time somebody gave up there destiny for immediate gratification. Adam and Eve gave up the garden for a piece of fruit. To put it in perspective, they gave it everything up for a piece. Is it worth a piece? Samson had strength, but laid in the wrong woman’s lap, and got a haircut from hell. He gave it up for a woman.
  3. For of those who have problems with our praise, all of us have soup and crackers in our past. We gave up everything for something. When you think of how God’s mercy blocked us from stuff that would have destroyed our life, you can’t help but give God praise! When you think of how you could have been shot up, or diseased, or dead even, you have to recognize that God blocked it with his mercy!
  4. It is important to maintain the posture of obedience. 1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV) says22 So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. – To maintain flow of the anointing in your life, you got to have obedience. What if God decided not to give to you what you needed, because of your disobedience.
  5. Deuteronomy 1:1 (NKJV) says 1 These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain[a] opposite Suph,[b] between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
  6. Exodus 19:5 (NKJV) says 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. , – Following God’s instructions is mandatory!

Principles for keeping your anointing

  1. The anointing allows you to have longevity. It gives you greater bandwidth to making you more able to receive from God. The anointing gives you longer time in the land. For example, your work load in the body of Christ may be doubled, but you can handle it, because you are anointed to do what you do.
  2. Don’t operated in the spirit of pride. Pride comes just before destruction. Pride will have you think you didn’t do anything wrong, but humility will make you admit to some stuff. Psalm 51:11 (NKJV) says 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. – David asks God not to take Holy Spirit from him. You don’t ever want God to take his hand off of you. Really anointed people are humble, just like Jesus was.
  3. Refuse to let fear drive your decision. 1 Samuel 15:24 (NKJV) says 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. – Are you so consumed with what people think that you will allow God to take his hand off you? You want the gift, the talent, and people for people to like you too. You can’t be concerned with people liking you. Remember that people will cry “Hosanna!” one day and then cry “Crucify him!” the next. We need to do what God wants us to do.
    1. Sometimes, when you anointed, you have to stand by yourself. When you walking in your anointing, know that God has his hand on you, even when people reject you.

Remember the promise of the anointed

We will leave you with 3 things as we close this lesson. Look at the scriptures below. Memorize and meditate on the scriptures daily.

  • Psalm 20:6 (NKJV) 6 Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.
  • 1 Chronicles 16:22 (NKJV) 22 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”[a]
  • Psalm 45:7 (NKJV) 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. –

The revelation of these 3 scriptures is this: Based on what you have gone through, it has taught you more about God. He is deeply invested in you and the anointing on your life. God will save his anointed, because he has invested too much in you to lose you.

When people try to harm you, God says, “Do not touch what I have my hand on (the anointed) and this means with your either. God fights for his anointed. Knowing this, as anointed people, walk in righteousness.

When in negative situations, remember that the anointing on your life makes you smile while others are frowning. When they people ask why, just tell them that you are anointed to smile in any situation that you may be in.

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RelationShifts V, Bible Study 03/16/16

Posted on April 5, 2016 by growintheword

Relationshifts V

“The new you”

Synopsis of Bible Study 3/16/16

Delivered by Bishop Walker

 

The whole premise of this series was reminding us that relationships go through shifts. Know that everyone in your life, will not be able to go where you are going.

The world tries to make you feel guilty for being new. In fact, you might hear someone tell you that you are acting “brand new”, but know that this is actuality a compliment. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) says 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. –  There are strategies that we have to follow in order to be free or otherwise, “new”. We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.

Howard Truman wrote “Being free is the ability to deal with the realities of one’s own situation as not to be overcome by them”. This simply reminds us that we have to learn how to let go of the past, embrace the future, and then go into the right direction.

Preparation is required

  1. There are no short cuts to becoming new. God wants everything that is old to be removed. In other words, everything not like God, has to be removed.
  2. God is the refiner. He will deal with the things that are not designed to connect with you. Malachi 3:2 (NKJV) says 2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap. – God wants you free of contaminants so that you can be free to worship.
  3. God takes us through the fire to get us where we need to be. You are gold, but life causes you to no longer look like gold. Purification requires us to go through the process of being liquefied, so that you can be purified. This is the only way you can reach your full potential. Ex – You are not like you are supposed to be when God finds you, so God takes you through the fire which is the process of refinement. Things attached to you and bring down your value. The liquefy process causes the impurities that have attached to you to come to the surface, so that they can be skimmed away.
    1. We don’t know how to let people go, so God takes us through the fire so that they will let you go. Some people, God allows to purposely fall out your life!
      1. Psalm 139:23-24 (MSG) says 23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life. – In order to become true, you got to be willing to go through a spiritual audit.
    2. We all like to have stuff cleaned up around areas that we don’t want touched. Ex – Everybody has that one draw in the kitchen or the laundry room that is considered the junk drawer. You throw anything in there and nothing in it goes together. You kind of keep that drawer closed off to the public. You will clean everything around this drawer spotless, but the drawer always stays in the same shape. This is how we deal with God as well. Everything is good except __________. We want God to overlook that place we filled in the blank with. That ___________ place is the one think about us that stays messy no matter how clean we are in every other aspect of our lives. This is why the Psalmist asked the Lord to examine him.
  4. It’s a process. The length of the process depends on your level of commitment. The fire is important! God takes you through this process, but if you keep jumping out of the fire, you constantly reset the clock. This means if God is taking you through a process and you jump out of it, then you have the start the process all over. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV) says 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. – If you remain consistent, you will come into the newness of the “new you” faster. You got to be able to stay in the process!

