May 22: WALK TALL!

“Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of Glory shall come in.” (Psalm 24:7)      1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I know that I am a gate for God to use to gain access into this world, an everlasting door for His passage. Therefore, I will lift up my head today and be somebody! As a gate/door who holds the Keys of the Kingdom that is within me, my demeanor will display my desire to take dominion and my attitude will accentuate my ability to accept authority. 2. Today I will let the King of Glory come in to control my current circumstances. I will be His dwelling place today – His Garden of Eden – where He can find fellowship. Because He is with me, even during trying circumstances or tragedies, I will walk tall enough to dig out the positives, and summon the courage to take the next step and make things better. 3. Today I will assume accountability in acting as His gate and door by busying myself, turning dark situations around toward the Light. I will realize that, as a holder of the Keys, the Kingdom’s advancement is my responsibility, and will act accordingly. 4. Today I will pack my schedule with positives, refusing to waste my time agonizing about yesterday — or speculating about tomorrow. Instead, I will broadcast the excellence in which I am walking today. I will speak up and declare my righteousness in Christ, portraying myself in the most self-enhancing manner possible! 5. Today I will make the decision to be happy with my life as it is, while maintaining motivation to improve it. I will keep talking myself into my future, even if I don’t fully believe what I’m saying, yet. My conversation will be peppered with prophetic purpose and proactive prayer as I use my ability to affect significant change! 6. Today I will walk tall in my dreams – initiating creativity and activating the faith that will transcend impossibilities. I will walk out of smallness, as I put my past in perspective and point myself toward greater purpose. My progressively victorious life will provide a speaking platform for God, as I plainly personalize the power of His gospel before the public! 7. Today I will walk tall enough to overcome obstacles, knowing that “He who overcomes shall inherit all things” (Revelation 21:7)! I will leave a legacy for the next generation by setting an example of greatness. Today I will dare to believe that I can be at my very best so that the King may enter the environment, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to walk tall today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

April 15: FIND FAVOR!

 

 

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem

in the sight of God and man. 

(Proverb 3:3, 4)

 

1.       Today I will live in the now!  I will live in the now because I expect to receive supernatural favor from God and man today.  My promotion in the now will come from the Lord (“For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south.  But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another” – Psalm 75:6, 7), and I will conduct myself with the confidence that comes from the consciousness that He is in my corner!

 

2.       Today I will be competitive only with myself, striving for my own, personal best, without comparing myself to others.  I will be inspired by those who are successful—not intimidated by them—knowing that my success is unique to me and that I can do what no one else can do by being true to my own individuality.

 

3.       Today I will humble myself in the sight of the Lord, that He may lift me up (James 4:10), giving God the glory and my gratitude for His guidance and grace!  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and I am gaining more strength as I honor Him and give Him the credit due Him.

 

4.       Today I will let the Lord prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, knowing that He will anoint me with the oil of joy above my contemporaries.  He will vindicate me and set me in a large place as I trust Him.  My latter will be greater than my former!

 

5.       Today I will recognize the flow that comes from godly favor.  I will only go where I am celebrated—not where I am tolerated.  My gift will make room for me today and will bring me before great men (Proverb 18:16).

 

6.       Today I will accept affirmation (valid compliments) from authentic admirers without argument.  I will receive gifts, knowing that I have given to others.  I will embrace promotion, and the added responsibility that it brings me, without any fear.  I will renounce any bogus feelings of unworthiness, knowing that He has made me worthy and righteous and acceptable in His sight!

 

7.       Today I will walk in the boldness that comes from having God’s favor on my life.  I will expect good things to happen to me today, because the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever.  Today I know that I have an edge, and today I will live in then now!

 

Father, I thank You that I find favor for my life today.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

April 13: PROSPEROUS SOUL!

 

 

Beloved, I pray that you may PROSPER in all things and be in health,

just as your soul prospers.  

(3 John 2)

 

1.       Today I will live in the now!  I will live in the now because I have a mindset and attitude that is conducive to prosperity, one that attracts good things to my life.  My soul (my mind, will and emotions) is prospering, and taking me to a higher level of success and productivity as it unlocks the treasures hidden in the field of my life’s potential.

