Joseph Prince (September-24-2023) Daily Devotional: What’s Your Response to the Voice of Accusation?

 

In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Isaiah 54:14

It is important for you to be established in the righteousness of Christ, because it will determine how you respond to the voice of accusation when you are believing God for big things, and trusting Him for answered prayers.

“Who do you think you are?”

“Don’t you remember how you yelled at your spouse this morning? Why should God give you favor for your important presentation at the office today?"

“Look at how easily you lose your cool on the road. How can you have the cheek to expect good things to happen to you?”

'You call yourself a Christian? When was the last time you read your Bible? What have you done for God? Why should God heal your child?”

Do these accusations sound awfully familiar? Now, how you respond to this voice of accusation will expose what you really believe. This is the litmus test of what you believe. This is where the rubber meets the road!

A person could think, “Yeah, you are right. I don’t deserve this. How can I expect God’s favor to be on me for my presentation at the office when I was so harsh with my wife this morning?" Now, that's the response of someone who believes that he needs to earn his own righteousness and place of acceptance before God. This person believes that he can expect good from God only when his conduct is good and his own checklist of self-imposed requirements are met to the hilt.

He would probably storm into his office, still seething with anger at his wife. Worst of all, he feels cut off from the presence of Jesus because of his anger and thinks that he does not qualify to ask for God’s favor for his presentation. He steps into the boardroom disheveled and disorganized. He forgets his points and fumbles, causing his company to lose that major account. His bosses are disappointed with him and give him a huge tongue-lashing.

Frustrated and shamed, he drives home like a maniac, sounding his horn at every car that does not move the instant the traffic lights turn green. When he gets home, he is even more upset with his wife because he blames her for putting him in a foul mood in the morning, for his terrible presentation and for the loss of the major account! It’s all HER fault!

Now, see the difference if this person thinks, “Yeah, you are right. I don’t deserve to have God’s favor at all because I lost my temper with my wife this morning. But you know what? I am not looking at what I deserve. I am looking at what Jesus deserves. Even right now, Jesus, I thank You that You see me perfectly righteous. Because of the cross and Your perfect sacrifice, I can expect God's unmerited favor at my presentation. Every one of my shortcomings, even the tone I used this morning, is covered by Your righteousness. I can expect good not because I am good, but because You are good! Amen!”

See the amazing difference? This person is established upon Jesus’ righteousness and not his own right doing or good behavior. He goes to work depending on the unmerited favor of Jesus, and he aces the presentation and clinches a major account for his company. His bosses are impressed by his performance and mark him for the next round of promotion. He drives home with peace and joy, feeling the Father’s love and favor. Consequently, he is more patient with other drivers.

Now, does this mean that he sweeps all his failings under the carpet and pretends that they never happened? No way! This man, full of the consciousness that the Lord is with him, will find the strength in Christ to apologize to his wife for the tone he had used on her. You see, a heart that has been touched by unmerited favor cannot hold on to unforgiveness, anger, and bitterness.

Which of the above accounts demonstrate true holiness? Of course, it is the second account. Depending on God’s favor results in a life of practical holiness. Right believing always leads to right living!

Righteousness as a Never-Ending New Status

  "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

In 2008, I received a massive revelation of great joy. I thank Joyce Meyer big time for this revelation, since she first pointed to me the verse quoted above.

In Christ Jesus, we are not just righteous, but we are made THE righteousness of God. We have His standard of righteous standing. We can never be condemned, for now we stand in the same blessed joy and favor of God's own Son!

Where I began to have problems, however, was that I felt that I had to hold onto this status of righteousness. I was believing that I had to do certain things in order to "maintain" this status of righteousness.

I also did not understand how I could be righteous, even when I was struggling with sins, bad habits, dark secrets, etc.

Righteousness is an identity, a new identity. In fact, Paul made that abundantly clear four verse prior:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When you are a new creation, you are no longer an old creation. You cannot go back to being that old creation, either.

Other voices, other contentions that I struggled with included:

1. How am I supposed to live?

2. What if I am doing the wrong thing?

3. What will happen to me tomorrow? 

4. What is the point of being alive, since everything is taken care of?

The real problem was that I was halting between two opinions. I did not understand the Gospel of Grace one bit. I did not understand that all of my sins are forever forgiven AND that I receive His life, Jesus, in myself:

"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)

Jesus provides everything for me. I am not alone in this life. I do not have to figure things out on my own. Even if I fail, fall, or frustrate, I know that He is taking care of me.

Today, those questions no longer bother me. There is no worries about tomorrow, because who I am is not going to change. I am in Christ, and as He is, so am I in this world. (1 John 4:17). He will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), and therefore there is nothing that I can or cannot do that will change my status in Him.

Yet another question would often pose itself to me: "What is to stop you from doing the wrong thing?"

The answer has been abundantly provided to me through the blessed ministry of Pastor Joseph Prince. Here are the verses:

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)

Grace is a teacher. In fact, Grace is The Teacher, for Jesus is Grace Personified:

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17)

And Christ is my righteousness, too (1 Corinthians 1:30)

This is not a life of striving and toil. Indeed, this is a life of resting and receiving. AMEN!

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

I am not trying to live this life on my own. This life is His life in me, and I reign in life with Christ Jesus!

All of this was not clear to me for so many years, because I had received so much terrible baggage and bad ideas from my parents. They were both under law, they both did not know the Gospel of Grace, they were so seeped in "I do my part, and then God will do His part." How wrong they were.

This mixed message "Gospel" is not the Gospel truth, and no one should fall for it. No one.

Either we are saved by grace, or we are saved by works. Either Jesus did it all, or He did nothing at all. He does not play second fiddle to our efforts, and we do not get to claim any pre-eminence in our part to keep ourselves.

The status of righteousness is something that He gives me, that He is in me and for me, that no one can take away. Thank you, Lord Jesus! Amen!

The problem was that I had all kinds of mixed messages and messaging. It's only recently that I have understood that there is not one thing that I must do or maintain or anything else.

My Daddy God is a God to me, because His Son has paid for all my unrighteousness. and therefore God does not remember my sins or inquities any longer.

AMEN!

For Victory Over Sexual Immorality, Let the Love of the Father Inside You

Sexual immorality is a problem in the world, and even in the Body of Christ.

This matter needs to be confronted with the grace and truth of Christ Jesus.

Interestingly enough, Pastor Joseph Prince of Singapore released the entire video for one of his sermons:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vx3AgKmlQE

I have watched this video a few times. I wanted to break free of internal sexual demands.

The sexual issues I struggled with, however, were not taken care of very well. They did not go away, as I had hoped they would, from watching the particular sermon above. It's interesting, too, because in this sermon I find that the pastor does not stress the power and glory of God's grace to help us all overcome these failings which all of us fall into.

I suppose that it is just as well that I differ with Pastor Prince on this matter. No one should be so keenly attached to one pastor and everything that he preaches. All of us have to grow in grace, even those who preach God's Word, especially those who preach God's Word quite well.

Pastor Joseph Prince makes a lot of comparisons and discusses sexual dynamics. He praises women and denigrates men sometimes--jokingly, of course, but sometimes it irritates me.

He also stesses extensively that single people should seek the blessing of getting married. That really bothers me--and that imposition is not scriptural. There is no reason for anyone to feel inadequate, lacking, or "less than" if they remain single.

Paul the Apostle said it best:

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman." (1 Corinthians 7:1)

and also

"Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife." (1 Corinthians 7:27)

It's beautiful to be celibate. It is beautiful to be single! I wish that Pastor Prince and other ministers around the world understood this revelation. I am not sure why so many do not convey this truth.

At any rate ...

In his sermon about Victory Over Sexual Immorality, he does not talk about "The Love of the Father." Yet those who struggle with temptations: pornography, masturbation (self-starting), fornication, multiple partners, adultery--fall into one of the three categories outlined by John the Beloved:

"15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 John 2:15-17)

They are indulged, engaged in "lust of the flesh". They go for the lust of the eyes, and they have this pride of life, to feel like big shots in a world full of small people seeking to make others smaller.

Also, Pastor Prince's preaching in the above, to abstain from sexual immorality, stresses the following points:

1. Restraining yourself for sexual pleasure in the confines of marriage, which is more pleasurable

2. Avoiding fornication will make you smarter and sharper

3. Refraining from sexual immorality will give you greater spiritual expression --- Here, Pastor Prince wisely, wonderfully points out that Joseph, the son of Jacob and savior of his brethren and the Israelite nation, started interpreting his dreams after he refused Potiphar's wife and her perverse advances.

These are all great points.

However, these incentives do not entice or motivate people to abstain from fleshly lusts. If people think they can't have something better, they will settle for what is available. 

Let's return to what John the Beloved, the Disciple whom Jesus Loved, had to say in his First Epistle.

Why do people seek the lust of the flesh?

"The lover of the Father is not in him."

It's worth pointing out that Joseph the patriarch knew his Father's love--both his earthly as well as his heavenly Father.

He experienced God's favor throughout his life, especially when he was reduced to nothing, stripped naked, and sold into slavery:

"1And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmealites, which had brought him down thither. 2And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." (Genesis 39:1-2)

Now that's AWESOME! That is God's love!

Joseph knew and believed in God's love for him.

Therefore, he could reject Potiphar's wife:

"There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9)

God the Father was blessing and fulfilling Joseph in so many ways long before all of this!

God was good to Joseph! 

God was blessing Joseph, watching out for him the whole time!

It's the goodness of God, the grace of God that leads us more into His holiness, and away from the world's sinfulness:

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" (Titus 2:11-12)

This is the grace that sent God's Son to die for us, to be punished for all our sins, to take us from death to life, His life (Colossians 3:4)

Grace, God's unmerited favor helps us to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts"!

When we know the love of the Father, when we allow His love to overflow into us, all that dead, boring, ugly, destructive stuff falls away.

Imagine what would happen if we started telling young people: "Daddy God is madly in love with you. He is madly in love with you, declaring your righteous, blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 1:3-6)

He is in love with you, even if you engage in some strange sexual perversities. The more that you see how much he warmly, richly loves you--the less you will engage in other perversions, whether sexual or otherwise.

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4)

When boys know that they are prized and loved by their Heavenly father, they won't try to find that love and acceptance in one-night stands. The same is true for girls.

They need to know the love of the Father, and they need to know that that warm, rich, satisfying love is already waiting for them. They just need to allow that love in!

Pastor Prince's most important revelation in the midst of these very personal, difficult, painfully intimate struggles?

"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18)

and

"10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." (1 Timothy 6:10-11)

So what is going on for those caught in a cycle of sexual sin?

Pastor Prince delivers the problem perfectly!

If you do fail?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm1LbIlmtfg

"1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1)

There is no condemnation! Jesus took all the condemnation for us! Therefore, even when we sin, fall, or fail, God's love does not go away! His grace never stops flowing into our lives. When we start relying on our efforts--whether to fulfill lusts or to abstain--we are set free!

No condemnation! We are accepted, fully loved and embraced in the Beloved!

There you have it.

The more that people understand how loved they are by God, why would they settle for the petty, temporal trash of one-night stands, empty sexual escapades, and shameful loss?

Final Reflection

The answer to sexual morality is not found in telling young people "Wait for marriage. It will be worth it." That does not work.

Why do these lusts in our flesh continue to tug at us, draq us into their net, whether we are young or old?

We do not know the Love of the Father. We have not allowed the Father's love into us.

Why do we not know the love of the Father?

We do not understand the Finished Work of the Son.

The answer to sexual immorality is divine intimacy. The answer to unhealthy desires is to know how much God the Father desires you.

If you feel like you are lacking something, look and see how much you Daddy God supplies to you--freely! (Romans 8:32)

If you think that your sins, your lusts and pride have separated you from the Father, consider that nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8:38-39)

Don't focus on overcoming the sin. Be overcome by the Father's love for you!

