Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the Ancient Paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16
1-The Wise Servant: To those servants who are found ready and waiting , they will be blessed and given the position of ruling over his household, this person will be made ruler of all He has.
2-The Faker Servant: To the servants who says – eh, He isn’t coming anytime, I know what I should do but…. I will treat people cruely and unfairly, I will eat, drink and be drunk- I have time. This servant will be cut in two and given his portion with unbelievers
3-Slacker Servant: To the servant who knew God’s will but was not ready according to God’s will be beaten with many stripes.
4-Unintentional Servant: The servant who was unaware and unlearned in these things but did things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few.
In Luke 12, Jesus tell us to be ready at all times for His return. Jesus told Peter this warning is for the wise and faithful.
” Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
Discern the Time : Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?
Make Peace with Your Adversary:“Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”
When Christ returns, will he find you in bitterness? anger? unforgiveness? pride? covetous? jealousy? lying? drinking? living in sin? Get rid of all sin, live a life to please the Lord and be the New Creation He created you to be- Holy and Righteous. Prepare your heart today and always be ready at all times.
A great heavenly host of angels, the prophets, the forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Archangel Gabriel and all of Heavens armies surrounded the cross at that moment. They watched as the Son of God was tried and beaten throughout the night, they watched as He carried the cross. When He was nailed to the cross, the entire heavens stood silent. A great silence and stillness covered the heavens as tears slipped down their faces, their fury held back as they watched the Savior suffer in utter torment. Abraham watching his children spit and strike the Lord, the angels wanting desperately to rescue Him, and the prophets of old bowing their heads with broken hearts as they all watched the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Lion of tribe of Judah and the King of kings descended from the line of King David, nailed to a cross.
The savior of the world in deep abandonment, sorrow, pain and rejection. He took the punishment you and I deserved. On the cross for 6 hours and after 3 hours of complete darkness, they heard the Lord cry out “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” and then another cry “It is finished!” He bowed his head and released his spirit. It was done. He died, the earth quaked, graves opened, the dead came back and were seen among the living, The soldiers gasped and fear and exclaimed ” Truly, this was the Son of God!”. The thick veil in the temple tore in two, earth shaking, sky pitch black darkness, fear in every heart, walls crumbling, dead digging their way out…… and the proclamation echoed out:
“See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. FOR HE will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence! For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about. And because of his experience, ” My righteous servant has made it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he has borne all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death.” He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. He has opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. Amen! He has made the people holy by the blood He shed, He has now become our High Priest. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. He mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. ”
As He released His spirit, He was taken up into the arms of the heavenly host who quickly gathered around Him and held Him with great love, comforting Him. – Yet, we know He did not ascend to the Father as yet, because after His resurrection, He said not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended to the Father. Remember what Jesus said- the only sign given to them would be the sign of Jonah, just as he was in the belly of the whale for 3 days and 3 nights so the Son of Man will be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.
He disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of our enemies in high places! For He, our redeemer, triumphed over them by the cross.
He, the Son Jesus, was given all authority in Heaven and Earth from God the Father. He has the keys to Hades. While in the heart of the earth, He went into the dark abyss with a mighty angelic force behind Him. Entering into the gates of Hell Proclaiming freedom every captive “ You have been set free! I have come to save You! Your Father in Heaven has sent for you!” His voice like thunder echoing throughout for every man and woman to hear. Teaching and preaching to them the Good News. He walked through the gates of Hell and throughout the pit of Hell, making sure He spoke to everyone who had ever been created, gathering as many as He could. Demons surrounding Him silenced in His Power unable to speak and filled with weakness, trembling in His presence. The Savior, full of power and authority continued showing the captives His hands and feet, showing everyone what our Savior had done so they could be set free. Many called out to Him, grabbing on to Him, following and believing, but yet others – in anger like the Pharisees, mocked Him and treated Him as the people of the world treated Him. Just as the Pharisees knew He was God and choose to reject Him for their own pride, status and evil hearts, so some of the people in Hell also treated Him.
