Meditation Chip Brogden

July 2

Ascending Prayer

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.’” 
MATTHEW 6:9 ESV

At once we are lifted up from the earthly situation and are made to focus upon a heavenly Father, a heavenly Kingdom, and a heavenly Will. I believe it is so important for us to see this. Prayer does not begin on the earth, it begins in the heavens. It does not begin with man, it begins with the Father. It does not begin with man’s need, but with God’s will.
Our praying is ineffectual because we pray as earthly men with an earthly perspective concerning earthly things. See how far and above this manner of praying is when compared to the hypocrite, praying in public to be seen of men! Prayer ought to bring us up into the heavenlies, not bring us down deeper into the earth. It ought to focus our vision on the Father, not on man, or the problems of man. Spiritual prayer begins in the Spirit; heavenly prayer begins in the heavenlies.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

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July 1

His Government

“Of the increase of His government
and peace there will be no end.”
ISAIAH 9:7

He MUST increase. Isaiah tells us that there will be no end of the increase of His government and peace. In the beginning was the Word, and we can see how God has worked steadily from the beginning to increase Christ. From types and shadows in the Old Testament we see Christ coming into view. Then the Word is made flesh and dwells among us, and Christ is increased yet again. Next He comes to dwell within us, and this is a major increase. Finally, He begins to conform us to His own image through His indwelling Life.
If we are growing up into Him then He is increasing daily. Eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Beyond this, we are told that God will continue to reveal His Son in the ages to come, bringing us into depths and dimensions of Christ that we cannot fathom.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

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June 30

The Fire Has No Power

“‘Look!’ he [Nebuchadnezzar] answered,
‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire;
and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth
is like the Son of God.’” DANIEL 3:25

Overcomers are those upon whose bodies the fire has no power (Daniel 3:27). Put them in the fiery furnace and they are not consumed, only refined, only purified. It only makes them that much more conformed to the image of the Fourth Man, the Son of God, the Lord Christ.
The fire has no power over them because the fire has no power over Him, and there He is in the midst. They do not seek the fiery furnace, but neither do they shrink from it when it comes. They do not ask for temptation and testing, but they are not afraid of it. They do not look for the devil behind every rock, but when they find him they demonstrate the preeminence of Christ over all things and call for his submission to Him. This is the Testimony of Jesus and the ministry of the Overcomers.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

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June 29

Christ Fully-Formed in You

“Him we preach... that we may present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”
COLOSSIANS 1:28

The word perfect there means spiritually mature, having reached the full measure of the purpose for which a person is created. This, in essence, is the purpose of all ministry, whether it is the ministry of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher. It is to preach Christ, and to bring all men into a spiritually mature relationship with Him.
Paul wrote to the Galatians and said they were “my little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). Christ was in them already, but He was not fully-formed in them yet: they were still children. Maturity in Jesus is what ministry is supposed to lead to. Christ is at the heart of everything; He is at the center of all activity; we begin with Him and we end with Him.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

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Hi Elaine,

This is one of the most talked-about posts I've ever put out:

GOD'S ENTIRE PLAN: in 5 Simple Verses
http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/gods-entire-plan-in-5-simple-verses.html

You don't need to know more; you need to know less.

Peace is on the side of simplicity, while complexity leads to confusion and chaos.

Try just one verse at a time:
http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/gods-entire-plan-in-5-simple-verses.html

Chip Brogden

PO Box 552, Canandaigua, NY 14424, USA 



June 28

Fighting FROM Victory

“Thanks be to God, who gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57

Those who embrace the Cross have inherited the victory of Christ over all the works of the devil. This is the spiritual principle. The practical expression of this principle is seen when I demonstrate this victory in the battles of everyday life. If what God says about us is true, then we are not fighting FOR victory, we are fighting FROM victory – and actually, we are not fighting at all; we are merely standing in a victory that was given to us in Christ: “Stand therefore” (Ephesians 6:14).
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 27

Your Jar of Oil

“Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
2 KINGS 4:2

Every disciple of the Lord Jesus is at a different level of growth and spiritual maturity. But may I say that no matter how long you have walked with the Lord – be it several years or only a day – you have at least one “jar of oil” in your house.
Now what you do with that one jar of oil makes the difference between a victorious life and a defeated life. The single jar of oil is not much in and of itself. It is not sufficient to meet the demands of your creditors, nor is it sufficient to sustain your spiritual life. It is only sufficient when it is poured forth. The one who “saves” his life will lose his life, but the one who “pours out” his life will really have it in abundance.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

