How many times has your life been wrecked because you were offended?  It’s no secret that the spirit of offense and division is the spirit of the world and this present age. People everywhere are offended about SOMETHING.  In yesterday's message, Pastor Nate talked about allowing and yielding to a critical spirit, about setting ourselves above others and grading them.  I believe offense and a critical spirit go hand in hand, and one thing is for sure, when we yield to these devilish spirits, we have, as Pastor Nate said, just capped Heaven's flow.  Children of God carry Heaven's flow.  If I've allowed myself to become critical of or offended with a carrier of Heaven, I've just stopped Heaven's flow.  

One thing I know about offense - it messes you up in every area of your life.  It is all consuming.  You view everything through the lens of this offense, therefore your reality is not reality at all. Suddenly, you have to fight for your rights and nurse your wounds. You feel constant pressure to defend yourself and let everyone know why you are offended, and the worst thing of all, you pull others in with you into this horrible dark place of deception. Offended people look for offended people. The spirit of division knows where it is allowed to operate.  No matter how JUSTIFIED an offense may seem, the outcome of yielding to the offense is the same - bondage, and ultimately destruction. Destruction of relationships, families, and even our God given assignments. 

Kenneth Copeland said, “The spirit of division takes a DIFFERENCE and MAGNIFIES it in HATE in order to separate people. And a house divided against itself cannot stand. When we take the Light of God's Word and expose who is responsible for offenses - the spirit of division - and quit blaming people for it, then we've got him!  He can't stand the Light! 
​
If we’ll address the spirit behind it, instead of the people themselves, we will find that the “feelings” of offense will not even take root, the Love of God that's been shed abroad in our hearts will dominate, our relationships will be blessed and we will continue running our race without even a bump in the road. 

Ephesians 6:11: “Put on all of God’s Armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, and against evil spirits in heavenly places.”

James 4:7:  “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  

CONFESSION:  I walk in love and forgive as I have been freely forgiven by God.  I believe the best of others and with vigilance I guard the unity of the body.  I deal graciously with people and viscously with evil spirits.  I will not grade others as God has not dealt with me according to my sins or shortcomings, but according to His rich mercy and kindness.  I am a conduit of heaven's flow.  

Life flows to us when we are connected to the Source of Life.  Just as a hose must be properly lined up to the water spout for the full force of the water to go through the hose, so our hearts, our wills and our motives must be properly lined up to receive the full force of God's divine life.  Thank God for His great mercy as He continues to show us the adjustments we need to make, as His desire for us is a gulley washer of divine life!  John 10:10 - The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

The life we are needing in our minds, in our bodies, in finances, in relationships flows from our inner man, our spirit, for that is where God Himself dwells, and where divine deposits are made.  His flow of life flows to and through our spirit man!  Many times we're not finding the life we want and need in the above areas because we've neglected our spiritual food and sustenance.  We've neglected the Word of God.  Our spirits need to be fed.  Our spirits need to fellowship with the Father.  We must be fully connected!  And in that place of fellowship with the Father through prayer and His Word, the very Life of God flows up and out of our spirits into every arena of our lives and into the lives of others!  Check the connection!

Psalms 42:1 - As the deer pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.

Confession:  I'm hungry for you, Lord!  As the deer longs for water, so I long for you.  Thank You for Your Word that is spirit and life and connects me to Your very Being!  Thank you, Lord, for life, life and more life - to the full till it overflows, a beautiful harvest in my life and into the lives of others!

Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.  Proverbs 11:25

Never let your struggle become your identity.  There's no such thing as unchallenged faith, and the devil will always challenge your identity. It's your confession that precedes your salvation. - Mark Hankins
Confess God's Word (the only TRUTH that exists) over yourself today!  The devil is a liar.  Let God tell you who you are and agree with Him!  Get your mind meditating on what God says about you.  Get your mouth moving.  Make your mouth do it's due diligence and say what God says about you today!

WHO AM I? 
I AM accepted and I belong to Jesus! (EPHESIANS 1:6) 
I AM valuable because I was bought with a price, and I glorify God in my body and spirit, which are His! (1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20) 
I AM chosen by God! (EPHESIANS 1:4)
I AM holy and blameless before Him! (EPHESIANS 1:4) 
I AM God's handiwork! (EPHESIANS 2:10) 
I AM precious in His sight! (ISAIAH 43:4) I AM His and He is mine! (SONG OF SOLOMON 2:16) 
I AM God's special treasure! (EXODUS 19:5) 
I AM fearfully and wonderfully made! (PSALMS 139:14) 
I AM more than a conqueror through Him who loves me! (ROMANS 8:37) 
I AM a disciple taught of the Lord and great is my peace and undisturbed composure! (ISAIAH 54:13) 
I AM protected, no weapon formed against me will prosper! (ISAIAH 54:17) 
I AM surrounded with a shield because I trust in Him! (PSALMS 18:30) 
I AM an heir of salvation, and He gives His angels charge over me! (HEBREWS 2:1, PSALMS 91:11)
I AM the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (2 CORINTHIANS 5:21) 
I AM healed by the stripes of Jesus! (1 PETER 2:24) 
I AM full of joy, and the joy of the Lord is my strength! (NEHEMIAH 8:10) 
I AM strong in the Lord and the power of His might! (EPHESIANS 6:10) 
I AM full of the Spirit, and greater iş He in me than He that is in the world! (1 JOHN 4:4) 
I AM full of faith and I have the victory! (1 JOHN 5:4) 
I AM filled with the full knowledge of His will. I walk, live and conduct myself in a way that is fully pleasing to Him and I desire to please Him in all things.(COLOSSIANS 1:9-11) 
I AM an overcomer! I overcome the world, the flesh and the devil! (JOHN 16:33; 1 JOHN 2:13) 
I AM led by His Spirit! (ROMANS 8:14)
I AM called by God, created for His pleasure, His purpose, and His glory! (REVELATION 4:11; ISAIAH 43:7) 
I AM royalty, anointed to serve my generation, and appointed for such a time as this! (1 PETER 2:9; ESTHER 4:14) 
I AM in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things, with the right people!