So the Lord Jesus took His captives to freedom as they He gathered them into the Heavens, out of the pit of torment and dread that was supposed to be eternal for each one of them. As they reached the Great Throne room before the Lord God Almighty, the Lord’s heart leaped for joy to see His children. He gave each one a Great Embrace as is they were the only child of the Father- telling them- “ My Child, I have always loved you with an everlasting love. Since the days of Noah, I have never forgotten you. You have never left my mind. I am filled with Joy that you are here with me. I have a place prepared for you.” (God never forgets you)
Jesus came back to earth to see and talk to His friends giving them instructions and proving that He is the Son of the Living God. After that, He was taken up into the Heavens where He sits today at the right hand of God the Father. The heavens, the freed captives, and the angelic host filled the heavens with great Praises to the King of Kings and they have never stopped – even unto this day- I can still hear them sing praises to the new born king, Peace on earth, goodwill toward men, Christ was born in Bethlehem -the praises to Him ring forth forever and ever. Amen and Glory Hallelujah! Our King is Risen.
As we say each Easter in celebration of Christ and God’s love for us :“Christos Anesti” and we continue to reply “Aléthos Anesti “ Which is Greek for : “Christ is Risen!” And we reply “Indeed He Has! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!”
So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God froma clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:19-21
Sunday Morning: Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”JOhn 20:17
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40
CHRIST IS RISEN – Christos Anesti !!
INDEED HE HAS -Aléthos Anesti !!
Christ is Risen!
In the Greek tradition, we crack eggs each Easter. One person says “Christ is Risen” and the other says “Indeed He has” and we smash eggs. (Its a fun time for the family and each year there is a winner)Legend has it that eggs were brought to the tomb by Mary that special morning. The eggs are dyed red in remembrance of the blood of Jesus, the shell represents the tomb that couldn’t hold Him, the smash of the egg is in remembrance of what Jesus did to the power of the grave by disarming the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of our enemies. Amen!
I was in a lot of pain the other day (still dealing with post concussion syndrome- mild traumatic brain- injury from Sept 2016). My head hurt so bad, I couldn’t talk, listen to noise, turn on tv, read or text. It was intense pain mixed with a feeling like my brain was vibrating and pounding. I was on hour 16 of this torment and my sister sent me this prayer. I couldn’t read the entire prayer because I wasn’t feeling well enough, but I read and prayed what I could AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES I was completely pain free. Truly amazing! Satan wants to stop your prayers and hinder you in every way. Don’t let that happen.
May the words of this prayer, as you read/speak it, bless you, protect you and encourage you. God’s word never comes back void – Is 55.May you desire to pray always and notice when the enemy is trying to stop you from praying. Pray every day and be determined and diligent in your prayers.
S P I R I T UA L WA R FA R E P R AY E R — H O W TO DEFEAT SICKNESS AND DISEASE THIS IS A MOST POWERFUL PRAYER!
I would encourage you to print it out and pray through it often
(click link above for a better print out)
Heavenly Father, I bow in worship and praise before You. I plead the Blood of Jesus on my entire physical body, on my entire soul and on my entire spirit. I plead the Blood of Jesus against any demons that may attempt to come against me. I plead the Blood of Jesus against any humans that may try coming against me. I plead the Blood of Jesus against any natural accidents or catastrophes that may come against me. I plead the Blood of Jesus against any diseases, illnesses or sicknesses that could possibly come against me. Father, in the name of Jesus, I have full faith and belief that the Blood of Jesus will always protect me.
Father, I surrender myself completely and unreservedly in every area of my life to You. I gladly put myself into Your hands and I am more than willing to let You find a way to release Yourself through me. I take a stand against all the workings of Satan that would hinder me in my prayer life. Satan, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to leave my presence with all your demons, I bring the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ between us and against you, and I address myself only to the True and Living God and refuse any involvement of Satan in my prayer.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I take authority over every principality, every demonic spirit, and every spiritual wickedness in high places. In the name of Jesus Christ I bind the spirit of fear, anxiety, depression, oppression, weariness, doubt, stress, bitterness, jealousy, unforgiveness, failure, and poverty, and cast them out of my life, and in the name of Jesus Christ I loose the fruits of the spirit and prosperity in my life. Because the Blood of Jesus Christ is covering me, Satan has no power over my life, or anything that pertains to me. Therefore, in the name of Jesus, Satan is rendered helpless, powerless, and ineffective against my life. Heavenly Father, I recognize that You are more than worthy to receive all glory and honor and praise. I renew my allegiance and my vows to You, and thank You that the blessed Holy Spirit will guide and direct me in this time of prayer.
