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Author: Lori Casto

No Fear

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

The Good Fight

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

Even There

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 139:7-10

Quenching The Spirit

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

 

One of my prayers moving into 2025 is that I allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct. I don’t want it to be Lori. If I’m making a move forward, I want it to be Spirit-lead and anointed.

 

So, when I arrived at these words in my reading this morning, “Do not quench the Spirit,” I have to stop and ask myself:

 

  1. What does it really mean to quench the spirit? Having a fire and throwing water on it. Extinguish, blow out. Stop the Holy Spirit from being able to move
  2. What could I be doing or not doing in my own life daily to quench The Spirit?
  3. What could I be doing at church or before church to quench the Spirit?

 

 

  • Quench- throw water on it, put out or put an end

 

If I want The Holy Spirit to move, I need to examine my part in His movement.

 

Before & Behind

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21

 

‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.

Isaiah 45:2

 

But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:12

As I Should

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:2-6

Just a Boy

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samual 17:45-47

 

Have faith in God, Jesus answered. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24

 

What if you speak to the mountain only to find when God removes it, there stands a giant? Sometimes it seems we are hard pressed on all sides, leaving us feeling persecuted and abandoned. (2 Corinthians 4) We’ve finally removed a barrier and there’s still more conquering yet to do.

 

I think it’s important to know that Goliath won’t be moved by our own power or might. Just like God throws the mountain into the sea as we speak to it in Jesus’ name, God also delivers us from the giant. The battle is His. He will equip us to fight the battle, then He will take over where our weakness begins. (His strength is made perfect in our weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9)

 

We will have mountains, and we will have goliaths just beyond the mountain, but if God can use just a boy with 5 smooth stones and a sling, He can certainly equip us to slay the giant. Don’t give up. Whether you’re waiting for mountain removal or preparing to slay a giant, God is fighting our battle through Jesus and the power of The Holy Spirit.

 

I’ve come to realize the more opposition we face, the bigger the blessing. Don’t quit. Jesus wants us to live victorious lives as overcomers. Remember, David wasn’t just a boy. He was a boy with mighty faith in a big and powerful God.

As The Elect of God…

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on:

  1. Tender mercies,
  2. Kindness,
  3. Humility,
  4. Meekness,
  5. Longsuffering;

 

*bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, (*Be gentle & ready to forgive) if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

 

  1. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

 

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body;

 

and be thankful.  

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:12-17

Partakers of Grace

…you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7b

 

  • Partaker– to take part in or experience something along with others; to have a portion
  • Grace – unending love and mercy, consistent favor, a gift, forgiveness, redemption, healing, transformation, and unmerited favor

 

This morning as I began reading Philippians, I got stopped at just a few words at the very beginning of chapter 1… partakers of grace. Every day we are all partakers of grace.  It’s not like money where we spend it all, then have to earn more and put it into an account in order to spend it again. God’s grace is always available, and His mercy is new every day. His grace is sufficient. It’s exactly what you and I need every single day.

 

Have a blessed day as you partake in God’s amazing grace!

 

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

 

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

 

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

 

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Wait

Wait

But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans NAS

 

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. NIV

 

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. NKJV

 

But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. Living

 

Wait– to stay in place in expectation of

to look forward expectantly

Hope– to cherish a desire with anticipation

to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment

to expect with confidence : trust

Eager-moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest.

Patience– steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity

bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint

Perseverance-continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : steadfastness

Confidence– the quality or state of being certain

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