Servias Ministries Blog

When dealing with adversity, watch your words!

Adversity causes what is in our hearts to surface in our words and actions.  The confession of our mouth is crucial in our walk.

Wisdom recorded in Proverbs chapter 18:

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences.  Jesus understood this vital Truth when He spoke in John chapter 14:

10 Don’t you believe that The Father is living in Me and that I am living in The Father? Even My Words are not My own but come from My Father, for He lives in Me and performs His miracles of power through Me.

It is better to keep your mouth shut than to express words that are destructive in nature.  Have you ever wanted to take back words that you spoke?  I know I have.  We must bridle our tongue and at times remain silent and wait on The Holy Spirit to direct our response.

James wrote in his epistle in chapter 3:

2 We all fail in many areas, but especially with our words. Yet if we’re able to bridle the words we say we are powerful enough to control ourselves in every way, and that means our character is mature and fully developed.

3 Horses have bits and bridles in their mouths so that we can control and guide their large body.

4 And the same with mighty ships, though they are massive and driven by fierce winds, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder at the direction of the person at the helm.

5 And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power! Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze.

6 And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire body and is a hellish flame! It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence.

7 For every wild animal on earth including birds, creeping reptiles, and creatures of the sea and land have all been overpowered and tamed by humans,

8 but the tongue is not able to be tamed. It’s a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison!

9 We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in His Very Image!

10 Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!

11-12 Would you look for olives hanging on a fig tree or go to pick figs from a grapevine? Is it possible that fresh and bitter water can flow out of the same spring? So neither can a bitter spring produce fresh water.

Consider the conversion of Saul to Paul.  It would have been easy to curse him for his actions as an enemy of Christ yet in the end, he wrote 2/3 of the New Testament by The Holy Spirit.  We must not curse other people for they are made in HIS Image as well.

Do you want to promote life, or do you want to promote death?  Watch your words.  This includes self-criticism.  Unbelief is a weak, bad feeling.  Sometimes we will embrace a weakness to hide our unbelief. 

If I am constantly saying I am unworthy, I’m not good enough, I’m weak in faith… I am still the primary subject.  Even though I’m saying negative things to prove my humility, you never get humble by focusing on yourself.  There is no humility with self-focus.  It is actually subtle pride and it’s the most dangerous kind because it’s concealed and hidden.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Thessalonians chapter 2:

16 Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, Who loved us and in His wonderful grace gave us Eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail,

17 encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in His Eyes.

Jesus also spoke in Matthew chapter 12:

36 You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word he has spoken.

37 Your very words will be used as evidence, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.”

As I said, watch your words!

Do you want to “lack nothing” in your life?

What is the purpose of a test?  It is to measure your progress in a particular area.  It reveals to you where you are at.  FATHER already knows where you are on your path toward maturity.  A test forces your perception to align with reality.

Resistance to your faith will promote growth if you embrace the correct mindset.  Most of what you were born for is on the other side of adversity that confronts you.  If you don’t know how to navigate through those times of adversity, you will not mature as quickly as you should.

King David wrote by The Holy Spirit in Psalm chapter 40:

7 So I said, “Here I am! I’m coming to You as a sacrifice, for in the prophetic scrolls of Your Book You have written about me.

8 I delight to fulfill Your will, My God, for Your Living Words are written upon the pages of my heart.”

Each of us has a prophetic scroll containing FATHER’S Divine Intent for our life.  As we are led by The Holy Spirit, we will ultimately fulfill that prophetic scroll.  Don’t compare yourself to others.  Your scroll is unique to you.

Will there be difficulties along the way in fulfilling your scroll?  Absolutely!  The adversary does not want you to succeed.  He wants you to become complacent rather than passionate toward your calling.  When difficulties arise, we must learn to manage the attitude of our heart and the confession of our tongue.  If we do, we will advance in the most difficult seasons, in the midst of adversity. 

You can dismantle what annoys you the most by simply moving into thankfulness.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in his epistle, James chapter 1:

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance.

4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.

Can you walk in joy when adversity confronts you?  Your response will reveal where your maturity level is at.  Are you at peace or are you fighting fear, frustration, or calamity?

