James 1:12 says “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
Right now, let us ask God to help us understand this persevering thing, which is to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty. “God help me understand how to recognize and overcome temptation. To embrace Your truth in my life. Reveal to me the spiritual tools necessary to defeat the attacks of the enemy. Amen”
Temptation is defined as “the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise.” Well, that is definitely clear enough…so how do we fight temptation?
Temptation is a prelude to sin, how we react and who we call on for help makes all the different in the world. There is a pattern to temptation, how it gets our attention and then puts evil desire into our mind. This evil desire turns into sin. Sin is an action word the dictionary says it is a noun, but to me a verb is a better definition. A verb is defined as “a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence” see where I am going? Sin has movement and it starts with a thought, our mind dwells on the temptation until we can no longer resist. Temptation is often a short cut, an escape, or a desire to get revenge. Many times, our genuine desire to be accepted and loved creates an unhealthy temptation to feel pleasure which leads to sin.
God gave us a hunger and thirst to have a personal relationship with Him, Satan corrupted that hunger and thirst into a “shortcut”, this is how Adam and Eve were deceived, the garden was not enough…they wanted more…to be more like God. They did not understand that they already were “made in His image” the closest and most highly cherished by God. In this deception temptation was born.
The first thing you need to understand that no one escapes temptation. Temptation is Satan’s primary weapon to destroy you. In John 10:10 God warns us “The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy”. We cannot stop there we need to continue to the end of the scripture because freedom is found in those next few words, “ I (Jesus) came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Today, I want to help you and I tune up our skills of recognizing temptation and then stop it dead in its tracks…reaching out to Jesus who is the great Overcomer.
God knew temptation would be part of our life, our ability to resist would need His help, the help of a Savior. So, God turned temptation into an opportunity. God wants us to see temptation as a stepping stone to spiritual maturity, not as something that keeps you captive. Many times we think temptation starts in our circumstances, in fact, it starts in our mind. Many times the circumstance or better said consequence comes later. God warns us in His word several times, here in Mark 7:21-23 we clearly see, “For from within, that is out the heart (mind) of men, come base and malevolent thoughts and schemes, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, acts of greed and covetousness, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained conduct, envy and jealousy, slander and profanity, arrogance and self-righteousness and foolishness (poor judgment). All these evil things, schemes and desires come from within and defile and dishonor the man.”
Satan uses doubt and deception to raise up temptation in your mind. He has studied you, your emotions, your body language, and he is very clever. Satan twists our human nature which is to control, compete and win into wrong thinking or sinful action. The Bible says he is the “father of lies” John 4:44, he simply changes God’s truth by a word or two to get you questioning God. The devil’s desire is to keep you from walking in God’s truth.
So, what do we do now that we have a clear picture of temptation and how it leads to sin in our lives? Here are some facts to help us see God’s Truth:
Fact One: No matter how mature you become as a believer temptation will always be there. Do NOT let the devil make you feel ashamed or guilty because you are tempted.
Fact Two: Consider temptation as a compliment, the devil only messes with those he knows carry weapons to destroy him. The real truth is the devil fears us way more than we should fear him, we have God on our side he lost that honor long ago.
Fact Three: Be realistic, you will never be able to avoid temptation completely, you cannot stop the devil from making suggestions, but you do NOT have to act on them.
Fact Four: Know your weakness, your vulnerability and the minute your mind starts dwelling on something unhealthy turn to Jesus, His truth…”Be sober well balanced and self-disciplined, be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion fiercely hungry, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 AMP
Fact Four: Get your emotions under control, speak life into yourself “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” Proverbs 18:21 Life is messy, but God never leaves you hanging!! Get your thoughts under control, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy negative thoughts and behaviors. We destroy the lies, opinions and every lofty attitude raised against the knowledge of God and make every thought obedient to the truth of Jesus Christ.” personalized
Fact Five: When temptation comes, just CRY OUT for help to God…judge your thoughts and emotions against God’s Word…have your life-giving scriptures ready to speak in your situation. Jesus faced the same temptations we do, He met them head on be saying “It is written”, this truth belongs to us as well…God’s Word will set you free.
Fact Six: We have confidence, know who you are in Jesus…you are His, created in His image. You are loved valued and cherished by God more than any human possible can…His love for you should overwhelm you completely, cover and protect you no matter what is going on in your flesh and circumstances. We live in a fallen world, be you don’t have to be fallen.
Fact Seven: Have patience with yourself, God’s work in you does not happen in a microwave, God uses a slow cooker…transforming you into this amazing, unique and powerful child of God. Claim your position, commit to think Kingdom thoughts and not worldly ones that will just fade away. Let Hebrews 4:16 AMP sink in “Therefore let us with privilege approach the throne of grace that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy for our failures and find His amazing grace to help in time of need an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment. Ask God for the power to do the right thing, make the right decision and then EXPECT Him to provide it.
“No temptation regardless of its source has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to resist, but along with the temptation He has in the past and is now and will always provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP
Today, I wanted to revisit the armor that God has provided for us to fight against the powers of darkness in today’s world. But before I get into that let us also look at a well know battle between a boy and a giant, read 1 Samuel 17. Focus your attention to verses 38-40, “Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them off. He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.”
Notice how Saul’s armor and sword did not fit David. David would have surely lost the battle if he tried to fight Goliath with someone else’s armor. This is truth for all of us, God has given each of us our own personal armor to be worn at all times. It is especially important that you do not compare your armor “relationship with Jesus” to others around you. Everyone’s relationship with God is unique, just as you are uniquely created by God. As you draw closer to God through worship, prayer and studying His Word a deeper level of surrender happens and the Armor of God develops within you. It is important that you fellowship with other believers because as scripture tells us “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 Please know that it is just as important that you do not compare or judge another’s journey with Jesus because the devil will spin it for his purpose. You may find yourself thinking, “I will never be as good as…know as much…pray as well”. We must also be incredibly careful to not let pride interfere with the fit of our armor. The devil uses comparing and judging our fellow believers to slow down and even damage out relationship with God. Instead learn, rub up against those you admire, let them speak life into your personal relationship with Jesus. Praise God for what He is doing in the lives of those around you as well as your life.
TIP: When you study God’s Word, know the background of the scripture, who is God talking to, find yourself among the recipients. God wants to put you right in the scriptures, when sin is revealed He is always faithful to show you a way back. God is a mighty Hope Dealer!
Now let us look at what God’s says about your personally designed armor and how it will protect and guide you in your journey with Him.
