SATAN'S AFTER THE SEED

"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts" 
(Mark 4:15)

Notice Satan comes immediately to steel the Word that is sown in our HEARTS.

The word "Heart" is translated from a Greek word" Kardia" (2588) which means "The thoughts or feelings, (mind); also the middle heart."

Our hearts were created to be filled with the seed of Gods Word! Our heart is literally the center of our soul.  Much like the core of an apple, our heart is the core or middle part, where seeds reside. And thats what Satan is after. He is after our hearts, because that’s where Gods Seed is. That’s where Gods Word is.

Satan wants to break, crush, bruise, and shatter our hearts, so Gods Word cannot be planted there.  He knows that once Gods word is planted in our hearts, then that’s when Gods miracle working power and life has the ability to be released into our lives.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

"For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man is blessed in his deed." 

(James 1: 23-25)

Many times in praying for individuals who are being afflicted with some aliment or sickness, I'll bring a mirror. Not a physical glass mirror, but the mirror of the Word of God. The reason I bring this mirror is many times the individual who is trying to receive their healing has become so preoccupied with the sickness or pain that is plaguing them, that they have forgotten and or have become blinded to who and what they are.

As I minister to them, I'll attempt to do what James instructed us to do, and bring the Perfect Law of Liberty before their eyes. I'll attempt to help them see who they really are; Healed!

If I am able to get people engaged with what the Word of God has said about them, and not consumed with their symptoms, God is able to help them receive, experience, and walk in their healing!

The Word "looketh" here in James 1:25 means, "To bend over and peer into, to get a better look." When you begin to peer into the Word of God, you'll begin to see yourself as a person who has been healed and made FREE!

You'll begin seeing in your heart, an image of health, instead of sickness and pain. For example: Isaiah 53:3-5 and 1 Peter 2:24 tell us that God has already healed us.
Colossians 1:13 says that God has already delivered us from the power of darkness.
2 Peter 1:3 proclaims that God has given us ALL THINGS that pertain to life, and godliness.

And in Luke 10:1, Jesus Himself declares that He has given us authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us.

Glory to God! Are you beginning to see your reflection in the Word God? This refelction is one of healing and deliverance. James 1:22-25 is telling us to look into this mirror. When we allow Gods Word to change the perception in our heart, we will begin receiving what God has promised us in His Word!

Are you occupied with the feelings of sickness today, or are you being consumed with 1 Peter 2:24, which declares; "by his stripes ye were healed"? James instructs us to not only look, but to keep on looking into this mirror: "…this man (then) is blessed in his deed."

This is one of the requirements that God has established in His Word in receiving and walking in divine health. You see, being consumed by the symptoms of sickness is actually hindering the blessing of healing in our life.

By having the wrong perception in our heart, we are actually establishing and reinforcing the condition the devil has us in. We become bound, limited, and restrained.

Romans 6:18 declares to us that we are free from sin and its fruit! We are free from sickness, and liberated from pain, glory to God! We do not have to stay bound by the symptoms of sickness and disease, if we would just continue looking into the mirror of the Word of God.

We could take a life lesson from Abraham our Father in the faith, and imitate him. He refused to consider his own body and he waxed strong in faith looking unto the promises of God. (Rom. 4:18-21.)

We also can follow after Sarah. We read in Hebrews 11:11, where Sarah "received physical power… because she considered [God], Who had given her the promise, to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His Word." (Amp) The word "looketh" also means "to consider."

You see, instead of considering her limitations, which were her age, her body, etc., she looked, or considered the promise of God's Word and received the faith she needed to manifest that promise in her life.

In Numbers 21:8 we read an account where thousands of Israelites were dying. So Moses, under the direction of God, put a brass serpent on a pole and raised it up before the people. In verse 8 we read: "And it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live." Notice the condition for their healing was "everyone who looketh shall live."

No one would receive their healing except on the condition that they look and continue looking at the brass serpent, which was a prophetic type of Christ. The serpent represents the curse of the law (sickness). In Galatians 3:13 we read where "Christ hat redeemed us from the curse of the law (sickness), being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangeth on a tree."

