Jesus changes the whole equation. Don't feel a thing? He is still with you.

There are some thoughts that probably should get a shift kick out the door of our hearts.  

1. "Following Jesus is Hard" 

Well yes.  It is hard on the flesh.  Hard on the Old man or woman. 
It's hard on us if we are still in love with the world.  I John 2:15


It is not hard for the regenerated lover of Christ who is filled up with First Love.  It's not hard on the Cloud of Witnesses in heaven or the angels?  


It can lead to losing things in this life.  Yes. But they are not worth anything close to knowing Jesus.  
  


 "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,…"  Phil 3:8

 

Of course we face challenges.  Some deep and difficult challenges.  But we serve a King who has overcome.  Abundant life is a reality we can have by faith and following Jesus.


Everything about following Jesus carries with it the overcoming victory of his power and love.   When we walk in the way he walked, pleasing and doing the Father's will, grace keeps coming in more and more.   Grace is more than sufficient to overcome everything we face and feel in this life......if we purpose to place Jesus first in our hearts, his Kingdom and Righteousness first in our lives.  Matt 6:33 / Rev 1:4-5

We need to learn to tap into the life flowing in the Kingdom of God. 
We need to speak the language of abiding and connection with Jesus like we breath air. 

We need to stop talking with,
entertaining, 
nursing, 
and getting our perspective 
from the flesh.   

Rom 8:5-8 

"Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God."

 The real hard thing is being lukewarm.  No one really appreciates it and we end up living in no mans land.  In between seeing the remarkable provision of God and the clear place of needing our sins forgiven.   We are not in good fellowship with the Saints, or good fellowship with the fallen.  IN between, lukewarm is no mans land. 

 

Following Jesus is....

An easy yoke.  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30


Most people want rest.  Rest is available as a way of life in the promises of Jesus. 

2. "If I don't feel God anymore, he's gone." 

We've got a life roaring after us everyday that if listened to and focused on causes us to lose sight of the presence of God.  

Full of worries, distraction and desire for other things the "world" offers us everything we need to completely forget that we belong to Jesus.   

When we do forget and spend a day, days maybe even a week, with no significant fellowship, Scripture, abiding in his presence or solid prayer - we can expect to be drying out.

When we run out of emotions or feelings in our God experiences and then face worries, distractions and lack of desire many fall away.    

Don't be fooled by a lack of feelings.  
Nothing has changed. 
The Holy Spirit is dwelling within you.  Col 1:27
We have the mind of Jesus.  I Cor 2:16
Jesus never leaves us or forsakes us.  Matt 28:20

We walk by faith and not by sight. "Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight-- I Cor 5:7

Jesus painted the picture for us in Mark 4:18-19.  
When these three take hold (worries, distraction, desires) of what we are looking to for LIFE, we end up drying out for lack of living water.  Living water flows in connection and abiding with Jesus. 
It is life blood to First Love. 
Jesus is the vine, we are branches. 
The vine supplies us with living water.  

Typically, when we are "not feelin it" it's just a short time and the Enemy is at our door offering the things we used to do, eat, smoke, watch.  They look interesting because we are no longer sowing to the Spirit.  We are sowing to the flesh. 

 The problem is, if you belong to Jesus you are most likely not feeling to good when all this gets going.  Especially when we start stumbling back into what chained us before.  The Holy Spirit won't let go of you.  Jesus paid such a price for you he will not let you fall from his hand.  Yea.  It feels terrible walking in sin when we know Jesus.  Thank God he cares when we go back to self medicating, self destructing and burring our pain.  Jesus is not put off by our brokenness.  Another thank God. 



I've got good news for you!  
We actually have an opportunity. 
What the Enemy seeks to stumble us with points out where we need help from the Lord. 
It points to our old ways of dealing with life. 
We don't have to deal with life like that anymore!  
Remember, for freedom Jesus set us free.  

Jesus changes the whole equation. 
You can change this situation right now. 
Look at your 
Desires
Worries
Distractions 
And bring them all into submission to Jesus right now. 
Confess any sins and be forgiven and restored.   I John 2:1


It is easy turn around.  
Repent.  Receive forgiveness and mercy. 
Ask the Lord to revive you and encourage you right where you are. 
He did it before.  
He is full of life and ready to bring it to you again. 


It is important to God that we learn to walk by faith.  
More important to Him than our feelings. 
Jesus saved us for freedom. 
When we no longer believe God is with us because we have some negative feelings or no feelings at all - He wants to free us.  
There is an amazing, huge, wonderful Kingdom that is not shaken when we don't feel a thing. 
When we get a hold of this truth, we step up to new levels of peace, joy and freedom.  

God loves seeing us get free. 
Being enslaved to our feelings is not a thing I believe he likes to see us trapped in. 

If you are struggling, email me.  
I'd love to encourage you. 

