Engaging the Darkness

Night of Pure Faith

"Lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him" (Gen. 15:12).

The sun at last went down, and the swift, eastern night cast its heavy veil over the scene. Worn out with the mental conflict, the watchings, and the exertions of the day, Abraham fell into a deep sleep, and in that sleep is soul was oppressed with a dense and dreadful darkness, such as almost stifled him, and lay like a nightmare upon his heart. Do you understand something of the horror of that darkness? When some terrible sorrow which seems so hard to reconcile with perfect love, crushes down upon the soul, wringing from it all its peaceful rest in the pitifulness of God, and launching it on a sea unlit by a ray of hope; when unkindness, and cruelty maltreat the trusting heart, till it begins to doubt whether there be a God overhead who can see and still permit--these know something of the "horror of great darkness." It is thus that human life is made up; rightness and gloom; shadow and sun; long tracks of cloud, succeeded by brilliant glints of light, and amid all Divine justice is working out its own schemes, affecting others equally with the individual soul which seems the subject of special discipline. O ye who are filled with the horror of great darkness because of God's dealings with mankind, learn to trust that infallible wisdom, which is co-assessor with immutable justice; and know that He who passed through the horror of the darkness of Calvary, with the cry of forsakenness, is ready to bear you company through the valley of the shadow of death till you see the sun shining upon its further side. Let us, by our Forerunner, send forward our anchor, Hope, within the veil that parts us from the unseen; where it will grapple in ground and will not yield, but hold until the day dawns, and we follow it into the haven guaranteed to us by God's immutable counsel. --F. B. Meyer

The disciples thought that that angry sea separated them from Jesus. Nay, some of them thought worse than that; they thought that the trouble that had come upon them was a sign that Jesus had forgotten all about them, and did not care for them. Oh, dear friend, that is when troubles have a sting, when the devil whispers, "God has forgotten you; God has forsaken you"; when your unbelieving heart cries as Gideon cried, "If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?" The evil has come upon you to bring the Lord nearer to you. The evil has not come upon you to separate you from Jesus, but to make you cling to Him more faithfully, more tenaciously, more simply.  --F. S. Webster, M.A.

Never should we so abandon ourselves to God as when He seems to have abandoned us. Let us enjoy light and consolation when it is His pleasure to give it to us, but let us not attach ourselves to His gifts, but to Himself; and when He plunges us into the night of pure faith, let us still press on through the agonizing darkness. Oh, for faith that brings the triumph When defeat seems strangely near! Oh, for faith that brings the triumph Into victory's ringing cheer-- Faith triumphant; knowing not defeat or fear. --Herbert Booth

How often are we compelled to circumvent the darkness? How frequently do we look for  the path by which the brightness of the sun illuminates every step. Far too often, the Christian believer assumes that there is no profitability in the darkness. There is an assumption made that the darkness has come to rob us of what is precious with the Lord. As with all that God allows into our lives, the darkness has great purpose in the development of faith and trust in the Lord. You see, the darkness requires faith, its demands it. The darkness empties self, and demands that we believe if we are to overcome. The darkness shakes us free of independence and sets ablaze a hope that can only be satisfied by a supernaturally radical God. This darkness sets ablaze the hearts yearning to be in the midst of a special movement by God.

The Bible assures us that God dwells in the Darkness. When the darkness settles over your life and it seems that you are facing it alone, remember that God is there and is waiting on you to call out to Him in the midst of the storm as Peter did. He is compassionately stretching out His hand to pull you through. The darkness in not an indicator that God has forgotten, it is often God’s way of drawing us near. There is nothing like the darkness to incline us to prayer and supplication. There is no greater force than the darkness to intensify our yearnings to experience God’s presence and power. The darkness has of way focusing our vision and recentering our hope.

Oh, when the darkness settles overhead and the ability to see what lies before us is withdrawn, how passionate is our cry to the father to sense His protection. When “the valley of the shadow of death” is our residence, how inexorable are our cries to God to move on our behalf. When the vicissitudes of life roll in and life makes no sense, how implacable are our strivings to have God make sense of our mess. No, the darkness does not mean separation, but represents the opportunity for intimate fellowship with our creator.

