Morning Encounter @ da Chapel
Bishop Steven Avinger, Sr
Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church
Joshua 1:16-18 (KJV)
“Achieving Victory in a Time of War”
It’s good to know that when God prepares a way for you no man or set of conditions can stop what God has begun. You might be hindered in the battle, but you won’t be stopped. Keep focused on the word and be strong, and you will prosper wherever you go. When God repeats himself it’s not a suggestion, it is a command. The man of God needs encouragement also. Don’t fall into the trap that many leaders fall into, the trap of fear and discouragement. Things won’t always look like they really are, don’t let that bother you. Don’t be fooled into losing your focus, because things look bad and it looks like the odds are against you, Lord your God is with you no matter where you go. When God gives you an assignment and sends you on a path you can’t fail because there is no failure in God.
*Obedience
Obedience is better than sacrifice, you can’t be saved until you humble yourself and be obedient to the word of God and call on the name of Jesus. What good is it for God to take you through something and you don’t learn the lesson? When you get tired of failing from doing the same thing over and over and over again, tell your leader whatever they say you will do and not make the same mistakes again. A house divided cannot stand, the leader and people need to be on the same page, especially in times of war.
*The people prayed for the presence of God. The best thing you can ask God for is that your leaders have the presence of God with them, especially in times of war. Those that have favor from God should have honor and respect from the people of God that they lead. Those that God called deserve your prayers whether you think they are going in the right direction or not. If you have a problem, pray that God’s presence remains with your leader, in good times and bad.
*Enter into covenant together
Discipline in a time of war will ensure less mistakes and unnecessary failures. There can only be one general giving the instructions. You can’t always look to the pulpit for discipline, sometimes you have to look at the pew. You have to look at yourself for discipline. Ask yourself, are you being obedient, are you disciplined, are you doing what you’re supposed to do? Sometimes you can interfere in your success when you are undisciplined or rebellious against what God is speaking. A frustrated and burned-out leader is no good in a time of war. They are frustrated, not because God speaks, but because the people are not disciplined. When the people are disciplined and prayerful with goodwill then it encourages those that lead them in the good work. Sometimes it’s good to smile and pat your leader on the back, and it’s good to say you’re doing a good job. It’s good to shut down folks that are complaining and tell them if they have a problem go into prayer.
If you want to win the battle there are some things that are necessary:
*Stay focused on the Lord and don’t deviate from his word
*Learn how to be obedient to your leader and pray for them constantly.
*Be of good courage and don’t allow what you see to hinder where God wants to take you. What God has spoken shall come to pass.
*Learn to be disciplined like good soldiers and listen to instructions and not pick and choose what you will and will not listen to.
Victory is yours.
Afternoon Encounter @ da Chapel
Reverend Daniel M. Jackson
New Kingdom Baptist Church
Exodus 1:7-14 (KJV)
“A Pastor Persevering Through the Pain”
It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are when you are in the will of God he uses crisis to push you. Sometimes God puts you in a place for a season, not a lifetime, and you need to learn the difference. If you stay too long beyond the time God intended for you to stay you will miss the blessings that he has in store for you. You have to cut it off. Why are you hurting so bad, it might be because God is checking your limbs to see if you are bearing any fruit. God will cut you off sometimes and he will cut you back, not because you did anything wrong, but because he’s pruning you. If you want more fruit you have to go through some cutting, if you want things to grow healthier you have to cut some things back.
New growth
*You have to understand the authority of persevering. There’s something happening in your life not because of you, but because of what God said. There’s a word on your life, you’re persevering because God already ordained for you to persevere. The reason you made it through the tears and the struggle is because God ordained you to be in this position before the foundation of the world.
It’s coming to pass.
*The prophecy on your life supersedes the problems in your life. There’s an attack on your perseverance. The enemy’s not bothering you when you’re sitting idle and chilling, but as soon as you get the vision, get the plan, that’s when the enemy shows up. If you’re under attack, consider it a compliment. The moment you start moving, “pharoah” shows up. Your growth is a threat to their power. Some people are threatened by you, but they don’t know what it took to get where you are. People are good at passing STDs in the church, Spiritual Transmitted Demons. The idle mind is the devil’s workshop, but the business is the devil's workshop. You must recognize when the devil has you too busy to produce. Sometimes you have to slow down. Every hero is birthed out of tragedy, pain brought up the tragedy that turned into triumph.