Chapter 6 of Ephesians opens with and continues in verses 2 through 9 admonishing us on our behavior as His children. He speaks to us with love yet encourages us to self-examine our ways. God further through the next 8 verses instructs us on who we are fighting, how he operates, and He then lays out how we should be clothed in the Armor of God through which we are able to war against the evil of this world and live victoriously in Jesus Christ.
Verse 10 – Finally (listen) BE STRONG “Dunamis Power” in the supernatural Holy Spirit for it prevails, it conquers – we find it in Him alone. The Amplified version says, “be strong in the Lord draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him and in the power of His boundless might.”
Verse 11 – Put on the full Armor of God
Not just what you think you need… put on ALL God is providing. Stand firm not being moved from the truth of Jesus and what has been done on the cross, this is God’s complete protection against the devil’s attempts to destroy you. The devil openly schemes – he plots using underhanded, tricky, sneaking, a large-scale systemic plan to capture you and destroy you and your future.
Verse 12 – Remember who you are fighting (wrestling – intimate, up close and personal) take in an account our flesh, mind, wrong thinking, generational mindset or those currently around you, physical circumstances, they are ALL just tools of the enemy, it is satan’s plan to lie, steal and destroy.(John 10:10) The primary wrestling arena is not here on earth – but is a spiritual battle fought in our mind and spirit the consequences are suffered in our flesh, you must ask yourself where is your focus? Is your thoughts, actions coming from your spirit or flesh?
When we look at verse 12 we find God has broken down of the evil forces out to get you into four divisions in satan’s kingdom; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places.” AMP
1. principalities (rulers) – fallen angels, his highest ranking rulers
2. powers – those given authority to execute the will of those rulers
3. world forces – who walk in the darkness of this age (right now) with or without spiritual blindness being used by satan to carry out wicked deeds, people who are in authority and use that authority to carry out satan’s plan
4. spiritual forces of wickedness – earth bound demons who are satan’s servants who do his bidding, these also can include those in 1-3, wicked enemies as a whole who are moving through the earth looking to torment you – looking for entrance/strongholds/sin/an opening.
Heavenly places speaks of a place which encompasses all spirit beings. One place of this area is where God’s throne is…where God sits with Jesus and all of God’s angels also exist. There is a dark side as well in this spiritual place where satan and his evil spirits exist. The heavenly places, sometimes spoken of as realms are a mystery for us, to profound to understand but we get some limited understanding from God’s Word. There will come a time when we will no longer exist in the flesh but in this spiritual place.
Verse13 – take up the full (whole, complete) Armor of God, for strength and knowledge in order to stand firm (spoken again Verse 11) now also further described as happening in this evil day. It is our responsibility to dress for the battle. Are you willing to do everything necessary to fight?
Take up , put on , stand firm speaks of the work required by you in order to fully arm yourself, this scripture also tells us this armor must cover us completely, nothing left exposed, not even a thought left free roaming able to be corrupted. Take Note: Whenever God uses the same words in this case “stand firm” it is because He is either issuing a warning or He wants us to pay close attention to what He is saying. This stand firm is vital to our relationship with Him and our survival her on earth.
2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.” We must be fully equipped using everything God is providing, Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”
Verse 14 – Standing firm (therefore – consistently) we are required to wear the armor of God… Belt of Truth(having girded your loins) is the truth spoken over us and about us by our Heaven Father it directly confronts the lies that our enemy wants us to believe. Builds confidence in God’s words over us, a resolve to live by truth. This truth holds everything together, we must love “truth”, there is no other.
Girt is defined as all over, fasten, securely, sealed. Today the world would say truth is relative to whatever you are feeling or are involved in? The world says make up your own truth, if you believe it then it must be true. The devil slyly tells us the lie of “if it’s not hurting anyone else go ahead indulge yourself.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10 tells us “and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.“ Romans 1:25 also says “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature(flesh) rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.”
Verse 14 – Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness (defined here as what was done on the cross through to blood of Jesus.) When Jesus died on the cross your sins, they, all of them, every single one, was not only forgiven but washed away. Stand up and stand firm, right posture, be confident, cleansed, made free, whole, delivered, assurance…live it, walk in it, claim it! If you do not you are missing out…from this grows peace, joy, restoration. This breastplate covers our chest and shoulders it protects our heart, and spirit. Many times when sharing a word, I encourage women to build their Spirit up in the truth of God so that it is stronger than their mind and that only then will they be able to make Godly decisions and fully walk in the truth of Jesus Christ. Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”
Verse 15 – having shod (perfectly fit, custom, labored) your feet with the preparation of the gospel ofpeace…readiness (fully prepared, fitness, eager, awareness) in any circumstance knowing through Jesus we will be taken care of NO matter what our eyes see, and ears hear. Ready to fight for truth and ready to receive God’s blessing, ready to go where He sends you, your feet are fitted to carry you the distance through Jesus….2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. “ Our readiness comes from knowing God and His Word, Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Verse 16 – in addition to all (above all), taking up Shield of Faith extinguishes the “flaming” arrows (put an end to forever, annihilate, finish off, terminate, cease)
Isaiah 54:17 says “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will prove untrue. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their vindication is from Me, ”declares the Lord.”
Acts 16:31 “They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing (testimony/teaching), and hearing by the word of Christ.” You are justified and proven by God…your identity, whole being. When two or more put their shields together they form a wall.
vs17 – Take Helmet of Salvation is knowledge that we have been rescued, our salvation is through faith, our sins no longer counted against us, not only our pasts sins, but those today and in the future when we repent in humility, God sees our motive and our heart. We look forward without fear for the day we are taken home to be with God.
1 Peter 1:13 says “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
the Sword of the Spirit is God’s Word, instructions for life, the ultimate offensive weapon uses to aggressively protect you with a clear strategy . A gift from God to know Him personally, intimately. His Word gives you all you need to understand and fully receive God’s great love for you, it teaches us how to live for Him and receive all the benefits of that life now on earth.
Jesus declares the power found in God’s Holy Word when He was being tempted in the desert “It is written” each time He was tempted by satan.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
Through His Word comes the power to wear and live fully protected.
Verse 18 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
This is the last piece of the Armor of God, just as important as the other pieces it is to be used by all of us. Peter used the gift of tongues in bringing the truth of Jesus Christ to a crowd of 3,000 on the day of Pentecost. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the disciples and told them to wait for it. He has promised it to us as well. Just as we desire to have every other piece of Armor we should hunger after this amazing part as well. Read Acts 1-2 and Acts 15:7-9 for a closer look at this amazing gift.
Everything God works in you starts from within and manifests outward.
Divine physical healingstarts from within you not in the physical realm, but it starts within you by FAITH in the spirit and it manifests outwardly as physical healing.
