In Psalm 27:13 (NKJV), David wrote, I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

I too would have lost heart except that, beginning 11 years ago, a series of providential encounters began that have restored my hope and reassured me that God is not through with America.

Eleven years ago, I had given up hope of America ever seeing another great, national spiritual awakening. I thought God was through with America, and I had decided to focus my attention on other areas of ministry. Then everything changed when I had a life-altering encounter with the Almighty.

I had seen and experienced revival from the time I was a child. I recall my parents taking me and my brothers to the great tent revivals of the healing evangelists in the 1950s. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and called to preach the gospel during the great charismatic renewal of the 1970s. I participated in the Word of Faith revival of the 1980s and the revivals of Toronto and Pensacola in the 1990s.

These were all legitimate works of the Holy Spirit. However, I observed so much man-made hype and fake manifestations as to cause me to lose heart that America would see another genuine Great Awakening that would revive the churches of America, impact the culture, and stem the tide of secularism and false religion that was flooding the land.

Then one Saturday in the summer of 2010, I got in my car to make a two-hour drive from Tulsa to the Oklahoma City area where I was to speak in the Sunday morning service at an area church. As I pulled onto the highway, and with no expectation of any such thing happening, I suddenly felt that I was enveloped in God’s presence.

At the same time, my mind was flooded with thoughts of hope and faith that America “could” see another national, spiritual Great Awakening. So intense was the experience that I was hardly aware of my surroundings as I drove. I could hardly wait to check into my hotel and write down the thoughts flooding my mind and heart.

I arrived at my hotel and quickly checked in. Then for another five hours, I sat on the bed with my notebook computer on my lap as God’s presence continued to flood my heart and mind. I praised God and wrote until the presence of God lifted, and I fell off to sleep.

Two major truths were indelibly inscribed on my heart and mind from that encounter. First of all, my hope was restored that America could see another national spiritual Great Awakening that would alter the course of the nation. I clearly saw that God was not through with America.

Secondly, I saw, for the first time, that there was a direct bearing of the First Great Awakening on the founding of America. I had studied and even written about the First Great Awakening, but for the first time I saw that it directly impacted the founding of this nation. I saw that revival is in America’s national DNA.

Out of that experience, I wrote the book, America’s Revival Heritage, which we published in 2012. However, even as we marketed this book, I was being providentially led to more resources that confirmed the fact that America was birthed out of the First Great Awakening and that God had a divine plan for this land.

After the first printing sold out, I made plans to publish an updated second edition. However, so much new material had come into my hands that, as I wrote, I realized it was an entirely new book. In 2014, we published Pilgrims and Patriots with the subtitle The Radical Christian Roots of American Democracy and Freedom.

During the summer of 2019, I sensed a deep stirring to take the research I had already done and add a chapter on slavery. I knew that in this new book, I was to show that the Great Awakening had a direct bearing, not only on the founding of America, but also on the ending of slavery on this continent.

As I began this new project, I was amazed at the resources that providentially came into my hands. These resources were exactly what I needed to make the case about the Great Awakening and the ending of slavery.

While working on this new project, I read about the New York Times’ 1619 Project in which they were “reframing” America’s history and claiming that 1619, when the first African slaves were brought to these shores, was America’s true founding, not 1776. They presented America as being defined by 1619 and therefore racist and corrupt at her core, in need of fundamental change.

My response was “No! No! America was not defined by 1619! America was defined by 1726!” 1726, of course, was the year the Great Awakening began.

Although I originally thought that this new book would be a second edition of America’s Revival Heritage, there was so much new material about the Great Awakening and the antislavery movement it ignited, that I realized it was an entirely new book. So, in December of 2019 we published 1726 with the subtitle The Year that Defined America.

This past summer (2021) I sensed a deep desire to take the chapter on the Great Awakening and slavery in 1726 and expand it into a small book that documents how America’s founders turned against slavery at a time it was accepted and practiced in most of the world. It seemed appropriate in light of the vicious attacks on America’s founders, and so Abolitionist Founding Fathers was published in June of this year.