The enemy has promulgated a lie that says darkness equals God’s absence; however, the infallible Word of God assures me that my God dwells in the darkness. He is still powerful in the darkness, He still hears in the darkness. He still answers prayer in the darkness. He still works miracles in the darkness. He still executes the impossible in the darkness, and at the right moment He will transform your dark moment into a phosphorescent light that shines bright for all to see. You will get the victory and He will get the glory.

I encourage you to engage the darkness that befalls you with a confidence that believes God is standing with you. He has promised to go with you, to fight for you, to protect you, to elevate you, to heal you, to restore you. Spend your time in darkness seeking the only one that is capable of of bringing light and while the darkness still lingers, know that something special is being wrought out in the darkness. God is moving in the darkness setting the stage for your coronation. Breakthroughs are built in the empty corners of darkness. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

"The last drops of my sacrifice are falling; my time to go has come. I have fought in the good fight; I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:6, 7).

As soldiers show their scars and talk of battles when they come at last to spend their old age in the country at home, so shall we in the dear land to which we are hastening, speak of the goodness and faithfulness of God who brought us through all the trials of the way. I would not like to stand in the white-robed host and hear it said, "These are they that came out of great tribulation, all except one." Would you like to be there and see yourself pointed at as the one saint who never knew a sorrow? Oh, no! for you would be an alien in the midst of the sacred brotherhood. We will be content to share the battle, for we shall soon wear the crown and wave the palm.  --C. H. Spurgeon


Are you fighting the good fight of faith? Will you be able to speak with confidence, those words spoken by Paul at the end of his Journey? "...I have fought a good fight; I have kept the faith; I have finished the race." (2 Tim. 4:6,7). Was this race one of ease? No, Paul faced many tribulations, even to the point of death. Was Paul's progress measured out within the confines of comfort and convenience, being void of conflict? Did Paul spend his years attempting to circumvent the vicissitudes of life? No, Paul marched boldly towards his calling, even when he knew that doing so would lead to his death. 


Again, I ask are you fighting the good fight of faith? Are you pressing on through the darkness. Are you bearing out your faith in your walk or are you simply timidly speaking of faith.  Are you rising above your circumstance to live at a level that is representative of the faith you claim? Are you declaring in the midst of your storm that you are yet victorious? If not, it is time that you start doing so. I am calling all believers to Next Level Living. I am calling all believers to exercise a faith in God that calls him to do the supernatural as you move on His behalf. This is a pivotal time in the history of mankind. The enemy has been taking ground for decades while believers sit back in survival mode. It is time to take back all that the devil has stolen. 

This is a year of restoration, God has granted it, but you must be willing to possess it. In order to possess it, you have to be willing to step on the water. You must be willing to engage the enemy with a faith that is audacious enough to expect God to fight on your behalf. You have to engage the enemy with a faith that dares to trust God to do the impossible. In order to partake of this restoration, you must be willing to absorb the scars of battle. 


God honors faith; he meets you at your level of expectation. He is waiting to do a new thing in your life, but you must be willing to fight the good fight of faith. 


God is looking to pour out His power and favor on those that are willing to believe Him for the supernatural. Those that are willing to sell out in their Christian walk. God is looking for the ones that are ready to cast their lot into the "Fellowship of the Unashamed". God wants to bear out His will and plan through your lives; he is calling you to greatness. It is time to stop meandering through the maze of mediocrity; it is time to resist the inclination to ponder at the pool of popularity. It is time relinquish to path of small planning. It is time to toss away those timid and tamed visions. It is time to shake the very core of this culture through a faith that is centered in the goodness and greatness of God. It is time to take up the cross of sacrifice and walk into your destiny. 


So, again I ask; are you fighting the good fight of faith?


Dr. Rick Wallace

Taking Out the Trash

Who wants to live with yesterday’s rubble?  Who wants to hoard the trash of the past?  You don’t, do you?  Or do you?

I’m not talking about the trash in your house, but in your heart.  Not the junk of papers and boxes but the remnants of anger and hurt.

Do you rat-pack your pain?  Amass offenses?  Record slights?
A tour of your heart might be telling.  A pile of rejections.  Accumulated insults.  No one can blame you.  They’re innocence takers, promise breakers, and wound makers.  They’re everywhere and you’ve had your share.

Jesus answered Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21 and 22 when he asked:  “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus said.  “Seventy times seven!”