The word "looketh" here in Numbers 21:8 literally infers "a continual stare." The Israelites were not to just glance at the brass serpent; they were to continually stare at it, giving it their full attention, until they were healed.

The same is true today. The healing process is completed as we not only begin to look into the Perfect Law of Liberty, but stay looking at the promises of God. We are to give the Word of God our full attention until we are that Word in our lives!

Begin looking at the right mirror. Change your focus from the deception of sickness to the reality of healing. Walk in the freedom of health by looking into the Perfect Law of Liberty today!

FORGIVE AND KNOW HIM

Pastor Rory Synoground ministering at the Healing the Brokenhearted Service March 3rd 2012

HIS BLESSING IS IN HIS PRESENCE

 Pastor Rory Synoground ministering at the April 14th Healing The Brokenhearted Service on the Blessing and The Presence of The Lord

FAITH & WORKS

Galatians 2:16 "… even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works..”   Faith is simply believing God and His Word. Faith is not works or behavior.  James 2:17  “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”    Faith will have works or corresponding behavior that expresses it.  The works are not faith, they are the result of faith.  So faith is believing and doing Gods Word!

GRACE OR WORKS

Ephesians 2:5-9 "...even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. "

There is an identity crisis in the world today. This identity crises is not only in unbelievers, but it is in the body of Christ as well. A good example of this mentality is demonstrated in the Israelites, when God delivered them out of Egypt. Gods children lived for 400 years in Egypt, and during this time, they were placed in bondage. They became the slaves of Egypt. As a result, a slave mentality began defiling their hearts. With each passing generation this slave mentality became stronger and stronger. Even though the Israelites witnessed miracle after miracle in their deliverance, they still were not able to believe what God had said. When they crossed the Red Sea, and entered into their journey through the wilderness, which was suppose to be only an 11 day journey, they ended up staying there for 40 years. Why, because of their identity of being a slave. When it became difficult for them in the wilderness, they asked to go back to Egypt. Their works mentality, their slave identity kept them bound. As a result a whole generation never experience the blessing of the promised land.

The only reason the next generation of Israelites found their way out of that slave mentality, a works mentality, is because they choose to believe Gods grace, His promise, His salvation!

Most people, Christians alike, are the same way today. We have generations of influence defiling our hearts with a works mentality. This works mentality has defiled the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We now have forms of performance based Christianity being preached across our pulpits every Sunday.

The Gospel is not one of works, but of grace. Our identities are so bound to our earning the right to have and enjoy life, that we miss out on the blessing of eternal life that God has promised for us right here, right now. John 3:16 tells us; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever should BELIEVE on him, should not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE (Zoe life, or the life of God)." When do we have this life, right now. How do we receive this life? Not by earning it, or working for it, but by simply believing on JESUS!

Grace is a gift, it is not something you earn. Here is a question I ask people,  "When were you saved?" Many times they tell me the day the prayed the prayer of salvation, which seems religiously correct. But is that really the truth? Because if it is, then your salvation is based on you praying the right prayer, instead of Gods grace. In my street witnessing efforts, I have had fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord criticize me and others who are out there reaching the lost, on the type of prayer people have prayed. They are so critical of the type of words and phrases used, that they judge these precious children of God as not saved.  These same people look for some emotional response or dramatic turn around in that persons life to determine the validity of their salvation. Why do they do this?  Because they believe you and I have to earn our salvation some how. Again that's a works perception of salvation.

Look at Ephesians 2:8 again; "..by grace you have been saved.." What did it say? BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED. The word "have" here is past tense, meaning this salvation has already happened. You are not saved by your prayer, or by your behavior. So the truth is GRACE SAVED YOU.

So what is grace? It simply is the act of Jesus dying on the cross for your sin. And then making you righteous with His righteousness. You and I had nothing to do with our salvation. You and I were saved when Jesus died for us, not when we prayed. If we were saved when we prayed then our salvation would be based on our work of praying, and not based on the work of Jesus dying on the cross.