When you mature in the area of endurance, perfection is released into every area of your being, then you will lack nothing!  If you seem to be at an impasse, seek FATHER’S Wisdom in dealing with the adversity before you.

5 And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for Wisdom and He will give it! He won’t see your lack of Wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but He will overwhelm your failures with His generous grace.

6 Just make sure you ask empowered by confident faith without doubting that you will receive. For the ambivalent person believes one minute and doubts the next. Being undecided makes you become like the rough seas driven and tossed by the wind. You’re up one minute and tossed down the next.

7-8 When you are half-hearted and wavering it leaves you unstable. Can you really expect to receive anything from the Lord when you’re in that condition?

A double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  We are to give thanks in the midst of a trial, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience.  When patience is perfected, we will be complete, lacking nothing!

GOD is always working the supernatural into our lives!

We need to be aware of that Truth in our daily walk.

It is written by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 13:

1 Let brotherly Love continue.

2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

Angels can take on a humanlike form so be aware of that when you come into contact with strangers.  That doesn’t mean we should look around every corner for an angel.  Just be aware of the possibility of such an encounter.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Luke chapter 24:

13 Later that same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a journey of about seventeen miles.

14-15 They were in the midst of a discussion about all the events of the last few days when Jesus walked up and accompanied them in their journey.

16 They were unaware that it was actually Jesus walking alongside them, for God prevented them from recognizing Him.

17-18 Jesus said to them, “You seem to be in a deep discussion about something. What are you talking about, so sad and gloomy?” They stopped, and the one named Cleopas answered, “Haven’t You heard? Are you the only one in Jerusalem unaware of the things that have happened over the last few days?”

19 Jesus asked, “What things?” “The things about Jesus, the Man from Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a mighty prophet of God Who performed miracles and wonders. His Words were powerful and he had great favor with God and the people.

31 All at once their eyes were opened and they realized He was Jesus! Then suddenly, in a flash, Jesus vanished from before their eyes!

32 Stunned, they looked at each other and said, “Why didn’t we recognize him? Didn’t our hearts burn with the flames of Holy passion while we walked beside Him? He unveiled for us such profound revelation from the Scriptures!”

As we become spiritually sensitive, our eyes will recognize the supernatural standing before us.

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 12:

5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.”

9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Angels are not restricted by natural barriers and as we follow their instructions, we too are not restricted.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.

15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.

Interestingly, the church was praying for Peter’s release, yet they were surprised when their prayers were answered.  When FATHER deems it necessary to send an angel on our behalf, we should not be surprised by the intervention of HIS messengers.

One of their distinctive features, is that the peace of GOD will come forth in their presence.  The angel of THE LORD will convey “fear not” as he intervenes on our behalf.  Don’t be surprised when you get delivered by angelic intervention.

It is foolish to worship angels, and it is equally foolish to ignore them!

Matthew wrote by The Holy Spirit in Matthew chapter 4:

8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”

11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

As the Son of GOD, Jesus needed no angels to minister to Him, but as the son of man where He chose to limit Himself to the limitations and restrictions of a human being dependent on GOD, He needed strength, and the angels came to minister to His needs.

It is written by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 1:

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

7 And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.

9 You have Loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

10 And: “You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your Hands.

11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment;

12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

When you are born again, the angelic realm works on your behalf.  This was made clear as Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 5:

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation,

18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.

19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the Words that bring Life.” 21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported,

23 saying, “Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” 24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be.

25 So one came and told them, saying, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned.

The angel not only appeared and spoke to the apostles, he removed them from the prison supernaturally while the doors were locked and with the guards posted at the doors.  They were translated from the confines of the prison so that they could spread The Gospel.

I can testify of the angels’ intervention.  Fourteen years ago, I was riding my bike in the early afternoon along a designated bike route.  While crossing in a pedestrian crosswalk, a commercial van ignored the traffic laws and headed straight for me.  An angel pulled me off my bike and pulled me to safety.  The bike was hit and dragged about forty feet.  I landed on my back out of harm’s way.  I sustained a minor injury, but I was at total peace.  The bike ended up in pieces.

Angels are dispatched from Heaven on our behalf.  In some instances, you will be apprised of their ministry on your behalf.