2016  

Look forward, eyes filled with Abundance, Boundless, Victorious vision in Jesus.  

 

Thanks for Reading!   

I love your comments. Ideas and thoughts.  
Please share em.
Re-shares are great. thank U.

Here are some other blogs posts that may interest you. 

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html
 

2) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-fascinate-me-jesus-so-why-are-you.html

3) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/07/never-be-lacking-in-zeal-need-some.html 

The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you. Testimonies?  Share em with me.   Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!
With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 

Jeff Reynolds   ---

Brother Jeff

www.jeffreynoldsministies.com 







 

Endure or Embrace Life? Find Your Voice in His Presence

Life is filled with all kinds of choices, roads, pathways. 

Painted Rocks in the Fire Desert - Nevada USA

"Following Jesus" is equally filled with many interpretations of the truth of it's expression.  What it looks like? 

This is part of what makes following Jesus so dynamic, so amazing. 
There are so many ways to express devotion and love for him. 
His love embraces an entire world filled with diverse cultures and meaning.  
There is a never ending open door for expressing love for God. 

Love HIM. 

Let it Go.

Let it Happen. 

The way you want to.

From deep inside let out the Voice of Love for Jesus

In the Body of Christ around the world there are so many voices of love and devotion. 
So much worship, prayer, teaching, encouragement, to grab hold of.  

When it comes to worship and following Jesus I've always been one to go for the highest highway of love and devotion I can see. 

Granted.  
What I think "following Jesus with total abandon" may not touch you deeply or call out the your highest love.  


Find your song.  Find your love.  
Find your voice in his presence. 
That is what is so amazing about Jesus.  


You are perfectly known.
You are perfectly loved.
You are appreciated.  All the unique grace he's poured into you has a song for him alone. 
Sing it out.  


Let it out.
Worship without fear.
Worship without feeling foolish. 
Forget the world around you and focus the eyes of your heart on the LOVE that shakes the powers of darkness.  
Express the love you hold inside you to the world outside of you. 





David's awe of God...
Showed up in songs.
Showed up in crazy dance.
Showed up in a government of love for God.


The Body of Christ needs to express the highest worship, love, devotion to the Lord Jesus. 


If the house of Jesus is not a place 
where the people can worship loud, 
clear and with a love 
that cannot be quenched, 
where else can we do it? 

We are free to worship.  
 We are here to help each other accomplish the task:

We can spur each other on toward love, wild love filled worship.
We can call each other up to higher love and devotion to Jesus.  We can come alongside each other and help each one get their Voice in his presence. 

We can share our stories of what held us back from First LOVE.  
We can remember what spurred us on.

So, were we made to just ENDURE?

Rise in the fire - he is a consuming fire

Endure life?    Or Embrace life and victory in Jesus? 

I am 100% convinced. 
We were made to overcome in victory with Jesus. 

Right now.
God's presence is alive.  
There are wild angelic creatures in it.
Jesus is presiding as High Priest of the heavenly temple. 
There are 24 elders before the throne. 
There are a cloud of witnesses who know it's true.
Heaven is alive with activity.  
The Father's will is being carried out in the power of the Spirit all over the earth.  
Right now. 

 
Endure?  
If we are enduring God's presence we have lost our voice, our vision, our eye sight.
If we are enduring the places where God is invited and dwelling we have lost our Love. 
Grown cold. 
Heart sick. 
Laodicean?   
 

Shine, sow fiery love where you live everyday

Patient endurance is part of the apostolic walk of Jesus.  
Yes.  
Hope is the heartbeat and power of the overcoming life.  
A key to overcoming victory is to embrace the life before us and walk in it with the power and truth of Jesus Christ.  
To believe.  Believe HOPE.  Believe LOVE. 

There is so much creativity, knowledge, wisdom, power and grace in the Trinity God.  
His presence is alive with wonder, awe, mystery, the present, past and future.  



Survive this life?   Or Overcome and get a hold of life in Jesus?  


There no doubt that survival is a skill. 
Those skills are well played when the bottom drops out of life. 


Most of us come to dislike living for survival.
This makes perfect sense. 
The rewards are meager.  
Scraps and left overs. 
Jesus promised us so much more.
Jesus - "You will have trouble in this world."
So is our goal to simply get out of trouble, out of trial, out of our current circumstances?
This is not a dynamic view of the victory won for us in a new resurrected life in Christ.
We can never eliminate trouble from our lives altogether.

There has never been a person on the earth who did not face trouble, challenge, difficulty and their own limitation.  

The new life in Christ is just that A NEW LIFE.
Jesus didn't die on the Cross to simply bring an overhaul of this present life.
Rather, a new and different way of thinking -   mindset change.  Shift.  Whole new set of eyes on the world. 
His eyes.  
Established in the victory he won for us on the Cross. 
The new life that exploded to reality in his resurrection.
The connecting of heaven and earth forever in his ascension.  


