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Fruitfulness Through Meditating On His Word, Part 4 – By Bart Hadaway
Ps. 1:1-3 NASB “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither;
and in whatever he does, he prospers.”
In our last writing, we talked about being fruitful through trusting God. Trust is a condition of the heart that is developed through intimate relationship. In our relationship with God, it begins by taking Him at His Word. Taking Him at His Word begins with knowing His Word. Ps. 1:3 (See also Josh. 1:8) is filled with amazing promises of fruitfulness to those who meditate upon His Word. It is so important here to establish what we are talking about when we refer to the Word of God. For the Word of God to have its intended impact in our lives, it is imperative that we see it for so much more than information about God. Jesus said that the Words that He spoke were Spirit and Life. The flesh profits nothing (See John 6:63). Cognitive and intellectual knowledge about God without the life breathing Spirit of God will ultimately lead to pride that is devoid of God Himself. But when we see and receive the Word of God through the eyes of the Spirit (See II Tim. 3:16), then we have the life of God literally imparted to us as we meditate upon it.
There are so many scriptures that speak to the truth, power, and value of the Word of God. Here are just a few to consider:
Ps. 138:2 NKJV – “You have magnified Your Word above all Your name.” The meaning of the Hebrew word for “name” in this verse is “reputation, fame, and glory.” In other words, God is staking His reputation on His Word!
Job 23:12 NKJV – “I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” This confirms the importance of God’s Word when He said that we are to “live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
Jer. 15:16 NKJV – Your words were found and I ate them. And Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” Not only do we receive amazing promises of fruitfulness and blessing when we cherish and meditate on upon the Word of God, but our lives are also promised to be filled with joy!
Ps. 119 NKJV – This chapter could easily be subtitled “According to Your Word.” This phrase occurs 12 times in this Psalm. Every promise, prayer, and declaration spoken of in this chapter is realized “according to Your Word!” I believe that Mary the mother of Jesus was rooted in this truth when she declared in Luke 1:38 to the angel “let it be to me according to your word!
Jesus solidified the importance of the Word of God in His last prayer for us before His crucifixion. He prayed in John 17:17 that the Father would “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth.”
I want to close this blog with a twofold prayer. First of all, over the years I have heard people say countless times that they just can’t get anything out of the Word of God no matter how many times they read it. I pray over you now two scriptures; Ps. 119:18 and Eph. 1:17-18. And in the name of Jesus, I take authority over every mindset of those reading this that blocks and/or hinders them from receiving ALL that the Father desires to reveal to them through His Word. Secondly, I pray for all of us that God will grant to us a fresh hunger and desire for His precious Word, in Jesus’ name. Father, grant it to us according to Your Word because we desire to know you more intimately than ever and we desire to bring forth fruit that brings glory to You. Amen and amen!!
Fruitfulness through Trusting, Part 3 – By Bart Hadaway
Jeremiah 17:5-8 NASB – 5) Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength. And whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6) For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. 7) Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. 8) For he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit” (Emphasis mine).
First and foremost, trust is always an issue of the heart. Faith AND trust are both essential in our relationship with God (Heb. 11:6). Faith comes through the revealed will and word of God (Rom. 10:17). Trust is that dynamic of the heart which takes us beyond faith. Trust is the assurance in our hearts in the goodness of God period. From vs. 7 we can see that a promise revealed will cause us to trust in God. But…….. A promise experienced will cause the Lord to become our trust! Through knowing and experiencing His promises, His will, and His nature, our trust is established and fruitfulness is guaranteed. Look at these three amazing promises to those who trust in the Lord.
- Will not fear – When we are rooted and grounded in the love of God (See Eph. 3:16-19), our security is not founded in the world or our circumstances. Our hope, our confidence, our identity, and our security are firmly established in the heart of the Father, the finished work of the cross of Jesus, and the Presence of the precious Holy Spirit.
- Will not be anxious – Not only is so much our world living in fear, they are also being consumed with the worry that goes with it. But not so for the sons and daughters of God! We have nothing to fear or worry about!