Do you want to give every day a chance?  Jesus says to get rid of the trash.  Give the grace you’ve been given! ~ Max Lucado

Developing Faith

THE FORMATION OF FAITH:

*Hearing the Word initiates faith!

*Speaking the Word ACTIVATES faith!

*Doing the Word DEMONSTRATES FAITH! (Sun Stand Still, Steven Furtick)





The aforementioned statement was posted on my Facebook page and I decided I want to briefly clarify what this post is about. The Christian life stands on the basis of faith. We are brought into right standing with God and grafted into the Royal Family of God through faith in Christ. Faith, however, moves beyond the moment of salvation and becomes the catalyst for the Christian way of life. The Christian way of life is executed through faith in God to empower you to carry out all that is required of you in His divine plan.

The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. The question that this post addresses is one that has come to me in many ways from many sources over the past 6 months. Why are Christians living lives that are plagued with defeat and despair. The answer is a misunderstanding of faith and its application to the Christian walk.

Some believe faith is a magic wand that you wave over all of your problems and cause them to disappear; while others have stifled faith and limited it with their limited perspicacity of God’s omnipotence and goodness. Genuine and authentic Christian faith is founded upon the faithfulness of God towards His people; it considers God’s promises, His power to carry out what He has promised and his will to do so. Authentic faith is not based on the believer, but on what or whom he or she believes.

What I posted was not a definition of faith, but the biblical formula for the formation and the perpetuation the faith driven Christian life. We will visit each principle briefly as they all will be developed in full as we move forward.

1. Hearing Initiates Faith: Romans 10:17 is the clearest biblical expression of this truth in scripture, but it is by no means the only one. Repetitively in the Word we see situations where the hearing of God’s words and promises set the foundation for faith and propels the believer into the supernatural execution of God’s plan and will. So, each time that you hear the Word of God it provides a basis on which your beliefs are established
2. Speaking the Word Activates Faith: There are numerous examples of this principle being commanded and carried out in Scripture. One of the things I noticed in The Old Testament is on a number of occasions God either changed the name of a person that He was about to work through, i.e. Changing Abram’s name to Abraham or Jacob’s name to Israel and other times he commanded or influenced the naming of those that were anointed to do great things on His behalf. How does this apply? Names have great significance in helping to establish the identity of its bearer, and one way this was done is every time someone called out to this person, he heard the promise being spoken and every time he introduced himself he spoke the promise. In Joshua 1:8 God tells Joshua, “Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth…”; this is a call to speak the Word, promises, and mandates of God daily.
3. Doing the Word Demonstrates Faith: Faith is not truly faith until it has produced action. Your actions in any form are indicative of your faith. Faith without works or corresponding action is useless. Efficacy of faith is perpetuated in the Christian life as the believer walks boldly in that faith to accomplish the will of God despite the odds and obstacles that are laid out before him. Author and Pastor Steven Furtick says it like this, “Authentic faith doesn’t end in a positive mental state. It plays out in total obedience based on the sure Word of God.” One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is the biblical account of the night Peter dared to step out in faith by stepping out onto the water. He first heard that all things are possible (through the teaching of Christ), he then spoke what he believed through his verbal request to Christ to allow him to come out to him (one does not make this request without believing that it is possible), next he takes action and literally steps out onto the water.

The points listed above are not, in any way, comprehensive. They were meant to provide a basic and general understanding as well as set the stage for future discussion and teaching.
Going back to the initial reason I set out to lay this out: Why are so many believers living defeated and ineffective lives? I believe a significant portion has to do with obedience, and I will deal with this in time; however there are many believers that are striving to live their lives for the glory of God and yet find themselves constantly defeated. A great portion of this is due to a faith that is stifled through distortion, intellectualism, scholasticism, rationalism, etc. Our effectiveness is limited to what we believe God is capable of doing in and through our lives. When we limit God to what we can explain and reasonably expect, we stifle His movement in our lives. Through our intellect and systems of rationale we rob ourselves of experiencing the omnipotence of God manifested and carried out in our lives.

Remember, what we truly believe will be reflected in our actions and our actions will never move beyond what we truly believe to be possible. One of the greatest reasons why very few experience the supernatural is that very few believe God for the supernatural. They may say they do, but there actions reflect something different. I believe that in combating sensationalism, cessationalist have boxed in the power of God to fit what they can rationally express or explain. In doing this, you have not literally limited God’s power, but you limited His movement in your life. Always remember that God meets you at your level of expectation.

