Worship
“So Will I (100 Billion X)” by Hillsong UNITED
Scripture
“If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.””-John 10:37-38 (ESV)
“And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.” -Luke 7:22 (ESV)
“He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”” -Matthew 17:20 (ESV)
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” -Acts 23:11 (ESV)
A Ministry of Bold Faith
This devotional was taken from my book “Arise My Darling.” You can purchase the book on Amazon.
Jesus testified about the Father to an unbelieving nation through miracles, signs, and wonders. He essentially said, “Even if you don’t believe Me, believe the miracles.” The Jewish people wanted a sign before they would believe. Yet, His whole life testified to the Father and His Kingdom.
Paul is given the calling to take the gospel to the Gentiles after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He traversed every place, nation, and city where God told him to go. His feet were not still unless he was in prison.
And then his heart traversed and scribed the letters that became part of God’s love letter to His people. Paul could not help but testify about Jesus to the rulers, religious, and spiritually hungry. He couldn’t keep silent because Christ was his very life.
Paul had to testify because nations and entire people groups had yet to know Jesus. He couldn’t be silent and hope people would be set free in those places. He couldn’t wait for someone else to go into the next city or country. God asked him to go.
Thirty-two years of ministry is all Paul had. He planted, built up, fortified, strengthened, encouraged, charged, and expanded the church. Today his letters and his life of surrender continue to speak to us.
Our Calling Today
God’s Word never ceases to be relevant. His miracles never stop pointing us to Himself. It’s all about testifying to every last part of who we are!
Now it’s your turn. The baton has been passed to you. This is your time, your commissioning, your hour to impact history. Consider answering these questions as you bring them before the Lord:
- Does my life point to Jesus?
- Does His word come forth from my life?
- Do I build up, strengthen, and encourage my brothers and sisters?
- Does my life give space and faith for the miraculous?
- Does my life testify to the goodness and power of Jesus?
- Could I explain Him in a court of accusers?
- Is there any evidence to convict me of living in impossibility?
- Do I speak to mountains and tell them to move?
- Is everything in my life possible for me?
- Do I step my feet into impossible moments waiting for Jesus to show up? Or, do I sit and analyze it in unbelief, fear, and intimidation?
- Do I believe Him enough to make Him known? Or do I wait for Him to move first to validate me?
- What if I stepped out, took a chance, and let Him show up in the way Jesus did when He walked the Earth?
A Prayer for Bold Faith
I invite you to pray this prayer:
Lord, ignite my faith for impossibility. Teach me how to pray for people and situations without hesitation. Raise me up to lead the charge into courage. May my life testify and give evidence to the power and presence of Jesus. Lord, I ask that I not be a motorboat tied to the dock of unbelief, mediocrity, possibility, and fear of looking foolish. Cut those ropes free. I pray that I would surf on the waves of the power and authority of Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Until the gospel is preached to the whole world, this is our mandate:
Lord, I pray that You would use our lives to testify to the miraculous, to truth, to His goodness, and to His presence. Let the Church arise in this hour with a courageous declaration that we will not be quiet any longer. Jesus, You died so we would be the most courageous people on the face of the Earth. Then You came to live inside of us to secure that reality. Lord, would You mobilize the women in this next decade to be a force for the Kingdom of Heaven. Will You download vision and clear, clear strategy for each one of us, so we won’t wonder any longer about what You have for us. May we know it with passion and conviction and joy. In the marvelous name of Jesus.
A Few Key Notes
- If you’ve ever wondered if God could be speaking through your dreams, join us for a workshop on dream interpretations through a biblical lens led by Kathy Gray, who has studied dream interpretation for 20 years. The last class takes place next week, and you can attend in-person or over Zoom. Online registration is now open!
Date: June 8
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: The Hope Center, 2001 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75075
Cost: $50
- Sign up for an Arise short-term mission team as we share the love of Jesus with the lost and the broken. Training will be available. Apply on East-West’s website.
Vancouver, Washington (men and women): August 12-17
Europe (women only): October 2021
- Two new Arise studies will begin this summer! Join in-person or over Zoom as we dive deeper into our identities as children of God and learn to wield the weapons the Lord has given us. Sign up by emailing me [email protected].
Forged for Battle: Battle Training to Stand Your Ground in a Turbulent World
Led by Patrice Vines
Dates: June 10-July 22
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lewisville, Texas
“The Supernatural Ways of Royalty” by Kris Vallotton and Bill Johnson
Led by Julie King
Dates: June 18-July 16
Time: 10-11:15 a.m.
Location: The Hope Center