Out of these experiences, I have established the 1726 Project. This is not an organization, but an idea and movement to educate America about her overt Christian roots in spiritual awakening. This historical knowledge, along with biblical promises such as 2 Chronicles 7:14, becomes a solid foundation for praying for another Great Awakening to roll like a great tsunami wave across this land.

I have hope this will happen, for God has assured me that He is not through with America. {eoa}

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is a revivalist, historian, and ordained minister with 50 years of service as a pastor, teacher, and professor of theology. His books are available from Amazon and his website at . To schedule him to speak at your church or event, send an email to dreddiehyatt@.

For the original article, visit .

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Treading foolishly on social media will cost the church its voice.

NEWSMAX reports, “Last month, the former president brought class-action lawsuits against the three big Tech giants requesting unspecified damages for alleged First Amendment violations.”

It’s commonly believed that social media giants have censored, banned and caused all sorts of trouble for conservatives. This includes Christians who find themselves in so-called Facebook jail after expressing forbidden viewpoints.

This truly feels like David versus the giants who are determined to taunt, minimize and cast aside any who would threaten their narratives.

Should We Not Run to the Battle?

Yes, we absolutely should fearlessly fight against the spirits of the age. The real question, however, is exactly how should we fight?

God is known to give unusual, supernatural wisdom to those who are advancing toward wicked adversaries. Gideon was told to eliminate most of his army and to bang jars together. Joseph and Mary were instructed to avoid Egypt. Paul was warned against going to certain cities. Elijah brought the fire. Every situation is different, and might I suggest, brashly breaking the rules of Facebook, YouTube and other social media companies is foolish beyond measure.

Lawsuits like the one President Trump brought very well may be a wise, effective step toward protecting First Amendment rights of all U.S. citizens. I agree that we are rushing quickly toward the reality of very real persecution of Christians who preach the truth of Scripture. We cannot shrink back. We must run to the battle, but with divine wisdom, not fleshly rebellion.

Everything starts with strategic intercession. The fight against principalities and powers is a deadly game to play if we aren’t prepared. Our enemies aren’t the CEOs and thought police. The opposition is the very smart, organized and vile evil spirits who are bent on destruction of the church. They are absolutely determined to muzzle all who preach the power of the gospel.

We Must Be Wise as Serpents and Gentle as Doves

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,” (Matt. 10:16–17, ESV)

I’ve always found it interesting that we are instructed to be as wise as serpents. Satan is both a snake and a brilliant and shrewd military strategist. He is not haphazard or careless in his schemes. We should not be either.

The Hill reports, “And despite the Taliban’s brutality and dishonesty, two Taliban spokesmen have Twitter accounts, including Zabihullah Mujahid, who boasts nearly 320,000 followers. Mujahid has posted dozens of videos that have been viewed millions of times. Quite a platform for the Taliban to have, and it doesn’t cost them a dime.”

Read this next segment analyzing Donald Trump’s ban and the Taliban’s get out of jail free card from the article on The Hill carefully:

“The answer, analysts said, may simply be that Trump’s posts for years challenged platform rules against hate speech and inciting violence,” the piece adds. “Today’s Taliban, by and large, does not.”

Of course, we know of the brutality the Taliban unashamedly promotes, and it seems they should in no way be provided a platform on social media, especially when these companies are based in the United States. I agree with most by saying it’s madness.

Additionally, it’s beyond belief that the president of the United States could be banned. Like you, I’m flabbergasted. This isn’t the America I’ve grown to love. We are living in very different, dangerous and wicked times.

With all of that being said, consider the wisdom of the Taliban. They are careful on social media. They don’t post anything that would put them in Facebook jail or ban them from Twitter (at least that’s what appears to be the case to date).

Here is the point of this article: Be wise.

Flipping a bombastic, rebellious, spiritualized middle finger to the decision makers of the very platforms the church must have a voice on is utter foolishness. We receive no badge of honor by spouting off at the mouth in a way that breaks the rules (yes, unfair rules) and challenges the social media powers. It’s childish at best, foolish and destructive to the church’s mission at worst.

