Jesus Is Lord & Savior; NOT a Good Luck Charm

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People in the world are quick to attribute success to good luck.In the same manner, they will attribute failure to bad luck.Good luck is not in the Lord’s repertoire.Luck is NOT associated with any of His characteristics.The Lord is Great in ALL He does.

“Every good and perfect thing is from above and comes down from the Father of lights…” is how James 1:17 makes the point in our title. All God does is good. The book of Job reveals that any evil in our lives is allowed by God. God allows evil in the lives of His children to build our faith in His Power to prevail over the evil. We are on display for the angels and all the evil spirits in the heavens to see God’s powerful goodness revealed in and through us. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

God uses His children to maintain His Sovereignty over evil.Therefore, good luck is in no way associated with God’s goodness, grace, mercy, compassion and love for us.Luck and Jesus do NOT add up.

Those who are content to base their experiences on luck – whether good or bad – are living in darkness.They are awake naturally but ASLEEP Spiritually! This begs the questions, are you walking in your blessed life awakened to God’s goodness?  Do you associate everything thing that is good in your life with good luck? Do you equate your luck with God’s wrath? Are you believing that bad luck indicates God’s wrath? If so, be deceived no more.

Jesus is Light and in Him there is no darkness.David declares in Psalm 8:9 “How EXCELLENT IS Thy Name” as he concludes the 8th chapter.He starts the chapter declaring the same phrase.Loosely translated, the quote means The Name of the LORD is the most wonderful name in all the earth.His name initiates praise throughout the heavens‼️

David references Jehovah in the Old Testament where over 40 characteristics define His name.Here’s a few:

•Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

•Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)

•Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

•Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

•Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

•Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

•Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

•Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

David considered all the wondrous works He has done.He looked up to the sky & marveled at His Divine handiwork of the sun, the blue sky, clouds, moon & stars.Then David looked at mankind, God’s handiwork.He marveled at how precious human beings are in His sight.David was convinced of God’s sovereignty!

Every aspect of our humanity demonstrates God’s excellence.Consider the nervous, pulmonary and cardiac systems & how they draw from each other.

The human body is a model of the Body of Christ solely exposed in the Pauline epistles. The Apostle Paul was given the commission to preach the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected it.(See Acts 13) Jesus told Paul to preach the gospel – Christ died on the cross for our sins, that He was buried and rose again from the grave on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor.15:1-4)

This is the Divine purpose of Paul’s ministry:

Act 26:18  “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

What more does God need to do to prove to you How excellent is His name?

It is a travesty & shame how humans – men, women, boys & girls- both then & now have gone from reverencing God as Creator to reverencing themselves as gods.

You see it in every arena:

•In the homes

•In the churches

•In the communities around the country

•In the world

People are worshiping each other & themselves more than God

Their blatant disregard for the fact that God is the source of their life-giving air for respiration and blood flow – PROVES why Jesus had to equip Paul with the gospel of the grace of God REVEALED in Jesus Christ’s death, burial & resurrection

The Power of this revelation revealed to Saul changed everything about his life

•his name changed

•his belief changed

•his message changed

God Empowered him to preach, teach and live the gospel of the grace of God

Every detail surrounding his changes were not due to luck – good/bad

IT WAS DIVINE PROVIDENCE! 

SALVATION IS A DIVINE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO RECEIVE & BENEFIT FROM Spiritually

•You will go through hardships

•You will go through disappointments, uncertainty, and yes CHANGES

But DON’T LOOSE YOUR FAITH

GOD IS GREAT & GREATLY TO BE PRAISED NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS.

GOD NEVER FAILS & THERE IS NO FAILURE IN TRUSTING JESUS AS Lord & Savior.

WHEN YOU PUT ALL YOUR TRUST IN Jesus Christ, LUCK is not a part of your experience as a child of God & member of the Body of Christ.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS ALWAYS THE CASE‼️

Included in Paul’s ministry is our final point concerning the title “Jesus is Lord and Savior; NOT a good luck charm.”

As Savior He saves us in 3 ways:

  • He is our source for salvation from our past & present sins. We must have faith in the blood of Jesus.
  • He also SAVES us from the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in this world and spiritual wickedness in high places on a daily basis. We must have faith in the Power of the resurrection of Christ.
  • He will save us from the penalty of sin which is eternal separation from God. We are saved from the judgement the world & the Devil are guaranteed‼️ We must have faith in the gift of eternal life.

