The 2017 K.I.N.G. Summit got me 'War Ready'!!

Eph 6:10-Eph 6:13 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. Let's go!! I'm coming out of the Summit truly refreshed and renewed--not only in my pursuit of the K.I.N.G. Mission--but my pursuit of Christ! I'm READY FOR WAR! And thank God I'm not armed with youthful zeal or human energy--no!--I am armed with God's Word!!--what the scripture tells us is the 'Sword of The Spirit' (Eph 6:17, Isaiah 49:2). Facts! I am also armed with the strength and prayers of my brothers in Christ across the nation! ARMORED UP! Shout out to our Founder and President Chris Broussard for reminding us in the closing message--WE ARE IN A FIGHT! In a fight we must be intentional--victory in the ring doesn't come by osmosis--and neither does victory in our walk. It was sobering--a reminder we must remain 'alert'--yet joyful--a reminder that God has more than equipped us for the fight ahead! 3 Takeaways 1. Meditate The Word Josh 1:8 NIV Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Meditate in the Hebrew sense means to talk to oneself aloud. Often one who talks to him or herself is considered crazy. However, when it comes to God's Word there ain't nuthin' crazy about it. In fact, its one of the few ways to keep from goin' crazy! He has given us a 'sound mind', and meditating on God's word--talking to oneself in biblically based prayer--it how we walk in the sound mind he has given us. Many times I have a tendency to read God's Word and then lay it aside as I engage the outside word. Failure to meditate. Reading is healthy and necessary--but with reading, we must remember to meditate--lest what he read becomes obsolete. 2. Memorize The Word Matt 4:4 ESV But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jesus was God. Yet when Satan tempted him, He didn't 'lean on talent'. He leaned on God's Word! IT IS WRITTEN! Yes...we are partakers of the Divine Nature (2 Pet 1:4)...co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17)...and free from the dominion of sin (Rom 6:14). But if Christ couldn't depend on his talent and 'status' with The Father, neither can we. In a fight--when stress levels are high--you can't just 'know' how to properly throw a punch, kick, elbow or guard--it's got to be worked into your muscle memory--it's got to be automatic! Coming off the Summit, I want to renew my commitment to memorizing scripture so that in my moment of testing--it's not just in my head--but readily accessible to my heart and mouth. 3. Mouth The Word Prov 18:21 ESV Death and life are in the power of the tongue... Flat out. There was a time when 'confession' had become more synonymous with the 'name and claim it' 'blab it and grab it' movement than the confession of God's Word. However, I believe that was a cunning tactic by Satan to undermine the power and reality of this scripture. Satan knew if he could distract folks from the true power of confession and divert attention to the negative uses of 'confession' in the church, then he could rob us of one of our most potent weapons: Audibly speaking & declaring God's Word over ourselves and others! From day one--God demonstrated this powerful principle of audible confession! Gen 1:1-Gen 1:2 ESV In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. The phrase 'without form' is the Hebrew word 'tohu' which means 'worthless thing' and the word 'void' is the the Hebrew word 'bohu' which doesn't just mean empty in the simple sense, but also 'undistinguishable ruin'. Think of that! The earth was WORTHLESS and IN RUIN! Sound familiar? 'And God SAID, Let there be light: and there was light' (v. 3) How did God address darkness--worthlessness--and ruin when he saw it in the Earth? The same way he handled it in our lives when he saved us from sin & death! He SPOKE Light, Value, and Order into existence by His WORD. Paul brings this home in the New Testament in regards to our walk of faith in Christ. Rom 4:16-Rom 4:17 ESV ...in the presence of the God in whom he (Abraham) believed, who gives life to the dead and CALLS into existence the things that do not exist. The scripture here tells us it is God, not us, who calls into existence the things that do not exist. But like Abraham, we are 'partakers of His Divine Nature' and Creative Power--empowered by His Holy Spirit to speak His Truth into existence--with Christ-likeness being the end goal and mark of Divine Victory. So brothers! Let's be intentional today--let's begin with mediation (ready and mulling)--progressing to memorization and on to declaration...don't just believe it...but speak it...with a LOUD VOICE! Amen! K.I.N.G. Summit 2017 was EPIC! #SITL