Steps for new direction

  1. You got to have the right mindset. Your mind will quit 100 times before your body will. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) states 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
    1. Write down 3 things you know that you need to let go of in order in order for you to become the real you. On that list of 3, whatever doesn’t lineup with the scripture, scratch it out!
    2. If you listed something that is now scratched out, then was it there in the first place? This experiment shows how we allow our minds to be consumed with so many things that block our bandwidth. These things cause us not to be able to receive from God.
  2. Find a reason to commit – You have to get rid of the old you to become the new you. You have to commit to challenge in life. Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJV) says 9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; – Commitment is the cousin of We often struggle with being committed. Being Commitment is hard. Often we don’t commit, because you don’t know the value of being consistent.
    1. Example 1: We will decide that we are going to eat right and that we are no longer eat any honey buns, fried food, or ice cream. We go to the gym and we work hard and then we go to the gas station. While inside the store, we see a rack filled with honey buns, we see a freezer full of ice cream, and we smell some fried food in the deli. All of a sudden, we start justifying why we should get the very thing that we are tying to get rid of. What we don’t know is that every time we grab that thing we are trying to get away from, we reset the clock.
    2. Example 2- You Come to church and you receive a word which gets you fired up about the new you. On your way home, you call somebody that you said you were going to let go of. Every time you do this, you reset the clock on the plan that God has for you. You’ve got to have consistency with your commitment.
    3. Consequences can fuel your consistency. One way to keep from going back on your commitment is to ask yourself, “Do you really want to go back to the hell that God delivered you from?” We must think of the consequences.
  3. Focus on what’s important. You got to elevate your thinking. High thinking and loyalty in low places don’t match. Ex- How did the cat catch he bird? The cat was at the bottom of the tree and the bird was at the top of the tree. The cat did tricks and entertained the bird at the bottom of the tree. The bird eventually forgot his purpose was to be up high. Every trick the cat performed, he got closer and closer to the bird. Finally, he was close enough to snatch the bird. You can end up being a victim to what is beneath you if you are not careful.
  4. You got to plan well. You Got to get an understanding for where God is leading you. You plan so you don’t make emotional decisions. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) says 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
    And He shall direct[a] your paths. – We plan to win!
  5. Take one step at a time – Planning means taking one step at a time. What got you in your old life is saying yes to too much stuff. The new you only does that which is related to your assignment. If it is not part of your assignment, why is it on your schedule? Just because it is a good thing, doesn’t mean you got to die trying to do it. If you try to do too many things that are not part of your assignment, you can end up burning yourself out, and not be effective at the thing God really called you to do.
  6. Invest wisely. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NKJV) says 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. – Investments you make in you life now, you will reap from now.
    1. Two investments:
      1. There are two investments you can make in the Kingdom. They are bountifully and sparingly – Sow sparingly in kingdom, you won’t reap bountifully. Be frugal, but not cheap. For example, you got to be the first investor in your vision. How you invest in your business, will set the pace for others that sow in your business.
    2. Be willing to make sacrifices – You can’t put all your money on you and not into your business. That’s what kills you being the new you. You got to pour back into your vision. It’s about sacrifices. Some people lament cause they are in college broke. Well, you are supposed to be broke in college. This is a temporary broke state. You have to sacrifice. The bible says in Romans 12:1 (NKJV)12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. – After sacrifice I come ready to serve.
    3. Find accountability .Titus 2:7 (NKJV) says 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,[a] – Name 2 people that can hold you accountable for what you do. Who can check you? You ought to at least have two people in your life that you allow to check you. You got to be at a place where you hold yourself accountable. You need somebody that you can call and get a accountability from.

Positioned for results

  1. You got to be intentional about your future. In Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) it says 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
  2. Your investments today yield fruit for tomorrow. Luke 6:38 (NKJV) says 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”- The seeds you sow now, are yielding your future. The money you save in your 20s, 30s, and 40s , will help you in your 50s, 60s, 70s. The stuff you didn’t save in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you are hating yourself for in your 50s, 60s, and 70s. The things you put in your body in your 20s, 30s, and 40s, you will pay for in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. You got to learn that it will take a little time, but will pay off.
  3. When you are in Christ, a new life is guaranteed. Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV) 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, – Imagine winning in every area of your life. If your character is not new, it is like the Beverly hillbillies when you get to the place God promised you. You are the hillbillies residing in Beverly Hills.
  4. A new life calls for a new environment. 2 Corinthians 6:15-18 (MSG) 14-18 Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
    So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God. – In closing, do you know who you are? When you change, your environment changes. When you change, you might have to reintroduce yourself to those who can’t handle it.
  5. We are chosen generation. 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) says 9 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;

 

 

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