Devotions - Prayer
By John Piper
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him.
The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
“[Christ] himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)
In other words the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur . . . and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33)
“[Neither] angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)
“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“They [the saints] have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)
Therefore, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” He has been defeated, and we have been given victory.
Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat.
Thank You Jesus! Help me live in that Victory each and every day. Amen
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Have you heard God’s word?
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
The Cost of Disobedience
“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” John 17:4, 5
This prayer was prayed prior to his going the cross, but, in its scope, it reaches beyond and includes the cross.
Our Lord knew where he was going, he knew what he would be doing in the next few hours and what would be accomplished.
That work included more than the cross. It encompassed his ministry of healing and mercy, and even those thirty silent years back in Nazareth. They were all part of his life, his work, which the Father had given him to do.
He includes this in his prayer to indicate to us the character of his work while he was here.
Jesus is suggesting that his work was characterized by a continual self-emptying, that is, a laying aside of glory.
*We think that God is interested in our activity, that there are certain religious pursuits which we can perform which God will be pleased with no matter in what frame of mind we do them.
That is why we sometimes drag ourselves out to church week after week when we have little interest in attending church — because we think that attending church is what God wants. (A works mentality)
How little we understand God! It is not activity that he desires.
*It was not merely that which Jesus did which glorified the Father.
**It was not his ministry of mercy and good works.
Others have done similar things. But it was the fact that throughout Jesus life he had a HEART that was ready to obey, an EAR that was ready to hear, a WILL that was ready to be subject to the Father.
It was Jesus willingness to be always available, to forever be giving of himself, that glorified God.
** We say we want to do God’s will — as long as it is what we want to do.
At the center of our lives– Self is still king, and that is the problem.
*Our own glory is in view.
*We still want what we want and we are not willing as Jesus was, to walk in glad obedience.
But it is only this obedience that glorifies the Father.
Father, may I be among those who are ready to fling our lives away FOR Jesus Christ, to be utterly careless of what happens to us in order that Jesus may be glorified. Thank you Jesus for showing me–It’s no longer all about me but Your Glory. Thank You for the joy, freedom and peace this surrender brings to the soul. Amen
Read MoreFrom a Christian perspective, spiritual warfare is the cosmic war of good versus evil:
- its battles are fought daily between God and Satan;
- between the Christian Church and the world system ruled by our spiritual enemy;
- within every child of God, between the Holy Spirit and the lusts of the carnal flesh.
The clear meanings of good and evil, as defined by God rather than man, are revealed within the verses of the Holy Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual, is dealing with three key things the enemy sends at us: temptations, deception and accusations.
Accusations:
*The devil is known as the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10).
He is known to take a believer who has done an embarrassing or gross sin in their past, and continue to rub it in their faces and beat them down with guilt and condemnation over their past.
The fiery darts of the enemy in Ephesians 6:16 are accusations sent our way.
For example, when the devil tries to accuse us of our past sins, we are to have faith in the work of the cross and know that they are forgiven and not to look back. Faith is what we use to put out the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).
Therefore when the enemy tries to remind you of your past, tell him it’s been washed away (2 Corinthians 5:17), your sins have been forgotten (Hebrews 10:17) and you have the righteousness of God (Romans 3:22)!
The tearing down of strongholds:
♦ A stronghold is deception that’s taken hold in a person’s mind.
♦ It’s an incorrect thinking pattern based on a believed lie.
*People can get incorrect perceptions of God by listening to Satan as he tells them how God doesn’t love them, etc.
*People can feel like dirty old sinners when they believe Satan’s accusations as he continually reminds them of their past (which has been washed away!).
*Strongholds are based on lies from the devil.
*They can come in the form of deception or accusations.
*Accusations always lead to guilt and the feeling of unworthiness, which weighs you down and tears you apart spiritually.
Since strongholds are built upon lies that we have been fed, the way we tear down strongholds is by feeding on the TRUTH (in God’s Word), which is the opposite of what the enemy has been feeding us.
If the enemy has been feeding us a lie, we need to stop eating the lie and start feeding ourselves the truth.
The weapon we use to tear down strongholds is found in Ephesians 6:17, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
A sword is an offensive weapon and is meant to tear down and kill the enemy’s troops.
*Strongholds are the devil’s assets in war, and he uses them against us.
*Take up the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word) today, and start slaughtering the enemy’s assets that he’s been using against you!