 

2.       Today I will comprehend the definition of true prosperity, which involves more than just my financial status.  Peace of mind, excellence of character, sphere of influence, manifestation of leadership ability, and a virtuous life of unselfishness are all viable parts of real prosperity…the kind of prosperity that is a blessing to humanity.

 

3.       Today I will not contaminate my prosperous mentality with thoughts of guilt—the useless emotion that kills effectiveness—or worry, which is the mirror refection of guilt.  Guilt is past-oriented and worry is future-oriented, and both ensure that absolutely nothing worthwhile will be achieved in the present!  A prosperous soul is one that only functions in the now!

 

4.       Today I will remember that my state of mind is affecting my health and that good health is more than just the absence of sickness and disease in my body.  Today I will speak words that encourage my body’s natural immune system and re-creative ability to medicate itself from the inside out, but I will also see the big picture of mental and social health, longevity of life and contribution to the health and improvement of the world, and make that my ultimate goal.

 

5.       Today I will let my prosperous meditation unblock my energy and creativity.  “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he MEDITATES day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall PROSPER” (Psalm 1:2, 3).

 

6.       Today I will expose myself to information that bends my attention toward prospering, unlocking hidden rooms of potential within my spirit.  I will not lose precious time by letting my problems become obsessions (replaying painful thoughts and memories), but will be empowered by the will to be proactive.  Jesus has already completed His work for me, and nobody else can make me prosper, so I will make the Word work for myself!

 

7.       Today I will get it together in my soul-life.  I will do whatever is necessary to change my negative thought patterns and self-destructive inner voices, and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to live my life today with a prosperous mentality.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

April 10: STRESS FREE!

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2)

 

1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I have Jesus’ peace reigning in my heart…so I am stress-free, laid-back, chilled-out, settled-down, alright, going-with-the-flow, and calm, cool and collected in Christ! Today is my day to just let all the pressure go and say, “It’s all good!”

2. Today I will claim this verse: “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God” (Philippians 4:6 AMP).

3. Today I will also claim the next verse: “And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 AMP).

4. Today I will go ahead and claim the verse following the other two: “For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]” (Philippians 4:8 AMP).

5. Today I will not take everything so seriously. I will find something funny and really laugh at it. I will avoid negative people who drain me and always stress me out. I will have some well-deserved fun today.

6. Today I will take some time for myself and relax and get some quality rest for my spirit, mind and body. I will go with the flow, let the stress go and learn to say “no” when it is appropriate to do so!

7. Today I will let the Lord be my Shepherd and quietly follow Him wherever He leads me. I will bow before Him—not before deadlines and pressure and expectations and demands. This is the day the Lord has made for me, and I will rejoice in it today. I will get my stuff done without making mountains out of molehills. Today I claim calm nerves, regular blood pressure, steady heartbeat, peace of mind, a positive attitude and an ulcer-free stomach. Today I am seated with Him in heavenly places, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to live a stress-free life today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

March 31: SOMETHING MORE!

 

 

…my cup runs over.  (Psalm 23:5)

 

…good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over,

will be put into your bosom.  (Luke 6:38)

 

1.       Today I will live in the now!  I will live in the now because El Shaddai, the God Who is more than enough, is taking the loaves and fishes of my life and multiplying them to feed the world around me—leaving twelve baskets full of leftovers!  He is using my life experiences for the glory of His Kingdom and nothing, not even one mistake that I have made, is wasted as far as He is concerned.

 

2.       Today I will rejoice that He is doing exceedingly abundantly above all that I can ask or think, according to the working of my internal, eternal power.  I have no choice but to make it, because my God is all that AND a bag of chips!

 

3.       Today I will not be discouraged when things don’t work out the way that I thought they would or should, but I will keep looking forward to the next great thing coming my way.  The Lord perfects that which concerns me, so no matter what happens during the day, it’s all good!

 

4.       Today, through whatever conflict or hardship that I may face, I will reach down deep inside of myself and find untapped resources of strength—strength that I have never even used yet.  There is a river flowing in my inner man from the throne of God, and my circumstances will cause me to sing the song that Israel sang in the wilderness, “Spring up, O well!”

 

5.       Today I will minister to others out of my own overflow. The Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant, and I will not take my abundance in any area for granted.  My God provides seed for the sower and bread for the eater, and He is causing me to become the bread of life for those who are hungry for something real.