If We Break the Rules, We Lose Our Voice

I, for one, want to keep influencing people on social media with the life and power of Jesus. I can’t afford for that message to be banned.

I’ve yet to be locked out of any social media account. I’ve not been shadowbanned or jailed. I’m not saying it will never happen, and I’m not patting myself on the back. I simply understand I must be extremely careful if I want to continue to be heard (even by my very small sphere of influence). There are things that are absolutely unnecessary to say, or that can be said in a way that doesn’t poke the bear. We can be smart. We can be led of the Spirit of God. We can use divine wisdom.

This is not a matter of having a backbone or proudly shouting with fervor at our oppressors. It would be extremely easy to state the obvious and call out every anti-Christ spirit we come across daily. We can shout loud in all caps and presume we are mighty champions of God by refusing to be silent on the matters of the day. Well, yes, you can do that and you can lose your voice. You will lose your platform. You will surrender your privilege to communicate on a private forum.

Chinese Christians know this all too well, except they aren’t risking a Facebook account being closed. They are risking their lives. They are faced with beatings and prison. We can only imagine the divine wisdom necessary to survive such an ungodly regime. Yet, the underground church is thriving, and China is on pace to host the largest number of Christians in the world in the next couple of decades.

Standing on a street corner in Beijing and preaching the gospel isn’t an option for Chinese Christians. They must be wise. They understand the rules of their particular forum. They are Spirit-led instead of naturally aggressive.

The voice of Chinese Christians has been preserved because they have adapted to their situation. The church is thriving in that restrictive and dangerous environment because of godly wisdom.

If we as American Christians can’t figure out how to keep our voice on Facebook, how do we think we will survive when we are forced underground? Brash, bombastic fist-waving won’t work then, even if we do it in the name of Jesus. {eoa}

John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 25 years and is a sought-out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. He ministers in churches and at camps and conferences throughout the nation. John has authored 10 books, is a regular contributor to Charisma magazine, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he has planted two churches and has initiated two city prayer movements and a school of ministry.

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For more information on how you can fight back against cancel culture, make sure to get a copy of what Charisma founder and CEO Stephen Strang says is his most important book yet. God and Cancel Culture releases Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day, wherever fine books are sold. Pre-order it at and, for a limited time, receive $120 worth of gifts, including four e-books and a subscription to Charisma magazine.

Harvard University was founded as Harvard College in 1636. Its stated purpose was: “To train a literate clergy.” Among its mottos were, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” (truth for Christ and church) and “In Christam Gloriam” (to the glory of Christ). Now, Harvard has hired an atheist as its chief chaplain. And no, this is not a poor joke.

As reported by the New York Post, “This spiritual leader doesn’t need a higher power.

“Harvard University’s organization of chaplains is getting a new president to coordinate the campus’ Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and assorted other religious communities. Only the new president, 44-year-old Greg Epstein, does not identify with any of those traditional religions himself.

“He is an atheist.”

But how can an atheist be a university chaplain?

Epstein explained to The New York Times, “There is a rising group of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition but still experience a real need for conversation and support around what it means to be a good human and live an ethical life.

“We don’t look to a god for answers. We are each other’s answers.”

The only problem is with Epstein’s explanation is, well, everything. He may believe in God or not. He may follow a religion or not. That’s his own business. And he may have some great ideas about living an ethical life.

But to be a chaplain, by definition, means to be a religious leader, not simply a department head or an administrator or someone who believes in ethical living. And so, to appoint an atheist to be chief university chaplain is like appointing a Christian evangelist to head up the university’s atheist club. Or a devout Muslim to head up the university’s Judaism club. It is a total contradiction in both purpose and logic.

As for Epstein’s appointment being controversial, that’s not how Harvard’s leadership felt, voting to elect him unanimously. What a perfect choice! Couldn’t think of anyone better!

