AN EXCERPT FROM THIS ARTICLE BY JOHN PAUL JACKSON:
"For years I believed that God gave me a revelatory gift in order to
reveal negative elements in life and warn people of their arrival."
October 5, 2001
MEDITATING ON GOD'S BENEFITS
by John Paul Jackson
While life is often unpredictable and seldom unfolds as we anticipate, it
appears to many of us even more chaotic in these turbulent times.
Unless we have a strategy for handling the distractions and heartaches
of life, we will be tempted to react in fear, panic, and anxiety.
When we allow life's struggles to consume us, we lose our sense of
balance. Many of us are tempted to focus on these challenging
situations in a negative light. Over the years, I have observed that those
who continually focus on the negative issues seem to receive a
disproportionate number of negative circumstances. Then, they justify
the harshness of their circumstances as being simply the price of being
a child of God.
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TIME TO ACTIVATE YOUR FAITH
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Instead, I would like to suggest that you begin to strengthen and
activate your faith so that you can handle life's unsettling and turbulent
situations. To begin, let's look at a psalm written by King David:
"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy
name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who
redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with
lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with
good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD
executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed."
(Psalm 103:1-6)
I want to remind you to remember all of God benefits! Meditating on
God's goodness causes you to connect with God in a deeper way and
allows Him to work in your life so that you will desire to act according to
His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
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SAVORING HIS BENEFITS
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By pondering His benefits, you invite God to work a miraculous change
of heart within you so that you can lead a more Christ-filled life. When
you stop to savor God's benefits, you begin to absorb scriptural truth
within your spirit. You allow God to speak to you in light of what you are
reading.
God's benefits are with us everyday--they are everlasting. On the other
hand, the enemy's attack is short lived. It only lasts a brief season.
Whenever I focus my attention on the enemy's attack, the longer it
seems to last. However, when I fix my gaze and mediate on God's
benefits, the shorter the enemy's attack seems to last!
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USING THE REVELATORY GIFT AS GOD INTENDED
=======================================
For years I believed that God gave me a revelatory gift in order to reveal
negative elements in life and warn people of their arrival. And while I
believe some difficult times are coming in the days ahead, I have
learned to focus my mind on the glorious results that God desires to
achieve through these negative events. In this way, I am able to remain
peaceful and focused. I am not terrorized by fear, panic, and anxiety.
Despite life's fiery trials and stormy seas, God's benefits bring a deeper
sense of peace and quiet contentment. Even when facing difficult and
unfathomable situations, I have learned how to command my soul to be
still. My soul has learned to obey the direction from my spirit. When I
discipline my mind, will, and emotions to come under submission of the
Holy Spirit, I am able to regain a sense of equilibrium in the midst of the
storms of life.
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THE PRACTICING OF "SPIRIT RULE" IN MY LIFE
====================================
As I practice this habit of increasing "spirit" rule in my life, God's peace
begins to permeate every circumstance. However if I allow confusing,
challenging, or even devastating situations to dictate to my mind, will, or
emotions, I will be in a continual form of chaos. In this state of "soul"
rule, I will lose the clarity to make wise decisions, to love my family, and
to lead my spiritual children. I will also take on more cowardly traits than
those of a true champion of the Living God.
This month, pay attention to the scriptural truths about God's benefits.
Meditate on Psalm 103 and begin to prophetically pray these benefits
over your life:
Declare to your soul that you will not forget all of God's benefits that
stem from His marvelous name. Declare that your spirit will rule over
your soul. Declare that you will cultivate the habit of humility and
repentance and that you will receive God's forgiveness and healing.
Declare that the enemy's plan of destruction will turn into God's plan of
redemption in every aspect of your life. Declare that God's loving
kindness and tender mercies will rule your mindset like a stately crown
set upon your head. Declare that your mouth will be filled with every
good thing so that your youth will be renewed like the eagle's. Declare
that you believe, with full faith in God's Word, the Lord will always
execute justice for you when you are oppressed. Declare that the
Kingdom of God will come on Earth as it is in Heaven and that the
Kingdom of our Lord will become the Kingdom of our God and of His
Christ and that He will reign forever and ever. Amen!
Remember, the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). All of His
benefits are yours. You simply need to embrace them.