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June 26

Dying to Live

“If anyone desires to come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for My sake will save it.”
LUKE 9:23,24

Resurrection Life is that which has died, but now lives. It has the mark of the Cross upon it. It has passed through death once, and death can no more touch it. If we have not already passed through death then we are constantly fearful of dying, but the one who has already died and lives again has nothing more to fear from death. As we are decreased through the daily carrying of our cross, Christ in us is increased, and the strength of His Life is matured through our weakness.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 24

Doing Flows From Being

“Put on the new man which was created
according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
EPHESIANS 4:24

What is the Christian Life? It is leaving our ground altogether and coming onto the ground of Christ. It is deeper than a changed life – it is an exchanged life. Over time we can accomplish a change, but we can do nothing to exchange our life for His Life. This, from start to finish, is God’s work, and it is a work of grace.
What, after all, is Righteousness? What is true Holiness? Christ is not righteous because He does righteous things; He does righteous things because He is Righteousness. Christ is not holy because He does holy things; He does holy things because He is Holiness. His “doing” flows out of His “being” – and OUR “doing” flows out of His “being” as well.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

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June 25

The Field of Treasure

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden
in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes
and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
MATTHEW 13:44

For too long we have contented ourselves with what God can do for us and what He can give us. We come to the Lord with a need in mind, and the next day we approach with another need, and the following day we return with yet another request. This pattern repeats itself continually. We return again and again to withdraw a little more from the heavenly bank.
Surely we should let our requests be made known unto God, and we must also ask, that we may receive. But think: if a man owns a field, does he not also possess the buried treasure in the field? Does it not stand to reason then, that if we receive HIM, we possess all He has? How shall He not, with His Son, freely give us all things?
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden


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June 23

Right Investment of Time

“Now as [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’”
ACTS 24:25

When the time is short we must make the most of every opportunity and waste nothing. Ordinarily if we speak the Word to someone and they send us away, the best advice is to leave. Unfortunately, Paul was in prison and could not get away. Felix sent for him often but nothing ever changed. In this manner Paul witnessed to Felix for two years without any result whatsoever. Clearly this was a ruse of the enemy designed to frustrate the gifted apostle and sap his strength.
Paul the prisoner had no choice but to come when Felix called for him; we who are free ought to be careful lest we find ourselves spending all our time talking to a Felix when there is a Cornelius praying to hear us speak the very words that Felix takes for granted.
Source: The Church in the Wilderness by Chip Brogden

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June 22

One Kingdom, One Master

“‘How hard it is for those who have riches to
enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were astonished
at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them,
‘Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches
to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of God.’”
MARK 10:23-25

The point is not that every disciple must be penniless. The point is that in this Kingdom, Christ alone has the preeminence, and you cannot serve two masters. Why are riches such a stumbling block? It all relates to Self. For the rich man, Self is mostly represented in his riches. For the wise man, Self is mostly represented in his wisdom. For the good man, Self is mostly represented in his goodness. For the strong man, Self is mostly represented in his strength.
YOU are your biggest obstacle to entering in. Why? Because there is no room in the Kingdom of God for Christ and Self.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdmo by Chip Brogden

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June 21

Having Him

“We know that the Son of God has come and has
given us an understanding, that we may know Him...”
1 JOHN 5:20

There is a difference between salvation and a Savior; between deliverance and a Deliverer; between healing and a Healer; between redemption and a Redeemer. The first is a “thing,” the second is a Person. This may sound self-evident and elementary, but before God the difference is vast, and in actual experience the difference is incalculable. If we are not clear on the matter of His Son we will find the Christian life very difficult, if not impossible, to live. I have the “thing” because I have Him; having Him, I do not need to search for the “thing” anymore. What do you have? An experience? A word? A doctrine? A belief? Or a Man? This is the difference between a living Christianity and a dead religion.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

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June 20

The Five-Fold Ministry: Still Needed?

