DON’T BE INTIMIDATED

Mark 11:28 NLT They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

We can sometimes feel intimidated by situations or people and that is what was happening at that moment with the Pharisees and Jesus.

Jesus had overturned the money tables in the temple, and the Pharisees demanded to know who gave Him the authority to do it! But Jesus knew exactly who He was and what He was doing, so instead of excusing His actions, He turned it around on them and asked them a question instead!

Jesus knew God had given Him His authority to do what He’d told Him to do, so no one could intimidate Him. In the same way, God wants us to know we belong to Him, we are a blood bought child of God, filled with His Holy Spirit, anointed and approved by God Himself because of Jesus, so we can be strong and have courage when we’re faced with intimidating situations.

God wants us to remember He has given us His authority to be above and not under the circumstances, to be the head over the devil and not the tail, to remember he is beneath our feet and that God Himself is backing us up.

That’s why God tells us to resist the devil, because God is standing right beside us, but He is waiting for us to speak, to use the authority He delegated to us, and when we do He backs it up with all of heaven’s armies!

Psalm 128:6 NLT The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

Romans 8:31 NLT … If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

So, whatever situation springs up, whoever tries to intimidate us, let’s remember who we are, that it’s principalities and powers we’re dealing with, not flesh and blood. We are not helpless because God Almighty is right there and He has already given us the victory, He has declared we are more than conquerors in Jesus! We are victors not victims! Glory to God!😊Amen.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

AT HOME

John 1:14 NLT So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.

I wonder if you’ve done any spring cleaning yet? Washed down those cupboards, Washed any windows? Wherever our home is, whether it’s one room or a mansion, it reflects us and is a gift from God.😊

Now we may live in a home full of people or we may live on our own, but when someone we love comes to stay we want them to be at home in our home. In this verse we read about Jesus, who is The Word, leaving the splendours of His heavenly home and all its glory, to come and make His home among us!

That is an astounding thought! Why would the Maker of all things, the One who reigns in majesty come and humble Himself to become like one of those He had created, to rub shoulders with the least, the lost, the downtrodden, as well as the so called high ups?

Scripture reminds us that God is love, He breathes, walks and talks love and He has directed it towards us, His creation. Everything He does comes from His heart of love and He has come to make His home among us! 

The thing is, have we made Him welcome in our home, does He feel at home in every room or do we keep Him out of some areas? 

When the Holy Spirit moves in to take up residence in our hearts He’s going to do some spring cleaning, maybe clean off some dusty attitudes and sweep out some prejudices. But what a privilege to have the King of Kings, the One who is full of unfailing love and faithfulness, come and make our home His home.😊 

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit feels at home in our homes, that His presence permeates every space so when people come to visit us they feel His presence, His peace and His love, that there’s something different about our home, and if He needs to do some spring cleaning and clear out some stuff, we allow Him to do it.😊 Amen.