Chosen

". . . I chose you, forever I'll choose you still . . . 

cause I love you, I promise I always will"

There is just something about being chosen! When someone expresses to us or notifies us that we've been chosen for a particular assignment or opportunity there is a sense of acceptance, worth, and belonging that comes over us. If we are honest with ourselves . . . we all just want to be chosen.

As I listened to "Promise I Always Will" by Steffany Gretzinger, the lyrics at the top of this post pierced my ear and my heart.  When I began to reflect on and imagine God saying this to me directly . . . . I was completely overwhelmed and overtaken by worship! I dare you for just 5 seconds to imagine . . . the God of all creation speaking to you directly and saying . . . I CHOSE YOU, forever, I'll CHOOSE YOU still. 

Well . . . If you didn't already know, I'm here to tell you . . . that's exactly what God says about YOU! Yes, YOU!!! It doesn't matter what you've done, what you feel like you failed at, or what areas you may still be falling short in.

God loves you with an unimaginable unconditional love that's hard for us to even imagine. Don't believe me . . . well . . . Galatians 1:15 (NLT) says that "before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace." The Word also tells us that "many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). There is something about being called and chosen! It is a wonderful place to be in God to not only be called but also to be CHOSEN by Him.

Now I know that for someone reading this the enemy will try to tell you that what I've pointed out is great, but it doesn't pertain to you, because of whatever you've done in your life that you feel wasn't pleasing to God.  But let me expose the enemy's lie right now . . . the Word of God says in Psalms 139:

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

God knew how every day of your life would play out before you were even born. He knows every intricate detail of your personality and He still has precious thoughts towards you. It doesn't matter what your past holds, God is still with you; therefore, your past can no longer hold you!

I pray that this post today gives you the bit of encouragement and the sense of belonging and acceptance that you needed to keep pressing forward in your life and in your journey with God.  Life can be overwhelming at times with all the things that are required of us, but know that God loves us enough to give us relief and overflow our lives with His goodness at any moment.   Don't give up!!

God says to you today . . . 

"I chose you, forever I'll choose you still. Cause I love you, I promise I always will."

The Daily Battle

When you are a child of God, you have to know where it is most effective for you to fight.  The word of God tells us that . . . "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places".  Know that the fight that we must engage in, as children of the Most High God, is in the Spirit and not in the natural.  Know that God is your righteous judge.  He is your peace, your protector, your voice, your covering, your weapon against everything that would attempt to come against you.  

Yes! We all face challenges, situations, and circumstances that we could give the side-eye to and tell the devil . . . "Oooh . . you tried it!" But in those moments we have to know that we are not fighting against our family, friends, jobs, finances, or anything else that might be going haywire.  We have to recognize that this is SPIRITUAL WARFARE. We have to put on the full amour of God and press forward into the battle, without fear. We cannot let the enemy push us into having a flesh reaction to a spiritual incident.  We have to mount up and take our positions in the spirit and remind the enemy that he is already defeated.

If you are a born-again believer of the Lord Jesus Christ and you are filled with the Holy Spirit, know that God has fully equipped you for the spiritual battle that you have to face.  The word of God describes the Holy Spirit as a "Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby". I don't know about you, but that seems to me that God made sure that we would have help in any and every situation.  And if it so happens that there is something that we don't think we can handle . . . . God said that the Holy Spirit could be a Standby . . . that the Holy Spirit will stand in our place and fight for us!!  The Holy Spirit is out tag-team partner in this spiritual battle. How amazing it that?!

"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." 

(1 John 4:4 NLT)

So let me ask you a question . . . Are you a Child of God? If you answered yes . . . the above promise from God's word is for you! You have to KNOW that you have already won the victory.  

Now . . . go back and read the scripture again and replace "those people" with whatever situation you are facing and let that settle in your spirit.  Let it settle in your spirit that you have already won the victory over . . . sickness, debt, lack, low self-esteem, brokenness, drug abuse, alcoholism, fornication, lying . . . whatever "it" is! I don't care what it looks like or feels like right now, God has already given you the victory over that situation. The only thing that you have to do now is listen to the voice of God and be obedient to His instructions.  He will lead you right into your victory party!