I am thankful that in Jesus, You have made me complete, and that You have offered Yourself to me to be my daily help and my strength. I am thankful that the victory the Lord Jesus Christ won for me on the Cross and in His resurrection has been given to me and that I am seated with Jesus in the heavenly places. I take my place with Him in the heavenly places and recognize by faith that all wicked spirits and Satan himself are under my feet. I declare, therefore, that Satan and his wicked spirits are subject to me in the name of Jesus and I rejoice in Your mercy and goodness Lord. I am thankful for the whole Armor of God that You have provided. I put on the whole Armor of God and live and pray in complete dependence upon You, blessed Holy Spirit. I put on the Girdle of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Sandals of Peace and the Helmet of Salvation. I lift up the Shield of Faith against all the fiery darts of the enemy; and I take in my mouth the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and I choose to use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life.
I am grateful, Heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus Christ spoiled all principalities and powers and made a show of them openly and triumphed over them in Himself just for me. I claim all that victory for my life this day. I reject all the insinuations, accusations, and the temptations of Satan. I 2 affirm that the Word of God is true and I choose to live this day in the light of God’s Word. I choose, Heavenly Father, to live in obedience to You and in fellowship with You. Open my eyes and show me the areas of my life that do not please You, and then work in me to cleanse me from all ground that would give Satan a foothold against me. In every way I stand in all that it means to be Your child and I welcome all the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life.
I am thankful, Heavenly Father, for the expression of Your will for my daily life as You have shown me in Your Word. I, therefore, claim all the will of God in my life this day. I am thankful that You have blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I am thankful that You have begotten me unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I am thankful that You have made provisions for me so today I can live filled with the fruits of the Spirit in my life. I recognize that this is Your will for me and I, therefore, reject and resist all the endeavors of Satan and his wicked spirits to rob me of the will of God.
I refuse to be fooled by my feelings and I hold up the Shield of Faith against all the accusations, distortion and insinuations that Satan would put into my mind. I claim the fullness of the will of God for my life and I walk in the authority given to me by Christ Jesus. By faith and in dependence upon You, I put off the fleshly works of the old man and stand in all the victory of the crucifixion that Jesus provided by cleansing me from my old nature. I put on the new man and stand in all the victory of the resurrection and the provision He has made for me to live above sin. Father I pray that You will dwell in my heart by faith, that You will keep me rooted and grounded in Your love. For Father in Your love there is no fear; because Your love is perfect and it has cast out all fear. And I thank You Lord for not giving me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Heavenly Father, open my eyes each and every day that I might see how great You are and how complete Your provisions are for me. .
Father, please give me eyes to see and ears to hear that I can understand those things that You are showing and speaking to me, so that I may understand You more fully and do exactly what You want me to do. Oh Father, when You said seek my face, my heart cried out to You, Your face Lord will I seek. O God of my salvation, show me Your face and lead me in the way that I should go so that I won’t stray from the straight and narrow path that You have set before me. I ask that the heavens be opened to me and that I may see visions and have dreams of my Heavenly Father and His Kingdom. In every way I stand in the victory of the ascension and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby all the principalities and powers were made subject to me in His name. I claim my place in Christ this day, and I am victorious with Him over all the enemies of my soul. Holy Spirit, I ask You to fill me to overflowing, break down every idol and cast out every foe in Jesus’ name. I thank You for helping me to walk in the Spirit this day, as well as every day. I pray that You lead me and deliver me from every evil and demonic temptation and every snare of the enemy. I pray and believe that no weapon formed against me will prosper, and every tongue that rises up against me I shall condemn.
In the Name of Jesus I completely surrender myself to You, Heavenly Father, as a living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world, but choose to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Father, I pray that You would show me Your will and enable me to walk in all the fullness of Your will for my life. I claim that Your power and Your anointing shall be upon me, and that when the enemy comes against me one way, the Holy Spirit will force him to flee from me seven different ways. I pray and believe that every trap the enemy sets for me will backfire on him, and work out for my good, which is for Your 3 glory; for You said all things work together for the good, for those who love the Lord, who are called according to Your purpose. Satan, the blood of Jesus Christ is against you. I am thankful, Heavenly Father, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, to the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and to bring my every thought captive into obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, in my own life, the name of Jesus tears down every stronghold of Satan and binds the enemy’s plans that have been formed against me and casts them out of my life.
