Day 5: You Have Been Chosen

Chosen. Do you remember playing sports when we were kids? There were two captains – one for each team. And each captain would proceed to choose those he wanted on his team. Invariably, the captains would begin by choosing those players with exceptional athletic prowess – while those of us who were not so skilled were selected last. 

Chosen. Or maybe you remember some of the movies. Many movies have been made in which people were selected – or chosen – for a specific purpose. Consider, for instance, Star Wars, The Matrix, The Island, Maze Runner, and more. 

Chosen. Did you know that you have been chosen – selected for a specific purpose? Check this out: 

“God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:2 NLT

GOD chose you long ago – even before you came to HIM! How incredible is that? And because HE chose you, HE is making you holy. Being holy is simply being set apart for a specific purpose. Chosen. Selected.  

Being chosen to be holy comes with both responsibilities and benefits – just like anything else. When you are chosen for a job, you have the responsibilities and benefits of an employee. When you are chosen to play on a sports team, you have the responsibilities and benefits of an athlete. 

We will get to the benefits of holiness later...but what are the requirements of being chose to be holy? Obedience to GOD and cleansing from sin and all of the junk that’s in our lives (see 1 Peter 1:2 above). 

Again, it’s similar to being an athlete. See: 

“Don’t you know that in a stadium the runners all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win! 25 Every competitor exercises self-control in all respects. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we do it to receive an imperishable one. 26 So I run in this way—not aimlessly. So I box in this way—not beating the air. 27 Rather, I punish my body and bring it into submission, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 TLV

So what does this mean, practically? It’s time to examine yourself. Take a good, hard, honest look at your life as you answer these questions: 

1. Are you serving GOD with your whole heart and life? Or are there areas of your life that you are holding back from HIM? Maybe the friends that you hang out with, the people you listen to, the types of videos that you watch, the conversations that you have, the type of language that you use? 
2. Are you obeying GOD? Or maybe you are having trouble with lying or anger or cursing or pornography or a bad attitude, or being disrespectful to your parents or to others in authority? 
3. Are there things that you are holding on to which really need to be cleansed out of your life? Perhaps unforgiveness or bitterness or selfishness or pride or a confused identity? 

Know this – you have been chosen. You are special. You are loved. You have been selected by GOD.  

You have been chosen for holiness.  

Are you willing to fight for holiness? 

Pray this prayer today: 

Thank YOU, LORD, for choosing me to be holy. Thank YOU for setting me apart and making me special. FATHER, forgive me for where I have been disobedient to YOU. I repent of every area that does not please YOU. Cleanse me, LORD, of everything – every sin, every iniquity, every transgression, everything that is simply junk in my life. Help me to discipline myself, just like an athlete, such that I will be pleasing to YOU. In JESUS’ Name. Amen and amen. 

Many of us have heard of the LORD’s prayer. KING JESUS CHRIST used this template to teach HIS disciples how to pray.  

“Therefore, pray in this way: ‘Our Father in heaven, sanctified be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done  on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,  but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.’” Matthew 6:9-15

According to Jewish culture, young children from the age of three, as soon as they can speak and repeat simple words, are taught how to pray. By age five or six, children were attending synagogue (in modern times, “church”) and memorizing the Torah, which consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Not only did these Jewish disciples know how to pray but they knew the Law of GOD, as stated in HIS WORD.  Therefore, when the disciples requested KING JESUS to teach them to pray, it was not a simple phrase.  

The disciples were admitting the method of prayer taught them from a young age was not producing the same results KING JESUS’ prayers were producing. In fact, they had never seen the eyes of blind people opened, or demons run away, or cripples start walking when they prayed! The question was a reasonable one: KING JESUS, teach us how to pray.  

Notice something else about their request. They judged the quality of prayer by its effectiveness – meaning, prayer releases results. Something should happen when we pray. So, what causes these results? What happens when CHRISTians pray? 

CHRISTian prayer is two-way communication with GOD.  

The first thing KING JESUS did was refer to GOD as HIS FATHER. Yes, because KING JESUS CHRIST is the SON of GOD, and HE is also the WORD of GOD. HE is inside HIS FATHER and HIS FATHER is inside HIM. HIM and HIS FATHER are ONE. While KING JESUS CHRIST was in a human body, the SPIRIT of GOD, called the “HOLY SPIRIT” lived inside of HIM. Let’s look at the Scriptures.  

“In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were made through Him, and apart from Him nothing was made that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.” John 1:1-4

“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe because of the works themselves.” John 14:11

KING JESUS was telling HIS disciples that when HE prayed, HE knew Who HE was and HIS position as GOD’s SON. But one could easily say, “That’s JESUS, not me.” 

Not so! Because KING JESUS came into the world, sacrificed HIS life on the Cross, and resurrected on the third day, to make us sons of GOD if we believe in HIM.  

