The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit. As Christians, one of the first things we learn is the Armor of God. Paul tells us to put on the Full Armor of God, but do we really understand what the Armor of God is? Do we know why we are to put on the Armor in that order? Was it random that God gave us the Belt of Truth first? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find answers to these questions and more in our latest video, The Armor of God Pt. 1: What Is It?
Ephesians 6:10-18 Romans 10:9 Ephesians 4:30 John 16:13 John 8:31-32 Leviticus 20:5-6 Ezekiel 6:9 Ezekiel 20:30 Ephesians 5:25-27 Titus 3:4-7 Jeremiah 17:9-10 Matthew 15:18-20 Galatians 5:22-23 John 14:26-27 Matthew 14:28-33 Luke 10:17-19 Hebrews 11:6 Ephesians 2:8 Hebrews 11:1 Luke 8:11-15 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 1 Peter 5:8 Revelation 1:16 John 4:25 Hebrews 4:12 Ephesians 6:12
What is the Armor of God?
Prayers To Put on The Armor of God
The Armor of God is compiled of six different pieces of armor: The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit.
A.G.: The Belt of Truth
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:16-18
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 16:13
A.G.: Breastplate of Righteousness
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10
A.G.: The Shoes of The Gospel of Peace
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
John 14:26-28
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
A.G.: The Shield of Faith
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:8
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
A.G.: The Helmet of Salvation
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
A.G.: The Sword of the Spirit
24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth.
John 4:25
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The book of Daniel is filled with End Times mysteries. One of the most well-known chapters regarding the End Times is Daniel 7. Daniel 7 describes four beasts that come out of the sea, but what do these four beasts represent? Join ArieRashelle as she digs through Scripture searching for the answer to the first beast in part of our new End Times series, “The Four Beast of Daniel 7.”
Daniel 7:2-4 Revelation 12 Genesis 9:8-12 Revelation 5:5 Jude 8-10 Zechariah 3:1-2 1 Peter 1:17-21 Ephesians 1:3-6 1 Kings 1:1-5 1 Kings 8:17 2 Chronicles 2:3-16 1 Kings 18:24-38 Psalms 20:7 Proverbs 18:10 Colossians 2:13-15 Exodus 19:4 Isaiah 40:30-31 Exodus 33:14 Job 1:6-12 Daniel 7:4 1 Peter 5:8 Revelation 12:8 John 13:36 John 14:2-4 Matthew 6:19-21 Luke 6:43-45 Matthew 7:19
The First Beast of Daniel 7
4 The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it.
Daniel 7:4
Who is the First Beast of Daniel 7?
Satan is the first beast of Daniel 7. His authority, rights, and his fall is all portrayed in Daniel’s vision of the four beasts.
8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Jude 1:8-9
One of the revelations of Daniel 7, is Satan’s authority as a Glorious One.
Movies like The Conjuring, Annabelle, Chucky, Dead Silence, Poltergeist have become beloved favorites of Horror Movie lovers. These demon-possessed creepy dolls and inanimate objects (like the box in The Conjuring) send shiver’s down the spines of viewers, satisfying a craving for a good adrenaline rush. These movies alone, have inspired several sequels and spin-offs, bringing in revenue of over a billion dollars.
After watching these Horror Movies, like Annabelle, Chucky, and The Conjuring, the majority of people calm their fears and anxieties by telling themselves that demon-possessed dolls are not real. But is this true? Or are demon-possessed dolls real?
As Christians, our first and foremost source of beliefs should come directly from The Word of God. This now begs the question, “What does The Bible say about demon-possessed dolls or inanimate objects?” Join ArieRashelle as she searches through the Scripture to find the answer to this question.
True Stories of Demon-Possessed Dolls and Inanimate Objects
Demon-Possessed Dolls: Annabelle
Annabelle is arguably the most infamous of the [true story] demon-possessed dolls. Contrary to the creepy doll used in the movie, the actual Annabelle doll was a Raggedy Ann Doll given as a birthday gift for a 28-year-old nursing student by her mother in 1970. What started as the doll seeming to simply shift positions by itself, quickly turned into the doll physically moving to random places throughout the home that she shared with her two room-mates. She would even find Annabelle on the bed of her closed bedroom when she left it on the couch.
Apparently, strange messages were left around the apartment after Annabelle was brought home, according to the different accounts of those in the home. All the notes were hand-written (in what seemed like a child’s handwriting) on parchment paper that didn’t belong to anyone in the home, and all seemed to be cries for help. Written on the notes were things like “Help Us.”
