OUT OF THE BOX

  Below is a list of principles that will be helpful in your walk with the Lord and in facing the adversities and difficulties of life. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10 Realize we are on a battleship and not a cruise ship . We must face “Og” (the enemy at the border), cross the Jordan, and deal with “giants” in the land we will possess. Christians often tend to expect victory without battle...and if there is adversity, they tend to expect battle without victory. If we continue and stand in faith, we will see battle...but also victory.   1 Cor 15:32; 16:9   Don’t be disillusioned by adversity, hardship, and struggles of battle. We are called to patiently endure and persevere. In the beginning we stand with untested faith. We are often naïve to the potential carnalities and failures in ourselves and others. Those who don’t face these issues redemptively risk becoming “burnt stones,” afraid to try again. ...

  I am sincerely grateful to all of you who visit my blog. We have many visitors from all around the world. I would love to hear from some of you and let me know something about you and how you found my blog. Please feel free to post comments. There is a "post comment" button at the end of each article.  God bless you, Billy Long broblong@gmail.com www.billylongministries.com

Walk in a deep, abiding faith in the Sovereign Almighty God. This will produce the ability to maintain composure, rest, and peace in the face of pressure, problems, adversity, and conflict. It will prevent unwise and premature reaction, carnal grasping and impulsiveness.  Faith produces the grace to wait, endure, and persevere. It will help produce a security that will counteract insecurity which has caused problems for so many ministers and has hurt so many people. Faith in the Sovereign God is at the heart of our ability to face life redemptively. It is at the heart of Romans 8:28. “For all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”  Psalm 31: 14-15, Daniel 2:20-21, Psalm 75, Heb 11. Walk with purity of heart and motive, sincerely seeking God’s will and God’s interests. This will produce a clarity in your ability to hear God and will produce peace. When you desire God’s will, you can rest knowing He stands behind it. This...

My book, Spiritual Power for Everyday Living is an excellent tool for introducing people to spiritual gifts and to the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit in the church today. The objective of this book is to inspire the reader to hunger for and experience the presence of God. The lessons and examples presented here are not simply academic in nature but were experienced in my life as a pastor and minister working with people over the years. Part One defines and explains spiritual gifts and supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit and gives first-hand testimonials. Part Two helps the reader to understand the prophetic ministry as practiced in the lives of the first Christians. Part Three gives clear teaching to help the reader understand praying in tongues and its role in aiding the believer in a deeper experience of intercessory prayer and praise. A careful reading of this book will bring clarity and remove misconceptions relating to the role of spiritual gifts, prophesying,...

"In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” Psalm 94:19. REFUSING COMFORT “Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, ‘For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.’ Thus his father wept for Him.” Genesis 37: 34-35 "Refusing comfort" refers to the state in which the loss or pain is so great and final that there seems to be absolutely nothing that could possibly heal the hurt, relieve the pain, or replace the loss. Jacob found himself in this condition as he experienced heart-wrenching grief over the loss of his son Joseph. No one was able to comfort him. No words could relieve or console him. GENUINE, NOT SUPEFICIAL To a person in such grief the idea of comfort often seems like an empty and futile promise. Consolation is viewed much like the consolation prize which is...

  The New Testament Christians were as amazing in their suffering as they were in their power. The following paragraphs give many Biblical verses that speak of the courage and special grace believers display during persecution. However, we also know that there is suffering involved, and we stand with those Christians who are suffering around the world today. We pray and intercede for God’s presence, grace, help, and comfort to be with them as they stand in faith and perseverance.  –Billy Long Every Christian who stands on the word of God and testimony of Jesus Christ should read the Bible verses listed below. These verses describe how Christians should handle persecution, and they encourage us to stand courageously in faith and love when we are reviled, falsely accused, and persecuted. We listen to the words of Jesus and follow the examples of those first believers who experienced extraordinary grace enabling them to display exemplary behavior in the face of great persecutio...