So many believers get stuck wanting to survive in this life when they could thrive in the abundant life.   Jesus is the forerunner of this new life. 

Walk like he did! 

God is love - all his ways are good.

Pruning is a good thing.
Bringing everything back to the Vine
To the flow of the Spirit
To the support of the Vine


We serve a good, good Father of lights.  

2016  

Look forward, eyes filled with Abundance, Boundless, Victorious vision in Jesus.  

 

Thanks for Reading!   

I love your comments. Ideas and thoughts.  
Please share em.
Re-shares are great. thank U.

Here are some other blogs posts that may interest you. 

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html
 

2) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-fascinate-me-jesus-so-why-are-you.html

3) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/07/never-be-lacking-in-zeal-need-some.html 

The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you. Testimonies?  Share em with me.   Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!
With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 

Jeff Reynolds   ---

Brother Jeff

www.jeffreynoldsministies.com 

911 – 3 Mistakes the Jezebel Spirit Would Love for Any of Us to Make

Sonya Day - Prophetic Artist - Amazing

911 - You've encountered a Jezebel Attack 

3 Mistakes that Could Cost You

   

      Mistake #1 -  Using the Weapons of the World to Combat him/her.

 No doubt you are now engaged in a spiritual battle.  But the weapons at your disposal are not the same as we carry in the world day to day.  

The Jezebel wants us to engage with worldly weapons.  Don't.  The redemptive power of grace works in the wisdom of the Lord setting prisoners free.  Nothing can be done without Jesus. 

      "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…2 Cor 10:4   

     

      The Jezebel wants us to engage with worldly weapons.  These are the very weapons this spirit likes to employ to set up the confusion and disruption it sows.   Spirit weapons are different. They are the ARMOR of God, and activated by faith, hope and love.  They are founded in the overcoming victory of the Lord Jesus.  When employed they produce a deeper and healthy spiritual victory.  When Jesus is present people get set free, come alive in Christ and step into new life and healing.  The victory lies in bringing the Kingdom of God through the authority granted to you in the power, love and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. 

      The greatest pressure in a Jezebel attack is felt personally, emotionally, corporately and spiritually.  That covers a great deal of ground all at once.  This in part why such spiritual attacks are so challenging.   The Holy Spirit has equipped you for victory already.  The Saints at your disposal for council and wisdom are there to bring peace.  The spiritual support you already possess needs to be drawn upon not for coalition building but for building you up in the Lord and receiving ministry.  

     

      Set aside: Control, manipulation, politicking, talking with those outside the problem, slandering and pulling down. 

     

t    Don't make the mistake of picking up these weapons.  They will not bring about the glory God is seeking to establish, the righteousness he is aiming for and the greater discernment the Body will be called to grow up into.  Remember, Jesus stripped the Devil of his abilities.  Now all he has is deception.  This is a time to dwell richly in the word of Christ.  Col 3:1-4

           Mistake #2 – Entering the Mindset and world painted by the Jezebel.  

     Don’t be drawn into the picture and pathways painted by the Jezebel.  This is called the Tail wagging the dog.  The Jezebel spirit seeks to build a path and an environment into which the attack will lead you if you chose to follow.  But we follow Jesus and walk in the Spirit.  These are two contradictory roads.  There is a benefit in this.   

      Discernment is relatively easy if we move away from the charged emotions and survival mentalities that often plague us in a Jezebel attack.  Slow down.  Wait for the Lord.  

      It is vitally important that you remain on the platform given to you by the Holy Spirit and that you move, act and follow the Spirit's leading in any steps you take to address the situation.  

      Kingdom authority is given to us by Jesus. It cannot be taken from us except by him.  And the gifts and assignments are irrevocable.  (Rom      A quick look at the life of the lead apostle, Peter, will shed some light on the New Testament reality of grace, forgiveness, and calling.   Peter outright rejected Jesus, said he didn't know him, and denied him in public three times.  Peter was rebuked for his vision of the mission of Jesus after revealing the Messiah by the Father's voice.  Peter was rebuked by Paul for siding with the Judaizers in Antioch and defaming the core nature of the Gospel.  Peter was Jesus' lead man after all those mishaps.  He remained so in spite of his failure and limited vision at any given moment.  

      In the New Testament we are saved by grace through faith and called to a life of obedience and sacrifice of service to Jesus.  We receive rewards for our service.  We become like him in our walk of life.  Sometimes that means we die, carry the sufferings of Jesus and for love sacrifice.  We follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts. 

