Days of War, but Victory is Won 4-20-10

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Your name is my first word; Your praise is my first thought, as I start this new day centered and grounded in You alone. … “As I looked, this horn made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them, until the Ancient One came; then judgment was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom” (Daniel 7:21-22). Every day is a day of war between the wicked one and the holy ones. And his primary weapon of warfare is the deception that we are not Your holy ones. He comes to tempt us and taint us; he comes to deceive us and defile us. He’s always trying to remind us of our unworthiness, condemn us with our sins, shame us with our failures. He accuses us before God and before one another that we are far from holy, wicked and selfish at the core of our darkened hearts, really no different from him, but only by matters of degree. He tries to “wear out the holy ones of the Most High,” making us weary with his words of accusation and unworthiness of Your love and our inheritance as the children of Your kingdom (Daniel 7:25). That’s how he comes, as You said, “only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). That’s how he comes, as Your Word says, “like a roaring lion … looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And but for the grace of God, his accusations would be true and his condemnations would be justified. But we are not holy ones by our own holiness; we are not the righteous ones of the Most High by our own righteousness. Even our most righteous deeds are as filthy rags in light of the glory and goodness, the holiness and purity of our God (Isaiah 64:6). So we do not overcome our accuser by the record of our good deeds or by the nature of our good hearts. If that were the standard, he would always prevail because we would always fail and fall short of the glory of God. No, we overcome him only by the power of the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony that we are not worthy but the One who is worthy loves us and forgives us and cleanses us from all our unrighteousness by the righteous and holy blood of His sacrifice of love for us (Revelation 12:11). It’s Your Word, that shuts his mouth. It’s the victory of Your cross that crushes his head under our feet (Romans 16:20). And it’s through our faith and trust in You by the power of Your grace and mercy of Your love that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). For “greater is He that is in (us) than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Though our adversary roars his accusations of our unworthiness of all You have for us, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah “roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake. (For) the Lord is a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel” and all who are sealed into Your covenant promises and all “the blessings of Abraham” by the blood of the Lamb (Joel 3:16; Galatians 3:14). It’s by Your blood, by Your righteousness alone, that we are “the holy ones of the Most High” and we shall prevail and overcome the enemy of our souls. The day of Your judgment shall come when this wicked and evil beast will be “put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire” (Daniel 7:11). Praise God. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus! One day You’ll be “coming with the clouds of heaven” in all Your “glory and dominion and kingship” to rule and reign in our hearts and all the earth with “an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away” (Daniel 7:13-14). “Those who conquer (by the blood of the Lamb) will inherit these things” for You will be our God and we will be Your children of Your kingdom forever and ever through the mercy of Your grace and the power of Your steadfast love (Revelation 21:7). “The kingship and dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them” (Daniel 7:27). It’s our certain hope of Your sure victory that encourages us and empowers us to win the war for our hearts and minds every day between now and then. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Friends, the altar was full last night as we humbled ourselves in prayer before God and rose up in the victory of the power of His name at our revival meeting last night! Thank you for covering us in prayer this week as I preach the Spring Revival at Villa Rica First United Methodist Church near Atlanta Georgia, hosted by Pastor James Smith, Sunday Night through Wednesday Night April 18-21: www.vrfumc.com Send us a note if you would like to order our ministry resources with my preaching messages on Spiritual Warfare or Elijah--A Prayer Revival of Powerful, Passionate, Prevailing Prayer to Marilyn at DirOfMinistries@aol.com Let us know if your city or church would like to arrange for me to come preach or teach on these topics or others. The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry, Level 2, April 28-May 1, 2010 in Lexington next week. A focused time of teaching, mentoring, discipleship, personal ministry, equipping, worshipping and prayer led by Tommy Hays and a Messiah Ministries teaching team of experienced prayer ministers. This time, Dan Van Nice from Austin and Lisa Preston will be joining us to teach. We will continue to study and experience a Biblical perspective of the ministry of healing and wholeness of spirit, soul and body, and apply the foundational principles of the Kingdom of God for prayer ministry. The course combines dynamic classroom teaching in a small group setting with personal hands-on experience as students receive personal ministry and are guided in ministry for others. Level 2 gives deeper experience, opportunity, and practice in healing ministry. For more information or to Register for The Fountain School of Spiritual Ministry: Information/RegisterSchoolOfMinistryLevel2 Also, you can contact Marilyn, our Messiah Ministries Director of Ministries for more information: DirOfMinistries@aol.com 859-317-1591 Subscribe by email to Tommy Hays at Messiah Ministries: MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org To order my books and our ministry resources or contribute on-line: www.shop.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY