Rest Your Case

 

Rest Your Case 

I awakened this morning with Father showing me a picture of a newborn baby being held by a parent.  He spoke to me and said, “Rest in Me” like this baby rests in the arms of the parent.  He further said to me, “This baby doesn’t even try to hold its head up”.  I found my phone and  googled the proper way to hold a newborn.  You place one hand to support the head and neck and the other hand to support the bottom and the rest of the body.  This gives a complete picture of how God holds each of us.  Total support.  Total care.  Total eternal peace.  Totally found in Him.  We have no need to take care of ourselves.  It is His glory to do so (Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is our refuge and strength and underneath are the everlasting arms…”).

 

As I meditated on His word and in His presence, He said it is time for His people to “Rest their case”.  This legal term refers to when a prosecuting attorney has presented all evidence for conviction of a crime or settling of a matter.  During the trial  evidence is presented that would lead to a conviction, exoneration,  or execution of a  matter.  But at the end of the trial, the prosecution “rests” its case.  God’s word is the final authority on every matter that we face in life.  When God’s word has been applied to our situation, circumstance, or life, we  can then  “rest our case” in Him.

 

Justice and righteousness are the foundation of God’s throne (Psalms 89:14).  No one escapes His justice and righteousness no matter how wicked they are.  All over this nation things may seem as though they are out of control. They are not!  Justice may seem elusive. It is not!  Righteousness may seem non-existent.  It is not!  With justice and righteousness being the foundation of the throne of God, He will judge this nation’s chaos with a vengeance.  His word will not be dishonored and trashed by impotent lying people void of God’s redeeming power. 

 

Truth will prevail.  Justice will prevail. Righteousness will prevail.  He pointed out to me an example of His way.    Yesterday I was visited by a friend who housekeeps for us.  The two of us went into the room where  the ministry supplies and machines are located.  Frequently as we replenish supplies, my husband will place them arbitrarily in this room.  At first glance when we entered the room, it looked like a “train wreck”.  I sat at my desk and took a good look around.  God has gifted me with organizational skills.  I immediately (led by the Holy Spirit) started seeing how we could organize and store everything and we did it in about twenty minutes.  We restored order to the room quickly. 

 

God deals in order.  Divine order reigns in His Kingdom.  When He speaks, everything gets into place.  The Universe cannot resist His divine order, retribution, or correction.  He deals in righteousness and justice.

 

God spoke to me in the above example.  He said,  “This is what I do. When you look at chaos, I see order (Romans 4:17, …called things that are not as though they are…).  I sit in eternity where chaos cannot enter or exist.  Remember, I see the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).  Don’t count on chaos, live in my divine order.“

 

Now let’s get back to the newborn baby.  Let God show you His parental love for you.  Stop fretting, worrying, and fearing the ungodly evil deeds of Satan and lying men and women.  God said to me they cannot by the word of their mouth “scatter” or “gather” (Psalms 24:1,  “The earth is the Lords…).  They have no omnipotent (all powerful) power.  They have no omnipresent (present everywhere) power.  They have no omniscient (all knowing/seeing) power.  Their reward is already  sentenced by God’s word.  They will either repent and receive forgiveness or spend eternity banished from God’s presence. 

 

Remember, as the baby’s head and body is held by the parent,  your head and body will be held up by God (Psalms 37:25). Your body is His temple (1^st Corinthians 6:19).  Your steps are ordered by Him (Psalms 37:23).  

 

Rest Your Case, Rest Your Case, and Rest Your Case

 

"Let Me See Your Hands!"

“Let Me See Your Hands!”

Put your hands where God and man can see them!

“Hands nailed Jesus to the Cross, Love for us kept Him there.”

 

Hands are the tools we use to accomplish what we want to do.

Try getting up, getting dressed, getting fed, getting to work, working, going home, getting to bed, without your hands.

One hundred percent of all that we do we do it with our hands.

Almost every thought that comes to your mind is executed by your hands.

Try “doing” something without your hands.

When a gun is fired by you, they look for gunshot residue on your hands, not you brain or mouth, etc.

 

One of the most famous times hands were used is when Abraham stretched for his hand to slay Isaac which is a time of God sending His only begotten Son to the cross.

 

Genesis 22:11-12 “And the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham, He answered Here I am and He said, do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear and revere God, since you have not held back from Me or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son.”