The Merriam-Webster website offers these four definitions for chaplain: “1: a clergyman in charge of a chapel; 2: a clergyman officially attached to a branch of the military, to an institution, or to a family or court; 3: a person chosen to conduct religious exercises (as at a meeting of a club or society); 4: a clergyman appointed to assist a bishop (as at a liturgical function).”

According to , a chaplain is: “1. an ecclesiastic attached to the chapel of a royal court, college, etc., or to a military unit. 2. a person who says the prayer, invocation, etc., for an organization or at an assembly.”

And a military website states that, “The chaplain’s responsibilities include performing religious rites, conducting worship services, providing confidential counseling and advising commanders on religious, spiritual and moral matters. Chaplains are commissioned officers stationed wherever there are military members, including combat environments.”

But if you don’t believe in God, you cannot perform any of these functions.

Really now, how can you conduct a worship service if there is no God to worship? How can you perform religious rites, all of which presuppose the existence of a deity, if there is no deity?

To whom do you pray? What hope can you offer regarding the world to come? How can you help someone connect to the spiritual, unseen, eternal realm? Who, outside of the human race, forgives your sins or empowers you to change?

And if you yourself are convinced that there is no God, doesn’t that mean that you view all religious believers as being in serious error, not to mention deeply deceived?

It’s one thing if Harvard said, “Rabbi Epstein does a great job of bringing people of different religions together.” Terrific. Then hire him as an administrative coordinator for the chaplain’s department. But don’t hire him as your chief chaplain. To do so only heaps further scorn on Harvard’s wokeness.

As for Epstein being a rabbi, that is just as absurd as being a chaplain, if not more so. (For the record, he “received ordination as a Humanist Rabbi from the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism.”)

Without God, there is no Judaism, since Judaism is the story of God choosing the Jewish people for Himself, rescuing them from bondage in Egypt, and giving them His Torah. Thus, to have Judaism without God would be similar to having Christianity without Christ. It simply cannot be.

But why let truth and facts and logic get in the way? Let’s just set our own standards and, to cite the title of Epstein’s 2009 book, which has suddenly become a bestseller, let’s just be good without God.

In the end, if someone wants to try and be good without God, that is their choice. Just don’t call that person a rabbi or a chaplain. To do so, to say it once more, is a total contradiction in terms.

As for the Harvard of old, in order to graduate with the most basic de­gree in arts (not theology, which came later), the student had to be able “logically to explain the Holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments … and … be blameless in life and character.”

Among the “Rules and Precepts” of Harvard to be observed by the students were these: “Let every Student be plainly instructed, and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life.”

And: “Every one shall so exercise himself in reading the Scriptures twice a day, that he shall be ready to give such an account of his proficiency therein, both in Theoretical observations of Language and Logic, and in practical and spiritual truths.”

As for the Harvard of today (in terms of its spiritual condition and worldview), need I say more? {eoa}

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The Education Department announced Monday that it’s investigating five Republican-led states with universal mask bans, saying the policies could amount to discrimination against students with disabilities or health conditions.

The department’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to education chiefs in Iowa, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. Those states have barred schools from requiring masks among students and staff, a move that the department says could prevent some students from safely attending school.

“It’s simply unacceptable that state leaders are putting politics over the health and education of the students they took an oath to serve,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “The department will fight to protect every student’s right to access in-person learning safely.”

It marks a sharp escalation in the Biden administration’s battle with Republican states that say wearing masks should be a personal choice. President Joe Biden last week asked Cardona to explore possible legal action, prompting the department to examine whether the policies could amount to civil rights violations.

The state policies conflict with guidance from the from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends universal mask wearing for students and teachers in the classroom.

If the investigations determine that the state mask bans have discriminated against students with disabilities, it could lead to sanctions including a loss of federal education funding.

The department said it has not opened investigations in other states where mask bans have been overturned by courts or are not being enforced, including in Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Arizona. But the agency said it is “closely monitoring” those states and is prepared to take action if necessary.