- Will not cease to yield fruit – Notice the context of this promise. It is in the midst of drought! Every city, state, region, and nation has unique challenges and problems. But none of them are problems for our great God. He is the all loving God. He is the all powerful God. NOTHING is too difficult for Him (See Jer. 32:17). Jesus came on the scene when the religious system was powerless and dry. The Jewish people as a nation were being ruled by a godless Roman government. But Jesus came with a message for them that is the same message for us today. The Kingdom of heaven is here! Church, we need to not look for answers, help, or hope in any other than Him. His Kingdom is alive and well. The King is on His throne. I have had the privilege to travel to several countries in the last seven years. In the midst of poverty and prosperity, the powerful Kingdom of God is manifesting all across the earth. It is happening here in the United States. It behooves us as sons and daughters of God to lay hold of every promise He has given. It behooves us to draw close to Him so that He may reveal His heart to us in deeper ways (See Ps. 25:14). It behooves us to believe Him. It behooves us to trust Him!
Two weeks ago while worshipping the Lord, He spoke a word to my heart that I am laying hold of. It is not a new word, but it was fresh, powerful, and so encouraging to me. I was simply telling Him the wonderful things that I love about Him. Lord, You are faithful. Lord, You are merciful. Lord, you are unchanging. Lord, You are good. While I was speaking, He clearly spoke to me. “I am willing.” He immediately reminded me of Mark 1:41. Jesus told the asking leper that He was willing to heal him. And He did! I believe with all of my heart that God is saying to His people, “I am willing. Believe and trust Me.”
Father, I pray for those reading this, that You will speak clearly to them. I pray that You will fill them afresh with faith, assurance, and trust in You. I pray that they will come to believe quickly that You are not only able, but that You are willing. You can be trusted, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
Fruitfulness through Abiding, Part 2 – By Bart Hadaway
I want to begin this aspect of being fruitful by making a very simple and yet profound statement. It is the will of God for us to be fruitful! Consider the words of Jesus in John 15:16. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (NKJ). Now, depending on your perspective of this statement, there are a couple of responses we could have. One would be to feel intimidated and began the dangerous journey of comparing ourselves to others. This perspective would come from a place of putting pressure on ourselves to “do” what God has asked us to do. On the other hand, if we see this as it really is, a passionate invitation from God to have an intimate relationship with Him, we begin to understand more fully that this comes from His initiative and not ours. He chose us! John 15:1-8 makes it abundantly clear that the key to being fruitful comes through “abiding” (i.e. having an intimate relationship with Jesus) and not by just “doing.” He is much more interested in our “being” rather than our “doing.”
From Genesis to Revelation, it is clear that the reason for our existence is to first and foremost have an intimate and loving relationship with God. God IS love! The One Who is love created us for that purpose. I remember hearing my great friend Robert Hotchkin say that “Jesus did not die on the cross just to get us to heaven. He died on the cross so that He could restore us to relationship with the Father.” If we don’t know the heart of God, we could easily miss a statement like that. But if we do know Him as the loving Father that He is, we understand that we don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy the loving relationship that He wants to have with us!
As we approach our relationship with God in this way, the results will be inevitable. We WILL be fruitful! By simply making the priority of our lives seeking the heart of God through loving relationship, fruit WILL happen. Even when we go through the loving discipline and pruning of the Lord above ground, our root systems will be multiplying and growing stronger underneath. The manifestation of the fruit will quickly follow. Let me encourage you to make sure that the priority of your life is always loving first and doing second.
There are so many distractions vying for our attention. We live in a very “loud” world. Ps. 46:10 says that we are to “be still (or cease striving NAS) and know that I am God.” Being silent is as challenging for most of us as anything we attempt. Let me encourage you to learn to love and embrace silence. It is there that you will cultivate “ears to hear” the voice of the Father. As we abide in Him and hear His voice, we will discover that our fruitfulness will abundantly increase.
Michael Molinos was a monk during the 17th century whose writings I would encourage you to read. He speaks of 3 kinds of silence that we are to pursue. 1. Silence of words 2. Silence of desires 3. Silence of thoughts. As we learn to live in silence in the secret place, we will discover the heart of God as He reveals Himself to us. Out of that intimacy, fruit will come.
Father, I pray for those reading this. I pray that you will reveal Yourself to them with fresh revelation of Who You are. I pray that You help them to find the secret place with you in new ways. And out of that, I decree over them that they will bear much fruit and You will be glorified (John 15:8 NKJ), in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Keys to being Fruitful, Part 1- By Bart Hadaway
You would have to be blind to not be aware of the troublesome and sobering times that we are living in. Yet for believers in Jesus Christ, there are wonderful promises in the Word of God that inspire us with the assurance that we can remain fruitful in the Kingdom of God no matter what the circumstances of the world may be. Within these promises, we can find keys to encourage, strengthen, and propel us to live fruitful lives all for the glory of God.