Too many believers are ignoring Proverbs 3:5-6, which tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.  Too often we are attempting to fit God’s omnipotence into an intellectual box in which we can rationalize his movement. I am going to reveal something that many will refute, but until you understand this truth, you will never experience God’s power in your life in the way that He desires for you to. Faith is not faith until it enters into the realm of the impossible. What I mean by this is anything that you can rationalize and figure out within the scope of your limited perspicacity of God and humanity is by definition within your sight of reason and thereby not true faith. Remember, faith is the opposite of sight walking. Faith speaks those things that are not as though they were. Faith expects the impossible and the unexplainable. Faith causes your spirit to disagree with your circumstances. Faith causes you to press through the process in order to obtain the promise. Faith is deterred by delay or conquered by chaos. Faith simply says, “God said.”

The faith I speak of is not some magic wand to wave over problems and fears, but an audacious boldness that decides to take God at His Word despite the problems and fears. This boldness causes the believer to walk in a manner that expresses what he believes. Since he believes that it is God’s desire for him to walk on water, he steps out of the boat onto the stormy seas. The believer that bears audacious faith does not search for empirical or pragmatic evidence that what he believes is valid. He has decided to live a life that says if God has declared it in His Word than I believe it and I choose to walk in it. This faith that I elucidate to some and introduce to others does not consider your circumstances as the determining factor in the outcome of your destiny. The believer that possesses authentic faith has determined that the supernatural is within his grasp when he truly trusts the source or its origin, which is God.

In presenting this I want to be lucidly clear that authentic faith does not override the sovereign will of God, it executes it. You may be thinking that I am back peddling a bit, but that is far from the truth. I would not be honoring my responsibility to absolute truth without pointing out that there will be times that you will make a specific prayer and truly believe in God for it, and yet it does not come to pass. We have to remember that faith is always efficacious, even when it does not produce the desire result. Allow me to venture out a little deeper to explain. When I speak of experiencing the supernatural I am speaking of what many would call the miraculous. This is what you need to understand: Authentic and genuine faith that is audacious enough to believe God for the impossible always proves efficacious, even when the desired end is not accomplished. Sometimes, through your faith, you will experience the miracle and other times you will become the miracle.

There will be times in which you get exactly what you are seeking, financial breakthrough, reconciliation, physical healing, etc. This is experiencing the miracle. Then there will be those times in which your prayer will seem to go unanswered or the answer is no, yet God gives you the strength to endure the struggle with true Christian character and integrity. In doing this others will see your living testimony and be strengthened and encouraged by it. This is becoming the miracle. God has used you to accomplish His will in the lives of others. Either way God’s will was accomplished in a miraculous way. The experience produces elation whereas the becoming bears honor.
I pray that I have at least laid the foundation on which we will be able to build from this day forward.

May God bless and keep you,

Dr. Rick Wallace

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

What ever happened to that bold faith that dared to believe God? Where did the audacity to take God at His Word dwindle away to? Hebrews 11:6 reveals that it is impossible to please God without faith. God functions through the faith of believers. It’s time for Christian believers in the US to walk boldly in their faith and make stands on Christian Principles that they are not willing to waver on.

I took the following pledge several years ago, as I renew my commitment I invite you to join me.

“I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit
Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by
patience, lift by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my
way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.

I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed
up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a
disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear for ‘I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.’ (Romans 1:16)”
By Dr. Bob Moorehead

I invite you to become a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. This is where I dare to walk in my divine purpose without consideration of external approval. This is where I decide to boldly pursue the vision that leads to the fulfillment of my destiny. This is where I choose to execute a radical faith that refuses to be constrained by circumstances. This is where I decide to step out of the boat and walk on water. This is where I begin to pray prayers that are not confined to my limited perspicacity of God’s omnipotence. There is where I begin to be defined by my identity in Christ instead of being imprisoned by the random opinions of others.

I refused to be bound by the mandates of mediocrity and mundane living. I refuse to be captivated by a culture that is conformed to the ways of the world. I refuse to be shackled to the table of compromise and complacency. I refuse to be dominated by the need for social acceptance or relegated to the post of subpar living.