Thank You Jesus for the Cross: saving a sinner like me. Thank You for the Armor (Ephesians 6)to protect me here on Earth. Amen
Read MoreEven when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
What are the things you’re worried about? The election? Your health? Your bills? Your kids? Are you worried about the future? The fact is there are lots of reasons to be afraid in today’s world. But God’s promise is that, even in your darkest valleys, he is walking beside you. (see Psalms 23)
It’s interesting to note that there are 365 verses in the Bible that say, “Fear not.”
God provided us with one “Fear not” message for every day of the year! Don’t you think God is saying, “Get the message. Don’t be afraid.” It’s interesting that almost every time God talks to someone in the Bible, the first thing he says is, “Don’t be afraid!”
Why? Because our hurts and hang-ups can often cause us to think that God is out to get us, that all he wants to do is condemn us and punish us. But that simply isn’t true. Jesus is the proof of that.
When we understand God’s grace and mercy, then we have no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you.
- Jesus has taken the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or will do wrong.
- Jesus paid for the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong on the
So when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” Instead, remember, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me”(Psalms 23:4 ).
Fear not! Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read More“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and prayfor one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:24-25).
What Jesus is saying is, “The great hindrance to having faith in God is pride, the pride that refuses to forgive (an inflated sense of one’s personal status or accomplishments).
*You have the power to have that removed if, when you stand and pray, you will forgive those who have offended you.” Because the only thing that stops us from forgiving one another is pride.
We feel justified in wanting others to forgive us but also in feeling that we have to exact a price for the hurt they have caused us. So, in many ways—subtle, or direct and open—we insist that we will not forgive, that our offenders have to pay for what they have done to us. Somehow, we are going to make them crawl, make them beg or plead for forgiveness.
“And that,” Jesus says, “is a great mountain that needs to be removed, for it is blocking the flow of the life of God to your faith.” So when you stand and pray, life will flow from God when you are able to recognize that you, too, need forgiveness. God has forgiven you. God has offered it freely to you; give it just as freely to the one who has offended you.
The one thing above all else that seems to block the flow of the life of God to an individual, to a church, or to a nation, is:
- this unwillingness to forgive, this holding of grudges,
- this desire to put somebody down in order to feel good yourself,
- this unwillingness to set these things aside and let God heal all the hurts of life.
The Lord brings us through a time of testing and adjustments. There are corrections to be made to our path of life, and those corrections will begin to bear fruit as soon as we let go of the things that have been a distraction and a hindrance to our progression.You will now be able to see with greater clarity and understanding, as you walk in the Spirit.
Proverbs 10:17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray.
Father, how many times I have refused the forgiving word, the restoring act, only to be tormented by fears and anxieties and worries. Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine in Jesus Christ. Teach me to extend it to those around me. Take my pride from me! Amen
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By John Piper
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.(Colossians 1:3–5)
The problem with the church today is not that there are too many people who are passionately in love with heaven. The problem is not that professing Christians are retreating from the world, spending half their days reading Scripture and the other half singing about their pleasures in God all the while indifferent to the needs of the world.
The problem is that professing Christians are spending ten minutes reading Scripture and then half their day making money and the other half enjoying and repairing what they spend it on.
It is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love. It is worldly-mindedness that hinders love, even when it is disguised by a religious routine on the weekend.
Where is the person whose heart is so passionately in love with the promised glory of heaven that he feels like an exile and a sojourner on the earth? Where is the person who has so tasted the beauty of the age to come that the diamonds of the world look like marbles, and the entertainment of the world is empty, and the moral causes of the world are too small because they have no view to eternity? Where is this person?
He is not in bondage to the Internet or eating or sleeping or drinking or partying or fishing or sailing or putzing around. He is a free man in a foreign land. And his one question is this: How can I maximize my enjoyment of God for all eternity while I am an exile on this earth? And his answer is always the same: by doing the labors of love.
Only one thing satisfies the heart whose treasure is in heaven: doing the works of heaven. And heaven is a world of love!
It is not the cords of heaven that bind the hands of love. It is the love of money and leisure and comfort and praise — these are the cords that bind the hands of love. And the power to sever these cords is Christian hope.
I say it again with all the conviction that lies within me: it is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love on this earth. It is worldly-mindedness. And therefore the great fountain of love is the powerful, freeing confidence of Christian hope.
