GOSPEL CORNER: THE DEVIL COMES TO STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY, BUT JESUS CAME THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY (JOHN 10:10).

23/02/24

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:5, NIV

AN OVERCOMER
Many people are not reaching their potential because their vision is limited. They’re talented and have favor, but they don’t see themselves accomplishing dreams, being blessed, living healthy. You will never rise any higher than the way you see yourself. Through your eyes of faith, you need to see yourself the way you want to be. You may be fighting an illness, but you need to see yourself healthy. If you’re struggling in your finances, you need to see yourself out of debt, with abundance, being a blessing to others. If you’re dealing with an addiction, don’t let that negative image take root. Don’t see yourself defeated or dysfunctional, as someone who “can’t break it.”

Get a new image. See yourself free. See yourself whole. See yourself as a child of the Most High God. See yourself as an overcomer, as “more than a conqueror through Him who loved us.” Your inner vision is setting the limits for your life. The pictures you keep in front of you, in your imagination, that’s what you’re moving toward.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You for being my God and making me into a brand-new creation in Jesus. Thank You that I was born to overcome and see myself as free and whole. I believe and declare that I am more than a conqueror by faith, a victor and not a victim of circumstances. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Soon after the tragedy of September 11 had taken place, some believers publicly declared that God was judging America because of her sins. When I heard that, I could just imagine some terrorist somewhere in Afghanistan agreeing with them and thinking that “god” was indeed using him to judge America. Can you see that something is amiss when both believers and terrorists agree on the same thing?

Thousands of people died and many families, friends, and loved ones were thrown into grief. How can that be the work of our loving Father? Read the Bible for yourself. It says that God is “not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet. 3:9). Terrorism is the work of the devil. It is not the work of our loving Father.

Some may ask, “But Pastor Prince, didn’t God use Elijah to call down the fire of judgment on those who opposed him?”

Yes, the story of a literal fire judgment that fell upon the enemies of the prophet Elijah is told in 2 Kings 1:1–15, and there are other accounts of God’s judgment in the Old Testament, such as upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24–25). But God wants us to be able to rightly divide His Word (2 Tim. 2:15).

He wants us to be astute in rightly dividing and clearly separating what belongs to the old covenant of law and what belongs to the new covenant of grace. He wants us to be able to distinguish what occurred before the cross from what occurred after the cross and to understand the difference the cross has made. Many believers today are living as if the cross did not make any difference!

Don’t just take it from me that God will not call down the fires of judgment on you today. See for yourself what Jesus Himself said about what Elijah did. Do you remember the time when Jesus wanted to enter a certain village in Samaria, but the people there refused to receive Him?

When Jesus’ disciples saw that the people rejected Jesus, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Now, how did Jesus respond to them? Did He say, “That’s a great idea! You are truly disciples who carry My heart”?

No, of course not! Read your Bible. He turned to His disciples and rebuked them firmly, saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:54–56).

My friend, the Spirit of Jesus in the new covenant of grace is not the spirit of the old covenant of law during Elijah’s time. Jesus wants you to have full assurance in your heart today that He did not come to condemn or destroy you. He came to save you (John 3:17)!

The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that you may have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He wants you to live a life marked by His love, power, and blessings.

Where there are broken relationships, they are mended. Where there are bad habits, they are broken. And where there are challenges, you emerge victorious. Hallelujah!