There are four keys that I want to look at over the next several days. We will look at several scriptures as we go deeper into each of these individually. They are:
1) Abiding in Him
2) Trusting in Him
3) Meditating on His Word
4) Living in Purity
It is so encouraging to know that God has been and is increasingly raising up a host of believers who will walk and operate in levels of true kingdom authority and power. This company of believers will not be recognized by the size of their gatherings, but rather by their Christ like character that produces the kind of fruit that brings glory to God everywhere they go (John 15:8).
But for now, let me say that this is not the time to be in fear, retreat, and above all lose hope. In fact, these are the most exciting times for the body of Christ who will listen to and heed what the Spirit of God is saying. It is time to be bold in our faith, advance the Kingdom of God, and live hope filled lives in a dark world that is groping for answers.
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (I Cor. 1:30 NAS).
This is what we have and who we are because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross. It is truly what the world is looking for. Let’s get ready. Let’s go!
Break Off Limitations – By Kim Hadaway
Several months ago, I was awakened by the Holy Spirit, and I heard a phrase from Him out of 2 Kings 6. This chapter begins with the sons of the prophets realizing the place they had been living was too limited. That is when they asked permission of the prophet Elisha to go and enlarge their territory. They began to chop down the trees to enlarge this place, and also removed the obstacles that blocked their vision.
There were many things the Lord spoke to me out of this, but we will only touch on this one. Prophetically, I believe the Lord showed me it was time to remove the things that obstruct our view of who God is and all that He has made available to us. It is time for us to have an enlargementof the Kingdom of God released in us. I began to cry out for an enlargement of my territory, but it began with enlarging my view of Him.
He has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, but we have been limited because of where we have been living, and because of our perception of His Kingdom. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live in a place of limitation in any area any longer. This was an amazing thing—God was showing He wanted to enlarge my territory, but really, He wants to enlarge all of our territories.
Feeling Limited? Walk in the Fullness!
Have you ever felt limited? Have you ever had seasons you feel you can’t fully enter into all God has for you, because of the limitations?
I believe we have all felt limited at times, but we serve a God who gave us everything. He desires for us to walk in the fullness of all He has released to us. He also has made a way for us to walk in complete freedom with no limitations. The Word says Jesus came that we would have life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). If we are not walking and living in the abundant life, we need to find out why.
The Word also says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus came to give us all freedom. Let’s join in agreement to have freedom from all limitations; this is part of God’s plan for every one of us. Another powerful thing that Jesus stated is that the things He did, we would also do (John 14:12).
That is our hearts cry, “God, we want to walk in the fullness of all that You have made available for us. We want to see Your Kingdom come in fullness in every area of our lives; we want to model this and step into the fullness of all we were created to be and do. We want to be demonstrations of Your Kingdom and Your power on the earth.”
We have been seeing this in greater ways than ever before in the past few years but, guys, there is more. If I don’t see salvations, healing, cleansing of the leapers, healing of AIDS and HIV, the raising of the dead on a regular basis, then I am not fully walking in all Jesus paid for and has intended for me. We can get so caught up with daily life that we lose sight of the living reality that is before us: Jesus has given us all, and He has greater plans for us.
Preach the Gospel Where You are At
There is a great commission and we are all called to it: We are commanded to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Some of you may say, That limits me. Well, not really. Where is your world? You can reach out where you live. Some may say, I have a physical disability and can’t leave my home. You can influence your world by being a light to those you come in contact with. If you are reading this on the Internet, that can be a form of reaching your world and the nations. We must no longer allow wrong thinking and mindsets to govern what we perceive to be effective.
I remember a young man several years ago who took every word literally concerning the word Jesus spoke in Matthew 10 . This young man went out on a mission to another country, because the part in the Word about cleansing the lepers was not available for him where he lived. He sought out the lepers; did he see the lepers cleansed the first time he went? No, but he saw the village saved! That is pretty big, I would say. So again, don’t allow discouragement to bring limitation. If you don’t see it at first, then there will be a next time.
I live in North America. I can’t say I have ever seen a leper, but I have seen HIV and AIDS. I believe this is a part of that commission: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers. Have we seen cancer? Have we seen disease? Again, expose the lie. If you are homebound, how can you do this? Prayer! You can find the need and pray from where you are at. God is not limited to our location, so we shouldn’t be.
Again, are you battling limitations in any area of your life? Today is the day for them to be broken off! Let’s press in for the greater to be released in our lives. This young man could have said, I don’t know anyone in this foreign country, or I don’t have the finance, or I fear the unknown, or man has blocked my path. What God has for us, man cannot stop, if we pursue God and His Kingdom.
