Devotions

The apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus: “That you may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power” (Ephesians 1:18–19). Paul was saying, “May God reveal to you not just the past greatness of Christ but His present greatness.”

The Church today has great reverence for the Jesus who walked on Earth — the Galilean, the son of Mary, the teacher and miracle worker. We never grow weary of hearing and telling of the greatness of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

We love to remind ourselves of how this Jesus chased demons and stood strong against all temptations. He opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears, caused paralytics to leap, restored withered arms, healed lepers. He turned water into wine, fed multitudes with just a few loaves and fishes, and on more than one occasion He raised the dead.

Yet, at some point in history, Christians began to limit the present power of our great, miracle-working Savior. The Church developed a theology that made Christ God of the spiritual but not of the natural. We often don’t know Him as Lord over our everyday affairs, as God of our home, our children and marriage, our job and bills.

Paul is telling us we need a revelation of the power of the resurrected Jesus, seated at the right hand of God, with all power given to Him in heaven and on earth. “[God] put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:22).

As I read this passage, my heart was stirred with a powerful truth: “Jesus has never been more powerful than He is right now.” Moreover, according to Paul, Christ is “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” (Ephesians 1:21).

In a recent devotional, I wrote about the power of petitioning prayer. Today I want to talk about something even more powerful. As you’re petitioning, you’re crying out, asking God for favor for power, for breakthrough. As that petition has worked its way into your heart and mind, it has worked its way into your faith; you’re going to come out of petition and into what I call proclamation. 

You will be proclaiming breakthroughs — declaring what God has said in His Word, “Thus saith the Lord.” 

You will be proclaiming that God has heard your cry and it’s time to get up off your knees. Not to stop praying but to say to God, “I’ve laid it all out before you. I’ve brought my grievances to you hundreds of times, just as David did, and there is no more complaint in my heart. In its place is a strong and powerful assurance that it is well with my soul. You do all things well and I will be a victor! I will overcome! You are for me, not against me. 

“This sickness in my body is gone! The financial stress and chaos I’ve been living in is behind me and I’m moving into a new realm of faith. My prodigal son is coming home. My prodigal daughter is receiving Jesus.” 

You are moving in a new direction, away from a petitioning cry of, “Will You help me, please?” You are now firmly standing on His Word, believing that His promises are always true and proclaiming with confidence, “God is faithful to His Word. He’s not going to forsake me or leave me.”

Once you get into that proclamation, you begin to pray in a different way. Just as David prayed, “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).

A certain woman in our church is known for her sunny, joyful disposition. Several years ago she came into my office and shared some devastating news with me. As she spoke, she was amazingly composed and the sweetness in her spirit caught me totally off guard. When we finished our conversation, she asked me sincerely, “May I pray for you?”

This dear saint started out by telling me some shattering news and then finished by praying for me! I was amazed at her joy despite some very painful circumstances in her life.

The kind of joy this woman had was normal for the New Testament church and it should be normal for us, too. Should we be depressed that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave? Should we lament the knowledge that one day we’re going to be with the Lord forever? Should the fact that our name is written in the Book of Life make us sad? No, of course not! Those things should give us great joy!

Peter wrote: “Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8, emphasis added). Does an “inexpressible and glorious joy” describe your church or mine? It should.

Paul’s epistle to Rome is his great theological document regarding justification by faith and other weighty doctrinal matters. Yet toward the end of his letter, the apostle declares that the kingdom of God isn’t essentially about doctrinal positions such as Calvinism or Arminianism. And it isn’t about who is right in the pre- or post-tribulation rapture debate. Paul said that the kingdom of God is a matter of “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, emphasis added).

The apostle Paul was describing a life of joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. That is how important joy is; it makes us distinctive as followers of Jesus Christ.

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson. 

Godly patience is a willingness to wait for God’s timing. There is such a thing as Holy Ghost timing. “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). This verse speaks of more than Christ’s Second Coming; it also is about the coming of Christ to meet our needs.

There is no such thing as God being late. Mary and Martha had thought Jesus was late when their brother, Lazarus, died. They said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). In other words, “Jesus, You got here too late! You missed the deadline.”

Imagine how hurt Jesus must have been over this rebuke. But He answered them, in essence, “No, I’m not late. Lazarus will rise again. I’m here, and I am the resurrection. All life is in Me.”

The household of Jairus, a ruler in the synagogue, thought Jesus was too late. This prominent man was told, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” (Mark 5:35). Once again the message was, “Jesus was too late. It’s all over! He didn’t answer on time and He let us down.” But, as we know, Jesus took the child by the hand and raised her from the dead (5:41-42).

Too late? There is no such thing with our Lord. You can see in both of these instances that Jesus was right on time! You may be tempted to quit the fight and sink into despair, but our Father is so full of love for His children that He cannot be stopped from bringing something out of nothing. 

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36).

The writer of Hebrews detects a weariness and impatience creeping into the believers. He wanted to address this by identifying for them Satan’s most effective weapon against those who grow weary in well doing: impatience with God.

Here is how it works. After a long period of affliction, the devil plants the thought, “God knows you’ve trusted Him and you’ve been faithful up to now. You would never doubt His willingness and ability to help you. So, where is He after all this time? Why doesn’t He help you? Is this how He responds to His servants’ faithfulness?”

Satan uses this exact kind of strategy against many dear saints today, implanting impatience with God. He is telling you that the Lord is not going to supply your need — that you will live as a second-class Christian, downcast and on your own for the rest of your life.

You may hear Satan’s accusatory voice, “You’re going to lose your job. You’ll lose your home. All your praying and trusting will be in vain. It’s obvious you’re a failure in faith. The time has come for you to give up and go back.”

Think about what the writer of Hebrews was saying to these suffering saints. What a message to deliver to a people mired in deep trouble! They had lost all their property and possessions and were enduring a long fight. And now they are being told by someone in authority, “You lack patience. Just believe and wait. The promise is coming.”

Yes, it is difficult to be patient but trust the Lord and don’t be fooled by Satan. Know that His promise lies just ahead and that He has not forsaken you.