Authority to Overcome

Deliberately shut the door on the current attacks from the enemy. There is no reason for you to be a victim of your circumstances, and again I remind you that you have been given the supreme authority to overcome every work of the flesh and the devil. I have empowered you to attain victory. Feeling sorry for yourself is counter-productive; you cannot win when you are already defeated, says the Lord. Rise up in the strength I have provided to cause you to triumph.

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

Generational Blessing

(Prov 12:7 TNIV) The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

I hope you all had a Happy 4th of July weekend. This morning we continue our series. At first glance it's hard to tell what Solomon is getting to in this verse. I initially thought that the message Solomon was teaching was one of 'getting back up again.' I thought he was saying that the righteous are able to fall, but recover (see Prov 24:16), whereas the unrighteous fall and stay down. But after looking at this verse from several translations and after reading what scholars had to say about it, I now see that Solomon was looking at the long haul.

The Good News Bible translation of this verse says, "The wicked meet their downfall and leave no descendants, but the families of the righteous live on." This message is a message about the long legacy of the righteous vs. the short-lived lineage of the unrighteous.

God is a family oriented God. He started with a family in the garden (Adam and Eve), re-started with a family in the desert (Abraham and Sarah), and conquered the kingdom of darkness by solidifying His eternal family through the cross and resurrection (in Christ).

To understand this verse we must take a step back from the way that we normally look at things. God's ways are above our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts (Is 55:8,9). You and I, as humans, have a propensity to be shortsighted. A year seems like a long time to us, but not to God. The Bible says, "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (Ps 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).

When God looks at us He sees us and our seed. He sees our children and our children's children. When Jehovah blesses a man He is blessing a lineage. When God makes a change in a man He is changing his entire legacy.

Remember that your life is TOO SHORT and God is TOO POWERFUL for Him to only impact your life: If God blessed you every day of your life, but your legacy died with you, it would STILL be a failure to God. Your life MUST outlive your years!.

That's what Solomon is talking about here. He understood this first-hand. He knew that he was where he was, because of the legacy his father left him. Solomon inherited the Blessing from David. Solomon stepped into the throne, because of the decisions his father made and Solomon knew that his children would be blessed or cursed, because of the decisions he made.

Solomon understood what the Psalmist wrote in the 112th Psalm, saying, "Blessed is the man who fears the LORD... His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever." And just like the Father releases the Blessing over children, because of the actions of their parents, the opposite is also true. The Bible says that He visits the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation (see Ex 20:5, 34:7; Num 14:18; Deut 5:9).

So what does this mean to you today? Two things:

1. The unrighteous have a lineage that will fail: It may look like the unrighteous are getting ahead right now, but in the long run their actions will catch up with them. If you want to do anything for them, pray for them. Pray that someone in their lineage will change the direction of their family.

2. The righteous have a linage that will remain: Know that the decisions you are making - decisions to pray, to honor God, and to seek His face - are decisions that have a lasting impact. You are making decisions that your grandchildren will benefit from! That's Good News!

Father, I thank You for being a Legacy Minded God. I thank You for leading me to make decisions that will positively impact my lineage. I receive reassurance from Your Word today that no matter what things may look like in the temporal, my family heritage is a heritage of righteousness and the Blessing that is on me will pass on to my children and my children's children. No economic downturn can stop what You want to do in my life and lineage! Thank You Father for a generational blessing! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin






THE TRUMPET by Bill Burns -- July 6, 2009:
Not only am I the Lord of glory but I am the Lord of your life. Do you not know that I watch over you? Do you not know that I know what you need before you do? Do you not know that I have great plans for you and a destiny that shall be fulfilled in the very near future if you will but come with a trusting heart and a willingness of mind? So, I say, come and allow Me to perfect you; allow Me to renew you; allow Me to strengthen you; allow Me to heal you; allow Me to bring the revelation and wisdom of this hour. For it is My great privilege and honor to give unto you that which the Father has given into My hands. Behold, indeed, I give you power and authority to walk over all the works of the enemy. And, I give you the Kingdom and the blessings of it. I do so in abundance and with liberality. So, will you not come and receive your portion, says the Lord? For I have things given into My hands and now I give all things to My people. They will come in the sync of your understanding and they will come in the wisdom of the word and they will come as you activate your faith. In the willingness of your heart reach out with a spiritual hand and receive that which I have for you. So, I say, receive and enjoy. Let that which I give to you be a revelation and a witness of My love for you and your part in My kingdom, says the Lord.