“Your Authority is with God, Not Man”
Many years ago I had a prophetic word spoken over me several times. It was this, “Your authority is with God, not man.” Let me share the interpretation. There is a place where I felt man would disqualify me, man did not always cheer me on, I felt limited by man’s perception of me and my gifting or ability. But God has always known the plans that He has for me and for you! I began to pursue that plan, and God began to open doors. That is a continual process—if we look at man and see how man has not always celebrated us or seen the gift in us, or feel they may not celebrate us because of our weak areas or lack of training, we will be limited.
I know of two stories that can blow that theory out of the water. One was Gideon and another was David. God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel. But as you remember the story, it was not the one who man would have thought was the obvious choice—it was the small shepherd boy who had been tending the sheep. In this chapter God states to Samuel, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). David was a man after God’s own heart. Let us together pursue God’s heart in every area, no longer allowing past limitations or obstacles to block or hinder.
When we pursue God fully, all the things of the world fall away. It is like the old song we sing, “In the light of His glory and grace…the things of earth will grow strangely dim” (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus). Let’s focus on Him, His face, His goodness, His glory, His truth, His provision, His covenant to us!
I have another testimony that should inspire us all. I met an amazing woman of God who has a son with Down Syndrome. Her family’s desire is to see him healed and made whole, but in the meantime they are not allowing limitation to stop them from living in full blessing. When this young man was growing up, his mother would pray over him and prophesy to him that he would be a blessed man of God, strong in the Lord and be a minister of the Gospel to the nations. They would find themselves in meetings and this would be prophesied over him and them also.
But what was awesome and so sweet to me was this. At times this young man would come to his mother and lay his head on her shoulder and say, Tell me again, Momma, about how I will be a man of God and minister the good news of Jesus to the nations. She would and he did. This young man, when he turned 18, was asked by his family what he wanted for his birthday. He said, “I want to preach,” so his family gave him a platform to do this. They got him a suit, invited family and friends, and his mother even told him, “You seek the Lord for your message and I will write it out for you, but you will have to ask the Lord what He would have you share.”
He did and people were so blessed by this young man. Later his family was going on a missions trip and he shared he felt the Lord calling him to go also, and had even had a word of knowledge about a young boy with Down syndrome and God touching him with His healing power. He even saw the young boy’s face. The last night of the missions trip, he met this young boy God had shown him. So, the point of this is, God used this young man with Down syndrome to bring the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for us all to the nations! Who was limited? Not this young man nor his family. They knew in whom they serve and believe that He is faithful and His words are true.
The Enemies of the Past are Being Cut Off
In this past season, I heard the Lord say to me that the enemies of the past are being cut off. In this past season, I felt the Lord show me that the things of our past that had pursued us will no longer have place to rule over our lives. Is it your past that is limiting you? Read Exodus 14:13-16 and Isaiah 43. The enemies of Israel’s past pursued them, but God showed His mighty power on their behalf. He also showed them the authority He has given His servants and how we need to use it, no longer held back by our understanding or the threats of the enemy.
How does that take place? Know your God and His Word, His covenant, seek Him and His face, praise Him. We are instruments of praise; let’s release the new sounds of praise within us. Also, we need to change our minds and focus on all that Jesus has done for us. Praise Him daily for it. Read Psalm 103 and Zechariah 3.
We need to change our focus. What you focus on, you empower. Look at the Lord and His promises and ask Him to give you a deeper revelation of Him and His Kingdom. This is a season of renewed passion, and as we enter into the heart of God daily, we are finding a deeper revelation of all. Let’s pray.
Prayer to Pray Over Yourself and the Body of Christ
Lord, we thank You for exposing all limitations that have been operating in our lives, and we thank You for removing them. We thank You for the invitation into this place of enlargement.
Lord, we choose this day to have a renewing of our minds, and we call for a removal of all mindsets that have held us back. We thank You that the enemies of our past are being cut off right now. We choose to focus on You and Your Kingdom and all You have given us, and no longer focus on limitations or lack. You are the living Word and Your Word is true.
Thank You for watching over and caring for us. Thank You for providing for every need. Thank You for a fresh anointing for every season and for enlarging our capacity to love and receive love. We also give thanks for this season of renewed intimacy with You, and we thank You that You have invited us into this place. Thank You that You are taking us deep into Your heart and revelation of who You are and all You are, just as You did for John in the book of Revelation.