As Lord He is the Head of the body which is all those saints who, BY FAITH, believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is 1 Body and Jesus Christ Lords over it as the “brains” of the operation. Faith in Jesus Christ maintains His power to Lord (be Master)over every aspect of your life from day to day. 

In salvation you are baptized by the Spirit making you adopted into the family of God where you are complete in Christ. His baptism can never be undone‼️ God the Father becomes your Heavenly Father who is watching over you both day & night.Every name David rejoiced in is maintained in Jesus Christ. He has placed His Spirit in Us. This is what makes us “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Jesus makes EVERYTHING happen – the good times, the bad times, the easy times & the hard times – HE MAKES ALL TIMES GOOD AND PERFECT‼️

And luck has NOTHING to do with the outcomes because He is Sovereign

Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!

Noah: A Lesson on Perseverance

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I have started posting videos on YouTube for men all around the world. This is the latest installment. God uses the opening of the video to display how perseverance works in my life. It is my hope that this ministry will sow seeds of inspiration to anyone who is recovering from the storms of life. My goal is to empower men to stand in the truth of God’s Word and in the hope of God’s plan being revealed in their lives. The Conqueror Lifestyle is changing lives!

Be blessed and stay in the race!

Darrin

Let It Go

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When ANYTHING is keeping you from spiritual progress – “LET IT GO!” 







Develop & Maintain The Conqueror Lifestyle Pick up your copy of "Qualities of a Conqueror - Volume 1" Today
Develop & Maintain The Conqueror Lifestyle
 Pick up your copy of “Qualities of a Conqueror – Volume 1” Today


If something is hindering you from moving forward, you are responsible for honestly identifying the problem and willingly letting it go. No one is going to do this work for you -GOD HAS GIVEN YOU ALL THAT YOU NEED TO EXPERIENCE BLESSED FREEDOM. Your ability to “let it go” is found in your belief in God’s faithfulness.


Hebrews 11 is a well known chapter in the Bible as it is often described as the “Hall of Faith.”  There you will discover the actual definition for faith, specific instruction on how to access faith and realize ALL its benefits and a comprehensive account of several Biblical characters who demonstrated faith during  their lifetime.  Then the writer offers inspirational instruction on what to do when you are faced with matters that affect your progress in spiritual maturity through faith. He uses the analogy of a runner in a race to demonstrate the process of realizing your potential to move through the race of life victoriously living the Conqueror Lifestyle. Remember, the race is not given to the swift or to the strong, but to the person who is willing to endure unto the end. As you run this race (live the life God has called you to) you are going to have to LET SOME THINGS GO.


Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance (WEIGHT) and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 


The list above is based on my own personal account of weights that have served to affect my spiritual progress. Ultimately, God allows them so that you and I will be forced to trust Him more. The same applies to you and whatever matters are hindering you from moving ahead in faith. You are going to have to trust in infinite God, not in your finite self if you really want to move ahead. Otherwise, your momentum in the race is lost, you are not willing to change and your human endurance will give out. Stop giving the weight more strength to keep you in bondage.   My book “Qualities of a Conqueror – Volume 1” will show you, among other instruction, how to LET  IT GO and LET GOD ABIDE.


 

	


	



					
						


	

		
Blessed Freedom

				

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I have not written a ConquerorShot in quite some time. My life’s journey has allowed me to realize new opportunities to write, speak, teach and live the Conqueror Lifestyle. Yet I have missed this outlet to share truth relative to life situations and how we experience the “more” in Romans 8:37 . This month’s principle is INTEGRITY. Today, in my awakening, the resounding voice of truth of the blessed freedom we, children of God, possess, gave me clarity of mind and spirit as I reflect on God’s faithfulness. I pray that every reader and follower will rejoice with me in knowing that John 8:36 says “So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.(NET)”  “Our God IS FAITHFUL.“


On Tuesday morning my awakening was a source of thanksgiving and reflection. Often times family matters between husband/wife, father/son, father/daughter, brother/brother and brother/sister offer challenges that affect us to the core.  The saying is true “no one can hurt you more than family.”  I can testify to that from both perspectives – the hurt and the hurtful. “Yet I have come to realize in my reflection that God is ALWAYS in control of ANY given situation and my readiness to acknowledge His Sovereignty in ANY gut wrenching situation is how I continue to experience His blessed freedom. The Conqueror Lifestyle© can preserve and provide you with this outlook on any given day.” (Rev. D)