So does your gift of speaking in tongues/your personal spirit language with God it begins within your spirit and the Holy Spirit within you.
When you were saved you received the Holy Spirit, however there is a release of the spirit that you must ask for. This release is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, is about the release of the Holy Spirit from your spirit to your soul to your body. The gift of speaking in tongues is the overflow of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said “out of your bellies shall flow rivers of living water” At salvation we receive Holy Spirit , at baptism we release Him…This baptism of the Holy Spirit is separate from Salvation. It is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us which is our helper and comforter, helping us to walk in the will of God and complete the work God puts before us. When that Baptism has reached from the Spirit to the soul, the body then manifests physically as vocalized by the sound that you hear that’s when the overflow has reached our physical body as speaking in tongues.
If you have asked God for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, sought it out in earnest but you have not received the gift of speaking in tongues that does not mean the Holy Spirit has not be released in you.
Let’s look at a couple of scriptures to gain a better understanding…
I Corinthians 2:9-14 says that there is a fellowship between the spirits and that they communication spirit to spirit. No one knows the Father like the Holy Spirit and no one knows you like your spirit (your mind can be deceived).
1 Corinthians 14:2 tells us that when we speak in tongues we are speaking to God not man.
1 Corinthians 14:4 “One who speaks in tongues “edifies” himself… meaning “edify” to be strengthens himself, builds in, personal, intimate with God.
Romans 8:26 says “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” When we pray in the spirit the Holy Spirit himself prays for you.
1 Corinthians 12:10 says “and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.”
The gift of tongues maybe our mightiest weapon against the forces of darkness. There is much more to learned about this piece of the Armor of God, I pray God will illuminate this truth to you. I will leave you with this question…Why would you not want all God has for you? Every piece of His Armor for you!
Without hope we become sick. Heartsick…Sick physically, mentally, and spiritually. This sickness leads to depression and in this fallen world we live many times leads to suicide. Satan is the hope killer. He is out to steal, kill and destroy God’s most precious creation US. This is a tough blog to write because recently a young, beautiful mother of three that I had prayed with and shared Christ with took her own life. Satan stole this young woman’s life…the lies he had been telling her finally took her life.
My heart is broken that those around her, me included did not see the signs. Did not see the urgency that for her tomorrow will never come here on earth. I can only speak from a peripheral view, I know that the system failed her, the church failed her and yes friends, family, and those of us who said “I’m here for you” failed her. Ouch! Yep! That is right….we all blew it! We are in a battle, a spiritual one and until Jesus returns, we must arm ourselves and have a battle plan to help those lost and even ourselves.
Her death by suicide left me crying out to God for help. Why? How? What are the signs? When does someone reach that point of isolation that they no longer have the will to live? Here is what God has spoken to me. I know this is just the beginning of understanding and there will be a lot more revelation. I wanted to share this with you…please reach out! Please be watching those in your circle of influence…God loves ALL His children equally, believer, non-believer we all belong to Him.
I want to talk about what Satan did…maybe it will help us the next time. Did you know that in the Bible there are seven instances of suicide? I have always said that every life circumstance is in God’s Word and the way out is there too.
King Saul (1 Samuel 31:3-5)
Saul’s Armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:5)
Samson (Judges 16:25-30)
Abimelech (Judges 9:50-55)
Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23)
Zimri (1 Kings 16:15-20)
Judas (Matthew 27:3-5)
“Nowhere in these seven instances, or anywhere else in the Bible, does it indicate that the act of suicide is an unforgivable or unpardonable sin.”
The most well-known Biblical suicide was Judas. After he betrayed Jesus the Bible says in different versions of Matthew 27:3-5, he repented himself (KJV), he was seized with remorse (NIV), he felt remorse (NASB) and he was gripped with remorse (AMP) one might say he (Judas) was full of despair and so he chose to end his own life.
“Despair” is a complete loss of hope. It is defined as “the complete loss or absence of hope, or desperation; a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior, or anguish; severe mental or physical pain or suffering, or desolation; a state of complete emptiness or destruction.” When we breakdown “despair” we find “emptiness”, “isolation” or “destruction.”
It is in that emptiness; the devil has isolated us from hope and from God’s Truth. The devil’s lie become our truth. This is how Satan operates and when possible he pushes us to self-destruction.
“Isolation” is separation, loneliness, sadness because one has no friends or company. Feelings of depression, despondency, a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage, unpopular, forsakenness, rejected, abandoned, or deserted. This isolation causes us to stop seeking friendship, to stop reaching out, cut the ties of accountability.
While Satan is busy building his lie within us, he spreads out and starts to build walls, systems, wrong attitudes, and approaches in those who are supposed to help. This young woman I am speaking of life was filling up with rejection, programs that did not work, expectations and conditions, like a circus animal jumping through never ending hoops for a “well then maybe”.
I must say right here that I do not have the answers, know how to fix the broken legal systems, social services, and all the other agencies that are supposed to work at helping.
Where is the church in all this? Biblically we are called to help those who are lost…help without condemnation. I do know we fail here. Why is it that the drug addict does not feel comfortable in every church? Why does not every church host meetings and Bible studies which focus on breaking substance addiction, fighting depression and anxiety as well as teaching life skills. Statics tell us that the best recovery and sobriety successes are happening in meetings and programs that are Christ centered.
Sorry for the soap box preaching right there…let us get back to ways we can fight the hope killer, Satan.
Scripture has quite a bit to say about Satan, yet most Christians are ignorant about him. God has given us warnings about our enemy, and we need to have an understanding of Satan’s plan. Christians as well as unbelievers are under constant attack by him but have no idea of the battle they are in. They think their lack of joy, broken relationships, and failures in life originate with them, “It’s my fault, I deserve this” when in reality their troubles are because they are following the voice of the enemy, they have listened and believed his lies for so long they have become their truth.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 NASB
The thief here is Satan; 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that we must “Be of sober spirit (watch carefully, diligently) , be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
The devil is jealous of us, his only desire is to destroy God’s most valuable, cherished and loved creation us, His children. Here in John 10:10 God reveals how the devil operates.
Steal: in the Greek “klepto” meaning without permission, sneak, surreptitiously, secretively; the devil takes our hope, steals the gift, the process of destruction begins here. He speaks lies, tearing down little by little in a very subtle way. At first this “klepto” is undetectable. This stealing extends to how we see, it inhibits us from reaching out either in our own despair or when we see others suffering.
Remember who the devil is, he was cast out of heaven and is driven to destroy all God has created, he is a “kleptomaniac” because he is driven in his actions and cannot stop. His actions are uncontrollable, his intention is to cause emotional pain, and he uses our need for love, acceptance, and attention (pride) to start this process of death. He is the hope thief.