•       Don't argue with the Jezebel from her point of view or on the platform created by the attack.  This can be the very words thrown at leaders or servants of the church or ministries.  Each point presented seeks to draw you into a course of action and thinking that most likely is not truth from Scripture.  Weigh each point from the point of view it comes with.  Is it the spirit of God (Strengthen, Encourage, Comfort, along the lines of exiting words and rhema) the spirit of man (speaking without unction from the brokenness and unhealed places of heart, soul, mind and spirit) the enemy's voice (directly contradicting Scripture and sound teach derived from the Word).

•       Don't adopt the mindset of the Jezebel in evaluating ministry, people, or situations.     James 3:17-18.  I Corinthians 14:1  The Spirit encourages, strengthens and comforts us in the power of the Cross, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus.   We live from a different perspective.  Looking at the unseen as well as the seen.    The Jezebel is unable to perceive the Holy Spirit's intentions, but we are.  We have the mind of Christ.  

•       Psalms 27 - time to slow down and wait for the Lord.  This is an active posture of engaging with the mind of Christ, our network of supporting wise counsel and our support of accountability.  The goal is to accomplish the will of the Lord.  The goal is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven.  The goal is to see the advance of the Gospel and the new measure of promise and blessing poured out on all who will continue to walk in the Spirit.  This can only be accomplished by linking and walking with Jesus.  John 15:5

      The way of the Gospel is a way of peace.  Peace makers who sow in peace will reap a harvest of righteousness.  James 3:17-18 

     

        Mistake #3 –Allowing the Jezebel attack to undermine your faith and regard for the prophetic ministry.   

      One of the core attacks of the Jezebel is upon the prophetic ministry.  In history this spirit nearly wiped out the prophetic troup of Israel.  Is that a big deal?  Yes.  The ministry of the prophet at that time was to carry the very words of God to the people.  They were given direct revelation from the Lord to impart to Israel in times when she had wondered from the teaching, worship and regular blessings of the priesthood and temple. 

      Jezebel replaced the Lord's prophets with her own prophets of Baal under the authority of the King.  A false god and idol to which Israel was forced to worship, Baal worship eventually entered the Temple in the Time of Jeremiah the prophet.  

      The New Testament ministry of prophecy is very different from the Old Testament, but equally vital.  Of five ministries given to the church, the Fivefold ministers of Ephesians 4:11, one of them is called part of the foundation of the church (Eph 2:20).  The prophet.   

      Jesus identifies the prophetic voice as the one directly under attack by the Jezebel.  

     

"Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols."     (Rev 2:20)

      Typically when the church encounters troubles and difficulty around a particular topic we tend to shut that topic or area down rather than learn and build from the mishaps.  This approach is counted on by the Jezebel spirit.  The demise and ruin or defaming of the prophetic ministry is a core target for the Jezebel spirit.   Interestingly we are given direct command in the New Testament not to despise prophecy.  

     

"Do not quench the Spirit; 20do not despise prophetic utterances. 21But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;…"  I Thessalonians 5:20

      

      The clear admonition is directly tied with quenching the Spirit of God.  Despising prophetic utterances.  Prophetic ministry is front and center in the New Testament church.  

      Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." 10Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  Rev 19:9-10

      

      The Jezebel attack will directly confront such vibrant utterance and or the whole church family devoted to the prophetic voice.  Undermining confidence in the prophetic voice, defaming and belittling the prophetic until it is no longer trusted or a blessing to believers is a core approach for the Jezebel.  The strengthening, encouragement and comfort of the church is the exact opposite of what a Jezebel attack sows.  This is a key point of discernment for the Body of Christ.  

      The prophetic ministry is a great aid to discerning and walking forward in a Jezebel attack.  It is clear the prophetic church is a powerful spiritual force to reveal hearts and bring people into the fullness of Christ.  (I Cor 14:1)

      If you have prophetic voices involved in regular ministry enlist their wisdom and discernment for addressing the Jezebel attack.  These should be regular and existing relationships.  Not new relationships.  The prophetic ministry needs seasoning over time and requires testing and approving.  Work within the relationships you have in place to discern and hear the Lord for the circumstances.  

2016  

Look forward, eyes filled with Abundance, Boundless, Victorious vision in Jesus.  

 

Thanks for Reading!   

I love your comments. Ideas and thoughts.  
Please share em.
Re-shares are great. thank U.

Here are some other blogs posts that may interest you. 

1.http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2015/01/7-things-enemy-devil-doesnt-want-you-to.html
 

2) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/04/you-fascinate-me-jesus-so-why-are-you.html

3) http://jeffreynoldsonedesire.blogspot.com/2014/07/never-be-lacking-in-zeal-need-some.html 

The dialogue is awesome.  Thank you. Testimonies?  Share em with me.   Re-Shares lov em.  Thank you!
With much love in Jesus

You can do this thing!  He's got you. 

Jeff Reynolds   ---

Brother Jeff

www.jeffreynoldsministies.com