I was awakened by a phone call from my daughter (progress) “Daddy, I need you to come here… I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT… HURRY DADDY!”  As the urgency in her voice called me to immediate action to “get there” I rushed to my 2 car garage (progress) and got in my car (progress) to go and see about my “baby girl.”  I was too “busy” to pray, ponder a principle, reflect on Scripture or anything concerning my spiritual hygiene and therefore it was on “auto.” Similarly, I had not brushed my teeth, washed my face or showered my body. My call to action only gave me time to “get there.” When I pulled up I immediately noticed her car.  Then I saw her standing there on the side of the curvey, 2-lane, slippery road. To my surprise she was standing, tall, unharmed in any way from this obvious loss of control with life-threatening potential. I had to contain myself concerning my visceral response to what I realized driving up. As I hurried over to her my heart was pounding with overwhelming joy for God’s faithfulness. “He protected my daughter once again!”


My 1st image of my daughter's 1st  accident
My 1st image of my daughter’s 1st accident


 


As I grabbed her into my arms I could feel her tension as she was in shock. Her embrace was firm until she exhaled and sobbed in anguish over what she had just experienced.  The obvious loss of her car was annunciating  her regret as she was just starting to get used to her freedom of having her own vehicle in her fourth week. As I listened to her lament over this apparent “MTaC” moment, the Lord reminded me of this passage of scripture:


7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good ; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!(Psalm 34:7-8 NASB)


While I was on my way to “get there” God and His angels “were already there!”  There was no other way to help her than to share my thanksgiving for the faithfulness of God concerning my daughter and His child. He gave His angels charge over the entire aspect of her first accident. What I knew as I drove up was she was driving in the same direction I was, yet her car did not hit the tree HEAD ON! The impact was TOTALLY absorbed by the rear of her car as it amazingly was ‘TURNED AROUND.”  She could not explain how it ended up in that position as she described the spinning experience as she braced herself for impact. But God was fueling my spirit with the POWER, THE SAME POWER, that managed her miraculous outcome. He was the reason for her protection, safety, and most of all her blessed freedom to walk away from that accident without ANY injury to her body.


I COMMENCED PRAISE & THANKSGIVING by testifying of His goodness, grace and faithfulness all around that accident scene and reminded her of the evidence as she was standing there, tall and beautiful, unharmed with no visible scars. There was no need to visit the ER and, as she would later prove, she was in good enough condition to go on to school later that morning and take a physics test, pass it and maintain her A average. There is Blessed Freedom in knowing God IS able!!!


In the same manner, I am fortunate enough to have an ongoing experience with Blessed freedom as the Conqueror Lifestyle continues to make my pathway straight. I told you I had not performed any spiritual hygiene or bodily hygiene as I rushed to “get there”  But the fact that I have routinely upheld my responsibilities towards personal and spiritual hygiene daily prior to the accident, there was evidence of it as I had to interact with my daughter, the officers, the tow truck driver and even myself. The qualities of a conqueror include being prepared to walk in the freedom that is realized as I maintain my position In Christ. His blessed freedom is possible because I continue to trust in, rely on and believe that His Power is in me. If you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, He will sustain you, protect you, provide for you, mature you and most of all bless you with “more than you could ever ask or think of.”  We serve a Mighty God with unlimited resources. It is in your best interest to allow for your integral attachment to the Spirit of Christ, through His death, burial and resurrection to sustain your integrity in Him on a daily basis. The results include Blessed Freedom to realize His faithfulness.  “John 8:36 says “So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.(NET)” 


 




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When A Celebrity Is Conquered: Justin Bieber’s Self-Destruction

				

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The celebrity lifestyle includes destructive behaviors.  It alarms us all when we hear of a celebrity who has been pronounced dead after a short lived life fueled with the excesses of drugs, alcohol, sex and the phenomenon of “more” naturally.  There are many people who are in position throughout the music, film, television, comedy and sports entertainment industries, all of whom are there strictly to provide the celebrity with “more” destructive devices.  These “yes people” provide the means for more opportunities to spin out of control and ultimately follow in the footsteps of legendary performers like Billy Holiday, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Len Bias, Michael Carl Blaze, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Chris Farley, John Belushi and countless others both well known and unknown.  Celebrities are so much more prone to the excesses to offset the absolute nature of insanity induced by a life absorbed in the abuse of alcohol and drugs. When will we – as a regenerated people – stand for what is right and oppose such tragedies?


