Each month I receive a teaching letter from Pastor Dave Roberson in Tulsa, OK. This month’s was very good and timely, I wanted to share it with you today. It is a little longer than our normal motivation, but well worth the read…enjoy!
Dear Kim,
Several of the instructions the Lord gave us last year through the prophecies and the teachings in our services had to do with us remaining “laser focused,” that is, for us–as His Body–to be single-minded in our efforts and determination to do His will and to become whom He wants us to be. And in this walk of fellowship and maturity with the Lord, the Best Friend we have to help us remain laser focused is the Holy Spirit.
You see, the Holy Spirit is the One who leads us into all truth, ministers God’s grace, and provides the keys we need to get past our flesh, the tactics of the devil, and the circumstances of life. These keys that the Holy Spirit has taught us diligently over the years are designed to help us in our daily walk of the spirit and are the foundation of our fellowship with Him. They are:
• Praying in tongues for personal edification
• Worship
• Fasting
• Meditation and assimilation of the Word
• Confession/proclaiming God’s Word
• Waiting upon the Lord–listening for His instructions
• Co-laboring with the Holy Spirit–obeying what He says
Each of these keys plays its own role in shaping, strengthening, and changing our lives, but not one of them can be substituted for another or ignored. They are each vital in our spiritual maturity and transformation into the image of Christ, into the full expression of God.
For example, a person can spend all of his time with God in worship, which brings His Presence like no other key can, but worship cannot inoculate him against false doctrine and deception the way meditating on the Word or praying in tongues can. And yet, praying in tongues, which is a revelation gift, cannot mortify the deeds of the flesh the way fasting can. Each key is a part of a whole foundation that needs to be established in the life of every believer, not as “works” to try to earn God’s love, but as necessary tools to grow and mature in Christ.
With this knowledge as a basis, let’s talk specifically about using God’s Word to help us remain laser focused–both His written Word as recorded in the Bible and His personal words to us, which should always line up with Scripture, God’s principles, and His character.
One of the most effective ways to stay focused on God’s Word is to create a “blueprint” for your life. A blueprint is a collection of the words, visions, or dreams that God has spoken to your heart through His words of prophecy, personal ministry, or in your private times of fellowship with Him. They are the mind of Christ for you specifically–to help you stand on the truth no matter what comes your way to discourage, divert, or knock you off track.
Scripture tells us that there are times when circumstances and the storms of life try to overwhelm us, and times when the devil tries to convince us that our words of hope are just lies, but during these times, we can rest assured that God does not and cannot lie. He is absolutely incapable of speaking anything other than the truth; therefore, we can take His Word and his personal words to us as the final say-so in any situation.
The following is a word we received from the Lord describing how He views His words in our life:
I’m not a man that I can lie.
You know the words that I have given to you, the ones that you know are from Me. Filter through the papers of prophecies and words, and you know which ones are in your heart that I have spoken to you.
Do you think I can lie? I cannot lie. So don’t believe what’s around you and don’t believe the lies of the enemy. He’s the father of lies.
My truth–My Word that I have spoken to you, the personal words that you hold onto, they are truth. They are truth from your Father. Hold onto them. Hold on tightly to them. Because that is where you will be if you follow Me. Don’t slow down. There is no other way–just My way. That’s it.
So when you feel and are overwhelmed with wonder and defeat or failure or thoughts of failure, just remember what I have spoken to you. Remember those times of intimate words that My heart has spoken to your heart, the prophecies that have been spoken to you in the past that were personal to you. They are not just words on a paper.
They are My Word. They are My truth, so you can hold them as truth and believe in them as truth.
In the Books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to explain how the devil comes immediately to steal the Word of God that has been sown in our life. Let’s look at this parable in Mark 4:14-19 to see the different ways Jesus said the devil would come to take the Word from us:
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Now, in contrast, look at what Mark 4:20 says, And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. In this last verse, Jesus tells us how to bear fruit and keep the devil from stealing the Word from our heart: by “hearing” and “receiving” the Word. In Matthew’s account of the same parable, Jesus adds that we must “understand” the Word as well (Matthew 13:23). And in Luke 8:15, Jesus puts it this way: But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
We learn from this parable to not only be aware of the devil’s tactics, but that we must also take action to protect and nurture God’s Word in our life so that we can bring forth its fruit. The Apostle Paul gave his spiritual son Timothy similar instructions regarding the personal words he had received:
This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 1 Timothy 1:18,19
Once we have heard what the Lord has spoken to our heart, it is vital that we remain laser focused, that we receive, understand, and keep His words in the forefront of our mind. Because just as Jesus taught, the devil comes immediately to steal the Word in our life. But if we take God’s truth and “war a good warfare” by it–through meditating on His Word and His personal words to us, confessing and worshiping the Lord over them–the storms of life will not overtake us, nor will we lose faith.
Last month, a word came during one of our services that was filled with grace and encouragement for this season:
In your darkest hour, I am with you. I will not leave you. I will not forsake you. There is no need to fear. I am with you. I am in the ship with you. Don’t be moved by the storm. We shall arrive at the other side. I am in your boat. Fear not. Fear not. I am with you. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. You are Mine, says the Lord.
Many have felt like it is their darkest hour, that the storm is raging in every direction, and it is a struggle to stay afloat. But the Lord is saying to not be afraid; He is with you in your storm. Take this promise spoken personally to you–receive, understand, and keep it–and war a good warfare!
If you haven’t already done so, please set aside some time to create your own “blueprint.” Ask the Holy Spirit to help you as you gather your words together and put them in a book or folder for easy reference. Your words can be:
• Bible verses that speak to your heart
• God-given dreams or visions that you have written down and saved
• Prophecies from the Lord’s Present-Day Speaking that have encouraged and strengthened you
• Desires that have grown in your heart as you spend time with the Lord
• Words of ministry you received in prayer lines or words you received in your own times of prayer
The Word and the Spirit agree, so we encourage you to validate the ministry and words you have received by finding two or three scriptures to add to what the Lord has spoken to you.
Once you have your blueprint compiled, read and meditate on the words until they become one with your heart. Speak these words out loud in your prayer times and turn them into statements of praise and adoration for what the Lord has said about His plans for your life. Use them to war a good warfare–to strengthen and encourage yourself in your daily walk. Your blueprint is not a one-time project, but one that will grow and develop as you grow in your fellowship with the Lord.
Everything the Lord has spoken to us, both corporately and individually, is part of His instructions for revival. As we continue transforming our mind to His way of thinking and continue walking in agreement with His Spirit, we become powerful vessels for His use, vessels through which He makes the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see (Matthew 15:31).
Our Father has plans for each one of our lives. And as we purposely put all the foundational keys into practice in our fellowship with Him, we give Him exactly what He needs to work those plans in and through us to bring forth His fruit in due season.
God’s blessings, strength, and grace to you.
Your co-laborers,
Dave Roberson Ministries