The disciples were not just learning how to pray; they were also learning who they were: sons of GOD. This is a spiritual designation that applies to both male and female genders. There are no other genders with GOD. You are a son of GOD because you believe in KING JESUS CHRIST. Therefore, you too can pray the way KING JESUS taught HIS disciples to pray and experience the same power in your prayers that KING JESUS did.  

“But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God. 13 They were born not of a bloodline, nor of human desire, nor of man’s will, but of God.” John 1:12

“Amen, amen I tell you, he who puts his trust in Me, the works that I do he will do; and greater than these he will do, because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14

Just like it says in John 1:12, and John 14:12-14, you are a son of GOD – meaning, the Power of GOD is released when you pray in the Name of KING JESUS CHRIST. When you pray just like JESUS prayed, you will get the results in prayer that JESUS got, because GOD is your FATHER as well.  

Pray this prayer: 

Oh, KING JESUS CHRIST, thank YOU for enduring the sacrifice of the Cross to make me a son of GOD. Now GOD is my FATHER. FATHER, I thank YOU for all YOU have given me. Teach me how to pray to YOU, how to talk to YOU, like KING JESUS talked to YOU so I can change my life and my world with YOUR Power that is made available to me through prayer. I want to know YOU like KING JESUS CHRIST knows YOU. I want to love YOU like KING JESUS loves YOU. I want to talk to YOU the way KING JESUS talks to YOU; bring me close to YOU, amen.  

“But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, satan! You are a stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but the things of men.’ 24 Then Yeshua said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wants to follow after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’” Matthew 16:23-25

What are you setting your mind on?  

The mind is a very interesting space; it is a door or window to a person. It can get easily distracted. This is one of the biggest issues with my mind – my ability to get distracted so easily. We as Christians have found that we have to constantly watch what we are thinking about, because if we allow ourselves to get distracted and go down the rabbit hole of worry, we open the door to a host of problems. As we can see in the verse above, Peter got himself into a heap of trouble just because he thought he could set JESUS straight. He lost sight of what GOD was trying to do and left a door open to satan. He allowed a brief alignment with his mind and the world, and Boom! The enemy found an entry point. 

What are you setting your mind on? I want you to pause right this moment; do not proceed with reading this devotion. Check your heart: What has your mind been wrapped up with lately? What does your heart or mind look like? Be truthful and score yourself right now. On a scale from 1 to 10, what score will you give your mind? If you keep your mind on things of GOD, give yourself a 10. If you keep it on things of this world, give yourself a 1. 

Is your mind on the cares of the world, the worries, fears, unforgiveness, bitterness? Is it on hustling to make the next check, the report you got from the doctor, the report you got from your children’s school? What are you setting your mind on? Is it on the things of men? Your promotion at work or the ability to pay for school for next semester? What are the cares of this world that has opened the door of alignment to the enemy?  

Let us take a different look at our mind. Please see the verses below: 

“‘You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.’ ... 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the Lord. ...14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.” Haggai 1: 9,12,14

The people here also got caught up in the affairs of the world. It did not occur to them that the temple was in ruins. We know the popular verse that we are the temple of the HOLY SPIRIT. What does that temple look like right now? Let us think of the beams, roof, windows - what do they all look like right now? Would the LORD be pleased if HE came to inspect HIS temple, the temple HE spilled HIS own blood for? Would HE find ruins? How good have we made sure that the grass is not overgrown? Have we inspected what is growing in the yard? Have foxes come in and planted tares? Are there weeds everywhere? How well have we kept HIS temple?  

Pray this prayer today:  

LORD, I anticipate YOU coming to inspect me every day; humbly I bow before and fear YOU. I ask that YOU stir me to repentance. I ask YOU, SPIRIT of YESHUA, to stir me and cause me to fall on my knees. I repent of keeping my mind on the things of the world. LORD, remove pride, and open my eyes to see the true condition of my heart, of YOUR temple. Yes, as YOUR deep calls out to my deep…I respond. Amen! 

Have you ever been called out of your name? When we were kids, it used to be fighting words for someone to call you a name, other than your given name. And don’t let anyone call your brother or sister a name! The fight was on! 

The older I got, the more I realized that my identity, my worth, and my value are not determined by what someone else calls me. It didn’t change me one bit - unless I let it change me. Really, the only thing that matters is what GOD calls me.  

Did you know that, in Bible days, names were extremely important? Their meanings carried great importance. Take, for instance, “Jabez.” Check this out: 

“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother named him Jabez saying, ‘Because I bore him with pain.’ Jabez called out to the God of Israel, saying, ‘If only You would greatly bless me, and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I might not suffer pain.’ Adonai granted what he asked.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 TLV

When Jabez’ mother named him, she cursed him with pain. But because he cried out to the LORD, Jabez’ pain was turned into joy. 