“He Himself gave some to be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors
and teachers… for the edifying of the body of Christ,
till we all come… to the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ.”
EPHESIANS 4:11-13

Does the Body of Christ still need to be edified and encouraged? Have we all attained to the unity of the faith? Have we all obtained the full-knowledge of the Son of God? Have we all come to spiritual maturity? If the answer to all these questions is no, then these foundational ministries – ALL of them – are still needed today. And if they are still needed, then God has not withdrawn them.
Source: The Church in the Wilderness by Chip Brogden

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June 19

Dead Men Cannot Die

“They overcame [the dragon] by
the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
and they did not love their lives to the death.”
REVELATION 12:11

No one can overcome a spiritual adversary unless they embrace the Cross. The ones who overcome the dragon do so by the blood of the Lamb and by not loving their own lives. Their testimony is: “not I, but Christ.” The blood, and loving not their life, and their testimony, all point to the same thing: these are people of the Cross. They did not love their own lives, but they gave up their lives; therefore God has raised them from the dead and they have entered into the victory of Christ.
You cannot kill a dead man. You cannot defeat a person who has already died. What more can you do to a man once he has died and been raised to life again?
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden


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June 18

Self-Esteem vs. Christ-Esteem

“I say, through the grace given to me,
to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think.”
ROMANS 12:3

We do not need Self-Esteem, we need Christ-Esteem. The more we see of Jesus the less we will trust in ourselves.
That is why, once Paul learned his lesson, he wrote, “We have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). He then goes on to list quite a number of things that seem important in terms of religion, status, social order, education, and good works – all the things that tend to make one self-confident and self-righteous. With one grand stroke, Paul says, “Yet, I count them all as dung, that I may win Christ.” He simply discards what some people spend a lifetime trying to achieve. Here is a man who knows the sufficiency of God as well as the insufficiency of himself.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 17

Deep Suffering, Deep Revelation

“When Daniel knew that the writing was signed,
he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open
toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times
that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God,
as was his custom since early days.” 
DANIEL 6:10

I have found through personal experience that the lion’s den usually comes about the same time as the revelation. The burden to pray comes with the edict forbidding prayer; Daniel labors for God’s purpose while Daniel’s enemies labor for his death; the answer comes along with a death sentence. This is not unusual, but quite common. Apostolic revelation and apostolic persecution go hand-in-hand. Revelation does not come to us apart from our circumstance, our environment, our struggle, our wrestling.
Many want the revelation but they do not want the lion’s den. They want the angels but not the enemies. Yet the depth of the revelation is measured by the depth of the suffering, and if our sufferings are light, then our revelation is shallow.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden


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June 15

A Living Pillar

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar
in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.” 
REVELATION 3:12

Overcomers are pillars in the temple of God. It is not a question of how many times can we “attend” something, but whether or not we are abiding at all times. Pillars are an integral part of the structure; if they were to suddenly “go out,” the building would collapse.
What are we saying? That God’s highest is not for us to come in and to go out, but to be a pillar. Overcomers are pillars in the temple of God, and that is a heavenly matter. However you wish to interpret this, one thing is clear: they have learned how to minister to the Lord continually, regardless of time or place. It is Spirit and Truth worship the Father seeks, and they give Him what He is looking for. There is no holy day or sacred hour or special devotion. They do not have to “come into” the presence of the Lord because they LIVE IN the presence of the Lord continually. And so they overcome the earthly by abiding in the heavenly.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

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June 14

What is Good for Him?

“Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us
to be here; and let us make three tabernacles.’” 
LUKE 9:33

Christians seek many spiritual things: anointing, power, gifts, blessing, fruit, wisdom, prosperity. I pray the Lord will make us thoroughly and completely dissatisfied with THINGS, even the things He gives us, and make us hungry and thirsty for Himself.
May we judge things not by whether they are “good for us,” but whether they are good for the Lord, whether His Will is done in them, whether His Need is met by them, whether His Purpose is fulfilled in them, whether His Son is seen through them. He is the Only One, the Beloved Son of God. May the Lord be transfigured before us!
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden


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June 13

Whom Shall I Fear?

"Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time.” 
1 PETER 5:6

When we are submitted to the Lord, we find Grace. We find Peace. We find Rest. All things are in His hands, and He does all things well. We need not fear what any devil or any man can do to us. To be submitted to the Lord is to be under His care, under His guidance, under His power, under His protection. Whom shall I fear? What can man do to me? What can the devil do to me?
If I have humbled myself beneath the mighty hand of God then He will exalt me in due season; He will justify me; He will defend me; He will fight for me. If our submission to God is complete, if our surrender to the Lord is total, then victory is assured.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 12
Love Your Enemies

“In [Christ] are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” 
COLOSSIANS 2:3