 

6.       Today I will let God anoint my head with oil and overflow my cup at the very table that He has prepared in my enemy’s presence.  I will rest in the fact that my enemies are still in my life because I have to be vindicated in front of them.  This will enable me to endure the persecution that comes with the one hundred fold return, enjoying all the benefits of the God of power and might.

 

7.       Today I will give more because I have more, and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to reach for something more today.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

March 24: SURPRISE PARTY!

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord…thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (Jeremiah 29:11 AMP)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. (Psalm 23:5)

 

1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I believe that the day is filled with wonderful surprise events that God has before-ordained for me, and I will arrive at the right place at the right time to experience all of them as I follow Him!

2. Today I will delight in the beauty and natural wonders around me. I will enjoy the little things: the laughter of children, the flower ready to burst into bloom, the sweet smell of the air after a rain. God is a good God and He is good all the time! His goodness is everywhere…all around me today…overtaking me with His blessings!

 3. Today I will enjoy the adventure of locating God’s surprises with an upbeat, optimistic attitude. I will channel my thoughts and words into uplifting and encouraging ideas and observations. I will experience the good things that are happening in the present, knowing that the past is a library of information from which to learn, and the future is a happy, inviting land of unlimited promise!

4. Today I will dream winning dreams and will not be defeated by anyone who attempts to strip away my coat of many colors from me. Those colors have been so internalized that I have unshakeable, childlike faith in happy endings, and I refuse to quit until my dreams are realized.

5. Today I will delight myself in the Lord and He will give me the desires of my heart—and when the desire comes, it is a tree of life!

6. Today I will navigate the uncharted waters of my current circumstances with complete confidence and consistent courage. I will demonstrate boldness by beginning to release the hidden winner within me into the external world.

7. Today I will not miss my window of opportunity. I am present in my present, as I stay in His presence! Today is my day, and today I will live in the now! Father, I thank you for what You are preparing for me today!

March 16: NO LIMITS!

 

 

Yes, again and again they tempted God,

and limited the Holy One of Israel.  (Psalm 78: 41)

 

Now to Him Who…is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly,

far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think

[infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].

(Ephesians 3:20 AMP)

 

1.       Today I will live in the now!  I will live in the now because, in Christ, there are no limits to the possibilities presented to my personal life.  Today I will EXPLORE NEW AREAS OF REVELATION KNOWLEDGE!  God desires to unfold His mysteries to me, so He will reveal the depths of His Word to me as I study and meditate the Scriptures under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

 

2.       Today I will EXPOSE MYSELF TO THE SUPERNATURAL!  All nine Gifts of the Spirit are available to any believer who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit, so I will operate in the gift (or gifts) necessary for today’s tasks.

 

3.       Today I will EXPRESS MY FAITH BY A GOOD CONFESSION!  My heartfelt and sincere words of faith will create an atmosphere that is conducive to the miraculous today.  I believe, and therefore I speak (2 Corinthians 4:13).

 

4.       Today I will EXPEL THE WORD “IMPOSSIBLE” FROM MY VOCABULARY!  Since Christ dwells in my heart by faith (Ephesians 3:17), I cannot afford to speak antichrist words such as “I can’t;” “It will never work out;” “we can’t afford it;” “things just keep getting worse;”  “I’m scared to death;” “there is no way”…!

 

5.       Today I will EXPAND MY CAPACITY TO BELIEVE FOR THE MIRACULOUS!  I will wean myself off my dependence on natural things, because such dependence (as Abraham and Sarah depended on the natural womb of Hagar to produce a supernatural seed) only creates an incapacity to believe.

 

6.       Today I will EXPERIENCE THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD!  I will maintain a high level of praise and worship until my being is flooded with His actual presence.

 

7.       Today I will EXPECT SIGNS AND WONDERS TO BECOME A WAY OF LIFE!  Today I am prepared for anything and everything, and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to remember today that there are no limits to Your power

and ability in my life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

February 24: WORSHIP GOD!

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. (Psalm 95:6)

Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am a worshipper of the I AM.