Are You Established in His Righteousness?

"In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:14)

I learned about righteousness from Joyce Meyer.

The righteousness that we receive from Christ Jesus guarantees a long series of promises to us.

Meyer encouraged me to look all of them up and claim them in my life. Within a few months, my life was transformed. I was not sure how I was going to make it through that summer period.

Then I found a teaching job near me and I got the job the next day.

I found that I was receiving an incredible salary and working at a great place. God was really blessing me.

Then a sense of emptiness started to roll over me. Also, I labored in these days with a misunderstanding of Scripture.

For example, here's a wonderful promise from Isaiah:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

I used to interpret this verse to mean that I had to keep thinking about Him, that I had to aggressive make myself conscious of God in my life every day. If my mind or attention wavered in any way, I was going to lose God's presence in my life. 

In effect, I was aware of God taking care of me at every level and over everything. I walked around with this incredible peace. "God will take care of the 99% in my life, if I do my part, this 1%."

Yet that is not what God's New Covenant depends on.

It all falls on what Jesus has done for us as our Mediator!

"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Notice that God provides all His blessings to us because He has provided a full payment for our sins, and our inquities, our failures, our sins God will remember no more.

See, I knew that there were these promises, and that these promises came to us because of what Christ Jesus had done for me:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Now here was the part that I didn't understand: God has put away our sins forever. I was still operating under a mixture, much like the Galatians. I thought that I had to be obedient in some fashion, whether it was focusing on God continuously. There was still this strange, condemning inkling that I had to do "my part".

In other words ... I was not established in righteousness. I didn't realize that righteousness is a gift that I get to keep on receiving, and that even when I fail, or when other people accuse of my wrong--whether justly or unjustly--that I am still righteous!

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

Thank God for Pastor Joseph Prince, who taught me that "receive" is in the present, continuous tense. Young's Literal Translation emphasizes that we keep continuously receiving this gift of righteousness!

I didn't understand that, I didn't realize that I am established in His righteousness!

This flowing of God's justification into our lives comes forth in Amos' prophecy, too:

"But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." (Amos 5:24)

That word "mighty" in the original Hebrew also means "never-ending" or "eternal". 

The righteousness we receive from Jesus because of His death and resurrection will never leave us!

But how many of us believe it? How many of us know that we have been made "the righteousness of God in Christ"?

I did not know it, and we perish because of this lack of knowledge in our lives:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6)

We need to understand that God's righteousness is going nowhere from us. Terror, ruin, tyranny will be far away from us nor will it every come near to us. This righteousness comes from our Daddy God (Isaiah 54:17)

Joseph Prince, Sermon Notes March 15, 2018

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The literal Hebrew word there is embroidery. (Psalm 139:15)

The spirit of a man will sustain his through infirmity but a broken Spirit who can stand? (Proverbs 18:14)

2nd Corinthians 5:17--All things have passed away all things have become new.

Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart. Your face is the flag that notifies that your heart is at peace

Proverbs 15:13, remember that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile.

In the above proverb the word for sorrow is the same word and Isaiah 53:4, in which Jesus bore our sorrows.

Rejoice in the lord always, and again I say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

If everything is perfect around me all the time, where is the opportunity to exercise faith?

Psalm 129:3 here we see how the Roman cat-of-nine-tails Shred-it tore up his back. Very long stripes.

Deuteronomy 25:1, Jesus became sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We have been justified by God

If we want the benefits of the stripes that Jesus bore for us, we must take his place as the righteous one.

1st Peter 2:24, by whose Stripes you are healed. We are dead to sin. Live to righteousness righteousness is a gift. Righteousness is a noun, not a verb.

Ecclesiastes 9:7: Eat bread with joy and drink wine with a merry heart. Let your garment be white, righteousness that you had like no oil, moisture righteousness. Communion, Eucharist, Thanksgiving and great joy. Take it in Great Joy.

Great anointing covers our heads.

Notes from Joseph Prince Ministries, March 5, 2018

Joseph Prince talks about the prayers he prayed

So Joseph Prince didn't pray a specific prayer

Luke 5 verse 19. Faith is never too bold to please God.