I have made up in my mind to walk this walk with an unabashed faith that refuses to receive anything contrary to the Word of God. I have become committed to living at the height of my gifted potential. I choose to walk in the power of my anointed purpose, living each moment for God and trusting his power and love to act on my behalf. I choose to pray with audacity and to expect the impossible on a daily basis. I will not be deterred by delay. I will not be hindered by hatred, and I will not be bound by bigotry.

This is the time for the true believer to step forward to take up his/her cross and march boldly toward their destiny.

I dare you to move into the “realm of the radical”. I dare you to be radical in your mission, radical in your pursuit of your vision, radical in declaring your dreams, radical in your prayer life. The God we serve is a radical God and he performs the impossible through radical faith. The clarion is sounding for believers to march forward and take the land. Will you be one of the few that answer the call?

May God bless and keep you.

Dr. Rick Wallace

In The Midst of Your Moment

I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. (2 Samuel 7:9, NIV)





I can relate to bouts of loneliness and moments of darkness, however, God has promised to never leave nor forsake those that belong to Him. In the above scriptural passage God reminds David of His faithfulness in every situation.

You may be going through the darkest of moments in your life. You may be experiencing the seemingly unbearable pain of heartbreak. Maybe you are struggling through bouts of loneliness or battling fits of depression. I want you to know that God knows your pain. He is perfectly cognizant of your concerns. He hears your cries and he sees your tears. He wants you to know that He is now and has always been there. Listen to what God spoke to Moses as he called him forward to step out in greatness.

7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters and oppressors; for I know their sorrows and sufferings and trials.
8 And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand and power of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and large, a land flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]—to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. (Ex. 3:7-8, AMP)

“I have surely seen the affliction of my people” expresses God’s omniscience and confirms His ability to be in the midst of the circumstances of his people. Not only does God know all that His people are enduring, He also responds to the needs of His people, for he says, “And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand and power of the Egyptians…” God not only knows, but he responds. I want you to understand that your moment of darkness is simply the beginning of the show up process through which God moves on your behalf.

The pain may seem unbearable at the moment. The darkness may appear to be overwhelming and the mountain immovable, but I want you to understand that the omnipotence of the God we serve is at work in your situation. Put your faith to work; stand on the promises of God and declare His Word in your life. Allow your faith to move you beyond the moment and enable you to see beyond the clouds. God is working the supernatural in response to your faith. As you read this and your faith rises to the occasion God is meeting that faith with an infusion of power that will lift you far above the struggles of the moment.

The enemy is attempting to paint those illusionistic portraits of negativity. He wants to convince you that all hope is lost. Don’t receive the report of the enemy because the sovereign will of God will have the last word. God has promised to work all things together to accomplish what is good in your life. You will be able to speak to your enemy just as Joseph did when he said to his brothers, “…you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good…” What it means by “God meant” is that God’s divine will was for good to come from it. The enemy may be on the attack; you may sense him in every area of your life and the pressure may seem insurmountable, but God is working in the background. The same God that was walking with David when he penned those powerful words, “Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me…” is walking with you right now. He is speaking to your soul and he saying, “Trust me with your mess.” The same God that placed Ezekiel in a valley full of dry bones in order to prove His power to restore and give life is speaking to you now and he saying, “Trust me with your pain.” The same God that spoke to Jeremiah and told him to tell the Israelites “I know the thoughts I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end…” is speaking to you now and he saying “Trust me with your heart.”

Whatever it is that you are going through at this moment that has you dismayed, I encourage you to cast your cares of Jesus. As you deal with your moments of darkness and despair, understand that God is moving in the midst of your moment to bring about the spectacular. Settle into His promises and refuse to believe anything, but what He has promised. Remember the backend of Jeremiah 29:11, “…to give you an expected end.” This means that God will honor your hope by manifesting his power through your faith. God will honor what your faith expects of him. I encourage you to stand firmly on His promises. Refuse to allow the moment to dictate your direction or your expectations.

Take on the mindset that your moment is activating God’s movement. The Word promises that those that trust in God will in no way be put to shame. Know that your moment has not slipped by God, He is aware of all that you are going through and He has begun to move. I want you to know that your tears are temporary and that your pain is not permanent. Rest in the knowledge that God responds to radical faith with radical results; the supernatural is inevitable. I want you to take solace in the undeniable truth that the darkness does not have to be feared because God dwells in the darkness (1 Kings 8:12; 2 Chron. 6:1; Psalm 18:11; 97:2).

