Wednesday, April 11, 2012

The Stretching Has Begun!

Matthew 9:16-18; Proverbs 24:10; Isaiah 40:10; Proverbs 14:1; Ephesians 5:25

We are walking in today:  The Stretching Has Begun! 

Matthew 9:16-18 16) No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17) Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. 18)While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.   God created the human body with the ability to adapt to the bodies physical changes, without coming apart under the pressure.  The body is able to accommodate swelling even when it exceeds that which appears possible.  When a woman carries a child to term, her swollen belly is stretched to the absolute max.  For the child that is born, is only a fraction of it's adult size.  The child grows much larger than it was upon it's arrival.  A human being is created in such a way that  as it forms, the physical condition may change, due to keeping the body from coming apart.  There are times when the skin can not expand as fast as the muscles or fat tissue and causes the skin to tear and create stretch marks.  Stretch marks are a tearing of the dermis, or skin.  No one wants these, unsightly ripples in the skin.  There are steps that can be taken to avoid stretch marks.  By maintaining a proper diet, drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, gradually gaining weight and muscle content as well as moisturizing daily.  One is able to reduce the occurrence of stretch marks.  As Jesus was discussing, fasting, He commented that no one puts new wine in old wine skins.  He goes on to explain that if they do the use the old wine skins that they will burst from the pressure.  God has showed up in the fourth watch to stretch us!  Our life in Christ is from season to season.  Each season has it's own supply of anointing, that one carries to accomplish what God has planned for us.  In that season, we establish life habits according to that particular season.  When God is moving us to a new season, it requires a change of conditioning from those transitioning.  Fasting is the process of reconditioning our spirit man to accommodate the increase of God's presence in our life.  There will come a day that the Spirit of the Lord will fall on all flesh.  How much of God do you want?  If you want it all then God needs to make room for His greatness in your life.  He must stretch your faith to make room for your future.  Are you ready for the fourth watch?  Fasting is a complete reconditioning of our flesh.  Even those who walk in in a faith posture with a deep connection to Jesus experience, times in life when it is time to strip away everything from the old season, to prepare for the new one.  it is done, through prayer and fasting.  Fasting is not to be taken lightly in order to prepare our spirit, in a season of fasting.  There are some essential steps a proper diet of the spirit requires us to monitor our intake of the world, by:  the shows that we watch, the music that we listen to and the people we talk to--all influence the condition of our spirit.  We must be careful to eliminate the junk foods in our souls' diet.  The best nutrition for your mind, soul and body is the bread of life.  In order to flush out the world's influence we must consistently drink the living water, it is sprinkled all through out God's word.  And without it, it is impossible to prepare for the next season of your life, in Christ.  It must become our substance to rehydrate our spirit and our souls.  It produces faith that is flexible and able to expand to make room for God's plan and for the future.  When we take control of our flesh, through fasting, it is an evaluation of what our body truly needs to survive--an elevation!  This lifting up, raising up is conditioning our flesh to be moved by the spirit and not by our emotions!!  These same emotions can weigh so heavy on us that unchecked we make decisions that are based on what the world said instead of God!  This is the way, walk in it!  What did God say!  Don't let your fickle emotions get you out of position of what God has for you!  A life of consistency will progressively stretch your flesh to maximize the potential of your spirit.  Prayer fills the void left in the fasting process, with the goodness and provision of God, for your next season.  Proverbs 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.  Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  Get your flesh under control, to make room for more of Jesus!  The Lord is ready to pour new wine in to your new wine skins!  Fiveamprayer are you ready for it?!
On yesterday, He came to tell us that He shows up in the fourth watch.  Now today, He lets us now that the stretching has begun.  We want more and more of Him, He will stretch us in our marriages, finances and ministry.  Many of us have being stretched on our jobs, we will be able to handle more from being stretched.  God is stretching us to walk this out by faith and not by sight.  We may bend but we will not break!  Though we are faced with tests, trials, tribulation and pressed on every side.  Fiveamprayer, the stretching has begun.  Get up seeking Him first.  This stretching is making room for ministry.  We are being stretched to be able to walk this thing out.  We have to go through the valley of the shadow of death, there will be struggles in your life.  All of this to make you stronger and draw you closer to Him!    There is favor over your life.  God has always been there.  He has been with us the whole time!  Now He comes to let us know that it is stretching time.  God will stretch us in this season--to make a better, stronger, wiser.  To have you to fall on your face, seeking Him.  To pray without ceasing.  To put yourself on a fast.  We can't give up now, God is stretching us!  He knew us before we were born.  He comes to let us know that He is our Shepherd and we shall not want!  If He had not stretched us than we may not turn it all over to Him.  God will keep us in perfect peace with our mind stayed on Him.  His grace is sufficient.  The stretching has begun in our marriages--wives be in constant prayer, cover your house.  Be a wife instead of a knife.  A praying wife can save her husband.  A wise woman builds up her house--Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.  To the husbands, you are the head of the house and are to cover your wife.  Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.  God is stretching us!  With this stretching we will be able to see His hand moving in every situation.  So that you know, that you know that if God does not do it, it can't be done!  If you want this new territory and cross over this Jordan, He will have to stretch you.  Ask God to fix us in our broken pieces.  He is the potter and we the clay.  He is stretching us!  We can bear it , He won't put more on us than we can bear.  He pouring out His Spirit and giving the increase.  We lift up prayer requests, those known and unknown.  We lift up mama Glenda for healing, God we ask that in her stretching for healing, You cover her from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.  We come to repent and ask for forgiveness, we some times forget that long suffering is one of the fruits of the spirit.  Forgive us for not wanting to go through anything.  If you have not gone through anything, how can you help some one who has gone through things?!  Teach us how to forgive like You, with no condemnation and truly walking in forgiveness that we are forgiven also.
We seal this prayer in His precious blood, by His Spirit: 
Genesis 32:24-26 24) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

Welcome to the overflow...

Even in the stretching, God is making room for more of Him, and less of us.  That we continue in not our will, but Your will be done!  Have your way Lord!  Thank You for the stretching God!  The only way to have authority in 2012 is by His Spirit!  He will have to stretch us, for all that He is pouring into us.  Filling us to the overflow.  Fiveamprayer, the stretching has begun.  His word tell us that, you can't put new wine in to old bottles!  He is stretching us for the new ministry that He has on the inside of us.  You will have a deeper relationship with God, from the stretching!  Some times we don't realize that we go through the trial, after trial--we are able to handle more.  If you want more of God--He is gonna have to stretch you!  The stretching is necessary to fill us with more of Him!  God is filling us to the overflow!  To God be the glory!  Have your way Father!  Let God do the stretching!  Thank You Lord!  Now you know why all hell was breaking loose.  He is stretching us to receive more of His Spirit to be able to handle more of His glory.  Don't get weary in well doing.  He is stretching us and filling us with His Spirit.  Just like when you are filling a bag, the plastic needs to be stretched out so that it can hold more.  God is not interested in just filling us just a little bit.  He wants to fill us to overflow, after He stretches us!  We have been asking for more and more of Him.  How else do you think that will be accomplished?  How else can you fill a container or vessel with more and more if it is not stretched?  The Lord is stretching you, so that you will see His glory!  Thank You Lord!  He shows up in the fourth watch.  And then He comes to day to tell us that He is stretching us!  You knew that there was a change going on--and it will come from the stretching!  Take time out to read the scriptures for yourself today.  Visit us on facebook, it will encourage you.  Have a wonderful, awesome day, God is stretching you! 


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