Their Reaction
The roommates went to a Medium after the doll was found on the owner’s bed with what looked like blood on her chest and the back of her hand. The Medium revealed to the roommates that a seven-year-old’s spirit was in the doll’s body. After finding this out, the spirit said that it felt comforted and safe around them and asked if it could stay. Moved by the spirits story and seemingly innocent connection to them, they agreed to allow the spirit it could stay.
Annabelle apparently attacked one of the roommates in two instances. Once, the roommate woke up to find Annabelle at his feet, and then she began to choke him. The very next day, the man was home alone and heard odd noises coming from the bedroom. So, he went to investigate but found no one in the room except for the Annabelle doll. He then proceeded to search for any sign of forced entry but found nothing. As he went to inspect the doll, he got the chilling feeling that someone was behind him. Spinning around, he saw no one there. Then suddenly, he found himself grabbing for his chest and doubled over in pain. He had been cut by an unseen entity and he was now bleeding.
Where Is Annabelle Now?
Annabelle has since been removed from the home, and now resides in a custom-made glass case, spiritually bound by a Catholic Priest’s binding prayer, in the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut. The doll has since seemed to stop moving around and has chosen to stay put, as the owners did not cast the demonic entity out of the doll. Because the demon was not cast out of the doll, Ed and Lorraine Warren have forbidden anyone from ever opening the glass case or touching the doll.
Demon-Possessed Dolls: Robert
The grandfather of Robert Eugene Otto bought his grandson, Robert (nicknamed Gene), a doll for his birthday from Germany in 1904. The Robert the Doll is a one-of-a-kind, handmade doll, seeming to be made in the likeness of his original owner, by the Steiff Company of Germany in 1904.
Gene would wake up in the middle of the night, screaming as a crash was heard. When his parents entered, it was always the same response, “Robert did it. It was Robert.” Gene reportedly blamed any misbehavior on Robert the Doll. It’s even reported that when Gene would speak to Robert, Robert would respond. Throughout the home, maniacal giggles could be heard coming from the doll.
Gene died in 1974, and his home, with Robert still there, was sold. These new owners reportedly heard footsteps coming from the attic room above them where Robert resided. Once, it’s reported that a plumber heard giggling behind him. When he turned, he found Robert had moved across the room on his own.
Malcolm Ross a Solares Hill Reporter’s Recount of Visiting Robert The Doll:
Malcolm Ross visited Robert and said:
“It was like a metal bar running down my back. At first, when we walked through the door, the look on his face was like a little boy being punished. It was as if he was asking himself, ‘Who are these people in my room and what are they going to do to me?’
When Malcolm Ross was told Robert’s back-story and the children’s furniture was pointed out to him, Malcolm noticed a change in the doll’s expression as if he was following the conversation. Robert’s expression changed once again when one of the men with there made a comment that Gene Otto must have been an old fool. Robert’s expression was now one of disdain.
“There was some kind of intelligence there. The doll was listening to us.”
From haunted houses to horror movies, we, as a people, have become obsessed with the supernatural, specifically possession. We see girls’ heads turn all the way around, people levitate, get telekinetic abilities all because of demon-possession, but are any of that even real? Is demon-possession real at all? Does the Bible validate the notion of people being possessed by demons and levitating or their head spinning all the way around?
If demon-possession is real, what does it look like? If we haven’t experienced something for ourselves, oftentimes, we find ourselves relying on what we’ve seen and what we’ve heard to understand a subject, even if the source is fiction. We see the words ‘based on a true story,’ and we automatically assume that every portrayal in that movie (or book) is accurate, but is that true? Is demon-possession just like in the movies?
What about Christians? If demon-possession is real, can Christians be demon-possessed? How can God live in us if we are possessed by an evil spirit? The two just seem to contradict. God can’t be where evil is. Right? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to answer these questions and more.
Luke 13:10-13 Mark 9:17-29 Matthew 11:4-6 John 9:1-7 John 5:2-9 1 Kings 18:28 Job 2:7-10 Genesis 12 Genesis 20 Mark 5:1-15 Acts 19:11-16 Acts 16:16-19 1 Samuel 28:8-14 Luke 13:16 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 Colossians 2:13-15 Isaiah 53:5-6
Demon-Possession: The Spirit of Infirmity
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
Luke 11:14-16
32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
Matthew 9:32-34
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28
Non-Demonic Infirmity
25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 5:25-34
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”
50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Mark 10:46-52
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Mark 1:40-45
1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:1-11
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
Matthew 9:27-31
Demon-Possession: Cutting and Self-Mutilation
1You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 14:1-2
28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:28
Demon-Possession: Violent and Supernatural Strength
9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
1 Samuel 19:9-10
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
Judges 9:22-26
Demon-Possession: The Spirit of The Occult
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.”
