Your greatest enemy

In the book of Romans, Paul let us in on who our greatest enemy is. He says “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” He says that in his fleshly body, his mind, his will, and his emotions dwells NOTHING good.

He goes on to say that he wills or desires to do good but within himself he doesn’t know how to always do what is right. You must understand and come to terms with the fact that your carnal mind, will, and emotions are enemies of God. Your greatest enemy is you – your flesh.

If you allow your mind to think whatever it wants, it will cause storms in your life. You can rebuke satan and spirits all you want, but until you control your thoughts, the storm will continue to rage out of control. You can bind satan and evil spirits all you want, but if you make decisions and live out of your emotions, you will sink in the storm-tossed waves that you are experiencing. If you continue to live according to your will instead of fulfilling God’s will for your life, you can fast, pray, bind, rebuke, and quote scripture all you want. The wind that is causing the storm around you is your own will and until you get it under control you will never get out of this situation.

Paul is saying there is an enemy inside of me, and I say to you it is a form of self mutilation for you to try and do something about satan, evil spirits, God, or those around you until you deal with yourself first.

You Are the Miracle!

I am here to tell you that God is on the move! He is just looking for a group of people who will seek Him with all there hearts. The question is not any more “will God use me” , the question is “will I allow God to use me”. God is pouring our the next wave of His Spirit and He doesn’t care who receives it! He is saying “ALL who will let them come.” The blind, the halt, the lame, the broken, the shattered, the whole, and the holy. Anyone who will turn their hearts toward Him and forsake their old way of living, thinking, and doing things will receive this next wave. 2010 is the Year of the Miraculous! Will you allow God to use you in the miraculous? Don’t you say, “Yes if He wants to use me.” That stinks! God wants to use you, He chooses to use you and He died to use you. Don’t say things like “Well I will go if He sends me to someone.” That stinks! He sent us out as a body thousands of years ago and He has never called for us to come home and rest. Go into all the World and preach the good news of the gospel to every creature! This next wave of God’s Spirit is on all of us who will place a demand of faith upon His Spirit to do the miraculous! Lay hands on the sick, speak with new tongues, cast out devils, raise the dead, cleans the leper…. Go! Grab your surfboard, which is the Word of God and ride the wave of the supernatural! He is moving and we must move with Him. God doesn’t want to spend time getting us motivated to move with Him. He wants to speak and we move! It is our job to get the lost, the hurting, and those in need of a miracle to move. We are waisting time waiting on an appointment when God moves on you to do the miraculous. Every moment of your life you are to operate in the miraculous! At Walmart, Kroger, the hardware store, the basketball game, the day care… where ever you are should become the place of a burning bush! You are the conduit that the Spirit of God flows through to do the supernatural. Don’t become clogged up by doubt, unbelief, frustration, intimidation, lack of confidence, or any other circumstance that draws you to the natural. Go now… today… you are the life line to someones miracle!!!

Pastor David Edmondson

2010 The Year of the Miraculous!!!

In the book of Mark chapter 6 Jesus was teaching and ministering in His own country and the people of His country would not recieve Him as who He was. They marveled at Christs wisdom and were amazed at His acts but they would not allow Him to be the Messiah so Christ’s work in that country was cut short. As a matter of fact the Bible says that “…He could do no might works there…” Why couldn’t Jesus perform miracles in His own country like He did every where else He went? Why don’t we see the miraculous and the supernatural like the church use to experience years ago? Why? Well here are a few reasons why I believe we don’t see the miraculous like God desires for us to see.

#1. Familiarity (Mark 6:2-3) “And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?” We see here how familiarity was a cause for Christ not to be able to perform the miraculous. I wander if you are missing your supernatural encounter because God has become to familiar to you. Maybe your flesh has become comfortable with your relationship with the Almighty? Maybe God can’t be God because He is your buddy…. Maybe you don’t believe Him for the miraculous because He has just become another relationship to satisfy your flesh when all the while He wants to be the God of your supernatural. God is God and He refuses to become predictable! He refuses to allow you to know what His next move is. He wants us to be close to Him and He be our friend and Father but not to the point that we allow ourselves to become so familiar with Him that we say in our hearts… “Oh thats just Jesus, the carpenters boy.” He is not just Jesus! He is the God of all creation and beyond! At His Name EVERY knee must bow and EVERY tongue must confess that He is Lord! He died to save your soul but He is alive to preform the Miraculous!