© 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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One cannot turn on the TV, radio or social media without being bombarded by dire reports, disasters, division or darkness invading our countries. If Christians are not careful, we can allow these reports to discourage, distract or devastate us. The Bible explicitly states that the end times will consist of wars, earthquakes, lawlessness and division. This should not be a surprise to us. Jesus acknowledged that we would have trials and tribulations, but not to fear because He has overcome it all (John 16:33).

Jesus revealed the enemy comes like a thief to steal, kill and destroy. But the rest of that verse declares that He came to bring life and life abundantly. How can believers live in this tension — the tension that the kingdom of heaven has graced earth, yet darkness continues to have some dominion over it? We must recognize it and rise above it.

The Holy Spirit was released and given to believers to empower us. We are not left helpless or hopeless. We can thrive even with all that is going on in the natural realm. Here are three actions we can take to thrive, even with all hell breaking loose against us.

First, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. When we hear reports of catastrophes, we need to immediately take our thoughts and feelings to the Lord. Call upon His name to help those affected. As soon as I heard about the situation in Afghanistan, I cried out to God. He reassured me that He heard my prayers and the prayers of all His people.

Second, we must speak the Word of God over situations. There is power in the Word, and we must wield it. We must speak nonexistent things as if they were. We must speak life to death and light to the darkness. He has given us weapons to fight with and they are mighty for pulling down strongholds. When we walk in the power and authority Jesus died and rose to give us, then we can change the atmosphere over our lives.

Lastly, we must expect the Lord to show up but not place our own expectations of what we think and want it to look like. It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around the atrocities that occur, yet I have learned not to lean on my own understanding but to trust the Lord (Prov. 3:5). God is fighting for His people; we do not have to fight on our own.

Listen to the prophetic and powerful word to help you refocus, speak life and believe for the impossible. You will be encouraged to rise in the strength of the Lord! Listen more about this topic on my latest podcast episode.{eoa}

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If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-8255 or visit . You are not alone.

Recently, I did a podcast on a very, very difficult subject to talk about, and that is suicide.

Sadly, we hear about suicide every day, or we read about it in the newspaper or on social media. It seems to be especially rampant right now — Hollywood actors are committing suicide, business people, wealthy people, hurting teens and veterans living on the streets — and it hits home.

Most people know someone who has taken his or her own life, or maybe they’ve even had a close relationship with someone who has committed suicide. Maybe it’s even been a member of your own family. The spirit of suicide has brought devastation to so many. ..it’s touched so many lives, in so many homes and the aftermath — the family that’s left behind — is so distraught. They are hurting and they’re looking for answers to their questions.

I’ve been wanting to talk about suicide because so many people are hurting due to what they’ve been through. You may not be aware, but back in the early 1980s, my only brother, Ronnie, committed suicide. At the time, it was announced all over America. It was in all the newspapers, on the TV news…”Oral Roberts’ son commits suicide.”

I was the one who found my brother, and one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life was to tell my dad and my mother. His death affected our entire family, not to mention Ronnie’s precious children.

Through the letters, phone calls and emails I receive through my ministry, I get questions regarding suicide quite often. And because I’ve had personal experience with this subject, I feel qualified to offer some insight on how to hang on to God and get through such a terrible and heartbreaking time. I share how my family found hope after devastating loss and address some of these questions in my podcast episode.

– Can a person who committed suicide go to heaven?

– God’s mercy and forgiveness.

– Letting hope in Christ and His resurrection be our anchor.

– How to recognize that thoughts of suicide are from the devil and how to overcome them.

Also, if you know someone who you think has been entertaining thoughts of if you, yourself, are struggling with depression to the point of thinking about a way to end it all… please listen to this podcast.

God cares about you; you do have value and importance; and your life does matter. The Bible says God knew you even before you were born, when you were in your mother’s womb, and He loves you. He LOVES as you are. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, if you’ll let Him, He will bring you through.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 that God has a great plan for your life, and it’s a good plan. Hold on to the lifeline of God and His Word and don’t let go.

If you are in crisis, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-273-8255. You can also visit .