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.
2 Kings 21:1-7
9 When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
2 Kings 17:16-18
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.”
Daniel 4:4-9
Explanation:
Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, had a dream that troubled him deeply, so he went to his magicians and his enchanters, all those who were demon-possessed or filled by a Spirit of The Occult, but none of them could tell him his dream. Because of this, he had to go to Daniel because he knew that the Spirit of God rested upon and Daniel. So, if no one else could determine the meaning of the dream, he knew Daniel could because he knew Daniel’s God could.
During the time of Moses, Pharaoh also had demon-possessed men who were magicians able to imitate some of the works of God that Moses did. Exodus 7:10-12, “10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.”
Christians and Demon-Possession and Demonic Legalism
There is a Christian who used to dabble in the occult, but then she found Jesus and accepted His Salvation. She even was filled with the Holy Spirit, but the demonic realm still had a legal tie over her life because she didn’t cast out that demon. Here’s her story.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.”
Zechariah 3:1-7
Explanation:
This has to occur before the Final Judgment because Joshua has not yet been changed into his immortal, pure, perfect body. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). So, this has to before The Final Judgment, and yet, Satan, the Accuser, is accusing a Christian in the Courts of Heaven.
Satan The Accuser:
Satan is constantly accusing the Church, if all ties are broken the moment that you accept Salvation what is he accusing you of? 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” (Revelation 12:10)
Peter’s Warning To The Church:
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8-11)
Healing Is The Children’s Bread:
26 And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)
24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
The End Times and The Final Judgment were important topics during Jesus’ Ministry and after, during the Apostles’ ministries. Jesus, in fact, continuously warned the people of His time and ours about the dangers of sin and how it would separate us from God for all Eternity.
Jesus even went as far as to say that He would not only deny us before His Father if we deny Him before men but that He wouldn’t even know us if we chose to live in sin. But what does that mean that He never knew us? What about those who walked away from the Faith? Does that mean they were never truly saved? Join ArieRashelle as she searches The Scriptures to answer these questions in our latest video, I Never Knew You.
Matthew 7:21-23 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 2 Peter 2:20-22 Jeremiah 1:5
More “I Never Knew You” Verses
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33
10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with Him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us;
2 Timothy 2:10-12
24 Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’
Luke 13:24-27
10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with Him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But He answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
Revelation 9:5-6; 11
Imagine being on earth during those days when people will seek death, but death will flee from them. How do people not die? Who is this being that it can very well stop people from dying? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find out more about the ominous being whose name is also Apollyon in her video, Who is Abaddon?: The Angel of The Bottomless Pit.
1And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. 12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.
Often times, we hear that Christians need to keep their faith out of politics because politics has nothing to do with their faith. Is it possible to separate faith and politics? Should we, as Christians, vote based on our Christian beliefs? Or should we separate faith and politics? Join ArieRashelle as she digs into Scripture for answers in our latest video, Does The Law of The Land Matter?
How Do We Know If The Law of The Land Contradicts God’s Word?
First, we must know what the Word of God actually says. The only way to do that is by going to Church and spending time in the Word of God for ourselves. Paul tells us that it’s not just enough to go out and listen to someone preach. He tells us we need to take it a step further and go search the Scriptures to make sure that whatever they are teaching us lines up with the Word of God. “11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
The only way to know if laws are Godly or immoral is by knowing the difference between good and evil, which is only learned through Scripture. With that said, I understand that it can get confusing when it comes to certain laws and certain beliefs, as the Bible and its teachings are not as popular and easy-going as culture is today. See, culture is changing rapidly. It is straying, no, running farther and farther away from God. The problem with following culture, is that culture is continually changing and is different everywhere you go because the people are different and believe different things everywhere you go.
Different Cultures with Horrifying Practices:
For instance, in around 27 countries located in the sub-Saharan and North-east Africa, as well as a few Asian countries, including India, the practice of Female Genital Mutilation exists. In our culture, this sounds like an evil, wicked, and cruel practice, but these peoples that practice these rituals, to them it is just culture. For the past 700 years, the people of South Indiahave practiced religiously, I might add, the act of Baby Tossing. Every year, during the month of December, more than one hundred babies are thrown from the top of a Hindu Temple roof to a group of men standing below with a cloth intent on catching the babies. These aren’t the only cultural horrors of other countries and peoples; there are plenty more that include: eating the flesh of the dead, human sacrifice, finger amputation, feet/neck binding, and more. For a few more rituals, check out this website.
