Made for More: YOU Can Live the Risen Life
Have you ever looked at your life and been less-than-satisfied, but you’re not sure what to do about it? Do you hunger for more, yet feel like you’re not making progress? Does it frustrate you to see the promises of God in the Bible and hear about them at church, but you’re not seeing them come to fruition in your life?
In the weeks leading up to Passover and my Passover conference on April 24-27, 2016, I want to challenge you to live the risen life. This is challenge 1.
Jesus didn’t die on the cross for no reason. He died because His blood was a holy currency that purchased complete redemption for you and for me. And when He did the impossible and rose from the grave on the third day, He proved to the whole world that everything He had preached about—and everything God’s Word promises—is true.
Better yet, not only is it true, but it’s ALL available to you and me right now by grace. Christ’s resurrection is our guarantee that we have access to MORE. He arose so that we could have more than we could ever imagine in this age and the age to come!
So how do you go about getting what God’s Word promises? How do you move from where you are right now to the MORE God has for you?
That’s where action is required.
In Matthew 11:12, Jesus said, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (NKJV). The Kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). It is also POWER (1 Corinthians 4:20).
Put these two verses together, and we see that the Kingdom is a beautiful thing that brings righteousness, peace, joy, and power into our lives, but we have to take action to experience it.
I love what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10-12:
“… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”
During this devotional series leading up to Passover, we’re going to talk about ONE key foundational piece of the victorious lifestyle each week. Each week, I’ll ask you to take one specific step in your own life that will help you receive everything Jesus died to give you.
And the first key we’re going to talk about is FAITH.
The risen life is a life lived by faith. Think about faith in the resurrection: you and I weren’t there, but we believe it! We believe it because:
· Jesus prophesied that He would arise;
· Hundreds of people saw Jesus in person after the resurrection, and they left their eyewitness accounts in mountains of historical documents which have been proven authentic;
· and because the news of Christ’s resurrection changed the world.
There is literally more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that George Washington ever existed. So we believe Jesus is alive. But do we stop there?
· What about believing that God is a good Father who wants to bless YOU?
· What about believing that He really does love you?
· What about believing that He will fill you with the fullness of the Holy Spirit right now if you ask?
· What about believing that He will provide all your needs according to His RICHES in glory in Christ Jesus?
· What about believing that He is the Giver of good and perfect gifts and He has already given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm?
Beloved, it is time to rise up out of the ashes of doubt and unbelief and believe God.
It is time for us to find out what He says about every situation, glue the promise to the problem, and lift that promise up to Him until we see Him do what He promised in our lives.
Luke chapter 18 tells the story of the widow who harassed the unjust judge until he gave her what she requested. When Jesus finished His parable, He said:
“Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:6-8, NKJV).
The unjust judge gave in to the widow’s request just because she was persistent. He felt no obligation to help her. He didn’t love her or have a relationship with her, and he certainly hadn’t sent His son to the cross to redeem her. But he still gave her what she asked for.
How much more will our Father give us what we ask, when we have His love, His Spirit, His Word, and the blood of Jesus on our side?
So here’s your assignment this week:
1. Find ONE Scriptural promise in which God said He would meet whatever need you have. (If you need help finding a promise, just do an internet search for “Scriptures about ____”.)
2. Read whatever God put in that passage as His conditions to seeing the promise fulfilled.
3. Write it down and keep it in your pocket.
4. Pray it back to the Lord every single day. Every time you think about that promise or touch your pocket, pray it back to the Lord.
As you pray, ask Him to show you how He’s working along the way. And I guarantee, because God is faithful and His Word is true, you will see Him move. Just don’t stop praying that promise until you get what you asked for!
Jesus died on the cross for you and then rose again to prove that everything He said was true. With His own life, death, and resurrection, He bought powerful, holy, Spirit-filled, victorious, abundant life for you.
What promise will you claim in prayer this week? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Also, mark your calendars!
My Ronnie Phillips Ministries International Passover conference is going to be held April 24-27 at Faith Worship Center in Chatsworth, Georgia. Check out the conference speakers and schedule here and make plans now to join us. It’s going to be a powerful time of worship and the Word of the Lord for this season. My father, Dr. Greg Collins, Dr. Bobby Atkins, Pastor Angie McGregor and many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord are coming to help preach and minister in worship, and we’re expecting a mighty outpouring.
We’re also believing God for 1,000 new partnerships to help us continue to reach people for Jesus in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and here at home. We’re hosting an evangelistic crusade in Managua, Nicaragua in June, There is a benefit concert at Abba's House this Sunday (4/10) at 6:00 pm in the Awaken Student Center led by our Awaken Student Choir. Please come and support this mission or designate a love gift to help us. Also, we’ve almost finished the construction of Phase 1 of our new Abba's House Church and children’s center in Cien Fuegos Dominican Republic. Plans are underway for Abba's House Haiti and Cuba. But there is so much more to do! We need faithful partners who will come up beside this ministry and covenant with us to carry the work of the Gospel forward into the next generation. I would like to thank my board and faithful partners. You guys build my faith.
Will you be one of our covenant partners? Will you link arms with us and stand with us, shoulder-to-shoulder, as we carry the message of Abba Father to the ends of the earth?
If you feel the Holy Spirit calling you to be one of our new partners, please email me. I want to hear from you. And you can give online using the “Give and Partner” buttons above.
Thank you in advance for your partnership and prayers! Remember to comment below to tell me what promise you’re claiming from God’s Word this week, and check back next week for the next “Made for More” challenge.