Give us clarity of vision and open our eyes, Lord. We are hungry to see You like never before. We desire the deep things of God, no longer having limited or shallow understanding. We desire to join You in this place of illumination and renewed and deepened intimacy, and we accept Your invitation. We thank You that You have shown us Your Kingdom realities. Thank You that You are establishing Your Kingdom in us like never before.
Lord, we thank You that You hear every heart cry and You answer as we call on You.
The Merging of Generations – By Bart Hadaway
God’s Spirit Poured Out:
And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls. Joel 2:28-32
The nameless and faceless army of Believers that God is raising up in these days is truly reflecting the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 that was quoted by Peter in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost. Men, women, young and old alike, are all linking arms to form the greatest army of end-time harvesters the world has ever seen.
Quickly disappearing are the days when the “first son” mentality (see 1 Samuel 16:6-7) of choosing by outward appearance dominates the thinking of Believers. God is opening our spiritual eyes to recognize the hearts of those who are passionate lovers of their King, and they are being released to do the greater works that Jesus promised in John 14:12.
Restoring the Family
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5-6
During the decade of the 1990s, the prophetic promise of Malachi 4:5-6 was often declared to wage war on the rapid decline of the family unit, and rightfully so. While we still have much progress to make in that area, God is raising up a company of young parents who are truly passionate about restoring the family. But today, God is revealing that this Scripture has a much deeper meaning.
During the sixties and seventies, rebellion amongst the youth of the day was running rampant. A common phrase during that time was, “The generation gap.” That terminology reflected the poor relationships that existed between adults and youth. On the side of the adults, a wrong mindset did not recognize that there was a passion in the youth that the enemy was directing in the wrong way. Instead of fighting for them, they began to fight against them because they did not know how to properly respond. The generation gap quickly widened.
But over the last ten plus years, I have watched with joy the younger generation. God is raising them up, turning their hearts back toward the “hearts of the fathers.” While passionately pursuing the things of the Kingdom, at the same time they are looking for true fathers who will lead them. God is raising up true shepherds (see Jeremiah 23:2-4) with the heart of the Father that sees the Davids in this youthful generation. Truly, young and old alike are locking arms in these last days.
Recently I went on a hike through the woods with my son, two sons-in-law, and three of my grandsons. It did not take long for these young fathers to look for the steepest and most challenging way to navigate through the wooded area. They were being admired and closely followed by the grandsons, who eagerly desired to be like them. At the same time, I was looking for the path to the top that was a little more “simple.” I reminded myself that wisdom is better than strength (see Ecclesiastes 9:16).
As I joyfully watched their youthful zeal and adventurous spirits, I was reminded of a powerful quote that says, “Older men are primarily moved by contribution and younger men are primarily moved by significance.”
While we had the same goal of reaching the top, we also had differing perspectives on getting there. In the end, we all laughed and celebrated together upon reaching our goal. My heart was flooded with joy and praise to God as I meditated on this merging of the generations and the way He is raising up this end time army.
I began to think of many events over the last several years, such as conferences, mission trips, and evangelism schools, where I have watched the generations serving side by side to share and demonstrate the love and power of God to a hurting world. From children to great-grandparents, God is truly knitting our hearts together in love and appreciation for one another and the necessary gifts and strengths that each generation possesses. Youthful zeal and wisdom from experience, combined, are a powerful force in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Without a doubt, there is a battle for this next generation. Our enemy is pulling out all the stops to destroy them. But God is calling His Church to join our hearts with His and to stand strong in faith, believing His prophetic promises. He is turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. He is raising up an end-time army of harvesters to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
The Emergence of New Leaders – By Bart Hadaway
All of us in the Body of Christ have gone through times of dullness, dryness, and even barrenness, to a degree. But, it is the heart of God for each of us to have increased fruitfulness in our lives. For those who have not only persevered through the trials of the world but, more importantly, have embraced the pruning of God, Jesus’ decree in John 15:16 that we “bring forth fruit that remains” will come to pass in greater levels of manifestation.
I believe that Ephesians 3:20 will soon be realized in ways that will bring forth Kingdom demonstrations in the earth that we have longed for but not previously seen: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”
In the midst of this increased fruitfulness, we will also see the emergence of many new leaders in the Kingdom of God. These new leaders will walk and operate in levels of Kingdom authority and power that so many have been crying out for in the last season. These new leaders will not be recognized by the size of their meetings, but rather by the Christ like character that produces the kind of fruit that brings glory to God (John 15:8).