Kill: in the Greek “thuo” to rush, breathe hard (deny air), to rush, attack, without warning, rapid, aggressive, violent, you are unable to cope, brutal, he attacks indiscriminately anyone one who is vulnerable, susceptible, spiritually weak, they are easy prey, exposed. Satan’s movements are quick, once he has you believing there is no hope he is quick to cut off your air supply “God’s truth”. The devil is an assassin, a killer who has a well thought out plan, he is set on a course of action.
Remember who Satan is and how he works. He suffocates us with his lies. Pushing you to a place where hope dies. He is the hope killer.
Destroy: in the Greek “apollumi” to put an end to the existence, perish, destroy completely, complete separation, rejection, broken covenant, suffering, punish, death, the devil set out and succeeds at attacking you emotionally and spiritually, he obliterates with darkness the goodness of God, moving you to a place discarded and broken…this is where the devil takes your life. Violently separating you from God’s truth to the point of death. Hopeless, desperate, reckless, uncontrolled decision and actions live here. Our thoughts move into darkness where madness, irresponsibility, recklessness, and perversity dwell, yes, death is here, suicide, murder, homicide, assassination.
Remember who the devil is and how he is intent on destruction. His lies and this fallen world pushes us to the point of death physically and spiritually. He is the hope destroyer.
Satan is a liar and murderer. This part of him comes from his true nature, which, according to the Bible, consists of arrogance, vanity, envy, and selfish ambition. When we act in such a manner, we align ourselves with Satan as enemies of God. This is why the mark of a child of God is humility and absolute surrender to our Lord.
We have to know our enemy in order to destroy him, God has given us a directive, a plan and the authority to bind and cast out every ploy the devil may try, God’s Word has every answer, every weapon we need to fight and win the battle. This truth is found in the second half of the verse it says “ I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Abundant life is ours when we put on the armor of God and heed God’s warnings about this world and the work of Satan. Ephesians 6: 10-18 says “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
The apostle Paul had plenty of opportunities to feel despair, yet he did not. He says in 2 Corinthians 4:8, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing.” NASB What was Paul’s secret? His hope was not based on his earthly circumstances. He held firmly onto the knowledge that God is in control and that his afflictions had meaning for all eternity (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
God also gives us clear instructions that we cannot live without the help of fellow believers…
Matthew 18:20 “ For where two of three have gathered together in My name, I am there is their midst.” The devil lurks in darkness and in the places you feel isolated. We must reach out for help from our fellow believers. If the devil can get you isolated he can take you down, he will keep you thinking; I can’t share, no one will understand, it’s embarrassing, awkward, humiliating (you see God tells us to live in humility, but the devil tells us that humility make us look weak, vulnerable and uncomfortable) God loves weakness because it is in your weakness Jesus can come in and arm you with His righteousness to fight. God wants to be your defender, that lie we believe that we do not need help is one of the biggest lies satan tells.
James 5:14-16 clearly tells us to reach out for help and the sickness spoke of here is not just physical but mentally and spiritually, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Finally, if we look at verse John 10:9, yes the one just before God’s warning concerning the devil we see…” I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus is promising to keep us safe, the word pasture here means “the provision of truth or spiritual food for us to grow in knowledge of God and become disciples who have been given authority as spoken in Matthew 10:1 “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” We are an extension of those twelve and we must walk in the fullness of that truth while we live here on earth.
I am here, please reach out if you find yourself going down that dark alley of despair and isolation. You can contact me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JesusTruthForever or at Jesustruthbeliever@gmail.com.
Matthew 8:13 says “go and it will be done as you believe.”
“The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” 1 Peter 3:10
Proverbs 23:17 tells us “For as he thinks in his heart, so he is…”
Do you refuse to hope? Do you have a fear of being hurt? Are you living a negative lifestyle?
God tells us to practice being positive in every situation if whatever is happening in your life is not so good…expect God to bring good out of it… this He promises in His Word.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB
“Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:16-19 NASB
Paul is telling us to be ready to adjust ourselves to people and situations. When we don’t get our way, our feelings rise up and bring self-pity and a negative attitude. We have a choice…to immediately recognize those feelings and with God’s help shut them down! We must choose to enjoy and have peace about the situation.
We must have a ready mind…“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11 KJV
We must know without a doubt that we are FREE to believe that with faith and hope in Jesus the tough circumstance, difficult people who hurt us…all situations can be turned for good.
Read Romans 4:18-21 Respect the promise of God, give Him glory daily!
Follow these steps in having a positive mind (take note that these also work when fighting depression).
Psalm 143:3-10 gives an excellent definition to recognize negative thinking, depression and their roots as well as God’s remedy.
Depression and negative thinking defined verses 3-4 “For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground. He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead. Therefore, my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart is appalled within me.”
Listen to those words sisters, you are under attack, the devil has zeroed in and is taking you captive, you are listening to the lies he tells, you are becoming his victim. Those dark places need to be exposed to the light only Jesus can provide; depression, negativity steals life and light.
Break the stronghold Satan is setting up in your mind verses 5 “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands.”
Remember all God has done in your life, what is He doing right now…is the sun shining, birds singing they lift their voices in remembrance of all God has done. The sun shines bright bringing hope. Now meditate on God’s goodness, look to nature if your stuck only He can create such beauty.
Use the power of the Holy Spirit to break negative thoughts Verse 6 “I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Selah.”
Praise God!!! Even the smallest words “Yes God!” will break Satan’s hold and stop him…send him running. God is our hope, peace, and rest. Only God can bring the satisfaction you hunger for, lift your hands in worship right now and tell God how very much you love Him. Let His Word quench your thirst…read His Word out loud…all scripture brings peace and lifts your soul, clears out your mind of all negativity.
What have you fixed your thoughts on? Have you chased the wrong thought and made it truth? Wrong thoughts will always leave you disappointed and hurting, disappointment opens the door for the devil come in and set you a stronghold namely negativity, depression and anxiety are the result.
Ask God for help, He is faithful, He is listening Verse 7 “Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.”
Be quick to identify wrong thinking and feelings. Ask god to show you wrong thinking and feelings. The longer those thoughts and feeling are present the stronger they become. Right now, go to prayer and ask Holy Spirit to help you. Remember He is active and in you, able to break the strongholds in your mind. Stubbornly, hold on to God’s TRUTH! God will never hide His face from you…
Now it is your turn to listen…What is God saying to you? What must you let go of? Verse 8 “Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.”
