Morning Prayer with Pastor Sean Pinder

You Are the Right Person For the Job

Moses had died, and Joshua was anointed in his place. Joshua may have felt overwhelmed and unqualified to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan and into the promised land, but God encouraged him. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. He told Joshua that He was with him, and He would not fail him. “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Joshua 1:5). Do not be afraid. God is with you like he was with Moses and Joshua. You are the right person for the job!

Restored and Promoted and Used by God

Shortly after Jesus’s resurrection, Peter and some other disciples went fishing. They fished all night but caught nothing. In the morning, Jesus stood on the shore and called to the disciples. He told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat and they would catch. They obeyed and a miracle happened. When they came to shore, Jesus asked Peter three time if Peter loved him. Peter had denied Him three times, and now Jesus restored him three times.

Your Breaking Point and Your Turnaround

You must depend on the Lord. You need God’s help, and when you realize that you cannot make it by yourself, that is when you will experience your turnaround. Peter told Jesus that he was willing to die with Him, but within a few hours, he betrayed Him three times. Just as he finished betraying Him the third time, his eyes met Jesus’s. Peter broke down and wept. He realized he was nothing without God. When he came to the end of himself, he began to experience a turnaround.

How to Overcome Temptation

It is important to always pray and read the Word of God. You do not know what will happen in the future, and if you do not maintain a constant relationship with the Lord, you will not be able to handle what is coming. Temptations will come when you least expect them, but Jesus gave us the key on how to overcome temptation. Jesus said in Luke 22, “Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”

Satan Wants to Destroy You (you must take this warning seriously)

Be on guard. The devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Be steadfast in your faith and resist him. Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat. “But I have prayed for you,” Jesus said, “that thy faith fail not.” The devil is a merciless enemy. He wants to destroy you, but be encouraged. Jesus is interceding for you right now, praying that your faith does not fail.

Training for Reigning

Be faithful with what you have, and God will increase you. If you are diligent with the small things, God will trust you with bigger responsibilities. Do not despise your small duties. There is no shortcut to the top. You have to serve and prove yourself first, and then God will elevate you. God is training you for reigning.

Trusting God for Provision

You may be experiencing a depletion in finances or drowning in a sea of debt but be encouraged. Lift up your eyes to the hills from where your help comes from. Your help comes from God. He sees what you are going through, and He has already provided the means of your deliverance.
Peter experienced financial difficulty and could not pay the Temple tax. Before he even had a chance to tell Jesus about it, Jesus gave Peter the answer to his dilemma. Jesus told Peter to go to the sea and cast his hook. The first fish he caught would have a coin.
Peter obeyed, and it was just as Jesus said. The first fish he caught had a coin in its mouth, and Peter paid the tax with it. Trust God for provision. He is your shepherd. He will supply all your need according to His riches in glory.

God is Preparing You for Greatness

After Jesus had used Peter’s boat to preach from, He turned to Peter and told him launch into the deep and let down his nets for a catch. Peter had fished all night and caught nothing. He was not willing to trust God all the way, so he let down one net.
To his surprise, his net was filled with so many fish that it began to tear. Peter called to his partners to help him, and both boats were filled to the point that they almost sank. Completely astonished by the miracle, Peter fell down at Jesus’s feet, asking Him to leave him for he was a sinner.
Jesus told Simon not to fear. “From now on you will catch men.” After bringing the ships to land, Peter forsook everything and followed Jesus. Jesus is calling you like He did Peter to catch men and lead them to Christ. Answer the call. God is preparing you for greatness.

After the Trial God Will Promote You

God will promote you, but you have to be willing to go through the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith was literally tested by fire. The three Hebrew boys refused to bow down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
King Nebuchadnezzar gave them one more chance to comply with his demand. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego responded that God would save them from the king’s hand, but even if God did not, they still would not worship the gold statue. Enraged, Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the three be thrown into the furnace.
To the king’s surprise, Jesus appeared with them in the fire. Immediately, Nebuchadnezzar commanded Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out, and they did completely unharmed by the fire. In the end, Nebuchadnezzar promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to higher positions in the province of Babylon.

Why God Chose You

Do you know why God chose you? The Bible says many are called but few are chosen. How do you know if you are chosen? The answer is in Isaiah 48. God said, “Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.” God chooses you in the fire.
You may be experiencing intense attacks on all sides, but still be willing to trust God no matter what. Still put your faith in God. Still dare to believe that God is faithful despite everything you are going through. The test of faith is not when everything is going as it should. You have to trust God even when you do not understand, and He will choose you.
Be encouraged. Your troubles will not last forever. Jesus said, you will have many trials and sorrows here on earth but take heart because He has overcome the world. The affliction you are experiencing is light and short compared to the eternal glory you will experience when God rewards your faith.