God desires that you reside in a peace that transcends the moment. He desires that you possess a joy that is present, not just in the absence of trials, but despite them. He is calling you to seek the safety only found in His presence. In the midst of your sleepless nights, God will rock you to sleep and hold you tightly as you rest in Him. In your moments of sadness, He will bring joy to your heart. God is in the midst of your moment.

Dr. Rick Wallace

The Power of Silence

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

Is there any note of music in all the chorus as mighty as the emphatic pause? Is there any word in all the Psalter more eloquent than that one word, Selah (Pause)? Is there anything more thrilling and awful than the hush that comes before the bursting of the tempest and the strange quiet that seems to fall upon all nature before some preternatural phenomenon or convulsion? Is there anything that can touch our hearts as the power of stillness? There is for the heart that will cease from itself, "the peace of God that passeth all understanding," a "quietness and confidence" which is the source of all strength, a sweet peace "which nothing can offend," a deep rest which the world can neither give nor take away. There is in the deepest center of the soul a chamber of peace where God dwells, and where, if we will only enter in and hush every other sound, we can hear His still, small voice. There is in the swiftest wheel that revolves upon its axis a place in the very center, where there is no movement at all; and so in the busiest life there may be a place where we dwell alone with God, in eternal stillness, There is only one way to know God. "Be still, and know." "God is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him."  --Selected

***

"All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired of starshine or moonlight or sunrise. The sullen blackness gloomed above us as if it would last forever. And out of the dark there spoke no soothing voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed some wild thunder peal to break the torturing stillness of that over-brooding night. "But Thy winsome whisper of eternal love spoke more sweetly to our bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across Aeolian harps. It was Thy 'still small voice' that spoke to us. We were listening and we heard. We looked and saw Thy face radiant with the light of love. And when we heard Thy voice and saw Thy face, new life came back to us as life comes back to withered blooms that drink the summer rain." --Unknown

***

So, often we find it extremely difficult to end the frenetic and unsettled behavior we perpetuate in the midst of our storms. Our natural human proclivity to find our own resolutions normally lead us further and further from God's design for our lives. When God tells David to "be still" (accurately translated, stop striving), He is saying that it is not your job to figure it out; your job is to trust Me  to work it out on your behalf. This is that place where you experience the silence and it may seem that nothing is being done, but learn to listen in the silence; learn to sense Gods movement in the silence. The calm and still during this period of silence can be unnerving as vibrations of uncertainty are felt in the depths of your soul. I just want you to understand that God works His best works in the silence.

It is the audacity of our faith that God responds to, not our frenetic behavior. God's power is activated by faith. Sometimes it is your responsibility to simply stand still and let God do what only He can do. Prepare to experience the supernatural when you are able to rest in the peace that transcends the moment. This ability to stand still is not passive in nature because it is done from a mindset of expectancy; this brings a thought process that is intertwined and inextricably bound to the process of breakthrough and elevation.
~ Dr. Rick Wallace

Dealing With the Past

"Believe ye that I am able to do this?" (Matt. 9:28).

God deals with impossibilities. It is never too late for Him to do so, when the impossible is brought to Him, in full faith, by the one in whose life and circumstances the impossible must be accomplished if God is to be glorified. If in our own life there have been rebellion, unbelief, sin, and disaster, it is never too late for God to deal triumphantly with these tragic facts if brought to Him in full surrender and trust. It has often been said, and with truth, that Christianity is the only religion that can deal with man's past. God can "restore the years that the locust hath eaten" (Joel 2:25); and He will do this when we put the whole situation and ourselves unreservedly and  believingly into His hands. Not because of what we are but because of what He is. God forgives and heals and restores. He is "the God of all grace." Let us praise Him and trust Him. --Sunday School Times

I would also add that this can be applied to all things considered impossible. We know that things that are impossible for man are possible with God. I encourage you to give all that you are dealing with to God whole heartedly. Stop walking in your own will, strength and understanding and give it all completely over to God; beginning with your heart. Some of us are struggling because we are still trying to engage God on our own terms. We want His full commitment, but we are still chasing our own selfish desires instead looking to please and serve Him.