Ephesians 2:8 says; "...through faith..." We receive our salvation through the avenue of faith. I know its hard for some of you, but the truth is we simply believe in our heart, that's it. When we begin believing Gods grace, that's when we will begin experiencing our promised land of Gods blessings.

JESUS OPENS PRISON DOORS

In Isaiah 61: 1 we read where Jesus came to open the prison to them that are bound. What type of prison was Jesus referring to? Was he just referring to literal prison doors, or can this concept be applied to other areas of our life?

Yes its true Jesus can and will open literal prison doors, as is demonstrated in the life and ministry of Paul. In Acts 16, we see where Paul was imprisoned for casting out a demon from a girl that operated with that spirit of divination. While in there, Paul praised, and worshiped the Lord. An earthquake happened that was so violent, it shook open the prison doors. Paul could have just walked out. But his focus was not on his deliverance, but on those that were in that dungeon. This tells us that Paul did not worship the Lord just to get out of prison. He believed, in contrast to his environment, that he was already delivered. In his heart he was already free. Instead his focus was on Jesus and His desires. As a result, Paul lived his life for others. When those doors opened, Paul saw it as an opportunity to minister deliverance. When the Keeper of the prison awoke and saw the doors open, He saw this event as a death warrant. And through his fearful reasoning, was about to kill himself. But Paul intervened. He reached out and ministered the love of God to him. The prison doors in that mans heart were opened, and he received his freedom by accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior

As a result, his whole family received Jesus as well. And yes, Paul walked out of that prison unharmed.

 

Wounds in our heart have the opportunity to imprison us through our own reasoning and judgments. Jesus wants to open our prison doors by healing our hearts and removing those walls of unbelief that imprison us, through faith in His Word.

When God begins to bring healing to these areas of your heart, your attention becomes more focused on Him, and His desires. As the Lord brings these changes, you find that you are more concerned with others than yourself. You become an agent of the Lords glory. You become the blessing the world so desperately needs.

GRACE

Grace is Jesus becoming sin with our sin, freeing us from the judgment and condemnation of that sin, and then making us righteous with His righteousness.
II Corinthians 5:21, 6:1, 8:1,7,9

THE POWER THAT FORGIVES IS THE POWER THAT HEALS

 

