The Labor of Obedience

12/09/06 The Labor of Obedience

WORD: One intercessor shared that he heard that exercising ourselves towards godliness was a labor.

1 Tim 4:11 NKJV

But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness . For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach.

CONFIRMATION; Another intercessor confirmed this. During quiet time after prayer she saw herself trying to lift her weight up to climb a rope. She heard, “An exercise in futility.” She felt the Lord was saying there was an easier way.

1 Tim 4:7-10 AMP

Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit]. For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come. This saying is reliable and worthy of complete acceptance by everybody. With a view to this we toil and strive, [yes and] suffer reproach, because we have [fixed our] hope on the living God, Who is the Savior (Preserver, Maintainer, Deliverer) of all men, especially of those who believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to Him).

WORD TO PONDER: PRESSING THROUGH TO EXERCISE GODLINESS 12/09/06

I AM training My people to obey My Word; body, soul and spirit. In places where you have not yet pressed through to liberty, I want you to overcome. When you exercise your will to make the right choices of obeying My Word, it is like resistance training. Temptations, soul habits and demonic oppression press against you to weaken your new beginning. It is a labor where you practice one pump at a time to overcome that which is heavy and pressing against you. You may feel weak and tired and exhausted at first. You may suffer waves of hopelessness as these forces press against your new choices, wanting you to fall into apathy, carelessness, and lukewarm-ness. Don't let them. Submit your body, soul and spirit habits to Me, resist the devil and he will flee. As you exercise yourself in the labor of godliness, you will grow so strong you will have freedom and liberty into new and healthy living.

1 Thess 5:23-24 NKJV

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul , and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

1 Cor 6:19-20 NKJV

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

3 John 2 NKJV

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

CONFIRMATION: After I posted the above tonight, I turned on the TV show Man vs. Wild, from the Discovery channel. It is a documentary adventure where a man teaches people the tricks of how to survive in the wild, should they ever get lost. It was just ending and the scene was him testing a rope hanging over a 100' cliff. He climbed it straight up.

The narrator said, "The only way to climb up these ropes is the hard way, hand over hand. There is not much technique here, it just takes strength and confidence... and NEVER look down."

Vision of the Cankerworms

Posted by [ swauthor  ] Apr 10th 2007 - 10:01PM Posts to date: 3947

I had forgotten this Word to Ponder and no idea it was coming out on tonight's email list.

CONFIRMATION: Today during my walk the Lord reminded me of an old vision I had in the 80's. I saw the army of cankerworms coming over the hills and valleys and mountains. They looked like giant fuzzy caterpillars that were about 5 feet long and everywhere they went, they left a trail of slime. I found a school room where people were protecting themselves against getting slimed from this massive army. When I walked down the school hallway I saw the slime on the walls, ceilings and floors, everywhere they had traveled But when I opened the door to this one classroom, there were people exercising quite vigorously. The cankerworms did not enter that room because they were sweating in their exercise.

I believe this vision was a parable of sweating in one's resistance against sin and embracing the will of God. This part that the Lord highlighted to me today was that He is going to restore all our losses from the years that the cankerworms stole.

Luke 22:42-44 NKJV

Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Heb 12:3-4 NKJV

You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Joel 2:25-32 KJV

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.  28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.  30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.