For more Spirit-filled content like this, subscribe to Expect a Miracle with Richard Roberts on the Charisma Podcast Network.{eoa}

Richard Roberts, D. Min., is chief executive officer of Oral Roberts Ministries and co-hosts with his wife, Lindsay, a daily inspirational TV program, The Place for Miracles. Dr. Roberts is also the founder of the Richard Roberts School of Miracles, hosting thousands of online students from more than 140 countries. Richard conducts healing meetings throughout America, as well as ministers to and teaches pastors in underdeveloped countries the fundamental principles of healing, seed-faith and the Holy Spirit, so they may do the greater works of Jesus in their regions of the world.

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It is the will of God for every believer to speak in tongues. First Corinthians 14:2-4 shows us one of the tongues that is your prayer language. For those who say, “This doesn’t belong to me,” then my question would be, “Does edification belong to you as a Christian?” Of course.

So how can you receive this gift of speaking in tongues?

1. You must receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Bible says, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living waters” (John 7:38). It doesn’t say these rivers will flow out of the throne of God. Instead, you have this well, “a river of living waters,” that wants to be released through your mouth.

2. Relax. In Acts 2:2, it shows us the disciples were not striving, or kneeling and praying—they were sitting. Sitting is a relaxed position. Speaking in tongues is the Holy Spirit being released through you. It’s about surrendering. Rest in His love for you.

3. Your choice is involved. The Scripture says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to speak” (Acts 2:4). It does not say the Spirit spoke—they spoke in tongues. The Lord will not override your free will.

4. Your faith is needed. Some people believe something just comes over you and you begin to speak in tongues. That’s not the case; it takes faith to trust that God will add meaning to the sounds you release.

5. You must remove every fear that the tongues spoken are not from God. Luke 11:13 shows your heavenly Father is not going to give you a stone. He won’t fill you with a demonic entity when you ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Trust in God and in His Scripture.

Listen to my full podcast episode on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}

Vladimir Savchuk is the lead pastor of Hungry Generation Church and author of Break Free, Single, Ready to Mingle and Fight Back. He is also a founder of a virtual online school. To download free e-books, sermon series and small group study guides, go to .

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There is a general will of God for every Christian. This involves following Jesus, forsaking sin and fishing for souls. You’ll notice that as you get involved in the general will of God, God’s specific will for your life begins to become clearer.

God will not reveal your specific calling if you’re not interested in doing God’s revealed purpose first.

With that said, here are 5 cues to help reveal your specific calling.

1. Revelation: God can reveal this through a dream, a prophecy or an inner whisper. In the Bible, some were called through an angel, through a burning bush or a prophet.

2. Advice: Many times our community of faith can discern God’s calling on our lives better than we can. It’s important to pay attention to their suggestions as to where we fit best in the big picture of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.

3. Passion: Your passion could oftentimes be an indicator. If you’re passionate about preaching, missions, songwriting, signs and wonders or even media — all of that could be indicators.

4. Talents/gifts: Talents come at birth; gifts come at salvation. God graced you with natural abilities and spiritual gifts with the purpose of fulfilling your calling.

5. Experience: The things we go through, they are not just for ourselves; they are for our ministries. God not only rescued us from our pasts; He will recycle them to enhance His purpose on the earth.

I want to remind you — get busy doing the revealed will of God and He will make His specific will more clear for you. Look for an opportunity to serve. Remember that God is not as interested in helping you reach your calling as He is interested in changing you in the process.

If you liked this message, listen to the full podcast episode on my Raised to Deliver podcast. {eoa}

Vladimir Savchuk is the lead pastor of Hungry Generation Church and author of Break Free, Single, Ready to Mingle and Fight Back. He is also a founder of a virtual online school. To download free e-books, sermon series and small group study guides, go to .

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (Heb. 12:1, NLT).

It’s important to note that not all Christians are in the same phase in their walk with the Lord. We are “running the race,” as Hebrews explains a race has runners at various stages. We can’t look at our positions in the race and ridicule others for not being as far along.