Father, in the name of Jesus, I bind every stronghold of Satan against my mind, and I surrender my mind to You Lord, and I have Your mind in me as it is in Christ Jesus. I affirm, Heavenly Father, that You have not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. Father in the name of Jesus, I bind every stronghold of Satan formed against my will; I surrender my will to You and choose to make the right decisions of faith for my life.
Father, in the name of Jesus I bind every stronghold of Satan formed against my body; and I surrender my body to You recognizing that my body is the temple of the Almighty Living God and a dwelling place for His Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God, and I will rejoice in knowing that the blood of Jesus Christ covers me. Father, Your Word says when a thief is found he MUST restore everything that he has taken sevenfold. The WORD of GOD declares that Satan came to steal, kill and destroy, and the Holy Spirit has exposed everything that he has taken away. Therefore, according to God’s Holy Word, Satan in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I command you to RESTORE EVERYTHING SEVENFOLD you took away from me. The name of Jesus Christ commands you to take your hands off my finances, job, my home and my marriage right now in the name of Jesus. Father, Your word says that whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven; whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. Therefore, in the name of Jesus, I bind every stronghold of the enemy that has been holding back my financial blessings, and in the name of Jesus I loose prosperity in my life according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Father, I pray and believe that You are blessing me and causing me to prosper in all I do, that You are enlarging my territories, and that Your hand is with me to keep me from evil, so that I can live a life of prosperity and victory. Father, I speak to the seven Spirits who are before Your throne, to impart into my life blessings. I speak forth: The Spirit of the Lord, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear [reverence] of the Lord. Father I call forth my financial blessings right NOW in the name of Jesus, Oh Father, I thank You for Your prosperity NOW in the name of Jesus! Father, I thank You that the Holy Spirit is resting upon me. Father that my words may be good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearer, set the captives free and glorify the Almighty Living God my Father.
Heavenly Father, I pray now and throughout this day that You would strengthen and enlighten me, and show me every way Satan is hindering, tempting, lying, and distorting the truth in my life. And I pray and believe that You will enable me to be the kind of person that would please You. I pray and believe that You will enable me to be aggressive in my prayer life and in my walk of faith. I pray and believe that You will enable me to be aggressive mentally, so that I can study, meditate, write, and practice Your Word, and to give You Your rightful place in my life. Again, I cover myself with the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and pray that the Holy Spirit would bring all the work of the crucifixion, the resurrection, the glorification, and all the work of Pentecost 4 into my life this day. I surrender all that I am to You Lord, and I refuse in the name of Jesus to listen to discouragement, doubt, and unbelief.
Father, I will trust YOU and not be afraid. I will TRUST You Jesus every time doubt and unbelief come against me. I will yield myself to Your teachings so I will be able to experience TRUSTING You completely! Thank You Jesus, for being my salvation, my strength, my hope for tomorrow, You Lord are my Jehovah Jireh. Father You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead. Therefore, I will praise You with much joy in my heart and shall draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Father, I thank You for Your anointing being upon me and in me, therefore, I boldly confess that I shall LIVE AND NOT DIE. I will live to do the works of my Father, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach the gospel to the poor, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to those who are blind. I will live to set at liberty them that are bruised and to tell the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I will live Lord to shout and claim the victory of the cross over all the satanic forces in my life. Jesus, I will live and praise and worship Your Holy Name!
Father, I thank You for hearing my prayers, I thank You Jesus for interceding for me and taking my prayers before Your Father, I thank You for giving me the victory every day! I lift up the name of Jesus, and I give You all the glory, the entire honor and all the praise. I thank You NOW LORD for my deliverance, and I will shout the victory now! For this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and I will be glad. I say Glory Hallelujah to Your Name for You are worthy to be praised! I speak forth, declare, and prophesy these things forth into my life in the name of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen.
He disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of our enemies in high places! For He, our redeemer, triumphed over them by the cross.
So the Lord Jesus took His captives to freedom as they He gathered them into the Heavens, out of the pit of torment and dread that was supposed to be eternal for each one of them. As they reached the Great Throne room before the Lord God Almighty, the Lord’s heart leaped for joy to see His children. He gave each one a Great Embrace as is they were the only child of the Father- telling them- “ My Child, I have always loved you with an everlasting love. Since the days of Noah, I have never forgotten you. You have never left my mind. I am filled with Joy that you are here with me. I have a place prepared for you.” (God never forgets you)
photocredit: http://www.propheciesofrevelation.org/spiritual_battle.html
Ancient Paths 