It is not that God gives us revelation into five, ten, one hundred, or one thousand things. None of these “things” by themselves really matter. Rather, He has placed all those “things” within Christ, and reveals Christ to us. He will not reveal anything to us apart from the Revelation of Jesus Christ. To possess the Son is to possess all that pertains to the Son, for the Scriptures declare, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
It is not that God desires to give us revelation into these many things, but for us to have the Revelation of Jesus Christ. By apprehending Him we will subsequently gain insight in those “things.” To seek revelation into the “things” apart from the Revelation of Christ fails to give Christ the preeminence. We dare not circumvent the knowledge of Him in the pursuit of “things,” even spiritual things, for they are all summed up into Him.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden

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June 11

Love Your Enemies

“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and pray for those
who spitefully use you and persecute you.” 
MATTHEW 5:44

The nature of the Kingdom of God is quite different, and its character reflects that difference. There is not a kingdom on the face of the earth that could ever adopt a philosophy that says “love your enemies.” If you accept the premise that Jesus really is a King then you are compelled to acknowledge that this King and His Kingdom are truly not of this world.
A national defense policy based on “Love Your Enemies” would be political and national suicide for any earthly government. This Heavenly Order is such a radical departure from the ways of the world that it requires some rather deep experiences with God before a person can really enter into the service of the King, because that service is so unlike anything anyone has ever seen or experienced.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden


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June 10

All Thing Subdued to Himself

“He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” 
PHILIPPIANS 3:21

What a mighty God we serve! Exactly how the Lord goes about bringing all things into submission unto Himself is… how can we describe it? It is an art. It is a science. There is a process at work in this universe. Do you see it? It is a process through which the Lord is continually refining, purging, molding, chastening, disciplining, judging, and conforming all things. This process is working itself out on every level, from galaxies, to nations, to the innermost recesses of the souls of men, right down to the very last disciple and sinner.
Throw yourself onto the Rock and be broken; or wait for it to fall on you and be ground into powder (Luke 20:18, Daniel 2:34,35). Either way, sooner or later, the Rock wins, for “He MUST increase, but I MUST decrease” (John 3:30).
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

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June 9

Free Indeed

“The Truth shall make you free.” 
JOHN 8:32

The Cross must be embraced and taken up daily as a principle of living. This is the practical application of taking up the Cross. If we ever lay down the Cross and attempt anything in our own power then we will be defeated. But as we continually reckon ourselves “dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Christ” (Romans 6:11) then what is true in principle eventually becomes true in our experience: sin begins to lose its power to control us, and we begin to see that we do have a choice.
We will begin to see that we are no longer slaves to sin, but “if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 8

He Will Be You

“You know Him; for He dwells
with you, and will be in you.” 
JOHN 14:17

Just as Testimony follows Revelation, so Life follows Light. We simply know what to do because He Himself is doing it through us. If we have put on the Lord Jesus then we need not look to the past, or to the future. We need not look up to the heavens, or down upon the earth. We need not look outward at all, for the Kingdom of God is within us.
The One Who said, “I am with you, and will be in you” has now taken up residence within all who believe.
Source: Lord of All by Chip Brogden


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June 7

Why So Little Fruit?

“We who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake.” 
2 CORINTHIANS 4:11

The answer to why there is so little power and genuine spiritual fruit in the lives of those who follow Jesus is a simple one: they desire the Life of the Lord, but not His Death. They want a daily pouring out of the Lord’s Life, but they shun the prospect of daily sharing in His Death.
The saints of the Lord are well instructed in living victoriously, being blessed, walking in power, overcoming the enemy, and living up to their potential. By comparison, the majority of them know next to nothing about self-denial, bearing their Cross, boasting in their weaknesses, being joyful in trials, winning by losing, gaining by giving up, working by resting, accepting both the bitter and the sweet as gifts from God, enduring hardness and accepting suffering. God desires to increase us and enlarge us; He therefore calls us to go back to the Cross and start over again.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden

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June 6

Inconvenient Discipleship

“Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9

All those who want power with God must see that His power is released through our weakness. Do realize that you are weak whether you admit it or not, but the power of humility is in recognizing and agreeing before God that we really can do nothing of our own selves.
God’s power is not for those with natural charisma, talent, leadership skills, education, training, or “connections.” God is not looking for volunteers to serve at their own convenience as their schedule permits, but calls for disciples who will lay down their lives. The flesh counts for nothing in spiritual matters.
Source: Embrace the Cross by Chip Brogden


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