#2. Offense (Mark 6:3) “…And they were offended at him.” This is a big one that keeps us from experiencing the miraculous… offense. I wonder if you may be offended at your God? Are you upset at Him because He did show up the way you thought He should have? Maybe He didn’t deliver you the way you thought He should have. Maybe you have pulled away from God and the things of God because you have become offended at the omniscient omnipresent almighty God because He hurt your little feelings… well quit acting like you are the all knowing creator, and trust God that He knows whats best for you. Offense is the oldest and most powerful weapon in the devils arsenal! Don’t allow it to stop God’s miraculous power in your life!

#3. No Honor (Mark 6:4) “But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” You must honor the Holy Spirit with every part of your being. He demands to be honored! Remember when Jesus was sitting with His disciples and some others in a house and a young woman came in and began to wash His feet? All the men began to rebuke the lady but what did Jesus say? Jesus rebuked them and said, I have been with you all evening and not one of you have desired to wash my feet or honor my presence. Jesus said, this woman has not quit washing my feet with her tears and drying them with her hair sense she walked into my presence. He said she has honored me and every where the gospel is preached what this woman has done shall be preached as a memorial to her. WOW! Christ partly established His legacy on the act of one woman honoring Him for Who He was not for what He could do! Love Him, bless Him, cherish Him, lay at His feet, trust Him, and honor Him… He will do the miraculous!

#4. Unbelief (Mark 6:6) “And he marvelled because of their unbelief.” You must first believe He wants to, He will, He has, and He will again!!! Believing is the first step to the miraculous. If you don’t believe He is the healer than you will never get healed. If you don’t believe He is the restorer than you will never be restored. If you don’t believe He is the savior than you will never be saved. Everything supernatural begins with belief. Unbelief cancels Gods miraculous! You must first BELIEVE and then you will see the miraculous!

#5. Doubt (Mark 11:23) says, ”For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Believing is the initial step but doubt will come to still the seed that has no root! Sometimes it is easier to initially believe but if we do not receive our miracle quickly then doubt will come and try and still our belief. We must understand that God does not exist in our time schedule. He exists in eternity but He operates in time. We must believe, until His eternity has a head on collision with our time… that is the miraculous!

#6. Analyzation (Isaiah 55:8) says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Miracles are supernatural… that means they are superior to your natural intellect or way of doing things. God refuses to be figured out. He will use a rod one time, a staff the next. He will speak through a bush, a donkey, a rooster, or a rock. God will do what He wants, how He wants, when He wants, and by whom He wants. God refuses to allow us in on what His complete plan is so that we have to depend on Him. Remember He is God and besides Him there is NO other! Don’t try and figure it out… just believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

It is God’s desire in the year 2010 to perform the miraculous in our midst. But we must embrace His desire and His move. Many say that God is not into the miraculous any more because He only comanded the 12 to go out and do His work. Well lets look at what He says to them and see if that is accurate. In Mark 6:7 and 6:12&13 ) “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits. (verses 12&13) “And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” It says Jesus gave them power over unclean spirits then it tells us what they went forth and accomplished. In verse 12&13 the Bible says they preached repentance or salvation and cast out devils and healed the sick. So my question is if God was only giving His disciples this command and power then why do we continue to preach repentance because that is what they did as well. Whay do we pick up their command to preach salvation while leaving the miraculous laying on the ground of religious interpritation? Why? Why?…. I don’t know why that is why I am asking. Here is our mandate from the Father… Not just part of the command but ALL of it!

(Mark 16:15-18) Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Making History,

Pastor David Edmondson

God Wants To Do More!

I ministered on this thought on Sunday and I am still liberated by the truth hidden within this passage. In 2 Samuel 12: 7&8 the Bible says, “…I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! David had sinned against God, himself, Bathsheba, and his people. When confronted by the Prophet David was compared to a greedy ole rich man who had all the cattle and land he would ever want or need, but when a friend came to visit… instead of taking from his riches he went and took the only lamb that this other poor man had. See David had the Kingdom of Israel and Judah, he had wives, he had God’s protection, he had God’s prosperity; but when he looked out and saw Bathsheba bathing, he stole her. He stole her from one of his servants. If that wasn’t bad enough… he then had his servant killed… married his wife and lived on. Well, you know the story so I will not continue with the details but I was intrigued by the Lord’s response. He says to David… I have given you everything you could have ever wanted. You didn’t lack for anything! I gave it all to you and you did little to deserve my blessings… but here is the part that totally set me back. The Lord the says to King David… even though I have given you all these things… if that had not been enough I would have done more.