So, how can we hold to culture’s beliefs and culture’s truth, which is based on the premise that what we think is best, is best? We can’t hold to a continuously changing standard created by flawed men and women. No, instead we have to hold to the firm, established, perfect Word of God that is unchangeable. We have to believe that Jesus meant what He said in John 14:6, “I am The Way, and The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
According to Scripture, the Joy of The LORD is our strength. It builds us up and refreshes our soul. It gives us faith and hope. It helps us overcome spiritual and physical obstacles set before us. But what is it? What is the Joy of The LORD? And how do we get the Joy of the LORD? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for Truth in our video, What Is The Joy of The LORD?
Nehemiah 8:10 Luke 2:10 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 Hebrews 10:32-39 Luke 8:15 John 15:8-11 Romans 12:2 John 17:13 John 16:20-24 1 Chronicles 16:27 Revelation 21:3-4 James 4:7-10 James 1:2-8
What Is The Joy of The LORD?
The Joy of The LORD is our Strength
10 Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’
Nehemiah 8:10
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalms 16:10-11
5 His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. 6 For You make him most blessed forever; You make him glad with the joy of Your presence. 7 For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
“I think God would want me to be happy” is a common response in today’s Church whenever we’re being spiritually corrected. But is that a fair statement? Does God want us to be happy? It would seem only right that God would want us to be happy and enjoy life to the fullest, but is that what God really wants for our lives? Is the Joy of the LORD the same as happiness? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the Truth in our video, Does God Want Me To Be Happy?
Revelation 20:11-15 Matthew 18:7-9 Matthew 26:40-41 John 21:15-19 Romans 7:14-25 Psalms 37:3-4 1 Samuel 13:14
Does God Want Me To Be Happy?
How to Have Joy
Oftentimes, we fall into this trap because we have been told that God loves everyone and just wants us to have the best. That statement in itself is true, but the problem with that statement is that we base ‘love’ and ‘best’ on cultural standards instead of Biblical standards. According to Biblical standards, God’s desire for us is to have life and life more abundantly. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be a millionaire because that’s living life more abundantly, and let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with being a millionaire; that’s just not what God was promising.
Having life and life more abundantly had nothing to do with material things; instead, it was about living without the chains of sin, shame, anger, depression, anxiety, etc. God’s promise was FREEDOM. Freedom from the chains and strongholds of this world. And happiness is one of the biggest strongholds of this world. If we stop chasing happiness, then we can start chasing freedom. Then and only then will be filled with The Joy of The LORD. And the Joy of The LORD, that is our strength. God doesn’t want us happy, He wants us filled with His joy because happiness doesn’t lead to freedom.
The world seems to be falling straight into the trap prophesied by Paul 2,000 years ago. Even though the world seems to be hopeless, he still implores us to continue to not grow weary of doing good. But why? Join ArieRashelle as she explains why we must continue to do good, even though everything seems hopeless, in our latest video, I Will Give You Rest, But When?
Galatians 6:7-10 2 Thessalonians 3:13 Matthew 11:28-30 Hebrews 12:1-3 Matthew 11:29-30 John 16:33 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 Revelation 21:3-4
Jesus promised that He would give us rest. He gave us this promise over 2,000 years ago, yet we’re still running a race, according to Paul. So when will we have this rest? Paul even goes on to write to Timothy that difficult times are up ahead.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:8-10
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Don’t grow weary of doing good, for every good seed you are planting today will bear fruit tomorrow.
More Verses on When God Will Give Us Rest
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as He has said,
“As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:1-3
45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
Matthew 26:45
Now is not the time for rest. Now is the time for spiritual warfare. Yes, Jesus is on His throne. Yes, Jesus has overcome the world, but we still have work to do. We still have to fight our loved ones. We still have to fight for the lost. Look at what Jesus says,
“4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:4-5
Jesus lives in and through every Christ-Following Christian. As long as there are Christians on this earth, there is light. As long as there is light, there is day. Therefore, we must work while we can. Jesus is coming back soon, and when He does, there will no longer be time for anyone to work. When Jesus comes back, He is taking His bride with Him into their Eternal Rest. Will you be one of them?
