Stand Up & Lead

2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalm 142; Matthew 14

Scripture:
Matthew 14:¹⁶Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

Matthew 14: ³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Observation:
These two passages of scripture have always been a blessing to me. Jesus looks at His disciples and questions there inability to meet the need of the people. He instructs them to feed the people and they resort to nature thinking. It was late, where would they get food? Jesus performs one of the most well known miracles of feeding the crowd with a few fish and loaves of bread. The second passages too, is a well known one. Peter walking on the water and then sinking through fear, but saved by the hand of Jesus. We see how Jesus challenged his fear and doubt. He was already walking on water, he did not have to doubt, because he was already experienced the miracle of water walking. Only fear could rob him.

Application:
We live in a time where people are desperate, they need help, they need faith that it is going to work out. God has placed me in a position to feed them. He has anointed me to minister to His people. At times I even start to look at the economy and struggles of life, fear starts to creep in and it paralyzes my faith and hope. I start to look at my job security, finances, debt and wonder where did I go wrong. For the past couple of months, I have been getting my life in order. In order with my relationship with God, my marriage, finances and other relationships. I was doing well, but then fear started to creep in because of the environment around me. It is the same thing that happened to Peter. I was living in blessing and then I got my eyes of the Lord and started to look and listen to storms around me. Praise God for Jesus and His hand in this season. I cannot afford to let the enemy paralyze me and prevent me from doing my calling, that of taking care of the sheep of the Lord. I am determined to feed the sheep He has called me too. I cannot let the storms of life dictate my faith, attitude and emotions. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in blessing. I believe in miracles. I believe this we live in a time of God's greatest outpouring. I have experienced it before and I will experience it again.

Prayer:
Father forgive me for listening to the voices around me and not to You. Forgive me for thoughts, attitudes and a lifestyle of fear. I know the blessing of God. You have never let me down and You never will. You hold my future in Your hands. I thank You today for a turn around in my life. I thank You today for blessing, and faith. I believe, I believe that I am blessed, I believe God will restore all the enemy has stolen and He will multiply it over my life. I believe for promotion in this season of my life, elevation and multiplication. I speak it in the Name of Jesus. Father open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing. Father give the words, revelation, wisdom and discernment of Your will to speak to Your sheep. I'm available, use me. Bless my wife this day, refresh her and anoint her. Thank You for her. I pray for this week, I speak breakthrough, new doors and new blessings. I bind the enemy and thank You that every snare that has held me down is broken in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.