The only way to stand in the strength of God is to spend time with Him. This intimate fellowship with Jesus will sustain you through any storm this life may bring.
I was in the Atlanta airport and the devil was really irritating me. I was standing in line waiting for my ticket, and the devil injected trash into my head, so I said out loud, “Get out of here.”
I made another step forward in line and he continued to put thoughts in my mind. Finally, I just had enough and I yelled, “No, I’ll not do it.”
The people in line looked at me and said, “Go ahead up to the front there, it’s all right.”
I said, “I have had enough of the devil. I’ll have nothing to do with the devil at all.” It just came out of my mouth. I was angry, and my righteous indignation was showing! One man looked at me and asked, “Is the devil getting on this plane?” He didn’t know what to think.
God said to me, “Well, Jesse, you found out how strong you’ve become. It’s a blessing to Me when My people get angry at the devil.”
The Bible says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matt. 11:12). The devil will never give you anything, you have to take it out of his hand.
It’s easy to get down on yourself. I got a case of the mullygrubs once. I was in a hotel room by myself, and I began to feel sorry for myself. “You’ve been traveling, always away from your family. God’ s got you in these hotels all the time,” I thought to myself. The devil started to help me out. He said, “You are a good ole boy, I wonder why God runs you so hard?”
I said, “I don’t know.” I began to get angry, and I said, “I ought to let them all go to hell, I don’t even need to preach tonight.”
Finally, the Lord spoke to me, and He said, “Well, why don’t you just go on home? I’ll have somebody else fill this hotel room and the pulpit tonight. You think you are lonely? I’ll never leave you nor forsake you, but how many times have you disobeyed Me?”
I said, “I’m sorry, Lord. Devil, get out of here.”
The Lord said, “Now repent, turn from it and go the other way. Besides, I’m paying for this hotel room. Now get out of here and go do something for Me.”
I hit that front door and started walking down the street, looking for someone I could preach to. I went into a restaurant and found someone. You know God will always have someone ready to receive the Gospel if you are ready to proclaim it.
Truth will sustain you in God’s Word because strength is developed by truth.
Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about in truth.” Truth will produce strength in the believer. God’s Word is the truth that gives us the faith to follow Jesus.
A person who does not read the Bible is in the same position as the person who cannot read. They are perishing due to a lack of knowledge.
I’ve told many people, “If you stand on the Word of God, God’s Word will come to pass.”
They say to me, “I’ve tried that stuff, and it doesn’t work.”
I remind them that Hebrews 10:38 says, “The just shall live by faith.” Not try by faith. You are not going to try to go to work tomorrow, you will.
The only way to stand in the strength of God is to spend time with Him. This intimate fellowship with Jesus will sustain you through any storm this life may bring. You don’t have to stand alone in desperate situations, weakened by life’s disappointments. God’s strength is available for all.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”