Epistle by Dr. Mark J. Chironna

by Dr. Mark J. Chironna

Dear Ones:

I trust you are all persevering in the faith. While some of you may be sailing smoothly, many are in a season of warfare contending for a breakthrough. It is with that in mind that I wanted to send you a little word of encouragement. I have been reminded of late that it is Christ in us who fights the battle. Wigglesworth and Dr. Charles Price are both quoted as having said something close to this: “When my faith comes to an end, His is just beginning!” It is impossible to have intimacy with Christ without encounters with the powers of darkness. While we have no desire to pay undue attention to the enemy, C. S. Lewis reminds us of the two extremes that the enemy seeks to purport on the children of God, that being that we either pay too much attention to him or pay no attention at all. There are some seasons where I never even give a thought to spiritual warfare, and there are other seasons I am reminded by virtue of the tests, adversities, and strange occurrences that I experience and endure that there is a war going on. This is one of those seasons. For what it is worth, during these kinds of seasons you have to remember Paul’s admonition: “Having done all STAND.” When that kind of season is one you are enduring, you have to remember to get plenty of rest, and make sure you are adequately nourished, and stay in a place of internal quietness and confidence according to Isaiah 30:15. You also have to remember “do not throw away your CONFIDENCE which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have DONE the will of God you may receive what was promised” (Hebrews 10:35-36). It is worth reading the remaining verses of that chapter as well when you get a chance. It is all about possessing your soul by faith in seasons of endurance through adversity.

Here is a thought: ever wonder what was going on in the lives of the apostles when they were called to write what they were writing? We see men of strength, the giants of the faith, incredible exploits of power, yet what was going on in them during those incredible seasons? Don’t be fooled by the world’s idea of how success and courage manifest. Courage requires an ingredient we talk little about: FEAR. Paul says to the Corinthian church that at a certain season in his life he was with them “in weakness, and in FEAR, and in much trembling.” He also speaks in another place of “fightings without, AND fears within.” This is the same apostle who tells us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear! Is he contradicting himself? Never! He is talking about how he learns to master fear and turn it into courage!

Courage is a form of CONSTRUCTIVE COPING! Courage travels with CONFIDENCE. Confidence comes from the Latin “con fideo,” which means “with faith.” We are most vulnerable to the enemy when we are lacking confidence (what I refer to as the “with faith” factor). Courage travels with confidence because courage requires a number of components: fear, risk, purpose, and ACTION (when you have DONE the will of God…Hebrews 10:36).

It would seem that the writer to the Hebrews is telling us that confidence (which requires courage, and we are commanded to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS) is an internal state that is made up of perceiving the risk, experiencing the fear, and overcoming the fear in order to take action. When you throw away your confidence you think in self-debilitating ways, when you hold fast your confidence and your confession you think in self-enhancing ways that strengthen your experience in Christ.

Just remember that in Christ, His faith begins where yours ends. And He is the HOPE of GLORY within you. That means that the higher your level of hope in the acting out of courage, the lower your fear goes. Hope shows you that your success is on the pathway of faith.

God will give you what you need. In Christ’s faith you already possess all the necessary resources, skills, abilities, the will (for it is Him doing His Father’s will through you), and the pathway to overcoming (He is THE WAY or the pathway), and you have what it takes to overcome any setbacks you may be facing.

When the enemy comes, there is a standard in you that God raises up. See yourself succeeding and discover that as Kingdom success is your goal (which is basically being faithful to The Father), you will regulate your actions in the face of opposition from the enemy while he is threatening to undermine your existence.

Your perseverance will be for the possessing and the restoring of your soul!

Much love,
Dr. Mark J. Chironna

Here is a fresh prophetic word that the Lord gave me for you:

For in this season of turmoil, do not fear! Lean back on My Power, My All-Sufficient Power. For I am not unaware of your troubles or the assails of the enemy. I have seen his foolishness in thinking he can persuade you to give in. This is only a season for the perfecting of My faith in YOU. I have conquered what you are facing already. I AM WITH YOU, I AM IN YOU. I WAR FOR YOU, I WAR THROUGH YOU. Let My faith be released against your enemy. He fears Me and therefore He fears you. This will be a decisive season in your maturity for My Kingdom and I will prevail through you. I will protect you in your going out and your coming in. Your tears will be tears of release and tears of joy, I will also restore your soul. Goodness and Mercy are following you, remind yourself of these things. This temporary affliction will pass in spite of the lies of the prince of darkness. Let your heart be strong and take courage, soon there is a new level of enlargement coming your way.

Misty Durnell
Executive Administrator —
Church on The Living Edge
555 Markham Woods Rd.
Longwood, FL 32779
407-473-0377 – Phone
407-386-8116 – Fax
www.churchonthelivingedge.com
www.markchironna.com

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