I Would Have Done More! I hear the Lord saying that to me and to you! I want to do more for you!!! We must believe that He wants the best for us and then ask him for them and watch Him show off. Not because we deserve His blessings but because He deserves the right to love us and kiss us with His blessings. Listen to me my friend… God wants to do more for you! He WILL do more for you, but you must believe! Do you believe? Eph. 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, See God is able and willing to do exceedingly, abundantly above ALL we could ever ask or think… but don’t stop there… “ACCORDING to the Power that works WITHIN US! You hold the key inside you. What is that key? FAITH! See Hebrews 11:6 says “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” When the two blind men followed Jesus in to the home of one of his followers asking to be healed of there disease Jesus asked them one question… (Matt. 9:27-30) “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” The question is not with God but with you…. Do You Believe! Can You Believe… or are you to hurt, to frustrated, or to far gone? BELIEVE!!!

I had a lady call me yesterday who was at church Sunday and heard the message. She said she took the word as her own. She was broke, penniless, Christmas time, 2 small children, separated from husband, needing God to “Do More”. She said to me that she was at the end of all roads and said to the Lord, “God I trust you and I need you to do more. I trust you!” She went to the mail box and inside was a check for $1,900.00 from the US Government! Now $1,900.00 is one miracle but from the US Government is a whole nother miracle (as we say in Ga). She asked a God… A Father who was sitting, desiring to be trusted.

Lastly, I thought of the tragedy of standing before God when I got home to heaven and He say to me, “Great job David! You were a good husband, good father, you loved me, and you were even ok at being a pastor, but do you know what? I would have done more with you… I wanted to do more for you.” WOW! I don’t want to ever hear that how about you? I am sure your answer is no as well. So what do we do then? We place a demand of belief on the faithfulness of our God!!! Trust Him… Believe Him… Ask Him… There is more for you!

Making History,

Pastor David Edmondson

The World Didn’t Give It To Me and the World Can’t Take It Away!

I know in whom I trust… there for I am filled with joy knowing He will never let me down. In Jesus is where my trust lies. He is my corner stone, my refuge, my buckler, and my shield! I am hid behind the wing of His Authority. Nothing shall be impossible for me because I am surrounded by His purpose. I am full of joy and desire today because He has given me the victory! I said joy not happiness. See happiness is an emotion… happiness will come and go with the resisitudes of life. Happiness is worldly, but JOY is a lifestyle and it’s heavenly! This lifestyle only comes through our life being hidden in our trust in the Father. We must choose to abide under the shadow of the Almighty and there is where the Joy of the Lord comes from. He not only desires to give us the victory His desire is to fill us and sustain us until the victory comes. This is the walk of faith… not only having faith that the victory is coming but placing our faith in the knowing that God has placed the joy of the Holy Ghost at our disposal NOW! He has given us the gifts of the Spirit so that we can live in fullness ALL the time!

24-7!

This freedom and joy only comes from the Father and it is freely given but it must be continually chosen. You chose what to eat. You chose what you are going to watch on TV. You even chose what cloths to wear. Just as you make those choices even when you may have 20 outfits to wear, 200 channels on TV, and you have to chose from thousands of eating places; the fact is you make the choice. Even when you are not sure what out fit to wear, restaurant to eat at, or show to watch… you locate your inner desire and then you chose according to that desire. See your desires provoke your decision. So it is not that we lack the access to the joy of our Lord, but yet we lack the desire for the things of God. “Oh No!!! Here He goes again”, you maybe saying. “It comes back down to me doesn’t it?” Yep… it comes back to you and what you desire. The Bibles says, hope deferred makes the heart sick but when DESIRE comes it is a tree of LIFE. When the desire for God’s perfect will to be done in your life comes… THEN will you live in His Joy and Freedom! Your desires produce your choices, your choices produce your harvest. I choose today to desire Jesus, His Spirit, and His will for my life. That desire will make me chose to trust Him and it will keep me from trusting in this world. As I make the decision to trust in the Father and who He is, what He has promised in His Word… I am filled with JOY. The JOY of the Lord then provides me with strength. Here is the revelation though… The world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away!

I challenge you today… desire Him, chose His ways, and be filled with Is joy! There is nothing greater than the Spirit of God and His love for us.

I know the master of the wind… I know the maker of the rain…He can calm the storm and make the sun shine again! He will calm the storm and make the sun shine again! Set your mind on things above and all the things you need shall be added unto you. What is going to get you through this storm? The answer is… your desire to come out of this storm victorious… God’s way.

What will prove you desire His will and His victory? Your choices. What will be produced when you choose His pathway? JOY! Joy in the middle of the storm. When happiness flees because it is worldly… JOY will replace the void of happiness because it is Heavenly! Be filled with His JOY this moment! And remember… The world didn’t give it to you and the world can’t take it away!

Making History,

Pastor David Edmondson

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