We need to feel the love of God. How do you listen? Through the reading and study of His Word, sitting in silence allowing the Holy Spirit to move, worship, prayer? God wants to give you the assurance you need, He wants to reveal His deep and unfailing love for you.
Deliverance is coming…verse 9 “Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.”
God is your refuge, the only safe place to hide, find comfort and truth, He is your Forever Father, Creator, He placed your spirit in your flesh, He knows your voice and every hair on your head. He has made a way for you; He is waiting for you to step into deliverance! Today!
Be open to God’s wisdom, knowledge, and guidance…Verse 10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
He has a plan no matter where you are right now, how far your have strayed…He is a Big God who brings Big HOPE…Many times, the reason you do not feel relief from Satan’s trap is you are not willing to give up that one thing…you straddle the fence. You want some of the world and some of God…there is NO deliverance in that thinking…God says “You shall have NO other Gods before you!” This is for your protection. God’s authority is not keeping you from good, He is saving you from bad! The devil works in the little things, white lies, just this once, gray areas. The more you know God the easier it becomes to identify and say No to the devil and his tricks.
Living out of God’s will opens the door for the devil and his friends to take up residence. We need stability, a daily check list, walking on level ground means not letting emotion make the decision.
We have all the weapons we need to fight negative thoughts and the conditions of our mind and soul which follow. God has provided everything we need to walk through our life on earth until His return. Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Philippians 4:8, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:13
Paul reminds us “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:1-5
John 16:7-8 tells us…The Holy Spirit has comer to help us, if you want to change…Know this…YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOURSELF, but GOD WILL AS WE TRUST AND OBEY HIM. It will take time, do not be discouraged with yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you each time you get negative. Put your feelings and attitude up against God’s Holy Word. You must resist aggressively in the name of Jesus!
Proverbs 15:15 says “All the days of the afflicted are bad, But a cheerful heart has a continual feast.”
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. “ Philippians 1:6
“Therefore, the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.” Isaiah 30:18
Sisters in Christ, as I was preparing this Word, God lead me to the following scripture which says…”For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me.” Philippians 1:7
God has given me a voice to speak His truth, bring freedom to the captives and see His children with His eyes of love…Blessings, Laurie
Late last year I blogged this message, with everything going on today I felt it fit today’s circumstances… Worry and Anxiety are weapons the devil uses to keep us captive, steal the true joy and peace that God has for us.
These spirits act purposefully to destroy and distract us, they are inhibiting our faith. So that we cannot rise up and live in victory.
Are you addicted to worry? When you do not have something to worry about do you take on the worries of someone else?
It is impossible to live in worry and live in peace at the same time…Worry is the root of anxiety. It brings physical manifestation…. hives, illness, disease. I have been witness to divine healing over many of these manifestations when women caught in the devil’s grip are set free. Instantly, they have received freedom physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The KJV of the Bible does not use the word “worry” so let us be clear about who and what this spirit is…
Fret – In the Hebrew this means a snare, violently agitated, to grieve, be angry, burn, be hot or provoked – in the Webster Dictionary it is defined as uneasy, distressed or troubled, anxious; to be tormented with distributing thoughts.
Matthew 6:25 is a warning to “take no thought” or don’t let your mind rest in negative thought
Philippians 4:6 tells us to “be careful for nothing” KJV or in the NASB “be anxious for nothing”
Worry does not make anything better…
The devil uses the spirit of worry to torment us!
A description of worry would be “To seize by the throat with teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does to another or to harass by repeated biting and snapping”
After a few hours of worry do you feel beaten up? Worn out? All those destructive thoughts going around and around in your head? Continually exaggerating and building, more and more until…
Matthew 6:25 – 27 puts it like this in the AMP version “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by worrying can add one hour to the length of life.”
Let me break it down for you….
Peace is not something you can do for yourself in Galatians 5 the Bible says it is a gift of the fruit of the Spirit…Holy Spirit meaning only by abiding in Jesus Christ will we have peace. John 15:4 says “abide in me and I will Abide in you.”
No amount of self-control will bring you peace or break your anxiety. Drugs, anti-depressants, anxiety meds, sleeping aids only “Dumb you down” from hearing from God or receiving His healing, supernatural power.
So what is this abiding Jesus is speaking of?
First, it is a union we are actively pursuing to understand because the work was already done at the cross our part is to be in a personal intimate relationship with Jesus. We are united to Jesus by faith by believing Jesus has cleansed us by paying the price through the whipping post and cross. He then went to hell and claimed the keys to God’s Kingdom here on earth to give us authority over the devil. Are you getting the whole picture?
Second, this relationship is built on our obedience and pursuit of Jesus.
John 17:7 says “If you abide in me and my Word, I will abide in you.”
Colossians 3:36 says “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
Ephesians 5:18 tells us “be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
You MUST allow His Word to fill out minds, surrender our will to His Will for us…our relationship to Jesus is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles.
As God’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, our prayers change – your prayers become God’s Will – truth and revelation will open your eyes!
I read an article by Terri Copeland she made this statement, I will be stealing it and speaking it to others…”The Word is so unchanging and unfailing that He, God has bound Himself and the existence of all things to it. It is God’s most tangible gift of Himself to us.”
Third and last…Abide in My Love John 15:9 says “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also loved you; abide in My love.” You MUST rest in this love, the love of Jesus Christ in verse 13-16 says “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
Peace is not something you can do for yourself in Galatians 5 the Bible says it is a gift of the fruit of the Spirit…Holy Spirit meaning only by abiding in Jesus Christ will we have peace.
John 15:4 abide in me and I will Abide in you…
Fourth, that authority I spoke of early…we have the authority to cast out this spirit…Jesus told us he would send a helper so that we could act in authority, just as the Acts church did so can we! Nothing has changed…the Holy Spirit is within you as a believer! Make you stand TODAY! In the name of Jesus reclaim what you have lost…declare and decree that the devil will not hold you captive through worry or anxiety ! Today, Claim your position as daughters and sons of the Most High King Jesus!