In Luke 5:17-26 we see Jesus retiring to his own home. (Mark 2:1) He probably was there trying to refresh himself from his extensive ministry missions. The people of the area, and the surrounding areas, came to his home to hear him teach. Even the Doctors of the Law, and the Pharisees came to his place to hear him minister. Logically we must assume that some of these men believed in Jesus, and valued what he was teaching. But most of these men did not. We know through previous encounters with these men, that they were some of Jesus’ strictest opponents. They were always trying to find fault, angry with, and looking for an accusation to hold against him. With all the problems Jesus had with them, he still allowed them into his own home, bad attitude and all. I imagine the atmosphere in that house that day was one of fear, indecisiveness, and division. Even though the people of the area came to Jesus, they still must have been vary cautious not to respond to Him, because of the Doctors of the Law and Pharisees being present. Now the text tells us that Jesus was teaching. It does not give us the details, but I would suggest He was probably teaching from Isaiah 61 which we read about in Luke 4:18 that reveals His purpose for ministry, and the authority that God has given him. The Bible then tells us in verse 17 that the power or authority of the Lord was present to heal. Yet no one was receiving their healing. Even though this power was present, no one in that house that day was benefiting from it. This should tell us that God does not need our faith, or agreement to have his power available. In fact Gods authority to save and heal is always available for us especially when the ministry of the Word is in operation. At this point, some people who were determined to get a friend of theirs to Jesus, decided to climb up on His roof, tear a hole big enough to lower a man down into the midst before Jesus. In Luke 5:20 (KJV) we read how Jesus responded to this event. “And when he saw their faith…” Jesus could have interpreted this tearing of his roof and ceiling in many different ways. He could have saw the damage they did, and how much work and expense it would be to repair it. He could have interpreted this event as being selfish and self centered. Instead Jesus saw it as an act of faith. It took a faith in the Lord by that man and those who helping him, to be let down in the middle of His sermon to reach Jesus. Now Jesus knowing that the power or the authority of the Lord to heal was present, spoke directly to this mans heart. “…he said to him, Man thy sins are forgiven thee.” (Luke 5:20 KJV) Why did Jesus speak this to the man? Why didn’t he just ask him what he wanted, or why didn’t he just heal the man? After all, again the power of the Lord was present to heal. Jesus must have known the condition of that mans heart. Again, the man probably thought that the reason he was in this predicament was because of some sin that he had committed, not to mention he just ruined the Lords roof. Jesus ministered to the root of this mans belief system. He relieved him of the condemnation and guilt he was feeling. He literally took the power of the Lord that was present to heal, and forgave this man his sin! Now this just contradicted the Pharisees and Doctors of the Laws theology. They began to reason among themselves and began to say that this was blasphemy. We take for granted the phrase, “I forgive you” in our culture. But back then, they literally believed that only God can forgive sins. Jesus introduced a new concept and explained to them through demonstration, that the Son of man has power and authority to forgive sins, and turned to the man who was sick and said “I say unto thee, Arise and take up thy couch and go into thine house.” (Luke 5:24 KJV) Jesus took that same power that was present to heal that He just used to forgive the man his sin, and healed his body. The Bible says that immediately he rose up before them, glorifying God. This should tells us that the same power and authority that is available to heal, is also the same power and authority that is available to forgive us our sins! Forgiveness of sins, and the healing of our bodies always glorifies God. Unforgiveness, and sickness does not! Only one person that day received forgiveness, and healing. It was the man who believed. The central truth or message in this story is this: The same power of God that forgives sins, is the same power of God that heals our bodies. Its only through faith in Jesus that we are able to receive forgiveness of our sins, and healing for our bodies.

GOD CAN BUT WILL HE

In Luke 5:12-16 we read an account of Jesus healing a Leper. Its interesting how this came about if you knew the relationship laws concerning lepers. First of all lepers were not to come into contact with people. (Lev 13:45 KJV) If he were to come around others he was to shout “unclean, unclean.” Secondly, people were not to come near, or come into contact with those suffering from with this disease. The leper was desperate. He must of heard that Jesus has healed people. He knew that Jesus could, but he didn’t know if Jesus would. He knew that he was not suppose to be near people, let alone approach them in any way. But he took the risk and fell on his face before Jesus and besought him saying: “…Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.” (Luke 5: 12 KJV) What a risk this man took. It could have meant his life. But what kind of life did he have anyway, isolated and alone from his family and friends. He probably thought that He did something to deserve this disease, through a lack of self -esteem and self worth. Maybe this was Gods will for him, or maybe God was punishing him for his disobedience. Who knows exactly what he was thinking, but we do know that he didn’t know if it was the Lords will to heal him. Many today are wondering the same thing. Is it Gods will to heal me? Is this disease or sickness Gods way of teaching me something? Am I worthy or important enough to be healed by the Lord? Hopefully the answer the Lord gave him will answer other like questions others have concerning the Lords will in healing our bodies. Notice how Jesus responded in Luke 5:13; “And he (Jesus) put forth his hand and touched him…” This is important. Jesus touched the man. First of all he was not suppose to do this. After all this disease is very contagious. Didn’t Jesus now that by touching him, he was putting himself at risk to contract this disease? Of course he did, but it didn’t matter. Jesus had other priorities that directed his life. First of all He said in other places like in John 5: 19 that he only did what he saw his Father do, and I John 8:26 KJV He only said what he heard his Father say. So when Jesus reached out and touched this man in his condition, it literally was the Father reaching out to one of His children, and touching him with unconditional love. By touching this man, Jesus was showing him his value. He was communicating to him that he was important to the Father, and that he mattered. This should reassure us that the Father is not afraid to touch us in our uncleanness, in our sin. Even if we are rejected by man, and an outcast in society, He is always ready to reach out to us and love us unconditionally. Secondly Jesus went on to say in Luke 5:13 KJV; “.. I will, be thou clean.” This should forever silence the critics that say its not Gods will to heal. Again Jesus explained to us that He only would say what He heard His Father say, so, when Jesus said “I will” , it was literally God the Father saying “I will”. As a result, the man was cleansed of the disease immediately. He didn’t have to wait for it. It was instantaneous. This is such a loving powerful picture of the Fathers will in action towards His children. Now right after this healing, Jesus did tell this man to go show himself to the priests. This was a command found in the book of Leviticus for the leper. (Lev 14:2-3 KJV) If he thought himself to be cleansed of leprosy, he was to go to the priest and be examined. The priest then would, declare him cleansed. This then would openly allow him to return to society honorably. Then he would give an offering to the Lord. Jesus told him to do this for a testimony to the priests. He also told him to tell know one before he did this. But apparently the report of this cleansing got around, and it drew such attention to Jesus, that it hindered His ministry. Upon hearing of this event, multitudes came to hear and be healed by Jesus, and Jesus had to withdraw into the wilderness, to refresh himself through prayer with His Father. The central truth, or message in this story is that God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son, not only can heal, but will heal all those that seek Him. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Instead of running from Jesus, through a lack of self esteem, and self worth, we should run to him, and allow him to do what only he can do, and that is to cleanse us, heal us, and restore us!