Today is a day when such a stand is possible. Justin Bieber is not alone in his quest to “have a good time.” No! However, because of his recent arrest at 4am in Miami, Florida after allegedly being under the influence of drugs and alcohol and operating a Lamborghini in a drag racing scenario, his actions are enough to initiate all of the help opportunities we can as Christians.  Christians are in no way perfect. Yes, my book “A Conqueror In Training” intimately portrays the level of imperfection we experience in our Christian walk. But what we are not, when we are living the Conqueror Lifestyle, is “conquered by sin.”  Justin’s behavior and his recent arrest are all examples of how he is in the grips of the origins of being overtaken by drugs and alcohol. People who are conquered by sin manifest this spiritual condition through the excesses of drugs, alcohol, sex and music. The history of the entertainment business, including the sports world, is such that we as Americans know how prevalent these behaviors are and yet they continue on year after year. Dr. Drew has even taken the syndrome to the television medium to publicly portray all of the negative proclivities by which human beings can realize their affinity to self destruct. Justin is conquered by sin. One of the ways being conquered by sin becomes possible is when various worldly tactics are employed exposing the innocent to their natural phenomenon of “more” – no matter how talented or smart one may be.


The Conqueror Lifestyle will safeguard you from self destruction
The Conqueror Lifestyle will safeguard you from self destruction


 


The problem is this: talent is a human condition that is used as a form of capitalization. Capitalism promotes wealth. Wealth promotes the love of money. “The love of money is the root of all evil.”  Evil is released into the lives of these unsuspecting, innocent, unsupervised youth and early adults as they travel up the “ladder of success” at a diabolical rate of speed and velocity. Ultimately they are consumed by the distractions of the world and all its vices and become overwhelmed with the cares of life. The downward spiral ensues and there is no where else to end up – with all the riches, fame, notoriety and increased opportunities to be of service to others – but 6 feet under.


How devastated were you when you heard of the death of Michael Jackson? Justin Bieber is on the same path. The Conqueror Lifestyle is available to you Justin to help you realize all that God designed you to be if you would by faith try this way of life. This lifestyle promotes experiencing the phenomenon of “more” spiritually.  However, if anyone else is interested in helping Justin, or anyone else, by getting help through what we do here at Conqueror Ministries we will do all we can to be of service to you to help anyone develop and maintain the Conqueror Lifestyle. It is an antidote to a life conquered by sin.


 


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A Choice To Serve

				

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Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.


Choices
Choices (Photo credit: Sky Noir)


Every day you realize you are awake and able to live another day, you have a choice to make.  In addition to the choices about what you will wear, what you will eat and what you will do first as you survey your list of options, you are responsible for an even greater choice. If you are not willing to make this choice, your decision is made for you. You can thank Adam for that. Whether you are God‘s child, or not, the life you live will always present opportunities for you to become willing to make a choice to serve the God who created the Heavens and the Earth or the gods of this world.


The choice is found in who you will serve –  who you will work for through the service of your life.  We all are destined to be used by God – goodness and evil are all manifested by God’s Sovereignty. Many of you seperate good from evil and designate good as being of God and evil exclusively being from Satan.  We need to consider Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David and I Corinthians 10:26 An Epistle of Paul’s – “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” – EVERYTHING THAT IS HERE AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE LORD’S SOVEREIGNTY. If you fail to accept this truth then your choice will always be manipulated by your own ideas.  Even the evil that manifests through you is under the authority of Christ today. 


Joshua was nearly at the end of his life when he delivered this sermon in Joshua 24. It gives attention to doctrine and application.  The doctrine is represented by all of the deeds in which the Lord God Almighty provided for His people. From the calling of Abraham, the birth of Isaac, the deliverance out of Egypt and through the Red Sea and their warring victories into the Promised Land, God proved His determined will and put it on display for the world to know. The Hebrews were recipients of the consistent manifestation of God’s Sovereign Power.  They had proof to know that no other god is comparable to the God of the Heavens and the Earth.  But it is the application of the sermon where we find the purpose of the choice to serve.