When considering the parallels with a race and our Christian walk, a few things come to mind:

– Conditioning — Reading the Bible, exercising your faith, praying, worshipping, etc., are all crucial elements to keep us in spiritual shape. We are in the main event race our entire lives, but there are smaller races I believe we take part in also. These include callings to new ministries or phases of life, struggling with a battle of health or finances and facing rejection.

– Endurance — Galatians 6:9 (NIV) states, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” A marathon is tough and grueling, and many just want to quit. Some estimates say that between 10-30% of participants do not finish. Christians are falling away from the faith all around. We are called to ENDURE!

– Psychological — A big aspect to running a race is not only physical but mental! Runners can be their own worst enemies if they let their minds control their motivation during the race. You’ve heard the phrase “mind over matter.” Your willingness to push yourself can cause you to go further than you thought was physically possible. The same is true in our Christian walk; our doubts and fears can sometimes get the best of us and cause us to want to quit.

– Encouragement — Do you see the crowds that cheer runners on the side of the road? They cheer, give high fives and throw water bottles at them as signs of encouragement. You often see many runners as well encouraging each other along the way, sometimes even finishing with another runner hugging onto their shoulders. Runners can have sponsors as well, which is a close analogy to Christian mentors. We have a “crowd of witnesses,” as Hebrews 12:1 reminds us. These are men and women of faith who have gone before us. They endured the race and made it to the end, cheering us on through the example they set before us.

In my discussion with author and pastor Banning Liebscher, he talks about how understanding your calling requires not only discernment but is a joy in the process. The journey and the race we are in should be dedicated to following God’s voice and promptings of the Holy Spirit to ensure we are on the right path to begin with.

Paul knew what he was talking about when he compared our Christian walk to a race! Jesus waits for us to finish, ready to say, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21, NIV). Every pain we face, every doubt we overcome, every battle we wage is worth patiently enduring the journey to get to the finish line and see our Savior at last! {eoa}

Tim Ferrara has grown up in the church and held various leadership positions, both in business and in the church, and is currently the executive pastor at LifePoint Church in Arizona. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Arizona State University, along with a MBA from University of Phoenix, and has had a career in business management for over 20 years and been on faculty for two different colleges. Tim started the ministry of Discerning Dad () as a way to write and encourage Christians to grow in discernment and make better decisions that honor God. He has a book called Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-Led Decision Making and also multiple YouVersion Bible plans. He hosts a podcast called Everyday Discernment on the Charisma and Edifi podcast networks. Tim lives with his wife Jamie and their two children in Arizona.

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There was a time in my life where I was fighting three types of spiritual warfare: autism, Asperger’s and obsessive compulsive disorder. I was basically a walking civil war, and each one of these conditions were the spiritual wrestling matches I would face every day. Thankfully someone taught me the things I needed to know to overcome these battles. The more and more I acquainted myself with God, the more and more I was able to recognize that the civil war going on in my mind was the work of the enemy.

A Scripture that really spoke to me during that season was Psalm 139:1-2 (NKJV): “O Lord, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.” These words reassured me and calmed the anxiety I had.

As much as a child with autism, Asperger’s or obsessive compulsive disorder might look at himself or herself as though there is something wrong or might feel separated from everything, with God, this can be overturned in every sense. A parent can lay their hands on their child’s shoulders and speak the words of Psalm 139:1-5 over them.

God knows everything. He knows what is going on in everyone’s life. His Word says He has searched each of us; He knows our sitting down and our rising up; He understands our thoughts afar off.

As His Word sank into my heart and was deposited into my spirit, slowly and surely my confused thoughts were healed. I realized I was no longer alone, but rather God was with me. He knew my every thought and how I was feeling. Every single day, my mind was transformed and changed.

I encourage you to apply this same Scripture so that it may sink into your heart and deposit into your spirit man. God comprehends people’s paths and their lying down. He is acquainted with their ways. There is not a word on their tongues that God does not know about. {eoa}

Connect with Reg Morais on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and his personal website. You can also connect with him on the Autism Overturned Facebook group page and visit the Fast and Pray free chapter link.

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