 

 

When God looks at your hands raised to Him, what does He see?

 

Blood/Guilty Hands

Genesis 4:11, “And now you are cursed by reason of the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s shed blood from your hand.” (God curses Cain for shedding innocent blood.)

Characteristics of Blood/Guilty Hands

·         Failure to Walk in Obedience to God’s Word (Wrong Decisions and Actions)

 

·         Possessing Wrong Attitudes and Convictions,

1^st Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be so deceived and misled!  Evil companionships (communication, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.”

 

·         Failure to Walk in Love Toward all People

Romans 13:8. “Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another.

 

Entrusted Hands

Genesis 24:10-, “And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking some of all his master’s treasures with him; thus he journeyed to Mesopotamia [between the Tigris and the Euphrates] to the city of Nabor [Abraham’s brother].

What have you done with what God has entrusted to your hands?

God Entrusts Us With:

·         His Word

·         Family/Friends

·         Our Enemies

·         Provision/wealth

·         Lost Sinners

 

Blessed Hands

Psalms 90:17, “And let the beauty an delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands—yes the work of our hands, confirm and establish it.”

 

Raised/Strengthened Hands

Exodus 17:11 &12, “When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses’ hands were heavy and grew weary.  So [the other men] took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it.  Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”

·         Whose hands are you holding up?

·         Who is holding up your hands?

 

Doomed Hands

Exodus 17: 13 & 16, “And Joshua mowed down and disabled Amalek and his people with the sword. …And he said, because theirs is a hand against the throne of the Lord, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

·         Disobedience to the word of God

·         Touching God’s Anointed

·         Not walking in Love

 

God Gives to Righteous Hands:

The wealth of the sinner

Genesis 39:6, “And Potiphar left all that he had in Joseph’s charge (hand) and paid no attention to anything he had except the food he ate…”

Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up.”

 

Deliverance/Justice

Exodus 7:4, “But Pharaoh will not listen to you and I will lay My hand upon Egypt and bring forth My host, My people the Israelites, out of the land of Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them.

Psalms 18

A psalm of deliverance from the hands of enemies by God

 

Power/Authority

Luke 10:18-19, “An He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven. Behold I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.” 

Truth Be Told

 

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

                                                  June 18, 2022

Matthew 15:8

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

I was amazed when I heard that Key government players/officials texted scriptures to one another during the hour of forced truth (Perjury penalty).  I found it interesting that they comforted one another with God’s word as they sat and were forced to tell the truth to Americans. 

God knows that truth is needed.  God is exposing the truth.  But what role did government officials play in the truth when they knowingly and wittingly knew truth and bartered it for ambition and power? They traded (and trade) righteousness for favor and current/future positions of power and wealth.

Do they somehow think that God is pleased because they attach a scripture to the  righteousness that was thrust upon them by an invitation or subpoena?  Is God (El Elyon=“God Most High”) really in their minds reduced to an idea/being that can be manipulated and used to bring glory to man?   Is God so conveniently small (for them) that man now has usurped God’s righteous  plan for truth to accommodate themselves? Is the truth to be bartered and held or released as it is convenient for gain? Has man finally outsmarted God? Does man manipulate, control, and lead blindly other men into lies and error?

How cheap are  “righteous clothes” when they are forced to be worn!

No man is born righteous (Romans 3:23). No man achieves righteousness (on his own) (Isaiah 64:6),  and no man has righteousness thrust (forced) (Revelation 22:17 )upon him.  He must choose righteousness and become the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ (2^nd  Corinthians 5:21). This requires knowing and obeying God’s truth and word whether or not it is convenient for your personal or political agenda.

I weep for those who barter truth for gain because I know their end.  They seek the living among the dead (Luke 24:5).  Ambition, power, and  money are  dead treasures  if you factor in eternity.  These dead treasures have no life or existence in eternity. They are not the currency of God, heaven, or eternal life. What does God say?  Elohim (Creator of all things)  says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:34-38)

A gestational plan was conceived, but not allowed by God to be birthed.   God intervened and did not allow an illegally  planned act to come forth.  After all, He is in control of all things.  We must remember that. Except for His grace and truth, unrighteousness would constantly prevail.

Thus, we pray (Luke 18:1).  And we pray hard (James 5:16), without ceasing we pray (1^st Thessalonians 5: 17-19), without growing weary we pray (1^st Corinthians 15:58, Galatians 6:9).  Truth be told, the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous are availing much  (James 5:16).  God loves and honors righteousness. Watch and see.

