Graham Cooke

Battle Cry

/ Jana / 2 Comments

I was going to take out segments of this article as fodder for the conversation about who are we battling and why. But as I re-read it, it is simply too rich to condense. Mull on the phrase, from victory not towards it. Intimidation is answered through intimacy. May the Lord grant you revelation of your authority as co-heir and may you walk in His power for His glory today.

Jana

THE BATTLE IS NOT OURS TO WIN…
IT IS OURS TO LOSE

by Graham Cooke

Jesus has disarmed both rulers and authorities, making a mockery of their power in the process and celebrating His own triumph over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15). Now as ever the battle is not ours but the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15).

We serve a powerful King who loves to fight! He laughs at those who oppose him (Psalms 2:4; 37:13). In the Kingdom, we fight from victory; not towards it. Jesus has already won. In Him we partake of His overcoming. We are more than conquerors because we know the outcome before we enter the fray.

In Christ, our posture before the enemy must reflect our status in the Kingdom. We are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. We have been given power and authority through the Holy Spirit. In warfare, we rejoice before we pray. We give thanks for His majesty and supremacy. We are not overcome by our circumstances, we are overwhelmed by sovereignty. We are too busy being fascinated by Jesus to be intimidated by the enemy. We rejoice so that our praying can be powerful and effective. We praise because we occupy the position of an overcomer.

We stand in this space and we occupy our standing in Jesus through praise of His Majesty. The battle is won already; it is our partnering with victory that guarantees the outcome. We have the capacity to lose this battle only by default.

Lack of true rejoicing and thanksgiving will always embolden the enemy at our expense. The power of wickedness may increase in our perception if our worship is diminished and our focus on sovereignty reduced.

The only viable answer to intimidation is an increase in intimacy with the Lord. David was a “man after God’s own heart;” i.e., a worshipper. His intimacy gave him power over the intimidation of Goliath. He became a giant killer.

We can lose every fight if we have no focus. If our lives display a lack of worship we will never even show up for the fight. We will lose because we do not know how to stand. We will petition God for power when He has already given us authority in Jesus’ name. In rejoicing we receive revelation concerning the particulars of our overcoming.

Decide who you want to be and the Holy Spirit will empower you to become it.
-Graham

He’s So Funny

/ Jana / Leave a comment

Guess what I’ve been working on this morning? New songs for the new worship CD:  Real.Life.

And I wanted to share a funny God moment. I have iTunes playing randomly in the background, different songs, different artists. As I was refining the lyrics, I hear a familiar hiss telling me my songs are garbage. “Why bother?” he sneered.

I was writing on a song about trusting the Lord so I just kept plugging along despite the lie that was like an incessant dripping in my head. And lo and behold, guess what songs came on next?  The songs from my last CD!

“Oh yeah? He thought those would never work either!”  I heard my singing God say. I rejoiced in my spirit. Liar, liar devil on fire!!

Press in to the dreams and the goals of your heart. As Graham Cooke says, “You can’t have a desire that is not mirrored and matched by His desire. Because that where it started.”

Seek to be where He is first and foremost. He is our life.

Let the Redeemed Say So

/ Jana / 1 Comment

Somebody challenged me the other day, If God is so good, and so powerful, then why do Christians sound so miserable?”

Ouch.

I had to think about it. I mean, really. And you know, a lot of Christian music IS often about lost people getting saved, desperate cries of “God are You there?” and pleas of “Help me-help me-help me.”  No offense intended. And yet. . . where are the testimonies of healing? Provision? Comfort and wisdom? Not just salvation, but everyday intervention in our lives?

Is God living and active in our lives or not? Do we see Him, acknowledge Him, give Him the credit He deserves?

Graham Cooke made this great distinction in his sermon “God is the Kindest Person I Have Ever Met.” He said that who we were Before we met God was our History. But who we are Now and what God has done in our lives Since we met is our Testimony.

And since you know how I love definitions: Testimony is defined as evidence or witness. And blow my hair back, look at what it used as examples of testimonies:

  1. a.) the tablets inscribed with the Mosaic law, the ark containing the tablets, b.) a divine decree attested in the Scriptures
  2. a.) the firsthand authentication of a fact, b.) an outward sign, c.) a solem declaration made under oath
  3. a.) an open acknowledgement, b.) a public profession of a religious experience

Can I get a Yes and Amen?!! A Holy Wow?

Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:8

Lord, give us eyes, ears, and Mouths to be receive Your power and be Your witnesses of your goodness even in the middle of our circumstances.
Amen.