And then there’s Abraham. His original name was “Abram” which means “exalted father,” while “Abraham” means “father of many.” GOD HIMSELF changed his name from Abram to Abraham when HE gave Abraham the promise that he would be the father of nations.  

“For My part, because My covenant is with you, you will be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer will your name be Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I make you the father of a multitude of nations.” Genesis 17:4-5 TLV

These are only two examples of the importance of a name – of how GOD can redeem a name and change a name for HIS glory. 

So what about you? Do you know what your name means? What are you called? 

More importantly, what does GOD call you? Did you know that HE has a name especially for you…and it’s a name of great importance because of who you are to HIM! 

“Adonai called Me from the womb, from My mother’s belly He named Me.” Isaiah 49:1b TLV

Many of us have trouble realizing who we are in CHRIST JESUS. We want to be like friends and other people because we struggle with identity. Or we mindlessly accept what other people call us. We accept what they think about us, rather than what GOD has ordained us to be. We listen to the lies of others rather than the truth of the Word of GOD. 

Ask the LORD what HE calls you. Because this is the only name that matters. HE will reveal HIS name for you, and the meaning too. In the meantime, check this out and read it out loud: 

1. I am CHOSEN (1 Peter 2:9) 
2. I am LOVED (Jeremiah 31:3) 
3. I am an OVERCOMER (1 John 5:4) 
4. I am ROYALTY (1 Peter 2:9) 
5. I am REDEEMED (Galatians 3:13) 
6. I am GOD’s CHILD (Romans 8:16) 
7. I am GOD’s MASTERPIECE (Ephesians 2:10) 

Let us pray: 

LORD, forgive me for trying to be like others, rather than YOU. Forgive me for listening to their lies, rather than the truth of YOUR Word. LORD, show me my identity in YOU. Let me know who YOU have created me to be. Let me know what YOU call me - and shut my ears to what others say about me. LORD, I want to be like YOU. Make me more like YOU, I pray. In JESUS’ Name. Amen and amen.  

Welcome to day 1 of the 21-day fast, themed The Fight for Holiness. 

This is one of the four 21-day fasts the HOLY SPIRIT instructed us to keep this year. All of them are focused on children, the youth, and their generation. To kick off this fast, let me share a vision the LORD showed us. 

In this vision, there was a little boy standing defiantly against a huge monster with one hand stretched out as if to say to this huge ugly monster:

1. I am not afraid of you,

2. I refuse to bow to you, and 

3. This is as far as you can go. Proceed no further. 

The little boy in the vision was living 1 John 4:4. 

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater
than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

The LORD was showing us, this is what HE wants for all the children and young adults in WeRemnant and their generation. HE wants the least among them to be as bold as the LION of the TRIBE of JUDAH living inside of them. But young people cannot be so fearless and bold without understanding who they are. 

“You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37 And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. 38 So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead …” Exodus 28:36-38

Many people know about the mark of the beast, 666. But did you know that GOD marked HIS children first, and satan just copied it? When GOD was setting up the first major house of worship for HIMSELF, the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, HE gave Moses instructions on how to build it, down to the very detail of the uniform the High Priest (top priest) must wear while working in the Tabernacle. Without this uniform, he could not enter into the Presence of GOD. 

Part of this uniform, called the Garment of the High Priest, had a turban with a gold base or crown. The crown had the inscription, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” This was to remind Aaron, the High Priest, that he was standing before the HOLY GOD on behalf of GOD’s people. 

Fast forward to KING JESUS’ sacrifice and resurrection. The LORD is still marking HIS children today. Not with a physical crown; rather, something much stronger – HIS HOLY SPIRIT. 

“In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:13

This is amazing! The seal of the HOLY SPIRIT marks us that we belong to KING JESUS CHRIST. Therefore, the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD is now living with us and in us all the time. Meaning, we are always in the Presence of GOD.

Continuously being in the Presence of GOD comes with access to the Power of GOD, such that monsters must bow to little children. 

Over the course of this week and this fast, we will explore what it means to be Holy unto the LORD, and the practical applications to that reality. 

If you have not accepted KING JESUS CHRIST into your heart, asking HIM to live inside of you and seal you with HIS HOLY SPIRIT, now is the time. If you have, now is the time to declare that you know you are sealed with the seal of the HOLY SPIRIT. 

Pray this prayer today: 

KING JESUS CHRIST, I would love for you to come and live inside of me. I open my heart to YOU; please move in. I want to be YOURS so that I am forever fearless and bold. LORD, please mark me with YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. I want every other spirit that sees me to know I am already taken, for monsters to be afraid of me, in KING JESUS’ Holy Name, amen.