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns -- July 6, 2009:
No more ground! Say to the devil, "No more ground." Do not give up any place of authority or acquisition, says the Lord. Take your stand and push back the powers of darkness. Enough is enough. What I have given you, I have given, and my gifts are without repentance. I will not take away what I have bestowed upon you. The only way you can lose what you have received from Me is by letting go and walking away, but that is not My will for you. Stand strong and maintain.
Romans 11:29 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. NKJV

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people" (Colossians 3:23 TEV).


The apostle Paul teaches that we are to work as though we are "working for the Lord and not for people." He's saying that no job is too small; no job is too menial; no job is too insignificant when you have the right motive and perspective. We should think, "I'm doing it for God; I'm doing this job as if I'm doing it for the Lord." I used to clean meat lockers in a butcher shop, and I would clean them as unto the Lord.

Now, how do I know if I'm doing my work for the Lord? Two characteristics will show up in your attitude: excellence and enthusiasm.

First, if I'm doing my work, not for the boss but for the Lord, I'll do it with excellence. That means I give it my best shot—I do the best I can because I'm not doing it for anyone's approval, except God's. I do it with excellence, being the best I can be.

Second, I do my work with enthusiasm. I'm working for God, therefore, I do it with a cheerful attitude. "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically" (Romans 12:11 NLT).

When you are working with all your heart, motivated by the love of Christ, your work is transformed into an act of worship for God.

Godly Advice

Prov 12:5 NIV) The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

This morning we continue our series. In this verse Solomon contrasts the thoughts/plans of the righteous with the advice/counsel of the wicked. His point is that we must be very careful where we get our counsel (or advice) from.

I teach a Tuesday night Bible Study here in Newark, California I teach on Faith a lot and as believers, we are called to live the life of faith. To operate in faith, we must operate in the Spirit. Why? Because God is a Spirit and He relates to us in Spiritual ways.

Last night when I was in prayer e the Holy Spirit told me to start a new series of lessons entitled, "Developing the Language of Faith." I know he will give me the wisdom and words that he wants me to share.

As believers, we are to speak a certain language - a language rooted and grounded in the Word of God - and that language will be different from the language of the wicked. Oftentimes, the wicked will not understand why we say what we say and why we do what we do, because we believe different things.

We are supposed to be different, and that is OK. There is actually a danger is trying to explain what we do to a person that does not believe what we believe. They will not be able to understand why we do what we do and it often ends in ridicule. The wicked ridicule what they do not understand.

Paul explains this well in his first letter to the church at Corinth. Paul said, "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God." Why Paul? Why did God give us His Spirit? Paul goes on to explain: "That we may understand what God has freely given us." See, God's Spirit is the author of the Bible and when we read the Bible, the author Himself can sit down with us and help us understand.

God's ways are above our ways and without His insight we can never truly grasp His revelation. Paul continues: "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (see 1st Corinthians 2:12-14). There is no better way to say it! God is a Spirit and He speaks to us in Spiritual ways. Most of the time, spiritual things do not make sense.
The best the wicked can do is attempt to make sense of everything, but spiritual things don't always make sense. Why? Because God is Spiritual, not sensual. That's why His truths seem like foolishness to the unbeliever.

This leads us back to our text. Solomon warns us about seeking the advice of the wicked. The Psalmist gave us a similar warning when he said, "Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people" (Ps 1:1). As believers, if we need any counsel, if we are to seek any advice, we should get it from people of like-faith. If not, we might place ourselves in danger of heeding the wrong counsel. I have seen many believers go to unbelievers to seek advice about a struggling marriage, for example. In many cases, the advice they received was contrary to the Word of God. If the young believer is not careful, they will heed the voice, do the wrong thing, and reap the wrong harvest.

