6-30-18 The First 15

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The Weekly Overview Our heavenly Father is the giver of every good gift. His mercies are vast, powerful, and real. His love has the ability to completely overwhelm and satisfy every one of our needs. Everything he gives us satisfies, transforms, and leads us to abundant life. As we spend this week stirring up our affections toward God, allow your heart to become soft and open. Allow his loving character to draw you close and provide life to every dry and weary place in your soul. The Scripture “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26 The Worship Experience Artist: Leeland Song: Refresh Me The Devotional The story of God’s people is one of God’s strength covering our weakness. Our heavenly Father takes our problems, sins, fears, and feebleness and uses them as opportunities to demonstrate the overwhelming power of his love. He takes those the world deems to be the weakest and uses them to accomplish incredible, powerful works. Isaiah 40:28-31 says: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Our God knows our frame. He knows that our bodies have come from dust and will one day return to their original form. He knows that without his help we accomplish nothing. But Paul’s declaration in Philippians 4:13 is just as true for you and me as it was for him: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” We can do all things through the anointing and power of our heavenly Father. We can tackle any obstacle that stands in our way because our God is perfectly strong in our weakness. Where do you need the strength of God today? Where do you feel weak, powerless, or weary? Where do you need to run but only feel exhausted? Your lot is not to go through life living solely by your own power. You’ve been given a new identity as a son or daughter of the Most High God who desperately wants to clothe you with strength and teach you how to use the authority given to you by Jesus. In God you can defeat the powers of sin and darkness that have held you back. In God you can accomplish the tasks set before you with joy, energy, and strength. And in God you can love and be loved to such a capacity that your very attitude, outlook, and emotions transform into reflections of your heavenly Father’s. Spend time in prayer receiving the strength that comes from God alone. Allow him to fill you with fresh vision and align your perspective with his. The Prayer 1. Meditate on God’s desire to fill you with strength. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 2. Where do you need God’s strength today? Where do you feel weakest? Where do you need his power and anointing? 3. Ask God to fill you with the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask him to make his strength known to you. Allow your perspective and outlook to shift in light of God’s power and love. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights.” 2 Samuel 22:33-34, NIV “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 We are never meant to do life on our own. We are designed to be in connection to the strength of our heavenly Father in every situation, relationship, job, and trial. God longs to fill us with strength to accomplish the good work laid before us. He longs to make us strong in him. Don’t go throughout your day in your own strength. Instead, seek out the hand of your heavenly Father and allow him to help you today. Extended Reading: Psalm 73 CRAIG DENISON is the author and founder of First15, a daily devotional guiding tens of thousands of believers into a fresh experience with God's presence every day. He writes, speaks, and he and his wife, Rachel lead worship to help believers establish a more tangible, meaningful connection with God.