The Blessing

 

One Simple Act of Obedience

In Luke 5:1-11 we read of an account where Jesus was ministering by the lake of Gennesaret. and because of the multitude of people pressing in to hear what he was saying, Jesus needed a boat to use to continuing ministering. The use of this boat would allow him to stand at a distance from the people without being overwhelmed by them. He turned to Simon and asked for the use of his boat. Simon who had a business of fishing, had just come into shore after fishing all night long. Simon and his partners used nets to catch the fish, so they would work at night so the fish would not see their nets. This was a common practice of fishing at the time. He had just come to shore and was cleaning his nets, his boat, and was packing up for the day. Even though he was trying to accomplish these tasks, he agreed to give Jesus the use of his boat. After Jesus finished his preaching, he then turned to Simon and told him to launch his nets in for a catch. Now this did not make sense to Simon, because you did not do this during the day. We can see Simons hesitation by the way he responded to Jesus in Luke 5:5 (KJV) “And Simon answering said unto him Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing…” Simon was tired and frustrated. He had just finished cleaning these nets, he did not want to go back out during the day mind you, and dirty up these nets again. But to appease Jesus he said; “…nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Now Jesus told him to let down all of his nets, but Simon said he would let down one net. It most likely was an old net that he didn’t clean because it was considered a useless net, not able to hold much. But even with his lack of faith he still acted partially on Jesus word. As a result, when they threw the net in, they caught a great multitude of fishes, and that old net began to break. Simon called for help to his partners, who were probably still just sitting in their other ship watching to see if anything would happen,, to come and help him. They came and the scripture says they filled both ships with fish. In Luke 5:8 we read “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees saying, Depart from me: for I am a sinful man O Lord.” Peter knew what he believed in his heart, and the miracle that he witnessed convicted him of his unbelief. I love how Jesus responded. It clearly portrays the heart of our Father. Jesus did not condemn him, or judge him, he simply encouraged him by saying in Luke 5:10 (KJV) “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” He declared to him his calling, and purpose. He told him his value and said that he is still a man that God has chosen to work with in reaching the lost. The central truth or message that we see in this story, is when we are willing to give to the Lord for the purpose of ministering the Gospel, we will have a harvest of good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over come into our bosom. When we simply give and then hear what the Lord will say to us personally, that’s when we will receive an abundant harvest. Jesus was clearly demonstrating to us a principle in receiving the resources we need to reach the lost. He also was revealing to us the way he is able to catch peoples attention. Through the operation of signs, miracles and wonders. If we are at least willing to give to Jesus our life, hear his commands, and at least obey them, not only will the blessing of God manifest in our lives for us personally, but he will work through us to bless the world.