You’re in a courtroom and the judge asks you, “What is your plea?”  What do you say?  What can you say?  In this particular case, this case called humanity, the law says, “you’re guilty”.   Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 

But God!  . . . in order to satisfy the greatness of His love for mankind made a way, a way that is beyond human comprehension so the guilty can walk free rather than pay the debt for his/her sin. What is that way?  It is the precious Blood of Jesus, for it is the ONLY agent of our salvation! It truly is our only plea for salvation, healing, provision, restoration, deliverance, protection, and prosperity! What do you plea?  Your defense attorney (Jesus) instructs you on what to say.  I plead “The Blood!”  

The gavel comes down and the judge declares, “Not guilty!”   You see, it's not about our works or our own merit. NOTHING from God is. We want to guard against both ends of the spectrum - one of not feeling worthy to receive, and two of feeling like provision or healing should be ours because of the life we lead and how "good" we're doing. May our outlook and expectation always be, "Just as I am without one plea, but that Thy Blood was shed for me!" What is our plea when we come to the end of ourselves and realize that we need a Savior?  The Blood of Jesus!  

The Old Testament Jews would dip a hyssop branch in the blood of the sin sacrifice and then apply it to the doorposts of their home.  By doing so, death and destruction would pass over the house because it could not cross the blood line.  When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, the book of Psalms tells us that there was not one feeble among them and they came out with the silver and gold of Egypt.  This tells us there is healing in the blood!  This tells us there is provision and prosperity in the blood!  Can you imagine?  There were millions of people that came out of Egypt and from the youngest to the oldest, not ONE was sick.  Not one.  The blood applied by faith in the Old Testament was only a type and shadow of what was to come.  It pointed to the Blood that would be shed at Calvary by our Lord Jesus Christ!   We must believe and live our lives as though the cross really did make a difference! Salvation was not an afterthought in the mind of God.  

The Bible says that Jesus was “the lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.  That means provision for everything we have need of was made ready and given before there was ever a need.  Did you get that?  Provision was made before that need in your life ever manifested!  One of my favorite quotes from Billye Brim is, “God never plays catch up with the devil”.  Amen!  

Whatever your need is today, provision for it was made available before the foundation of the world with Precious Blood!  Your freedom from bondage to sin and death was purchased with Precious Blood!    1 Peter 1:18:  For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. Honor His Blood!

Make much of His Blood and His Blood will make much of you!  By faith, draw that Blood line around your family with the words of your mouth and be assured that Jesus and His Blood truly is enough to save, keep and bless you all the days of your life and throughout all of eternity!  You ARE free!  When Satan comes knocking, open your mouth and show Him the Blood over you and your family!  He has no answer for it!  It is his complete defeat and your complete victory!   

​Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony . .

The peace of the world is evident only when everything is going right. But that peace evaporates when things go wrong. Jesus said that His peace isn't like the world's peace. It doesn't come and go based upon changing circumstance, people who fall and fail us, or governments that rise or fall. It is constant in the face of everything else that changes because it is based on the One Who never changes and Who is forever faithful. That is our God. He is our Rock, our Fortress, our High Tower, our Safe Place and our Victory. Because we trust in Him, we can experience supernatural peace in a volatile world.  
​
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]"

Jeremiah 1:12 tells us that God is watching over His Word to perform it.  One version says that He hastens to His Word.  God in Heaven is looking for His Word in the earth.  Why?  He clearly tells us here, so that He can do it, so that He can perform that Word in our lives, and Heaven locates the Word in the earth by what is coming from our hearts and out of our mouths.  

F.F. Bosworth in his book, "Christ the Healer" states, "How the father nature of God must long for man to return to the security and simple faith of pure fellowship with Him, taking His Word as fact that can be fully trusted.  Basically, the Church has only one message:  In all things our Heavenly Father can be trusted to honor His Word."  Don't grow weary in attending to His Word!  Keep putting it in your heart and keep it coming out of your mouth.  Heaven will show up!

Confession of His Word
The life of God abounds in my life and household because Jesus  came that we may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10

God doesn't want me full of care and anxiety and looking to myself as my own provider, but rather looking to Him and trusting Him in ALL things, therefore, I take no care for my life, but rather trust Him as my good good Father to care for me.   1 Peter 5:7 I cast the whole of my care [all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for me affectionately and cares about me watchfully.

What a great day to agree with God and declare over yourself and over your family that there is no lack, no want in your house because THE LORD is your Shepherd!  Every blessing, every supply, every provision is already laid up for you in Christ Jesus!  Open your mouth wide today and declare, "We lack no good or beneficial thing because the LORD is our Shepherd!"

 The young lions lack food and suffer hunger, but they who seek (inquire of and require) the Lord [by right of their need and on the authority of His Word], none of them shall lack any beneficial thing. Psalms 34:10
. . . .  but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. 

The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack (want). Psalms 23:1