When Someone's Word Just Isn't Enough

Warriors Arise: July 2nd, 2020

There are so many times, too many to count, when I know after-the-fact, that God has told me to believe, have faith, seize the God-opportunity...and I didn't. Then I repent, knowing I shunned His plan, rejecting the opportunity He put before me. I am thankful for the numerous verses in the Bible telling us of God's mercy, here are just a few:

• 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NKJV) Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

• Psalms 100:5 (NKJV) For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.

• Psalms 52:8 (NKJV) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

• Psalms 130:7-8 (NKJV) O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. 8 And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

• Psalms 52:8 (NKJV) But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

The eleven disciples needed God's mercy. According to Mark it came with a rebuke. An angel had told the three women to tell the disciples and Peter, "Jesus is alive!" But they did not believe. Jesus had sent Mary to tell the disciples and they didn't believe. These two men arrived told of the travel to Emmaus when Jesus walked with them and broke bread with them. Yet, the disciple still did not believe. The two men even share of another man by the name of Simon who had seen Jesus. And the disciples still did not believe. If He was in their midst listening to the two men share of their time with Jesus; while looking to see if the disciples believed what they were hearing, He could have been completely frustrated. "I went through all this and you still do not believe! What will it take?" They needed a little help because the word of those they have trusted just wasn't enough.

Mark 16:14 (NKJV) Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

John doesn't record the rebuke but he does mention fear. So many times Jesus had asked them "Why do you fear?" John made the connection, their fear needed God's peace. Then they could receive the truth: "Jesus IS alive." When someone is consumed with fear, they cannot get to faith unless they first address the fear with peace. Peace is the bridge from fear to faith.

John 20:19 (NKJV) Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Luke records the emotions of the disciples being out of control: "they were terrified, and frightened". And who said men don't get emotional, they were all led by their emotions. So much that when Jesus made Himself known they thought He was a spirit! Because of their fear being out of control, their imagination followed. They needed peace; the kind of peace we know about from Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Luke 24:36-38 (NKJV) Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

In their unbelief, Jesus returned to make Himself known. He needed these eleven to believe but also to learn. How could they expect people to believe them when they knew Jesus would not be the one showing up to do the teaching, preaching, healing, and miracle working? Hopefully, they saw the mercy Jesus offered them and learned from their unbelief. Their hardness of heart prevented them from receiving the testimony of others; but Jesus did not give up on them. It is a lesson to learn, their word, their testimony would need to be enough for people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. God had a plan and these eleven were an instrumental part of it.

Ephesians 2:4-10 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Father, I am asking right now for You to give me opportunities to testify of Your love of Your Son, Jesus Christ. I am asking for You to open up doors for me to testify of Your power, resurrecting Jesus from death. I am asking for for the ability to walk in peace through the coronavirus. I will not embrace fear. I will go about my day with a sound mind. I will be careful, but not fearful. You bring life to me every day. Your protection will see me through. You provision for my well-being is more than enough. I bind up fear in the name of Jesus and loose the power of peace to all people. I ask for people to recognize Your presence and know You are protecting, providing for, and directing their path each day. I pray for the researchers to receive the coronavirus cure through Your direction. I ask for You to build our immune systems to reject each and every strain of the coronavirus. We will not be in fear. We will not entertain fear. Fear has to go in Jesus' name. I loose faith to arise in all believers. I pray for believers to walk in Your presence. I thank You for bringing the plans of the enemy to an end in Jesus' name. The enemy will not hold us captive in this world any more. We will walk by faith. We will lift our eyes to the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. We will recognize where our strengths comes from; our strength comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. You are God of all creation, holy and wonderful are You! We all remember all You have done and believe for all You are doing and watch and see what the Lord will do 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.