Have you ever caught yourself going over a situation again and again? Be it positive or negative you just cannot let it go…It even is affecting your decisions, possibly a relationship. Your emotions are tied to these thoughts and often result in an action you later regret. Satan has many tools in his arsenal and here are a couple of them. Reasoning – repeated discussion, wondering, daydreaming without Godly wisdom. Rationalizing – justifying your behavior or another’s behavior or thoughts in order to avoid truth; this is the devil’s substitute for confession and repentance. Manipulation – to control or influence a situation or person unfairly or unscrupulously, using a mixture of truth and lies to achieve a self-driven result. The Bible is truly clear that we must be careful how we spend time in thought…do not dwell, in the end nothing positive comes from lingering thoughts. James 1:5-8 says “But if any of you lacks wisdom(Godly clarity and understanding using it wisely), let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach(disapproval, criticism), and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting(unable to fully accept God’s truth), for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded (lukewarm with one foot in and one foot out) man, unstable (mentally and spiritually unbalanced) in all his ways.” Personalized NASB Have you noticed that every time you replay a situation it becomes foggier not clearer? The devil is a master of twisting truth, corrupting our memory, justifying the wrong motives, persuading us to make a worldly, flesh driven decision instead of a Godly decision. That worldly decision may feel good for a moment or even longer, but it soon leads us farther away from God and more into the world. God has given us examples in His Word how Satan used reason, rationalizing and manipulation in order to cause two women to make decisions contrary to God’s Plan, the good news is God already knew and He had an eternal plan that could not be corrupted by the devil.
Let’s look at Genesis 3:1-6 Verses 1-3 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’? “The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” We as believers must be aware that Satan can disguise himself and that he knows God’s Word and he will weave his purpose into God’s truth to confuse and corrupt us. The devil starts a conversation with a question to start Eve’s mind reasoning. Verse 4 “The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan again engages Eve knowing well how much God’s loves her and Adam tempting her by saying “You surely will not die!” Here comes reasoning, rationalizing and manipulation in one statement, “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan knew Eve as well as he knows all of God’s children. We do not have all the answers, yet our mind desires those answers. God warns us that we are incapable of that knowledge, our minds can’t fathom. Romans 11:33 says “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” I believe that knowledge we so desperately seek will be given when we are reunited with our Forever Father in Heaven. Verses 5-6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. The Bible does not say how long it was before Eve tasted of the fruit however my gut tells me she spent some time reasoning the why not and what ifs. Rationalizing how good it would be…how her relationship with God would change because she could see and understand everything He does. Now the manipulation kicks in Eve wants Adam to taste as well, they may have even reasoned together, notice that it says “her husband with her”, so he was at the tree watching her taste and then he tasted for himself. We all know the outcome from this event, Satan cleverly used reasoning, rationalizing and manipulation to bring sin into the world.
Now let us look at Abram and Sarai, but first a little background on the two of them. Abram and Sarai were in their 80’s at the time God shared his promise of descendants with Abram. He and Sarai had been married for many years and I believe that they were faithful to one another and Abram did not desire to take another wife or take his wife’s maid servant as was a custom in order to provide an heir. In Genesis 15:5-6 God gives Abram a promise. “And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Time passes, Abram and Sarai are still without children let’s look how Sarai takes matters into her own hands through reasoning, rationalizing and manipulation…Genesis 16:1-6 ”Now Sarai, Abram’s wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight. And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the Lord judge between you and me.” But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.” Reasoning – Sarai thought I am to old and God has made this promise. Surely God means for Abram to take my servant? Rationalizing – After all it is a custom to provide their husband as many heirs as possible, some men even take more wives. At least I do not have to share Abram he has not chosen to have other wives. Hagar is my servant this won’t be so bad. Remember, up until now Abram and Sarah as far as we know had been faithful to one another…so in that moment the devil had deceived Sarai by putting thoughts of reasoning and rationalizing in her mind. Verse 3 tells us it was ten years before Sarai sent Hagar into Abrams bed. How difficult those years must have been as she reasoned and rationalized her plan? Manipulation – Verse 2 says “Abram listen to the voice of Sarai.” This is an important statement because we see here that Abram had not spent time reasoning and rationalizing how these heirs, his descendants as many as stars would come. Sarai manipulated Abram into taking Hagar to bring about an heir. There is a price to be paid when we step out of the will of God…to reason or rationalize our way to get what God has promised or what we believe God wants for us, sadly to get what we want. In verses 4-6 we have a glimpse of the price Sarai paid. The relationship with her maid servant was damaged, Abram’s response also hints upon the tension between all three of them.
The devil frequently steals the will of God from us due to reasoning. He injects wrong thinking and emotions into your mind so that you cannot focus on what the Holy Spirit is speaking to your spirit. God tells us to be on guard continually watching and discerning our thoughts, “make every thought obedient to Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5, James 1:22 says “be doers of the Word not just a hearer.”
Dear Sisters in Jesus Christ, there is only one way to keep our mind full of Godly wisdom, Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore (make it so) I urge you, sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy (devoted) sacrifice , acceptable (pleasing) to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (praise and glory for all God is doing). And do not be conformed (copy what others do) in this world (your flesh, emotions), but be transformed (be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think) by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is(with our mouth and lived out in action), that which is good and pleasing to God in every way.” personalized NASB
If our relationship with Jesus is a growing and an intimate one, our goal must be to let our spirit (which is stronger, supernatural) be in control of our mind. This can only be achieved if our spirit is in tune with the Holy Spirit and listening to the voice of God daily. Victory and freedom come when we recognize the devil’s tools and fight back using everything we have in Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 3:5 tells us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Blessing, Laurie
I struggle with forgiveness how about you? For years I not only could not forgive my parents as well as others in my life that I suffered physical and mental abuse from but I could not forgive myself. My self-esteem (identity) was held captive behind a stronghold of unforgiveness and bitterness not only for them but for myself. I want to blame them for everything that I had experienced without taking any responsibility for my decisions and consequences. It also destroyed my ability to have a healthy relationship with anyone. I was carrying daily an incredibly heavy backpack full of bitterness and hate. If you are suffering under this spirit of wrong thinking come before your God and ask Him to help you forgive yourself and those who hurt you. Ask God to reveal your part and the wrong thinking that is holding you captive. It may be painful, but you have a Savior that loves you and is right there beside you to walk through the painful memories and wash you clean in His blood. That is just the beginning because He also has lifted you up with Him to sit at the Father’s side and use the authority given you to cast down those spirits of wrong thinking! You see, Jesus’ resurrection and position at the right hand of the father is full of power “Dunamis Power” to heal your brokenness and forever heal you. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity (lack of courage or confidence), but of power and love and discipline(self-control).” The Greek word “Dunamis” is where the English word “dynamite” came from, Paul wanted Timothy to know that God had given him the dynamite ability to stand strong in the faith. This is just as true today; God wants you to know that we have the power over our wrong thinking and the spirits that try to control our mind. Matthew 10:1 also tells us we have this power, “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.” Yes, GOD! Thank you for giving us the authority to “cast them out”. Today, God is speaking to you…forgive those who have hurt you and forgive yourself! Ask God to forgive the people who have hurt you and then forgive them…Jesus last word on the cross reflects the strength and power in forgiveness “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 Let the gift of “Dunamis” power fill you and give you the strength and courage to step forward in your relationship with your Forever Father and His Son. Who in your life needs your forgiveness? Do you believe you are forgiven? Finally, unforgiveness in us creates bitterness which in turn creates a hard shell over your soul, how can the Father’s Love reach it with that hard shell upon it?