Amen
Read MorePaul wrote [1 Corinthians 1:10–17] in a letter to the divided body of Corinthian believers.
*The church was allowing a disagreement to hinder their fellowship. Paul knew the steep danger of dissension among believers.
Scripture is clear about the church’s mission.
Some of its highest goals include;
• Sharing the gospel with all nations
• Caring for those in need
• Worshiping together, along with loving, encouraging, and admonishing one another in God’s truth.
None of these is fully possible if a church is divided, whether physically or mentally.
God wants His people to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, NIV).
So if all Christians base their beliefs on the Bible, they should be able to settle every argument according to its truth, right?
Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Our human nature, preferences, and different interpretations of Scripture can cause disagreements.
Consider, for example, how many churches have experienced strife over music styles.
Tragically, when differences are divisive, our mission becomes blurred and we are ineffective. Just as fishermen cannot catch fish with a broken net, we are unable to effectively share Jesus with the world when our fellowship is not intact….
Are your actions and words strengthening your fellow Christians?
*Or do you gossip, express negativity, and push your own preferences and opinions?
God never meant for his children to become separated, and when we allow issues like denominations or political leanings to cause strife between us, the message of the Cross becomes obscured.
- We were meant to be one body, one family, unified, as brothers and sisters.
- In his infinite grace, Christ called us to be Christians.
Be careful. God has mandated that our conduct positively impact the church’s unity. This is essential if we are to accomplish His purpose.
What you say is a direct reflection of your heart, and your speech reveals whether or not you walk in the Spirit or in the flesh.
Pay attention to the words of your mouth, and deal with the issues within yourself that cause a negative overflow.
*The Lord has called you to righteousness, faith, and peace.
*When you walk in unity with the Lord, the fruit will be evident.
Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount never blessed a material thing! The richer we get in the church, the poorer we get in the spirit.
Lord I pray for all to KNOW You more and also to understand the Mystery which is Jesus, Himself. Here is where all the Wisdom and Knowledge lie. Amen (taken from Col. 2:2)
Read MoreOur self-life will never “mellow” with age. We can’t tame it…we have to crucify it.
* “But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”. Galatians 6:14
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12)
Shadows are created all around us when something blocks light, and so it is with the shadow of doubt.
When we focus our thoughts on ourselves and how inadequate we feel, or what others think about us and how we’re performing, we cast a shadow of doubt in our minds by blocking the light of God’s Truth in our hearts.
But we were not designed to block the light.
We were created to live in the Light by focusing on what God thinks about us instead of what we think about ourselves.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12b )
When we follow Jesus closely and completely in our thoughts, turning away from doubts and lies, we can find lasting security and confidence in Him.
- I have to purposefully shift my focus daily-from my feelings of inadequacy to God’s promises of His all-sufficiency and grace in my life.
- I have to choose to focus on truth {the Light} so I can exchange my feelings of low self-confidence with lasting “God-fidence.”
Feeling paralyzed and stuck in a place of insecurity is not where God intends for us to live.
When Jesus spoke to the people in John 8:12, He called them out of darkness.
Now He’s calling you and me – to step out of the shadows of doubt so that we can become the God-fident people He created you to be.
A person whose assurance and soul-security is found in what He says and thinks about them.
When you feel inadequate, God says: You are CHOSEN.
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.'” (Isa. 43:10a NIV)
When you feel unworthy, God says: You are PRECIOUS and LOVED. “… you are precious and honored in my sight, and … I love you.” (Isa. 43:4a NIV)
Dear Lord, You say I am a chosen person, a royal priest, a holy person, a Masterpiece belonging to You. Help me believe that and live beyond the shadows of my doubts as I follow and focus on the Light of Your truth today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
You acted foolishly,” Samuel said…. 1 Samuel 13:13
The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines.
Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.
...“You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation.
Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God’s will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear.
Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by over controlling his people.
*This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs.
*This results in loss of respect for the manager.
*Do you see any signs of over control in how you relate to others?
*Can you allow others the freedom to fail?
*Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don’t like?
*Are you fearful of failure?
These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit.
Beatitude #3 Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
#3 of 8 Truths to master life:
I sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to do and empower me to follow through in obedience.
Result: I am released from my need to control everything.
I am “Free.”
*The reason for this is that I now trust God, Who knows all, and He has promised those who are meek, that they will inherit the earth. Faith in God has freed one from the burden of trying to push, manipulate or force, in order to get one’s way.