So what does this mean to you today? It means that you must be very careful who you seek counsel/advice from. Know that the advice of the wicked is deceitful. It might sound like good advice in the moment, but in the long run you will wind up somewhere you really don't want to be, and it will not be God's fault. So seek Godly counsel and ensure that your decisions line up with God's Word. Make the right decisions and you will get the right results!

Father, I do not seek the counsel of the ungodly. I realize that You are a Spirit and that I must relate to You in Spiritual ways. I know that unbelievers call your counsel foolish, so I will simply not seek their counsel. I apply Your truth, I line up my thinking with Yours, I make decisions that line up with Your Word, and I know that I will receive Godly results! In Jesus' name. Amen!

A Virtuous Wife

(Prov 12:4 GW) A wife with strength of character is the crown of her husband, but the wife who disgraces him is like bone cancer.

This morning we continue our series

In this verse Solomon contrasts the positive impact a wife of strength and character can have on her husband with the negative impact of a wife who brings him shame.

The Hebrew word translated "strength" in this text is the word chayil. This word is also translated: ability, efficiency and wealth. This is a wife to strong, able and competent. This wife helps promote the family vision and she understands the importance of a good name. Later in Proverbs Solomon said, "A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold" (22:1).

This wife understands the value of a good name and never does anything that would discredit her herself, her husband or her family. She is an asset and not a liability. She adds value to her family and becomes a source of strength, peace and encouragement for her husband. Other translations call her: "A worthy woman," "A virtuous woman," "An excellent wife."

To fully understand the goodness she brings to her husband, we need to take a look at the other side of the coin. Solomon says that the wife who disgraces her husband - who does things that brings shame upon her herself, her husband and her family - is like bone cancer. OUCH!!! Another translation says that she is like "Rottenness in his bones."

Her actions eat away at her husband from the inside-out. Bone cancer cannot be seen by others, but it can definitely be felt by the person who has it. Little-by-little they lose strength, mobility, agility, and eventually the affects of the physical condition begin to spill over to the person's psyche. Although they might put up a strong external façade, they are rotting away. The husband who has a wife that eats away her family tries to remain strong, he may put up an external façade, but eventually her deteriorating actions wreak havoc upon him and the entire family.

The Good News is that our goal is the opposite. Understanding the detrimental effects of the shameful wife helps us better appreciate the Blessing God has given us in our spouse. If the shameful wife eats away at her husband from the inside out, then the opposite is also true.
The virtuous wife becomes an everlasting well of power, strength and encouragement.

I am a wife and a woman of God. In addition I am a mother, a caring and capable nurse, and a reliable friend. I would like to think I am my husbands wind beneath his wings. He is second only to God in my life, I understand that my life's assignment is woven in with his and his with mine. We are partners in life's journey and I am where I am today - and I will be where I will be tomorrow - because of the husband that the Lord has blessed me with.

The greatest thing he does for me is believe in me. he supports the vision the Lord give me, he is understanding when I make mistakes (because we all do), and he provides that voice of reason I need. With all the failed and failing marriages in the world, we (as believers) should live our lives as examples of God's best in the earth.

So what does this mean to you today? To wives it means: realize who you are in God and who God has made you to be for your husband and family. Seek to be the everlasting well of strength and stability your husband and family need you to be.

To husbands it means: thank God for your wife. Brag on her today. Tell of the Blessing the Lord gave you in her. And treat her like the queen she is. I am going to do something a little different on the confession for today. I will give you different confessions. Confess that one that applies to you:

