Genesis 28  (NKJV) 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

“KEEP” : Preserve, keep from harm, damage, danger, or evil. It also means to protect or save. To be responsible for protection, care, and oversight

THAT’S THE THE ROLE OF A FATHER!

Jacob was terrified,  God shows up and says, “I am with you son”. “I am responsible for you”.

That’s the spirit of adoption.  Knowing that, despite my mistakes, I am in a the position of a son. The law makes us slaves to sin, but through the righteousness of Jesus, we are sons!

Romans 8:15  (NIV)
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Sons of God reign on the Earth.  They don’t live in fear like slaves!  They have authority to have dominion, that’s what reigning means.  So, it’s time to speak the things we want to see happen. Fear keeps us silent. Fear hinders the flow of the Word from our hearts out of our mouths. What we do say in fear is the opposite of God’s promises. Fear will be defeated this year as we say what God says about us. This year we must speak the things we don’t see yet. Speak in faith as a son who has received the spirit of adoption!

APPLICATION:  Please speak Psalm 112:1-8 over your life and family every day this week!

• I have decisions to make.
• I am worried about this decision/situation.
• I need to do something about my thoughts.
• God doesn’t choose my way of thinking.
• The devil doesn’t choose my way of thinking.
• I choose my way of thinking.
• When I am in difficult circumstances – I can choose to think about God’s promises.
• All success in my life is because of Jesus!
• Every good decision I have ever made began with a thought from the Lord (in my heart or from the Word).
• Thank you for everything you have done for me, Lord.  You love me, Your favor surrounds me like a shield.
• Lord, please help me with this decision.  Please give me wisdom, please give me your thoughts, please give me courage to do what I need to do.

A disciple experiences the peace of God because of the discipline (life habits) to do what God’s Word says. We all need a process of thinking that takes us from worry to the promises of God.  Develop your own process.  Base it on Philippians 4:6-7.  Receive supernatural peace today and everyday in 2012!

2012 will be a year of blessing and peace as we pray and speak God’s Word over our lives and over our families.  We are going to take authority over worry and fear as we go into 2012.  The confusion of the past will go as we believe God for a new season of freedom from fear!  Just do this devotion every day this week and then pray for your prayer requests (follow @victoryupdates on twitter).

VERSE #1 ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND SUCCESS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS 

We allow worry to consume our thoughts when we forget how much God loves us and how much His love affects our lives every day.  As born again believers we have God’s grace helping us everyday and we live our lives through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  There is really nothing to worry about!

Romans 5:17 (NKJV) 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Now speak God’s Word over your life:  “I receive abundance of grace today”, “I receive abundance of God’s help”, “I receive abundance of God’s favor”, “I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus”, “I receive the gift of righteousness”.

VERSE #2 PROMISES FOR THE RIGHTEOUS

Psalm 112 (NKJV) 1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth, The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house,And his righteousness endures forever. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.

Now speak God’s Word over your life:  “My children and grandchildren will be mighty on the Earth”, “wealth and riches will be in my house”, “I have wisdom and discretion for all decisions”, “I will not fear, my heart trusts in the Lord”.

VERSE #3  THE PEACE OF GOD

Philippians 4:6-8  (NKJV) 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Now speak God’s Word over your life: “I put my trust in the Lord today”,  “I have peace that passes my understanding”,  “I have peace that guards my heart and mind through Christ Jesus”.

NOW LET’S PRAY OVER OUR SPECIFIC REQUESTS WITH CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S WORD

1 Samuel 17  (NKJV)
1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants.   But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

God just needed a man to stand up to the threats!  He just needed a man to move in faith and He was ready to win the battle through that man!

As we prayer together , let’s remember that God works through believers.  He doesn’t expect us to win battles with our own strength.  You are going to win the battle against fear because you reign in life through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

31 Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32 Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

Our hearts will not fear in 2012.  The enemy is defeated, Jesus has disarmed him (Colossians 2:14-15) and he has no power over us in Jesus Name!  This is going to be a year of peace as we put God first in 2012!

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Why do we need to pray?

Ezekiel 22:30  ”So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. “

God was looking for someone to pray on behalf of the land, but there was no one to pray.  How many times has God wanted to move but couldn’t because of a lack of prayer?  It is clear in the Old and New Testaments, that God moves when we pray.  People think because God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, that He has already determined what He wants to happen on the Earth.  The truth is, He decided to work through mankind on the Earth.  Adam lost man’s authority on the Earth when he fell, but in Luke, Jesus gave believers authority, in His Name.

Luke 10:18-19 “18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you”.

This is what I tell myself about the truth of God’s Word.  ”I have the authority to pray!  God works through my prayers! As a Born Again believer I have authority to pray what the Word says because I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  God will use me to pray for His will to be done on this Earth, if I find out what His will is in the Word (His will is His Word) and I pray according to the Word of God”.

Who and what do you need to pray for today?  Don’t let the enemy steal your desire to pray effectively.  He wants you to think your prayers don’t work, he is just trying to shut you up.  Thank God for His grace and for the gift of righteousness and write down what you are praying for.  See God move in your life and in your family today!

The first key to praying for our children is knowing what God’s Word says about them. God has given us promises about our kids. We can pray according to God’s Word. I pray over the students at VCS every day, that they will be mighty and successful men and women of God on the Earth!

Psalm 112:1-2 “Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth, The generation of the upright will be blessed”.

#2 Pray for wisdom

The second key is asking God to give us the words to say in every situation and wisdom for every decision that we have to make.

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”.

#3 Pray in faith not fear.

We make our worst decisions when we are afraid. That’s why it is so important to know what God’s promises are!. When I feel fear and worry, I thank God for His faithfulness and for His Word and then ask Him to bless our children and the families at VCS.

James 1:6-76 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

This is the greatest time in history to be a parent. God wants to bless you! God wants to bless your family! Trust Him, speak His Word over your family!

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)

⁸ “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.

⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Luke 4:19-19 (NIV)

¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Don’t be afraid of people, God is in the business of promoting faithfulness and clean hearts.  He will speak to the hearts of people on your behalf, He will bring justice and favor if you keep your peace and remain faithful.

How to be free from the fear of man: Repent without excuse.  Tell the Lord you are sorry for fearing man and not trusting Him.  Ask for forgiveness if your fear of man has resulted in sinful behavior like speaking words of doubt and unbelief or attacking people.

Begin to memorize scriptures that promise you blessing and success (like the ones in this post).  Fight for your new thoughts and for permanent heart change by speaking the Word of God. aloud.  Never trust your feelings.  They will follow your will to believe the Word.

If the enemy is really attacking you with the fear of man you are on the brink of a great breakthrough!  Fight back with God’s Word, fight back with thanksgiving and praise, fight back by serving your church, fight back by finding someone to bless today!  I promise fear will evaporate and the peace of God will return!

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

²⁵ Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

Jeremiah 17:5-9 (NIV)

⁵ This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

⁶ He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
he will not see prosperity when it comes.
He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

⁷ “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

“Wisdom does not come unless you see the need for it”

“Those who worship God the most are the wisest”

“Wise men still seek Jesus”

James 1:5

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”.

God is no respecter of persons.  If Solomon pleased Him by asking for wisdom, He is still pleased and generous when we ask Him for wisdom!  So read this next passage and personalize it today!

1 Kings 3:12-13

¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.