“I will break down and destroy every alibi and excuse and lie of  unrighteousness. I am a God who loves righteousness.” (Rhema Word)

 

Have A Seat

 

Have a Seat

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

Living Joy Ministries, Inc.

http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com

 

God speaks to His people in many different ways.  As I have listened to His voice in my life, I have experienced dreams and visions that have amplified the truth of His written Word.  One such dream I experienced years ago.  I share it now (and often) because God never ceases to reveal Himself to me with more revelation from the dream as I journey in this life with Him.  He revisits and builds revelation upon revelation as we are ready to walk in it.

 

Dream

I found myself standing before a great wall that had a large window.  I saw Satan himself in the window with ferocious rage and hatred aimed at me.   I was so frightened that I began to shake with fear.  In the dream Father God spoke to me and said “Go behind the wall.”  In fear I began to go behind this wall only because I understood that My Creator (Elohim) had spoken to me.  When I got behind the wall, I saw Satan himself again, but he was a “monkey like” creature graveling on the ground and running away from me. 

 

This was God’s revelation to me of the place Satan has and should have in my life and the lives of Believers.  He has not been given any authority (Luke 10:19).  But here is the phenomenon.  In the dream, Satan ran to another wall a distance away where a group of Christians stood in fear. He was demonstrating himself with hatred toward them in the window of the wall.   

 

Having just encountered his rage and hatred, I said in the dream, “All they have to do is go behind the wall.”  They too would see the man of sin for who he is:  fallen, cut down and unable to rise against them (Isaiah 14:12, Ezekiel 28).

 

Behind the wall is the place where every Believer knows the truth of God’s Word that Satan is a defeated foe (Isaiah 14:12-19, Ezekiel Chapter 28).

 

As the years have gone by, God has not ceased to speak to me from this dream.  As I grew in my relationship with Father, He one day said to me “Live behind the wall”.  This means live with the full knowledge that Satan is defeated in every aspect of my life.

 

Another time, God revisited the dream by showing me in a vision that the “monkey-like” creature that ran away had diminished to a grasshopper, and then to an ant.  All of these rhema (God-inspired word) encounters further reveal the inability of Satan’s power against the people of God. Another encounter (dream) showed a pack of vicious dogs on attack which receded as I called on the name of Jesus. They disappeared.  This represented the attack of Satan to unseat me (And all Believers) from the heavenly place that God Himself ordains for us.

 

Recently God has dealt with me regarding this dream again.  He pointed out to me something that I needed to see.  His revelation to His saints never ceases.  He revealed to me that once He had spoken to me and I, in obedience had heard and done what He said, I entered into a different place spiritually.  Obedience to God and His Word has its spiritual rewards.  God can trust you to hear His voice and be obedient to it.  This also brings peace and rest to the life of a Believer.  You are in a place where you cannot return to the insecurity of intimidation by Satan.  This place is only attained by feeding consistently on God’s Word and being  obedient to it. Only the Holy Spirt can take you there and keep you there.

 

I could now realize the full impact of the scripture that says, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).  The purpose of revelation and grace is to allow us to  sit  in heavenly places and not stand in places of intimidation by the Devil.  In the dream I had stood looking at the intimidation of Satan, but when I went behind the wall I became seated in heavenly places in the revelation of being in Christ.   Are you seated in Him or are you standing fearing the wrath of the enemy?  Once you become seated in Christ Jesus, you must not return to standing in fear in the face of trials, temptations, or any adversity.  Remain seated in Him. 

 

What does seated mean?  

·         It means that you see Satan fleeing from you (James 4:7).

You never return to the place (Viewing Satan in the window of the wall) where Satan intimidates by lies (Deception), accusation, temptation, and  discouragement.

 

·         It means that all the promises of God are yes and amen (2^nd Corinthians 1:20). 

You meditate and feed upon God’s Word until it manifests itself in your life.

 

·         It means that Satan, sin, sickness, and poverty have no dominion over you because you are redeemed from the curse (1^st Peter 1:18).

You constantly confess God’s Word over your life.

 

·         It means God Himself through the blood of His Son Jesus has made you to live, move, and have your very existence in Him (Acts 17:28).