Dear Sisters, here are a few scriptures on Forgiveness to meditate on:
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” Luke 23:34 NASB
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” Mark 11:25 NASB
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. “ Ephesians 4:31-32 NASB
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. “ Matthew 6:14-15 NASB
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Colossians 3:13 NASB
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:37-38 NASB
“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22 NASB
Are you lost to the symptoms? What are symptoms? When you have a cold, the symptoms can be the running nose, cough, lack of energy, achy body. The word symptom means “a sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable”.
Let us talk about the “existence of something”, I was listening to a teaching by Pastor Rick Renner and I want to share with you how it spoke to me. Today we will be in Mark 4, Jesus had been teaching and healing throughout the Galilean region and people were coming from all over. His disciples were with Him. This is important because they had every opportunity to absorb all that Jesus was teaching, at the very least the truth of who He was and who they were in God’s kingdom. Much like you and I we have the historical account and teaching, the whole truth. We should know without a doubt our position and authority, yet we let the “symptoms of life” stall and distract us.
In Mark 4 beginning in verse 35 Jesus says ”Let us go over to the other side.” Jesus knows He has an appointment, there is need and He must go and deliver an entire region from a demonic stronghold. No encounter and no where Jesus went was ever by accident or mishap. Every step, every word had purpose and is still affecting God’s Kingdom today and forever. So, they set out in a boat to cross over to Gerasene. It was a beautiful night, not a cloud in the sky as they left. They sailed into the night and Jesus in verse 38 was sleeping in the stern of the boat on a cushion. After a while scripture says, “there arose a fierce gale of wind”, this word “arose” in the Greek means something off guard, unexpected, by surprise. These were experienced fisherman, Jesus’ disciples and they would not have risked going out onto the lake if there was a storm brewing. In verse 37, the word used in the Greek to describe this “great wind” is a turbulence, invisible force, not natural and this wind caused waves to break over the boat so that it was all the disciples could do to keep water from filling and sinking the boat. It is so important to look at the Greek during this portion of scripture because the truth comes alive here…my Bible says breaking but the Greek the word is “beating” meaning by someone or some unforeseen force, entity, not natural. It is the devil that is attacking and trying to keep Jesus from crossing. Keep in your mind that the waves and water are the symptoms and the wind is the devil or the cause. Remember earlier I shared that Jesus had an appointment to break a demonic stronghold and free an entire region. Let’s go back to the storm for a moment, the disciples are frantic, Jesus is sleeping and they are at their wits end, not understanding what is truly happening, fear sets in, it’s hopeless, they look to Jesus and He is sleeping through all of it. Jesus is resting, knows the outcome because God has set Him on a mission. Finally, in verse 38 the disciples woke Him, once again my Bible says simply “woke Him” however the Greek says they resurrected Him, demanded and like whining children declared “Don’t you care?” “We are going to die!” This “don’t you care” is translated in Greek to say, we are unraveled, undone, life is coming apart. Don’t you care about our current situation?
Here it is…the true teaching in this scripture the deeper revelation God is showing us today. Jesus’ response…verse 39 “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.” This word “rebuke” the wind holds the key…Jesus spoke first to the devil and the word rebuke in the Greek is to embarrass or humiliate. The devil is a prideful creature, so Jesus calls him out…with authority. He defeats the cause and then He hushes all the symptoms…the water. The disciples thought the problem was the water, that which they could see and touch but Jesus knew the truth, Ephesians 6:12 says we fight against the unseen. Jesus addressed the source, the devil and once that was accomplished all the symptoms subsided.
Here is the question we must answer daily and the one the disciples had difficulty answering. Verse 40 “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They had witnessed and heard His teaching firsthand, saw with their own eyes the miracles and yet when a spiritual attack came, they were unable to discern and act with authority over it. The disciples thought the problem was the water and waves, they were fighting the waves, bailing water, trying desperately to find their balance in the waves (symptoms) instead of going directly to the cause and saying “NOT today devil!, I claim the authority that Jesus has given me!”
So here it is…Jesus tells us to call to Him, use your faith, believe without hesitation, do not look at the physical, your circumstances, situation. Step out in faith and declare who you belong to… Notice that Jesus responded immediately to their request, He didn’t wait, He didn’t wait for them to gain understanding or to take action on their own…He did it! Jesus destroyed the devils attempt to gain a foothold and cause them to be further distracted from the mission in front of them. Your life is that mission, to represent and to present His truth! To walk in the authority and rebuke the devils attempts. We MUST learn to let our faith guide us. Whatever the devil does Jesus is going to go above and beyond. We must believe that once the unseen, the cause is dealt with the seen, our symptoms will be defeated, and peace will come. Do not let fear keep you distracted and unable from receiving and fulfilling your mission.
Are you lost to the symptoms? What are symptoms? When you have a cold, the symptoms can be the running nose, cough, lack of energy, achy body. The word symptom means “a sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable”.
Let us talk about the “existence of something”, I was listening to a teaching by Pastor Rick Renner and I want to share with you how it spoke to me. Today we will be in Mark 4, Jesus had been teaching and healing throughout the Galilean region and people were coming from all over. His disciples were with Him. This is important because they had every opportunity to absorb all that Jesus was teaching, at the very least the truth of who He was and who they were in God’s kingdom. Much like you and I we have the historical account and teaching, the whole truth. We should know without a doubt our position and authority, yet we let the “symptoms of life” stall and distract us.