Your acquaintance with good and evil notwithstanding, it is a fundamental Biblical truth that when your flesh is controlled by sin you can not please God. You sow seeds of sin through all types of lifestyle choices.  Every decision you make is based on your pursuit to manifest and fulfill the desires of the flesh.  Joshua was reminded of Moses who declared the importance to choose life with a heart that loves the Lord, His Word all with a willingness to serve Him daily. Read Deuteronomy 30:11-20.  You can offset any affinity towards sin when you make a choice to serve God by praying for the knowledge of His will and the power to be all that He has created you to be. You can be of maximum service to God, realize the Conqueror Lifestyle  and serve Him and others effectively, when His power is working in you and through you conforming you to the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But you can make this choice to serve God only because of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ which gives you access into His grace.


Others realize your choice by every word that comes out of your mouth, every deed of your hands and every direction that your feet move towards. The heart decides which choice is to be made.  A heart that is willing to freely surrender to God’s Sovereignty is a direct result of a quickened spirit connected to the power of the resurrection at work in you. It’s not hard at all to make Jesus your choice when you accept all that He has freely done for you.  You willingly desire to serve Him because of how effectively He serves you.  Stop trying to be your best you independent of God’s spiritual blessings at work in you. You will know true service as He manifests His good works in your life when you make the choice to depend on and serve Him in all that you say and do. Agree with me and Joshua and make your choice THE LORD.


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Let Him Lead You

				

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"Lead Me, Guide Me" by Doris Atkers
Verse 1 
I am weak and I need Thy strength and power,                                        
To help me over my weakest hour. 
Let me through the darkness Thy face to see, 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Chorus 
Lead me, guide me along the way, 
For if you lead me I cannot stray. 
Lord, let me walk each day with Thee. 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Verse 2
Help me tread in the paths of righteousness.
Be my aid when Satan and sin oppress. 
I am putting all my trust in Thee: 
Lead me, oh Lord lead me. 
Verse 3 
I am lost if you take your hand from me, 
I am blind without Thy light to see.
Lord just always let me thy servant be,
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.



“Where Your Feet Are IS Where You Are”


Solid as a rock
Solid as a rock (Photo credit: Joybot)




     For years I struggled with the TRUTH in the slogan above.  Furthermore, for decades I maintained enormous opposition against the idea of “God‘s leading” over my life. As I look back over my life I can now see that all of my struggling with the prospect of surrendering to God’s will for my life was due to me wanting to be in control, my ego leading me in the fulfillment of the desires of my flesh and my human affinity towards being a product of this world rather than a servant of the God who created me. I could not “Be still and KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD” and appreciate all of the goodness that He brings into my life through His Sovereignty over my life. The best I could do was to continue spinning my wheels of human potential landing in life situations where I ultimately got stuck in ditches that got deeper and deeper over time. I could not appreciate the joy in the journey because I was always frustrated with one aspect (or another) of my life’s reality where I kept coming up short. 


     Along the way to the point of realizing God’s mission for my life, I came to appreciate all of the hardships, pain and suffering, grief, loss, guilt, shame and remorse my life manufactured. Today “I do not regret the past nor do I wish to shut the door on it.” Like Iyanla, “I did my work.” The evidence of the task is soon to be realized publicly with the release of the books. Today I can be grateful for where my feet are because my heart and mind are humbled under the “mighty hand of God.” There is a consistent awareness of God’s presence that sustains me. The reason for the presence of peace, love, joy, thanksgiving, faith and hope that wakes me up every day and preserves me throughout most of my days is because GOD IS LEADING ME. The essence of His leadership in and over my life is realized in the Conqueror Lifestyle that He prepared just for me. 


God has a Conqueror Lifestyle prepared just for you as well. To find out more about the Conqueror Lifestyle follow me on twitter @ConquerorShots.


 Darrin D. Payne


 


 


 


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God Goes In Deep

				

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“I had to be STRIPPED of it.” This is a quote from a friend of mine who recently posted a piece on her blog entitled “The Blessing Is In The Pain.”  I was leaving a comment when the inspiration to write this piece  showed up.


No human being likes to lose. Losing anything from a wallet, to a bet, to a track meet, to a loved one (OR EVEN A WELL-PUBLICIZED COURT DECISION) is never something to get happy about. (at least in the early stages of the loss anyway!)  Let’s state the obvious here, “LOSING SUCKS.”  It is painful beyond words.  Yet it is in the pain that God reveals the POWER OF THE RESURRECTION AND THE GLORY HE IS DUE.