God is looking for confident askers.

Jesus doesn't see our lawbreaking, he doesn't see our hurt, he just sees our faith.

Luke 12:32, it is our father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom.

How many times did Jesus call women daughter? That makes all the difference.

Mark 5 32, 33.

Fear and trembling, a Hebraism for being captivated by the goodness of God. Working out our salvation with fear and trembling, so much excitement and joy.

All the nations will fear in trouble for the goodness I will give to Jerusalem. Nehemiah

He will open the eyes of the Blind and cleanse lepers, where is his prophecy.

Jesus was the light of the world, he had fulfilled all the prophecies. And yet the Pharisees kept saying show us a sign that you are the Messiah. The problem is not the light. The problem is the eyes of the blind Pharisees.

Luke 5:23

Thank you Daddy for everything that you're doing.

Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits. When we understand that we are forgiven of all our sins then he heals us and every other way, too.

When we recognize that we are forgiven of all, then we are healed from all.

Matthew 12:10.

Luke's account points out that it was the right hand that was withered.

In Matthew's account, they have no doubt that Jesus can heal, but they're more interested in their La keeping it in there holding on to power.

When Jesus looks at people who are sick, he looks at us as though we are sheep were falling into a pit. He sees us as dear creatures who need to be saved.

Jesus sees this is more valuable than a sheet.

Mark 3 verse 5, Jesus brings out the Deep anger he feels towards the Arrogant uncaring Pharisees. The only time that Jesus was angry.

Jesus was grieved because of their lack of grace, and the Holy Spirit we are not to grieve. It's the same word. Legalism, pretensions of righteousness, that really grieves Jesus.

Legalism does grieve me, and I'm glad for that.

Joseph Prince Sermon Notes, February 21, 2018

These signs shall follow those who believe, laying hands.

Tithing is not for everyone. Genesis 14:18, Melchizedek the king of Salem. In this verse is the first time that God most high appears.

Jesus is in the priesthood of Melchizedek, he is not like his attack. Psalm 110.

Abraham gave Melchizedek at tithes

There is tithing under grace.

Jesus is our Melchizedek today. Hebrews 5 tithing is an advanced principal. Teaching of Melchizedek is solid food.

Chapter 7 Hebrews. Communion is basic. Do not insist on everyone receiving the Revelation. Hebrew 7 verse 1 Melchizedek was the king of Jerusalem.

King of righteousness, king of peace. Notice in Hebrew 7 that there is no focus on the communion, but rather the tithing.

William Colgate was a major tither.

How to honor God in his business.

Jacob fled from Esau with just a staff and the clothes on his back.

Genesis 28:22. Bethel, tithing. God's house.

"Surely give" in the original Hebrew is give give.

James Kraft the cheese manufacturer tithed a great deal, too.

mem

ayin

shin  

resh

remove mem and it means rich.

Genesis 14:23, the first mention of rich.

When Abraham came out of Egypt, he was heavy with gold and silver.

It's one thing to be loaded with money, but it's something else to be rich and everything. 3rd John 2. Check out Ecclesiastes to see how money can load people down with burdens.

el aloin Psalm 91, another mention of God most high.

That possesses Heaven and Earth and he can move circumstances on your behalf. Yes

Hebrew 7, he is the priest of the most high God.

King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel and the King had a dream which only Daniel could answer. God is going to teach the king that he rules over all the nations of the Earth.

Daniel chapter 4 and the King went crazy for 7 years. The most high rules, the most home runs. Daniel chapter 4 verses 29 and 30.

Melchizedek communion and tithing.

Animals don't look up to heaven, but men look up the heaven, and seek God. Our understanding returns to us and I blessed the most high. Our reason returns will you look on him who has been on the beginning.

People who are proud have no reason. When we worship God, we start using more parts of our brain. Give the 1/10 of the brain that you use, and God can use the rest of it. God added something to Nebuchadnezzar reign.

All the nations of the world are a drop in the bucket to God.