Your Influence Will Increase
In the goal-oriented mindset of our western culture, we are prone to believe that the key to being more fruitful is to “do more.” However, in the Kingdom of God, the greatest key to fruitfulness is taught by Jesus as “abiding” (John 15:1-8). Jesus prayed for us in John 17:21 that we would be one with the Father just as He was. Hearing the voice of God is imperative if we are to do His will in the earth. However, it is not in straining to hear that we do so, but rather simply drawing near to His heart. As we do this, we grow in knowledge of Him and intimacy with Him that causes us to more readily discern His voice.
The book of Second Peter begins and ends with the exhortation to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Peter tells us (2 Peter 1:3-4) that we have already been given everything that God has to give us. It is becoming more intimately connected to Him that will cause us to experience the desires of our hearts, which are actually the desires of His heart. Second Peter 1:5 NLT says, “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises.” He then goes on to describe how we do that. He lists seven godly characteristics that we are to focus on, pursue, and build our faith upon. They are virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. Verse eight gives us the promise that if we possess these things in abundance, we will never be barren nor unfruitful!
There are many of you reading this now that are part of the company of emerging leaders mentioned above. You have committed your lives to intimacy with Him. Your heart is like that of the apostle Paul when he said in Philippians 3:10 AMP, “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]…”
The enemy has lied to you and tried to convince you that you are not useful in the Kingdom of God. I want to encourage you now that it is impossible for you to be unfruitful, because you have been abiding in Him. Your influence is going to increase this year. You are going to step out in new levels of boldness that will bring demonstrations of the love and power of God into the earth and particularly in the sphere of your influence. Lives will be touched and changed by God working through you! Be encouraged. Continue to draw near to Him. This is going to be a great season for fruitfulness in the Kingdom of God!
Who Do You Say That I Am – By Kim Hadaway
Who Do You Say That I AM?
God Himself told Abraham, “I am…your exceedingly great reward.” There are also places in the Word that describe the richness of the Promised Land and the inheritance and allotments of land that were given to the children of Israel.
In doing a study on this, one of the most amazing discoveries that I have come across in my walk with the Lord is that God gave Himself as an inheritance to the priests. The Lord God told the priests that He was their inheritance, just as He told Abraham that He was his exceeding and great reward. That is the richest and best inheritance of all!
When we read these passages, we must be encouraged and know this was and is not just limited to Abraham or Old Testament priests. For, as Believers in Jesus Christ, we are priests and kings before our God, and all that God is and all that He possesses is ours. The Word reminds us we are joint heirs with Jesus and have become partakers of the richest inheritance of all. We know that the first and greatest gift we receive as Believers is eternal life! And we, through Jesus and His rich gift of salvation, have been restored to the Father and have been blessed with complete and total access to the Father. Praise God!
That is why I entitled this devotional, “Who Do You Say That I Am?” If we fully have understanding of Who our God is, and all He possesses, we gain insight into all that He has imparted to us as Believers. What an amazing Father! May your heart be filled with praise as you continue to discover the depths of our God and Maker and His rich love. He truly has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places and given us everything that pertains to life and godliness.
Devotional Teaching: The Lord Desires For Us To Know Him and His Great Love
Over 12 years ago, the Lord spoke to my husband and me and told us to go to the land that He would show us, just like Abraham. I knew that it was a new chapter in our journey of life, and I knew that there was a promised land that awaited us, filled with richness like we have never known before. We have always been blessed, but we somehow knew we were about to encounter so much more than we had ever known.
As we began that next chapter in our journey in life, the Lord shared with us prophetically that we would enter a place of enlightenment and we were to embrace the time. I will never be the same because of it. During this time I was given the greatest invitation. I was to become intimately acquainted with our God and discover the rich inheritance that we have in Him.
While on this journey, I was being led by the Lord to do a study of His names, and let me share that I have never been the same. I truly entered into a place of enlightenment; in fact, this is now part of my life’s message.
I have always known the Lord and been aware of His presence. I have communed with Him for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the Church and in a Christian family. I accepted Jesus personally as my Savior at age eight and have always been thankful for His presence and unconditional love!
But during this particular part of my life’s journey, God did an amazing, deep work in me and, again, I have never been the same. As I shared earlier, I have known the Lord my whole life, but the discovery of His goodness, rich love, and faithfulness only cause me to grow stronger each day. His truths are being established at such a deep level that I am not easily shaken. Again, it all begins with knowing Him. The Word of God states that those who know their God will be strong and do great exploits.