You allow Christ to live out His life through you.  You are in Him and He is in you.  You cannot be taken out of Him and He cannot be taken out of you.

 

·         It means your spirit, soul, and body are in total alignment with God and His Word (1^st Thessalonians 5:23).

Your human spirit (God conscious) governs your soul (self-conscious) and your soul governs your body (world conscious).  When these three are in total alignment with God’s Word you are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

 Now, Have a seat!

Are You Listening?

 

Are You Listening?

Marsha Deveaux Johnson

http://hepzibah40.blogspot.com

 

One of my favorite commercials on television depicts an elderly woman moving around in her family room cleaning and talking to her husband.  She gets no response from him to which she says very loudly “Morty are you l-i-s-t-e-n-i-n-g?”  She still gets no reply from Morty because Morty is on the couch fast asleep. MDJ

 

All of the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) that God gave to man are irreplaceable.  The ability to see is paramount to our survival in the world in which we live.  We treasure our sight and fiercely protect our eyes.   We also  protect our ears which are invaluable in our communication with others.  I am completely absorbed this morning with the depth of the sense of hearing that manifests when we can identify and distinguish sounds, spoken languages, and anything audible.  

 

I want to call your attention to the Voice  (God the Father)  that constantly speaks to man. God Himself speaks to the spirit of man.  Man’s spirit is the eternal part of him that communicates with God.  Our inward voice or impression in our human spirit is in direct connection with God when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.   We are God-conscious in our spirit.  Our soul (mind, will, and emotions) is conditionally functioning depending upon the attention to the word of God.  If we constantly renew our minds (Romans 12:2) with God’s Word we open a wide door for hearing the voice of God.

 

The challenge for God’s people today is to hear His Voice.  He is saying to us that there is no greater message that needs to be heard but for His people to quiet down and hear Him.   We have listened to leaders, friends, politicians, and many other voices and it is now time to hear His voice. 

 

The problem has been that when other voices  become pronounced in our lives the voice of God becomes distant and faint (1^st Corinthians 14:10),   “There are many voices in the world and none without signification…”).   We render to ourselves answers, decisions, plans, and options that come from self, others, and the devil himself. How can this be?  It can and does happen to even the best of Christians.  It happens because we do not know and obey the voice of God. 

 

God says in His word that His sheep know His voice (John 10:27) and another they will not hear.  God speaks, and we hear Him but choose to not follow instructions.  The next time He speaks, it is harder to hear Him.  Slowly dullness sets in when we hear God’s voice and do not fulfill His plan and purpose for our lives.  We do not spend enough time with Him to profoundly hear His voice.

God impressed in my spirit that there are two things that He is saying to His Body at this time in the earth.

Number one, “Hear My Voice”

Number two, “Do as I have instructed you to do.”

James 1:22-25 “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

 

John 5:30 says, “I can of my own self do nothing:  as I hear, I judge:  and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me”. (KJV) These are the words of Jesus, our perfect example.  He heard and fulfilled every word that Father instructed while He was here on earth.  The perilous and critical times we live in demand that we are led by the Holy Spirit and hear only the voice of the Father. 

 

For those who are listening, the drum beat is getting louder and louder. The need to hear God as never before is paramount. The rescue of souls to the kingdom has taken a back seat to prosperity, selfishness, and fame.  The distractions are as numerous as the sands on the seashore.  Nevertheless, God calls to His own to listen to His voice and do His bidding.

 

God’s voice must be heard in the midst of any human condition that would try to demand our attention.  He shelters us only as we yield our attention and lives to Him and His Word.

 

He gives grace to the humble while humility  is looked upon by the world as a sign of weakness (James 4:6-7, 1^st Peter 5:5-6). He brings us through sufferings while suffering is looked upon by the world  as being out of God’s favor (1^st Peter 4:1), “Inasmuch as Christ suffered, arm yourselves likewise…”).  He demands that we tell and stand with truth when men look upon lying as an ability to seize power. (Colossians 3:9, “Lie not one to another…”, Psalms 101:7-8, “He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight…”).   

 

Religious tradition, self-love, self-promotion, along with all the works of the flesh (Galatian’s 5^th Chapter) can stop the ears from hearing God and following His footsteps.  The fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance, and goodness Galatian’s Chapter 5) can open your ears to the voice of your Heavenly Father.

 

Are You Listening?

Better yet, have you done what He told you to do?