Make Your Day Count

There was a time several years ago when I was severely attacked with sickness in my body. Richard Roberts and I prayed the prayer of agreement, and as time went on and we continued to believe for my healing, he said, “Lindsay, the symptoms are catching up to your faith.” But in order for that to happen, Richard Roberts and I had to keep my faith on God’s Word, not on my symptoms, no matter what I felt in my body.
It is God’s will for His children to be healed.

Psalm 107:20 says, He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. But there is a point where you have to make a decision to believe the report of the Lord instead of the report of the natural. The doctor may report that you are sick, and you can choose to crawl into bed and accept that report. Or you can choose to say, “No, that may be the medical report, but I’m going to believe in the Word of God for my healing.”
Richard Roberts and I decided to believe the Word of the Lord.

I had to watch everything I said. I wasn’t going to lie about the facts, but I wasn’t going to let those symptoms dictate my life. Whenever anyone asked me, I said, “I’m the healed of the Lord.” Sometimes I would just answer, “The Word of God says, the Word of God says….” My only choice was the Word, and eventually my faith did catch up with my symptoms and I was completely healed! When you hear a bad report, choose to believe the Word.

Next, to be victorious in the battles of life, choose the right weapons. On that fateful night in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas led the mob to take Christ, Simon Peter whipped out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus rebuked Peter and told him to put away his sword. Then He healed the servant’s ear (Matthew 26:50-52; Luke 22:49-51). Jesus was saying, “Peter, a sword is not the right weapon. If you live by force, someday someone’s greater force will destroy you.”

Using physical violence or physical retaliation is not the right weapon. Some people double up their fists to do battle; others fight with their tongues, which can wither an individual. But Jesus said, If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24 NKJV). According to God’s Word, even if we are not at fault, we are to go to the person battling us and be reconciled just like what Richard Roberts believe in.

The weapons you choose to use should be among the nine gifts of the Spirit that Paul spoke of in I Corinthians 12. Richard Roberts said that these gifts are the characteristics and actions of Jesus. They include the gift of the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, the gift of faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, the gift of prophecy, the discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These are charismatic weapons, and you have access to them in a Spirit-filled life. They can be a balm for your life when satan is using people to attack you on all sides!

Richard Roberts and I has something to share with you. The story is told of the young donkey colt that carried Christ through Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. That evening the donkey went back to the stable and said excitedly to all the other donkeys, “You can’t imagine what happened to me today! The people cut down branches and waved them in my honor. Some of them removed their cloaks and laid them down for me to walk on.”

“Really?” asked the other donkeys. “Oh, yes! Some of them even cried, ‘Hosanna,’” he replied, “and at one point, they wanted to make me King of the Jews!” It’s evident that the donkey had no idea who he was carrying on his back as he traveled through Jerusalem. But we, as believers, know that our purpose as Christians is to carry Jesus Christ into the world so that others might bow down and worship Him. Second Corinthians 2:14 NLT says, Thanks be to God, who…leads us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News.

While the donkey was under the impression that he was the object of the cheers of the crowd, the apostle Paul points out that it is not our works and deeds that deserve credit, but it is the Christ in us who deserves all the glory: It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20 NKJV).

Richard Roberts believes that the Lord today is still seeking those who will carry His Spirit and take His message into all the world.

God has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives. And He calls us to be an original, not a clone of someone else. Second Peter 1:10 says, Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

Richard Roberts advice to you as you seek to know and fulfill God’s purpose for your life is to determine who you really are and meditate on the person you wish to become. To do this, there are certain things you need to realize about yourself: You are unique and irreplaceable. You are somebody. You are chosen by the Lord God of heaven and earth, so strive with all of your being to become more and more like Jesus.

Be what God has called you to be. You’re not going to be perfect. You’ll have setbacks, make dumb mistakes, and fall short, just as I have. When the Holy Spirit shows you that you’ve missed the mark, remember I John 1:9, which says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Richard Roberts have moments when everything I do seems to be flawless, without mistakes, wholly consecrated. Then I have times when I fall so far short that I hug I John 1:9 to my chest and weep, confessing my weaknesses and failures to God. But Richard Roberts have found that He is faithful to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Not one of us has arrived, but all of us are chosen. And as we seek God, we can know the clear path He has laid out for us.