Who do you say that I am?… Matthew 16:15-19
As I said, I grew up in the Church and my family members were Christians, but I was not created to live off their salvation and encounters with Jesus. It had to become personal to me, and this is true for us all. Their salvation and experiences with the Lord influenced me, but God created each of us for personal relationship. He created each of us individually for relationship and to know Him intimately.
In Matthew 16:15, the Lord Jesus asked the disciples a huge question and it was, “Who do you say that I am?” They had been walking and living with Him for a while before He asked the above question. This could be true for many of us in the Church and for those in the world at many different levels – how long have you been walking with the Lord? Do we really fully know Him? We can only grow daily in this revelation. God invites each of us to do so by walking and communing with Him every day. And in this place, we will be strengthened, encouraged, and strong!
Jesus asked the personal question and Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus shared, “Flesh and blood didn’t reveal this to you, Peter, but My Father who is in Heaven, and upon this rock (this revelation), I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against it. And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven.”
Hell will never be able to prevail against Jesus. He is the Victor, and when we encounter Jesus and discover the richness of Who our God is, hell cannot prevail in our lives. The Lord desires for us to know Him and His great love. Jesus demonstrated this great love on the Cross, but defeated the powers and works of darkness as well, and rose victorious. Again, as we receive this revelation, we too are strengthened, because He dwells in us! The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in us – the very Spirit of God.
During my journey with the Lord, He took me through Psalm 23 as well, and began to teach me how to lie in green pastures and trust in Him and allow Him to be my trust. Psalm 23 begins with letting us know who the Lord is – He is our Shepherd, Protector, Nurturer, Guide, Provision, Help, Comforter, Peace, Sustainer, Restorer, Lover, Deliverer, Life, Truth, Counselor, Breakthrough, King of Glory, Lord of Heaven’s Armies, Friend. He is Faithful, True, Merciful, the Alpha and Omega…and so much more. Many of these names and characteristics of God are mentioned in Psalm 23 and other places throughout the Word. These names describe our God!
The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it (His Name, the truth of who He is) and they are safe. As we study His name and meditate on Him, we find ourselves strengthened, empowered, and established in the truth. Poverty mindsets are broken off and we, who have been held captive in times past, find ourselves walking and established in freedom. Giants are defeated as well.
As Believers our inheritance in Jesus Christ is rich and without limit. My prayer for you is the same as mentioned in Ephesians 1: I pray that the eyes of your understanding will continue to be flooded with light and that you will continue to grow in the knowledge of Him.
Ephesians 1:15-23 reads: “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Weekly Scripture Meditation
Week ONE – Matthew 16:15-23
Week TWO – Ephesians 1 and 3
Week THREE – Revelation 1 and 4:1
Week FOUR – Psalm 23
Out of Your Belly Will Flow Rivers – By Kim Hadaway
Out of Your Belly Will Flow Rivers
In John 7:38, the Word states, “He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (KJV). This word has been quickened in my spirit again, as well as the emphasis on rivers. It speaks volumes to me, and I pray it will be quickened in you as well, again and again.
We as children of God are to bring forth life and fruit that was birthed and begun in God. In the above Scripture, we see a key that is so important. The passage begins with, “He that believeth…” The word believe is in no way a shallow belief, but one of complete trust and total reliance on. Jesus is not only the One we trust in, but He must become our trust. And out of this place of trust we will find the abundance of God flowing through us in every area of our lives.
The word states in Daniel 11:32, “The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (NKJV). And another Scripture that resonates is Isaiah 26:3, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind…is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You” (AMP). Strength and peace are fruit that are produced as we abide in the river of God.
As we are born again, we are blessed with His extravagant love and the privilege of knowing Him and being filled with Him, His love, His riches, His promises, His healing, His restoration and becoming one with all He is and possesses.
This place is a continuous flow from Him to us, through us to others – ah, what bliss. Again, this is a river that never runs dry, and as we learn to bask in this river we will never run dry.
The Rivers of God
Let me share a couple of other Scriptures with you and encourage you to look them up and meditate on them, because these Scriptures speak of the rivers of God and the abundance, fruitfulness, and healing in them.
Genesis 2 speaks of the river that flows through the Garden of Eden. This river was split into four rivers, and each river’s name describes it as bursting forth with life, fruitfulness and abundance. Solomon was anointed and proclaimed king beside one of these rivers, and the first river unearthed some of the treasures that were in the land. It actually states pure gold, bdellium, and onyx.
The river mentioned in Ezekiel 47 speaks of it flowing from the temple, and everywhere it flows it brings forth life. Many trees of various kinds grow along the banks of this river, and their leaves never wither. There will always be fruit on these trees and new crops of fruit will spring forth every month. There is never a season where fruit is not abounding. This fruit will be for food and the leaves are for healing.