Your human nature is NEVER going to buy into this spiritual truth.  The only way to arrive at a place of inner humility under His mighty hand is to SUFFER.  In our suffering GOD GOES IN DEEP and begins to excavate through all of the sin that is exposed in our human nature and  renews us through His Spirit, HIS WORD, HIS PLAN, HIS POWER all at work IN US!!!!!   


Philippians 3:10 My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death,

 3:11 and so, somehow,to attain to the resurrection from the dead.  NET


Nothing makes a cushion for suffering better than the CROSS.
Nothing makes a cushion for suffering better than the CROSS.


 


As God begins to strip us of our cushions of materialism, idolatry, pride/ego, etc., you begin to mourn the loss. The pain increases in this God-ordained cycle.  However, at the point when you realize you had to be stripped, as Portia so wonderfully wrote, the blessing is in the pain.  In that moment your gratitude for God’s OMNISCIENCE has bloomed through all your suffering.  Then you can see how GOD will change you as you continue to humbly surrender to His SOVEREIGNTY on a daily basis. YOU BEGIN TO LOVE THE RESULTS of being “more than a conqueror through Him that loves us.” The Conqueror Lifestyle  is achieved and your winning begins.  YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO TRY TO FIX UP WHAT HE HAS ALLOWED TO BE  BROKEN. TRUE HUMILITY IS REVEALED IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO RELY ON GOD’S ABILITY TO PUT YOU BACK TOGETHER AGAIN, PUT THAT LIFE BACK TOGETHER, THAT BROKEN HEART BACK TOGETHER, THAT HOME BACK TOGETHER, THAT CAREER BACK TOGETHER……….   Ultimately the losing is your catalyst to surrender which is the gateway to REAL WINNING!


Paul’s aim to know Christ intimately was a direct result of intense suffering. The suffering revealed God’s POWER in Paul’s life in a mighty way. This SAME power is available to you and I. ConquerorShots was born out of intense suffering. I am so grateful for all He has done and ALL HE IS UP TO IN ME AND THE LIFE HE HAS CALLED ME TO. ARE YOU??????


Consider the comment I was compelled to share with Portia.  God bless you my sister.  THANK YOU LORD FOR KNOWING HOW DEEP I NEEDED YOU TO GO ! 🙂






Losing all the "stuff" that the flesh "THINKS" it needs is painful but OH SO NECESSARY. Your post today reveals TRUTH that provides your readers with depth. God goes IN DEEP with us in our personal lives for the purpose of exposing our human nature & all the inadequacies which cultivate a desire from our core to realize the spiritual renewal we need to be His instruments. He resides in the depths of us. You can't stand for Him UNTIL He "goes in deep." Yes He knows the plans for us because HE CREATED US. How is it that humans don't get that TRUTH????? It's simple. They live after the flesh rather than the spirit. Well, I thank God that you do and that you exposed it here in this piece. To GOD BE THE GLORY FOR HIS GREAT PLANS REVEALED IN AND THROUGH US.



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Willingness To Wait

				

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wait
wait (Photo credit: CmdrFire) It’s Not As Difficult As You Might Think


When one is willing he/she is practicing the act of making a choice. Decision making is a process we are introduced to as early as our toddler years. Remember when you or your child was learning to walk. The toddler develops a comfortable stride and encounters the opportunity to demonstrate willingness. Will he walk up the stairs, down the stairs, out the door, outside the fenced area, etc. His willing heart will try to venture about with his new found gift – the ability to walk.


A Willingness to wait on the LORD requires faith. Faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus establishes the relationship between you and the LORD. The onset of the relationship is when you become willing to trust that He died, was buried and arose from the dead to save you from your sins and the judgement of eternal separation from God. Faith produces a willingness to believe that all things are working together for your good and the difficulties have intentional results DIRECTLY associated with His will JUST FOR YOU. REMEMBER He died so that you can live. Your life’s spiritual awakening, development and maturity is the relationship. During the maturity of the relationship, He uses the “waiting” to mature your faith through His Word. The Christian faith establishes the power of God in us through the resurrection of Christ Jesus. By this we are equipped to walk by faith; not by sight.



 Christians are often referred to as “children of God” mainly because of the spiritual adoption principle found in Romans 8:14-15. We are His children always. When we are in receipt of the “gift of God, eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” we are forever classified as children of God which makes up the family of God here on Earth. 