In Mark 4 beginning in verse 35 Jesus says ”Let us go over to the other side.” Jesus knows He has an appointment, there is need and He must go and deliver an entire region from a demonic stronghold. No encounter and no where Jesus went was ever by accident or mishap. Every step, every word had purpose and is still affecting God’s Kingdom today and forever. So, they set out in a boat to cross over to Gerasene. It was a beautiful night, not a cloud in the sky as they left. They sailed into the night and Jesus in verse 38 was sleeping in the stern of the boat on a cushion. After a while scripture says, “there arose a fierce gale of wind”, this word “arose” in the Greek means something off guard, unexpected, by surprise. These were experienced fisherman, Jesus’ disciples and they would not have risked going out onto the lake if there was a storm brewing. In verse 37, the word used in the Greek to describe this “great wind” is a turbulence, invisible force, not natural and this wind caused waves to break over the boat so that it was all the disciples could do to keep water from filling and sinking the boat. It is so important to look at the Greek during this portion of scripture because the truth comes alive here…my Bible says breaking but the Greek the word is “beating” meaning by someone or some unforeseen force, entity, not natural. It is the devil that is attacking and trying to keep Jesus from crossing. Keep in your mind that the waves and water are the symptoms and the wind is the devil or the cause. Remember earlier I shared that Jesus had an appointment to break a demonic stronghold and free an entire region. Let’s go back to the storm for a moment, the disciples are frantic, Jesus is sleeping and they are at their wits end, not understanding what is truly happening, fear sets in, it’s hopeless, they look to Jesus and He is sleeping through all of it. Jesus is resting, knows the outcome because God has set Him on a mission. Finally, in verse 38 the disciples woke Him, once again my Bible says simply “woke Him” however the Greek says they resurrected Him, demanded and like whining children declared “Don’t you care?” “We are going to die!” This “don’t you care” is translated in Greek to say, we are unraveled, undone, life is coming apart. Don’t you care about our current situation?
Here it is…the true teaching in this scripture the deeper revelation God is showing us today. Jesus’ response…verse 39 “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.” This word “rebuke” the wind holds the key…Jesus spoke first to the devil and the word rebuke in the Greek is to embarrass or humiliate. The devil is a prideful creature, so Jesus calls him out…with authority. He defeats the cause and then He hushes all the symptoms…the water. The disciples thought the problem was the water, that which they could see and touch but Jesus knew the truth, Ephesians 6:12 says we fight against the unseen. Jesus addressed the source, the devil and once that was accomplished all the symptoms subsided.
Here is the question we must answer daily and the one the disciples had difficulty answering. Verse 40 “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They had witnessed and heard His teaching firsthand, saw with their own eyes the miracles and yet when a spiritual attack came, they were unable to discern and act with authority over it. The disciples thought the problem was the water and waves, they were fighting the waves, bailing water, trying desperately to find their balance in the waves (symptoms) instead of going directly to the cause and saying “NOT today devil!, I claim the authority that Jesus has given me!”
So here it is…Jesus tells us to call to Him, use your faith, believe without hesitation, do not look at the physical, your circumstances, situation. Step out in faith and declare who you belong to… Notice that Jesus responded immediately to their request, He didn’t wait, He didn’t wait for them to gain understanding or to take action on their own…He did it! Jesus destroyed the devils attempt to gain a foothold and cause them to be further distracted from the mission in front of them. Your life is that mission, to represent and to present His truth! To walk in the authority and rebuke the devils attempts. We MUST learn to let our faith guide us. Whatever the devil does Jesus is going to go above and beyond. We must believe that once the unseen, the cause is dealt with the seen, our symptoms will be defeated, and peace will come. Do not let fear keep you distracted and unable from receiving and fulfilling your mission.
These spirits act purposefully to destroy and distract us, they are inhibiting our faith so that we cannot rise up and live in victory. Are you addicted to worry? When you don’t have something to worry about do you take on the worries of someone else? It is impossible to live in worry and live in peace at the same time…Worry is the root of anxiety. It brings physical manifestation…. illness such as hives and disease. I have been witness to divine healing over many of these manifestations when women caught in the devil’s grip are set free. Instantly, they have received freedom physically, mentally and spiritually.
The King James Version of the Bible doesn’t use the word “worry” so let’s be clear about who and what this spirit is… Fret– In the Hebrew this means a snare, violently agitated, to grieve, be angry, burn, be hot or provoked – in the Webster Dictionary it is defined as uneasy, distressed or troubled, anxious; to be tormented with distributing thoughts. Matthew 6:25 is a warning to “take no thought” or don’t let your mind rest in negative thought Philippians 4:6 tells us to “be careful for nothing” KJV or in the NASB “be anxious for nothing”
Worry does not make anything better… The devil uses the spirit of worry to torment us!
A description of worry would be “To seize by the throat with teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does to another or to harass by repeated biting and snapping” After a few hours of worry do you feel beaten up? Worn out? All those destructive thoughts going around and around in your head? Continually exaggerating and building, more and more until… Matthew 6:25 – 27 puts it like this in the AMP version “Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by worrying can add one hour to the length of life.”
John 10:10 give us a clear picture of the devil and how he works however, it also gives us the promise of our Savior Jesus Christ! “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Let me break it down for you…. Peace is not something you can do for yourself in Galatians 5 the Bible says it is a gift of the fruit of the Spirit…Holy Spirit meaning only by abiding in Jesus Christ will we have peace. John 15:4 says “abide in me and I will Abide in you.” No amount of self-control will bring you peace or break your anxiety. Drugs, anti-depressants, anxiety medication, sleeping aids only “Dumb you down” interfering and clouding your ability to hear from God or receiving His healing, supernatural power.
So what is this abiding Jesus is speaking of? First, it is a union we are actively pursuing to understand because the work was already done at the cross our part is to be in a personal intimate relationship with Jesus. We are united to Jesus by faith by believing Jesus has cleansed us by paying the price through the whipping post and cross. He then went to hell and claimed the keys to God’s Kingdom here on earth to give us authority over the devil. Are you getting the whole picture?
Second, this relationship is built on our obedience and pursuit of Jesus. John 17:7 says “If you abide in me and my Word, I will abide in you.” Colossians 3:36 says “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Ephesians 5:18 tells us “be filled with the Holy Spirit.” You MUST allow His Word to fill out minds, surrender our will to His Will for us…our relationship to Jesus is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles. As God’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, our prayers change – your prayers become God’s Will – truth and revelation will open your eyes!
Third and last…Abide in My Love John 15:9 says “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also loved you; abide in My love.” You MUST rest in this love, the love of Jesus Christ in verse 13-16 says “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. ”Peace is not something you can do for yourself in Galatians 5 the Bible says it is a gift of the fruit of the Spirit…Holy Spirit meaning only by abiding in Jesus Christ will we have peace. John 15:4 abide in me and I will Abide in you…
Fourth, that authority I spoke of early…we have the authority to cast out this spirit…Jesus told us he would send a helper so that we could act in authority, just as the Acts church did so can we! Nothing has changed…the Holy Spirit is within you as a believer! Make you stand TODAY! In the name of Jesus reclaim what you have lost…declare and decree that the devil will not hold you captive through worry or anxiety!
Finally, I leave you with this… Romans 8:14 says “live by the Holy Spirit” Through the Holy Spirit we are transformed bringing our flesh into obedience. We must continue to allow the Holy Spirit to change us. Today, Claim your position as daughters and sons of the Most High King Jesus!
Instructions For Life According to Jesus Christ 