 7 Affirmations of Worship in the Now for Today:

1. Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You in your mercy have led forth the people whom you have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation. (Exodus 15:11, 13)

 2. I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. And God does it so that men will [reverently] fear Him [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is]. That which is now already has been, and that which is to be already has been; and God seeks that which has passed by [so that history repeats itself]. (Ecclesiastes 3:14, 15 AMP)

3. And in that day you will say: Praise the Lord, call upon His name; declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst! (Isaiah 12:4-6)

4. Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard (difficult) for You. You are great in counsel and mighty in work [deed]…You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day…and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. (Jeremiah 32:17,19,20)

5. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration. (John 4:24 The Message) 6. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

7. Allelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory…. (Revelation 19:6, 7)

 

Today I rejoice, and today I will live in the now!

February 17: LIVIN’ LARGE!

“I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a LARGE PLACE. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? . . . It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” (Psalms 118:5, 6, 8 – KJV)   1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am free to be myself in God, with no need to try to be something or someone that I am not. No man can DEFINE MY PERSONALITY. “Don’t set people up as experts over your life, letting them tell you what to do. Save that authority for God; let Him tell you what to do. No one else should carry the title of ‘Father’; you have only one Father, and He’s in heaven” (Matthew 23:9, The Message). 2. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DETERMINE MY POTENTIAL! “It is God Himself who has made us what we are . . . ” (Ephesians 2:10, Living Bible). 3. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DETER MY PROGRESS! “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid” (Psalm 27:1)? “. . . If God is for me, who can be against me” (Romans 8:31)? 4. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DELAY MY PROMOTION! For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; He puts down one, and sets up another (Psalm 75:6, 7). 5. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DECREASE MY PROSPERITY! “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). 6. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DESTROY MY POSSIBILITIES! “. . . With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). 7. Today I will live in a large place because no man can DEFEAT MY PURPOSE! “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to His PURPOSE” (Romans 8:28). The only person who could stop me today is me – but, since I believe in myself, I will help myself have a true Kingdom day of progress and productivity in Christ. Today is a big day for me, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to live the Kingdom life, as You live big in me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

January 14: NEW SONG!

 

Oh, sing to the Lord a NEW SONG!

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.  (Psalm 96:1)

 

1.       Today I will live in the now!  I will live in the now because there is a new song in my mouth today—a song of victory in the now—a song of praise written on my heart by the Divine Psalmist, the Holy Spirit.  He has given me the melody and the key.  He has given me the tempo and the rhythm.  He has given me the lyrics and the phrasing.  He will inhabit my praise today.

 

2.       Today I will sing a new song of redemption.  I will celebrate my salvation and sing of my passage from death unto life.  I will sing the resurrection and all of its eternal benefits.  I will not take for granted my blood-bought right to the rhapsody of the redeemed, never hesitating to perform it for all to hear—in this realm and in the next.

 

3.       Today I will sing a new song of war.  My song will help me fight the good fight of faith.  I will sing myself to the front lines of the Lord’s army, and there I will declare the end from the beginning.  I will sing of triumph before the battle is over, prevailing over my enemies by confounding and confusing them.  Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever!  Mine is the song of a conquering warrior/hero.

 

4.       Today I will sing a new song of agreement.  “Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19 AMP).  My song, sung with others in agreement with me and around me, will cause us to be one and, therefore, nothing that we imagine to do will be impossible to us!

 

5.       Today I will sing a new song of love to the One who knows me the best, and still loves me the most.  I will sing a mature song of affection, intimacy, passion, and divine romance in the hidden chamber of love—the secret place of the Most High. I will sing with intense conviction and expressed desire.  God will hear it and be blessed today.  I will be a lover after His own heart.

 

6.       Today I will sing a new song of thanksgiving.  I will sing the beauty of the world around me.  My song will acknowledge that God has done all things well.  I will sing the glory of His creation.  I will clap my hands along with the trees of the field.  I will not sing a mourner’s lament or a funeral dirge today, but my song will be one of gladness, born out of my joy in the Holy Ghost!

 

7.       Today I can get through anything that comes my way, because God has given me a new song.  I will not miss the opportunity to sing it today, and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to sing a new song today.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Book available @ www.churchinthenow.org

Other books by Jim Swilley @ www.bloginthenow.wordpress.com