Are we sorry for grieving the heart of God… for denying God the right to own our personality… to own our mind… to own our thoughts… to own our emotions? (If not) we’re robbing God.
I Pray that God will allow us to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around us. Amen
Read MoreHow serious are you about breaking free from the temptation in your life?
Because if you are, let me be very blunt with you:
- You will never do it without support.
- You will never do it on your own.
- You won’t succeed in changing by yourself.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for change.
In fact, once you understand you change on your own, you’ll be free to see how God is working to transform your life and how he uses other people to help you change.
The truth is, God has wired us to need each other to grow. We need each other to break free of habits and hang-ups and hurts. You need accountability in your life.(called Relationships) The very thing that you want least is the very thing if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” Galatians 6:1-2 .
What’s the law of Christ? Love your neighbor as yourself. How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?
- By helping each other through temptation.
- By helping others be consistent in the things they want to be consistent in.
- By helping them break bad habits and start good habits.
That’s the best way you can love your neighbor and obey the law of Christ. You need a friend who checks up on you, and you need a group that supports you.
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls [into temptation], it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him”(GNT).
You need somebody in your life to help you with the habits you want to change. You’re not going to change them on your own.
Everybody is tempted. It is a myth that says you’re going to get to a point in your spiritual life where you’re not tempted. In fact, the more mature you become, the more Satan is going to put you on his “most wanted” list.
If we were more consistent in confessing our temptations, we wouldn’t have to confess our sins.
Lord, Help me no matter what my circumstances to: find a small group, do Bible studies, find a good mentor and have a job that pleases you. Amen
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Jesus said in John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command” .
- You can’t say you love Jesus and then go live like the devil.
- You can’t say you’re a Christian and then keep on living a self-centered life.
- You can’t say you’re a follower of Jesus and then pick and choose the verses that you want to listen to and ignore the ones you don’t.
- Jesus says you’re his friend if you obey him and his commandments.
Why do we obey God? Nonbelievers get this wrong all the time. They say, “I don’t want to be a Christian because I don’t want to obey God. You believers obey him out of guilt or fear or obligation, and I don’t want that for my life.”
Why do we believers really obey God? Because he loves us! He wants the best for us. He loves you like nobody else will ever love you. The Bible says the only reason there’s love in the world is because God is love.
- We don’t obey God out of fear or guilt or obligation.
- We obey God out of love because he loved us and saved us.
Some people say, “Because you’re a Christian. You can’t do any of the fun stuff the rest of us do.”
Just look at them in the eye and say, “I could take all the drugs I want to take. I could get stoned all I want to get stoned. I could drink all I want to drink. I could go to all the parties I want to go to. I could go to bed with as many women as I want. I can disobey my parents.” But here’s the difference: Jesus changed my “want to.” I didn’t want to do those things then. I don’t want to do those things now. They are cheap, phony thrills that seem to give a temporary kick to life but then they kick back. They may look like freedom, but they don’t last, and they lead to despair, not dignity — depression, not delight.
John 15:9-11 says, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me … When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
God doesn’t want you to obey him because you’re afraid of him. He doesn’t want you to obey him because you’re scared of punishment. God wants you to obey him because of love. It’s HIS love that leads to true joy. AMEN
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We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5b.
Here’s the secret to temptation: Don’t fight it. Just refocus. Whatever you resist persists.
Did you know that in the Bible, not once are you told to resist temptation? We are told to resist the Devil, and that’s a whole different issue.
But the key to overcoming temptation is not to push back. It’s to change your focus.
Whatever gets your attention gets you.
- The battle for sin always starts in the mind. That’s why the Bible says in Psalm 119:6, “Thinking about your commands will keep me from doing some foolish thing”(CEV). Why? Because if you’re thinking about God’s truth, you’re not thinking about the less important stuff.
It’s true in every single area of life — good or bad.
- If you focus on godly things, it’s going to pull you that direction. If you focus on the stuff that’s at the movies and in magazines, it’s going to pull you that direction.
- Whatever you focus on gets your attention.
- Whatever gets your attention is going to get you.
- The key is to just change your mind.
Temptation always follows a predictable pattern: attention, arousal, and action. Your mind gets hooked, your mind kicks in, and then you act on it.
So you don’t fight a temptation; you just turn your mind to something else. “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV).