Confession for Husbands to confess over their Wives: Father, I thank You for my wife. I will love her, respect her, and appreciate the gift You gave me in her. I will never allow anything negative to proceed from out of my mouth about my wife. My wife is a jewel and an everlasting well of strength, stability, wisdom and encouragement for me and our family. I speak life over her body, her mind, and her heart. Bless her Father to continue to be the blessing she is and bless me Father to do all that I can to be a blessing to her. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Confession for Wives to confess over their Husbands: Father, I thank You for my husband. I declare, by faith, that I am the virtuous, worthy and excellent wife of strength of character that my husband and my family need me to be. I will never bring shame to my husband, to myself, nor to our family. Our family name will continue to be a name of honor and excellence. Help me Father to speak life into my husband, to build him up and never to tear him down. Thank you for the wisdom I need to be the wife, mother, and friend You need me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Confession for Singles: Father, I thank for helping me to be secure in my state of singleness. I declare, by faith, that I develop into the person You need me to be and You help me to prepare to be the blessing my future spouse needs me to be. While You prepare me, I am peaceful, patient, and satisfied in my current state. I love who I am and I thank You continually for making me who I am. I don't need anyone else to complete me. I am complete, whole, and blessed - today and every day! If/when that time comes for me to connect in holy matrimony with other person I will be able to do so with full confidence that I am prepared to be the spouse You have destined, designed and desired for me to be! In Jesus' name. Amen!

Deep Roots

(Prov 12:3 NLT) Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts the stability (or lack thereof) of the wicked and the Godly. The Father, through Solomon, wants us to know that a wicked life, a life without Him, is never really a stable life. It may seem stable from time to time, it may seem like the ungodly are getting ahead, but in the long run, their wickedness will eventually catch up to them.

We all know people who cheat to get ahead. Some place a “white lie” on their resume, or fudge a little on their taxes, or overcharge clients to make a bigger profit, or… you get the point. Then there are those that are not subtle at all. They seek success by any means necessary and they don’t care how many people they have to step on to get it.

They disregard their family, disrespect coworkers, and kiss-up to leadership, all to seemingly get ahead. The problem is that although they might enjoy apparent success, whatever success they think they have will only be temporary, because they bought their success at the expense of their character. Those with flawed character will eventually be found out.

Real success maintains personal integrity on the road to achieve it. Later in Proverbs Solomon says, “There is a way that may seem right to a man. But in the end it leads to death” (14:12). These people may think they are on the right road, they may believe there are OK, but they have been deceived. Success without God is not true success.

Yesterday we learned about Joshua 1:8 and that is what I call “God’s formula for success.” The Bible actually calls it “Good success.” If there is good success, then there must bad success, and bad success is success that is obtained through wicked means. This success is deceptive and it will only be temporary. If you want to live a strong, stable, and secure life, seek success God’s way.

This leads us to the latter portion of the text where Solomon tells us that the Godly have deep roots. This is obviously a reference to a deep-rooted tree. Another translation spells it out, saying: “You will be as secure as a tree with deep roots.” One of the best pictures of this deep-rooted Godly success is found in the 1st Psalm. The psalmist describes what he calls, “The Blessed Man.” The Blessed Man is a man that seeks success God’s way. He does not heed the counsel of the ungodly. He does not spend quality time with persons of flawed character. But what he does is spend quality time in God’s Word. He meditates on the Word continually and the psalmist likens him to a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. This tree has a constant supply of what it needs to grow (God’s Word), therefore, it is full of green leaves, it brings forth lots of fruit in season, and whatever it seeks to do prospers!

This is the type of success that you and I want – it’s success God’s way. Godly success is not deceptive and it is not temporary. Although we don’t know for sure what type of tree the psalmist had in mind when he wrote this, many believe it was a reference to a palm tree. A palm tree that is planted by a water source is able to develop an exceptionally strong root system. Storms can come, winds can blow, and the tree will still stand. Some palm trees have even bent over to where the palms touch the ground, but because of the deep roots, they simply bounce back up again!

So what does this mean to you today? It means if you have not attained success by God's standards, you have not achieved true success. The wicked are never stable. Their wickedness will eventually catch up to them, but if you have Godly success, you will be able to stand the test of time. Come what may, you will bounce back, because you have deep roots!

Father, I know that it is Your desire that I live a strong, stable, and secure life in You. To ensure that I do, I will pursue success Your way. I am the Blessed Man. I do not heed the counsel of the ungodly. I do things Your way and I experience Your results. I do not spend quality time with persons of flawed character. I surround myself with people of like-precious-faith. I meditate on Your Word and I allow Your standard to be the ruler by which I judge every decision. I become like a tree planted by the rivers of water. I have deep roots and I am able to withstand any storm – by faith! I may bend, but I will not break! In Jesus’ name. Amen!