Revelation 22 speaks of the river with the water of life, clear as crystal, that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. As it flows, on each side of the river grows a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves are used for medicine to heal the nations (this is after the vision of the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven). In verse three of chapter 22 it states there will no longer be a curse upon anything, for the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him.
I recently heard an analogy of a sponge on the water, which abides or stays in the water and begins to be filled with the water. Before long it is completely immersed in the water until it is overflowing with water. When that sponge is taken out of the water, the water is still in the sponge and it leaks on everything around it. That should be us. Again, this is a simple analogy, but why would we not go deeper in Him? If we think we have experienced all of Him and understand all of His Kingdom, we are deceived. We will continue to discover our Lord and His love forever – I know I desire to grow deeper in Him. In Ephesians 3 it speaks of comprehending spiritually that which in the natural we cannot. But the more we experience Him and His love, the more we find ourselves consumed and realizing there is always more.
During this time of renewed study on the river of God, I began to have experiences with the Lord. By faith I began to posture myself afresh and new to lay in the river of God and allow Him to flow over and through me and carry me wherever He desired.
One such time was after having a disturbing dream. The dream had to do with injustice, and in the dream I knew I was seeing and experiencing what others had been, or were, experiencing. I knew the dream was for intercession, but when I woke from the dream it was a little difficult to pray because of all the emotion in the dream. As I lay (by faith) in the river of God and allowed His peaceful waters to flow over me, I began to have clarity of mind and thought. The intercession came easy and strong.
I actually had a friend with me when the memory of the dream came back to me, and as I shared the dream with her, she too felt the emotion and injustice in the dream. I shared with her that I needed to, by faith, lie in the river of God to have the emotions in the dream washed off, so I would not pray out of my emotion but out a pure place of union with God, and we both did this together. We each tangibly felt the emotion being submitted to God and the peace of God come into us and into the room. The time of intercession was so beautiful and filled with life and revelation, I knew the time had been fruitful.
This is just one example of this, but, even as we go about our daily lives, no matter where we are we can remind ourselves we were created to live in a state of peace with Him, and His peace won’t just affect and change us, but it will affect and change the world around us.
Another Scriptural example of this union is in Ezekiel 1. In this chapter it shares about the living creatures and how they are filled with eyes, and they are only moved by Holy Spirit. They move when He moves, and nothing else moves them. This should be so with us. They are filled with eyes, always seeing what the Father and Son are doing and moving beautifully and in total union with the Holy Spirit of God. This is how we will establish His government on the earth as it is in Heaven, becoming one with Him.
We truly are anointed sons and daughters of the Living God, and I am crying for the river of God to flow in and through us as Believers to bring forth abundant life, food, and healing for the nations!
Prayer For You, the Body of Christ
Lord God, we thank You that we have been given invitation to make our home in You. We are so grateful and filled with joy, and we willingly accept this blessed invitation. We desire to flow with You as one, even as You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are One. We desire to live our lives flowing as one in perfect union with You, and with our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.
We invite You, Lord God, to continually move in and through us, that Your name will be glorified in all the earth. We pray that many souls will be saved, delivered, and healed in this day and hour, and we will be truly aware of the rivers that flow out of it to bring life to individual people as well as people groups and nations.
Let’s pray for the earth to be “filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
Prayer For Those Who Cannot Speak For Themselves
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Proverbs 31:8
Lord, we come as priests and kings ministering before You, our God. We cry out for those who cannot speak for themselves. Lord, we cry out for justice to be ensured for those who are being crushed by the enemy’s schemes. We use the voice You have given us and are speaking up for the poor and the helpless, so they may receive justice.
We pray for Your river of life to flow through us, Your people, to those who are hurting and abused and in need of You, so they can experience Your great love, salvation, and abundance. We pray in agreement with Your Word in Isaiah 61 and decree that Your Spirit is upon us. You continue to anoint us to preach the Good News to the poor, and send us to bind up the broken hearted, set the captives free, and open of prison doors. And as we have once been those who were broken, we now sing the songs of freedom for all to hear. We will go forth into the nations and be repairers and restorers and builders in the wastelands, and we’ll see the desolation of many generations brought to repair and complete restoration in Jesus’ name! We call forth salvation for the peoples and nations around the world who have not been able to speak nor cry out for themselves, and we declare they now have a voice and it is heard by the Most High God.