The thing is, we’re not very good at capturing every thought and turning it to Christ, because it takes lots of practice. You can’t always control your circumstances, and you can’t even always control the way you feel. But you can control what you think about. That’s always your choice. And if you change the way you think, it changes the way you feel, and that will change the way you act.
Psalms 119:11 Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept your word.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
AMEN
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” My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ. ” Colossians 2:2
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).
Are there things that make you laugh when you think of the miracle that would be required for it to take place?
Ask God for the miracle you need today.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).
God reveals His truths to us in stages and not all at once (Isa. 28:9-10).
The truths of God are mysterious only to those who do not soften their heart by seeking God with their whole heart. As Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
The piece of armor known as the “sword of the Spirit” is the only piece of armor that has the ability to cut, wound, and hurt our enemy, the devil. (Read Armor of God Eph. 6)
It’s not the Bible lying on your coffee table that makes the enemy flee, but it is the Word of God hidden in your heart, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and spoken in an appropriate situation.
*The Word by itself doesn’t make us free. It is the Word we know and speak that will deliver us (Jn. 8:32).
Why is the Word so effective? It’s because it is the WORD of God. It has authority, because it is indeed the WORD of God.
*God’s Word supersedes all authority of the church, of reason, of intellect, and even of Satan himself.
*It is the Holy Spirit that wields this Word as it is spoken in faith.
*Speaking God’s Word in faith brings the Holy Spirit into action.
In Luke 4, when Jesus was tempted of the devil for forty days, it was the Word of God, that Jesus used to defeat the enemy in the time of His temptation.
*Jesus constantly met His temptation by quoting from God’s Word as He repeatedly stated the phrase, “It is written.”
Likewise, the Christian soldier must avail himself of God’s Word by placing it in his heart, so that the Holy Spirit may bring it forth at the appropriate time to accomplish a complete and total victory. It’s yours.
Thank You Jesus–that through You – We Fight FROM Victory—-not For Victory. Amen! (see 1 John 4:4)
Read MoreOnly as we’re willing to “empty” ourselves are we ready to be “filled” with God.
* “I shall lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.”Psalm 116:13
Are You Living a Divided Life?
I see so many of us Christians today who divide up our lives into tightly packed little compartments: the sacred and the secular.
The sacred is what we do on Sunday, and the secular is up for grabs.
It’s just whatever happens! So we have our sacred life at church, and we do our business with the world the rest of the time.
But the real Christian life—the Jesus life—is to do all things in word and in deed to the glory of God.
There’s no difference between what you are on Sunday and what you are every other minute of the week!
That’s why this commandment in [Matthew 22:37] is just so important. It’s Jesus’ reminder to you and me that when we truly love God, it will be with every fiber of our being.
*It’s not that we just give Him one day a week and live however we want the rest of the week.
No, we seek to glorify Him with our entire lives. That’s real love!
Maybe you’ve found yourself at times acting like a different person depending on whether you’re in a “religious” or “secular” setting. But in reality, you should be the same person in both settings.
So lets not let the day of the week dictate how devoted we are to following Christ.
Honor JESUS every day with your entire being!
Our need to love is every bit as strong as our need to be loved.
Dear Lord, thank You for calling us Your children – And for making a home within us, so we may rest secure in You. Because You are our dwelling place, we are never alone. Help us have Your Value system be the Same 24/7 for Your Glory and our Joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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What is the key to success and victory when the enemies aligned against us seem too great to overcome? It may seem unlikely, but here is one answer: giving thanks.
Revelation 12:11 tells us we defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. What might that testimony sound like? “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
Thanksgiving is our song for every battle. It is a key to our victory!
Do you see the tremendous potential of giving thanks to release God’s miracle-working power in our lives?
A beautiful example of this principle is in the story of the ten lepers who met Jesus in Luke 17, verses 12–19….
- All ten lepers were cleansed.
- All were healed physically.
- But something completely extra—and the most important thing of all—happened to the one man who returned to give Him thanks.
Jesus said to him in verse 19: “Rise and go, your faith has made you well.”
So you see, there was an important difference between the nine who were healed physically and the tenth who came back to give God thanks. He was not merely healed physically, but he was saved. His soul was saved. He was brought into a right eternal relationship with God.
The same is true in our lives. Giving thanks for blessings already received sets the seal of permanence upon them.
Lord, I want to commit myself fully to this principle of giving thanks in all situations. I offer my thanksgiving as my victory song to You, O Lord. Amen.
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