In today’s world we live in everybody wants everything NOW. NO ONE LIKES TO WAIT FOR ANYTHING – phone assistance, public transportation, traffic jams, DMV lines, restaurant seating, the cable man etc., etc., etc…  The wait produces the need to focus on God’s presence during the wait!

  “God is our refuge and strength – a very present help in trouble.” 


He maintains this description to ALL of His children no matter what level of spiritual maturity we are working with.Try as hard as you can to disprove this Heavenly attribute while you engage life matters from day to day. You will find that He Is ALWAYS present and He NEVER COMES UP SHORT. But you do all the time, and you will even try to blame others, including our Heavenly Father, for your own shortcomings. Ultimately you will find a need to wait on Him and encounter your own willingness to wait. In times of waiting, the trials will mature you and you will be better because of your willingness to wait.


 Psalm 27:14  Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

  Psalm 130:5  I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

  Proverbs 20:22  Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

  Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

  Lamentations 3:25-26 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

  It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.


 The fact is that a willingness to wait on the Lord is a practice that yields an experience similar to how a toddler practices his decision making skills when learning all the opportunity “at his feet.” My hope is that you will benefit from the use of the Conqueror Lifestyle to willingly wait on the LORD and grow in the process. It will help you soar to new heights In Christ that you could never experience outside of Christ. All of the possibilities are manifested in your willingness to wait. Waiting develops patience. Patience develops perseverance. Perseverance develops hope. Hope propels a Christian to maintain his/her position in Christ because He NEVER fails. Surrender to win and be a witness to the power of living victoriously day after day. 


 “Qualities of A Conqueror Volume 1” – a textbook/workbook compilation available now to help you develop and maintain The Conqueror Lifestyle.




Stay in the race!


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Blessed Delay

				

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 “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.  Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.” Psalms 27:13-14


Delayed
Delayed (Photo credit: Aquila) WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THERE IS A SUDDEN DELAY?


Recall a time when you were in need of DELIVERANCE and instead of an “IMMEDIATELY” result, you encounter a significant DELAY. Nothing is more dreadful than having to wait for a particular outcome you KNOW you need. The difficulty you face as you MUST “endure the hardships” of the circumstances can work in one of two ways:


 


 


1. The delay can distract you from the plan and purpose of the circumstance. This personal response fuels hopelessness and despair as you move away from God.  You will find human alternatives that can serve you like band aids on a bleeding wound.
2. The delay can propel you towards the plan and purpose of the circumstance. This personal response fuels hope and faith in God through prayer and reading and studying His Word. "His word is a lamp unto your feet and a light to your pathway." DARKNESS OR DESPAIR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HINDER YOU. You will find His power and peace to preserve you while you "wait" and His Heavenly purpose will ALWAYS be revealed,BLESSED DELAY results in His Faithfulness.


I am blessed to have the gift of “waiting on the Lord” in my spiritual arsenal. However, I did not always consider the delays that God allows as a blessing. In fact, there was a particular delay in my life in which I thought I was receiving NO additional Godly intervention. I believed that it was God’s will for this particular matter  in my life and HE WAS NEVER GOING TO ALLOW FOR CHANGE. I WAS SO WRONG! While this was a painful reality for me to accept, it FORCED ME TO DRAW CLOSER TO HIM BECAUSE OF A PERSONAL NEED FOR HIS POWER TO SUPPLEMENT MY POWERLESSNESS. “His STRENGTH IS PERFECT WHEN OUR STRENGTH IS GONE!” Through the process of getting closer to Him He eventually allowed for MORE change. “GOD’S DELAY IS NOT A DENIAL.”


The more I realized #2 at work in my life the more HOPE I REALIZED AS IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN MY SPIRIT DURING THE BLESSED DELAY. All the while I could experience the goodness of the Lord through His continual provision for me, His peace in me and His plan for me. The essence of Him presiding over the “NEED” also manifested in the lives of my loved ones all around me. The song writer wrote “He Keeps On Doing GREAT Things For Me.” Ultimately, the presence of HOPE in my spirit yielded a fertile ground for SEEDS from the WORD OF GOD to cultivate IN ME. 


You too can experience “THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.” HAVE FAITH IN HIM and ALLOW for a BLESSED DELAY in your life. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart. PLEASE WAIT ON THE LORD!


 


 


 


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