Just Making Sure

Warriors Arise July 3rd, 2020

There are times when God wants to make sure we do what He wants us to do. He wants there to be no mistake that He is setting us up for a God-opportunity. I shared a few weeks ago about how we learn, "line upon line, and precept upon precept." When the eleven disciples were struggling with believing the testimony of the three women, Mary sharing she had seen and spoken with Jesus, the two men walking to Emmaus and breaking bread with Jesus, and hearing of Simon seeing Jesus; they did not believe. Jesus rebukes them for their unbelief. This isn't the first time the eleven struggled with their unbelief in something Jesus had done.

Fast forward, a few months or so, and we see God making sure Peter is going to seize the God-opportunity. In Acts 10, Cornelius, a man who is not a Jew, receives a message from the Lord by way of an angel. Cornelius got the message before Peter, the apostle. God helped Peter make the right decision. Just like Jesus went back to the disciples to make sure they were going to meet Him in Galilee. Moments before Cornelius' men arrive to invite Peter to come, God is going to make sure Peter seizes the God-opportunity.

Acts 10:1-23 (NKJV) There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?”

So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” 7 And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. 8 So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. 19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” 21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” 22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Not to be too harsh to Peter, but each of us need to know, Jesus died for all mankind. Jesus' blood covered the courtyard where He was whipped 39 times with the cat of nine tails. His blood poured out as he was taken back to His prison cell. Jesus bled when the crown of thorns was hammered onto His head and it ran down His face. His blood stained the purple robe the guards had put on Him to mock Him. His blood left foot prints from the prison cell up to plateau of Golgotha, where there was the cross upon which He died. Jesus took on all the sin of people past, present and those who will sin in the rest of mankind's tomorrows. Jesus believed all lives mattered. He didn't just believe it; but He died to demonstrate His belief. Jesus demonstrated His love for all mankind.

Generally, Peter was the first to speak, the first to do the miraculous (the only disciple to get out on the water to walk to Jesus), the first to draw a sword when Jesus was arrested, and the first to run to the tomb when he heard the message from the three women. But something changed in him when Jesus was crucified and appeared to others but not to him. He battled like most of us do, when a life-changing crisis happens we question what we know of God and if we still matter to God.

God wants us to seize the opportunity for revival. In Peter's day, God opened the door for the Gentiles to receive Jesus. With the chaos of today, could God be making sure we understand how important it is to share our faith with others. If God were to give you a message of what to do now through a vision, a dream in the night, or the testimony of others who you know to be faithful to Him, would you seize the God-opportunity? Or will it take an act of God, like the vision Peter had to move you to do His will?

Father, You have a plan. Your way is always good. Your love is everlasting. You see what is going on. I can't imagine the anger and pain You are going through as You watch mankind destroy one another. Thank you for protecting Your people. Thank you for guiding us through this pandemic. Thank you for providing in a time of uncertainty. Thank you for being the Rock upon which I stand. I ask for You to intervene at this time. I pray for those You have called to be evangelists to step into their calling to take the message of Jesus Christ to the streets. I pray for those who are gifted in administration to organize Christian groups to go in and clean up the areas the that have been damaged. No, we didn't make the mess, but this is a way we can demonstrate Your love. I pray for those who have the gift of teaching to join the evangelists and to set up camps to disciple people through the Word of God. We have been doing backyard Bible studies for years. Believers have been trying to reach the children. Now, we know the adults need Jesus just as much, if not more than the children. I pray for salvation to come to entire households, from great grandparents to great grandchildren. We need Your plan; we need those who operate in prophetic gifts to release Your plan to the people. Mary asked Jesus to provide wine for a wedding and He told her it wasn't His time yet. It may not be time but I am asking for the lives of all those being lost daily. In the Mighty name of Jesus, I am asking for the prophets to receive Your plan, the administrators to organize the people with the plan, the evangelists to boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, and the teachers to disciple the people. I ask for You to call Believers together. I ask for Your Word to be sent out to all mankind and not return void. I pray for hearts to be open to receiving Your forgiveness and love. I pray for minds to be open to the truth of all that You are. You are amazing and Your love is available to us every day no matter what we have done. I ask in the name of Jesus for Your Word to go forth in power in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy

My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.