Strengthened by Your Foes + The Activation of Faith and Fear

Strengthened by Your Foes

Pastor Adrian Rogers

“Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.” - Numbers 14:9

Joshua and Caleb faced formidable foes in the Promised Land, and yet what was their response to their enemies? “They are bread for us.” (Numbers 14:9).

What is bread? It is the staff of life. What happens when you eat bread? You are strengthened by it and you grow by it.

Paul also faced formidable foes. He wrote, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9).

Why isn’t the door to victory easy? Because if it were easy, then you would become weak in your effort to work out your faith in God. God places obstacles in your path to give you strength. “Wheaties” is not the breakfast of champions— giants are. God wants you to feed upon your difficulties and depend upon Him to make you a conqueror.

What does it take to strengthen your body? What does it take to build your intellect? What does it take to grow love in relationships? Work. Read Philippians 2:12-13 and apply it to your life today.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, 

please visit www.lwf.org. 

The "Activation" of Faith and Fear

Glenn H. Jackson

Words of Prophecy

*       It is only faith [love] that both pleases Me and activates Me fully in the lives of My children.

*       A "passive [inactive] faith" leads to fear and mistrust. 

*       "All" deception gives the "illusion" in the mind of the one being held captive that what they are doing is "right". It may be "right" for Satan and his schemes, and it may be "right" for the pursuit of selfish goals, but this "counterfeit righteousness" [fleshly activity] has nothing whatsoever to do with My true Church and My Kingdom - for it is rooted and grounded in fear and pride. 

*       Faith is moved [activated] by a revelation of My Word abiding within one's heart. Fear is moved [activated] by a preoccupation of the mind, the will, the emotions and the body with self-desire - and, therefore, with "outward" things or circumstances. 

*       Faith is "activated" by Love - and My Love, alone. For I am Love - and there is NO SUCH THING as true [divine] faith or love apart from Me.           ...."For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love"....  Galatians 5:6  The Amplified Translation 

               ...."But turning around and seeing His disciples, He [Jesus] rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.' And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels".... Mark 8:33-38 NASB

        Fear is "activated" by self-will [self-desire], and is always rooted in the fear of losing someone or something - particularly the "control" over one's own life. Faith is ALWAYS "activated" by a divine love [for God - and for His Will] and godly desire - and "exercised" with a view to gaining something for [and, thus, furthering] the Church and the Kingdom.