I want you to understand that it is the surrendered heart that God responds to. It is the soul that understands that without God they are powerless to actualize their full potential that thrives and resides in the realm of supernatural achievement.. It is when one becomes completely committed to the vision God has placed in their lives for His Kingdom advancement that all things begin to flow in abundance.

I invite you to rise up and live in a place where faith is rewarded beyond measure. "The eyes of the Lord roam to and fro over the entire earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). Is your heart loyal to Him or can you see little pockets of selfish desires. God is looking to do the impossible in your life, invite Him into your surrendered heart and experience life at an entirely different level. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace http://rickwallaceministries.bbnow.org 

Audacious Faith

On the Eve of the Day that I had planned to start a series on Audacious faith, a Church in Kenya was attacked by muslim extremist because of their faith. When I found out I sent a message to my friend there, Bishop Chris Stewards Baraza to check on his well being and that of his members. This is the response I received:

"It's well my dear bishop.We announced a nation 100% anti terror and we began fighting with the sect including the Somalia terrorists and since then we've had a hell of time as a nation for the past few months but praise God because soon our army will take over Kisimayu the capital city of terrorists in Somalia.The attacks have been tense in our Kenyan North where there are lots of Muslims who are anti Christian.We pray for our brethren in those places.The terror attacks are like targeting the Church but God is all round good and taking care of us always.Yesterday Morning they attacked two Churches in Garisa town[North Estern province]and killed 17 people,so sad.Yesterday was a great day at our Church,We'd a lot of people in attendance,God healed diverse sickness including Ulcers that was Chronic.We praise God for your prayers.The Church was led by Pst.Charles[my associate pastor]to pray for you and the December meetings.We also prayed for every effort that you're employing to see the success of the meetings,outreaches and our Ministry[Church]as a whole.Again thanks and God bless you.Eagerly waiting my dear Bishop.Pray for my family because we had great fee balances for our college boys[former street boys]whom we've taken care now 12 good years and like they have now been out of school for past two weeks,we trust God for provision.Again Bless you.Friend Chris"

I will be visiting Nairobi, Kenya this December to preach a faith conference there. What I want to point out here is that all over the world Christians are facing persecution, even to the point of death, yet in America where no such persecution exists, we fail to flourish in faith, effectiveness and overall impact.

It is time for American believers to engage this ethereal journey of Christianity with a mindset of "for God I live and for God I die". This requires an audacious faith that refuses to relent. This faith is inexorable in its progression towards destiny. This faith is swayed by the concept of impossibility. This faith is not deterred by delay or dampened by darkness. This faith disregards circumstances and obstacles in pursuit of purpose and destiny.

This faith is audacious. Audacious faith is a faith that is extremely bold and daring in thought and perception; it defies conventional wisdom and is not restricted to prior ideas. This faith is lively, unrestrained; uninhibited; and beyond human perspicacity and rationale.

It was audacious faith that caused David to chase down, both lion and bear, as well as engage Goliath. It was audacious faith that made Gideon and 300 men engage the entire Midianite Army, and it was audacious faith that caused Joshua to pray for the sun to stand still.

For far too long we have been bound by our intellect, fears, and preconceived notions of what we can't do. Audacious faith simply believes that God is who he says he is and trusts that He will do what He said he would. Audacious faith is not afraid of putting God on the spot. Audacious faith does not fear faith. Audacious faith was there when God asked Abraham, "Is there anything to hard for the Lord?" Audacious faith was there again when the same question was posed to Jeremiah.

Audacious faith breaks free from the shackles of dwarfed goals and colorless dreams, moves beyond the boundaries of base thinking and muscles past the maze of mediocrity into the realm limitless possibilities.

The enemy has consistently taken ground in this warfare in America because of a faith that refuses to act like faith. The devil has you in a consistent state of defeat because of a faith that is constrained by conventional concepts. Audacious faith calls for a paradigmatic shift in the thinking of the believer. It calls for the believer to take his eyes of of the circumstance and affix them on God. This faith I speak of is dynamic and produces exponential growth in power and is proven to provide immeasurable results.

I will be teaching on faith until faith is truly grasped and understood.

If you are ready to walk in a faith that produces the supernatural, I invite you to follow me as I unveil the truth about biblical faith and the possibilities it produces. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace

If you, your church, or organization would like to book a faith conference, revival or power seminar, please contact RWM at 972-365-3416