Tag: Be Aware of Spiritual Warfare

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Should I?

“7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 And David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?’ He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.’” ~ 1 Samuel 30:7-8

Everything that King David did, he first asked God if it was what He wanted. When his family was taken by the Amalekites, which included all of his wives and children, and he saw the entire city of Ziklag (where they were staying) burned to the ground, first, he encouraged himself in the LORD. Then he asked God if he could pursue the Amalekites.

The majority of us would think that that is a no brainer, of course, pursue. You’re a strong warrior of God. You’ve won many, many battles, go pursue the Amalekites and save your family and your men’s families, but King David knew God’s plan was best. King David knew what it was like to follow his own heart and his own desires. He knew what it was like to lose someone he loved because he followed his own desires instead of following God’s plan.

When it came to something that seemed right for King David to do, he still waited for God’s okay. King David wanted to build the Temple; the Prophet Nathan even told him it was a good idea.

1Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.’ 2 And Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’ 3 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 4 ‘Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in.’

1 Chronicles 17:1-4

Imagine if King David began building the Temple after Nathan gave him the okay. He would have been outside of the will of God. But it seems as if he waited for a yes from God Himself because he didn’t go straight into building after Nathan’s yes. What would be the reason for that, other than waiting on God?

Things may seem like a given. Like God should want you to do it, but it may not be for you. Building The Temple seemed like a good idea, but it wasn’t for King David. It was for King Solomon. Saving his family seemed like a given. Why even question it? Because King David knew what it was like to be outside of The Will of God, and he didn’t want to feel that again. Things aren’t always what they seem. The Bible says to test the Spirits, so test them and see if your desires and new thoughts match the will of God.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ask, Should I?

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Build Your Wall

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” ~ Proverbs 25:28

You are the city, and self-control is your walls. If you don’t have self-control, sin can come in and overcome you at any time. Without walls, you will become a slave to sin. See, we have to build up walls by learning, memorizing, and using Scripture. We PHYSICALLY speak verses over our lives to set up SPIRITUAL walls around us.

9 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10 You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!”

Job 1:9-10 NLT

According to verses 4 and 5 of that same chapter, Job would get up early in the morning and sacrifice on behalf of his children just in case they had sinned against God. If Job did this on behalf of his children, we can assume he made sacrifices on behalf of himself as well. Remember what Satan said about Job? ‘You have always put a wall of protection around and his and his property.’ This didn’t just happen because God liked Job; Job did a physical act to see a spiritual outcome.

We have to start speaking over our children’s lives. We have to start building up walls around ourselves, our family, and our property just as Job did. Building up walls won’t happen overnight. Building up self-control won’t happen overnight, but brick by brick you will build a sturdy wall that will be able to keep out the sin that’s trying to enslave you. You will build up a wall of protection around your children. You will build up a wall of protection around all that you have.

It won’t be easy, but it is possible to overcome every obstacle set before us because we have the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. We can overcome because Jesus first overcame, and when He left, He sent The Spirit to be our Helper. We don’t have bricks of stone to build our walls, but instead, we have Scripture as our bricks.

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.

Hebrews 4:12

So don’t be defeated; anyone can gain self-control. Start speaking the Word of God over your life. Over your spouse’s life. Over your children’s lives. Over your home. Over your business. Build up an impenetrable wall around you and your family and all that you own so that when the day of temptation comes (and it will come), you will have a strong defense so that you may not be overcome.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Build Your Wall.

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Look Away

“13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:13

As Christians, we see the world and everything that we cannot do. Sometimes we look at them in envy. We look and see their grass, and we believe that it’s greener than ours. They seem to be more successful. Life seems easier. More tolerant. More likable. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; sometimes, that’s the Devil tricking you. Playing on all your flesh desires. Whispering in your ear, showing you all that you don’t have and will never have.

As Christians, we are under constant Spiritual Attack. Paul writes, “do not grow weary of doing good.” In other words, don’t grow tired or bored of following Jesus. Of being the good Christian. Of turning the other cheek. Of living a morally sound life. Don’t get tired of it. They may seem like their enjoying life now, but this life is only temporary. What they have now, they can’t take with them to Eternity. Look towards eternity, for your reward is great. This life and its troubles won’t last forever. Look towards eternity. Build up treasure for yourself in Heaven, for where your treasure is, so your heart is also.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look Away From Their Grass.

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The Sign of The First Christmas

“14 Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” ~ Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah told king Ahaz to ask the LORD for a sign. Any sign he wanted would have been done for him to see that the LORD God was going to deliver Judah out of the hands of the king of Syria and the king of Israel. But king Ahaz said no thank you, I will not ask. How often do we get the opportunity to ask for something, but we don’t, for whatever reason, and we miss out on a blessing? James said in his epistle that we have not because we ask not.

I remember many years ago, we were doing a 21-day fast, and we had maybe about 21 people participating. One night while praying and worshiping with everyone, I felt like the LORD was saying, ask me for anything you want. So, I told everyone there what I felt. I am not sure if anyone there asked. I was so caught in the moment; I never did ask for anything.

Ahaz, on the other hand, sounded so pious when he said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” But Ahaz was into idol worship and didn’t want to give them up because he rathered relying on the king of Assyria, whose gods he was worshiping. But this is what James said, “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask:” (James 3:2).

But, God said, you know what, I’m going to give you a sign anyway because this sign is not for you alone, but for all people past, present, and future. What seems like an impossible task is what brought us salvation, for what is impossible with man is possible with God. This Christmas, put all doubt aside, cancel all reservations, and put the LORD God to the test and ask.

Heavenly Father, give Your people the confidence to approach your throne of grace with confidence and boldness that they may ask, claiming the promises You have promised us. And when we ask, please hear, and when You hear, please answer. Thank you for the sign of the first Christmas. We accept Your salvation, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Prevail With God

“19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.” ~ Jeremiah 1:19

God never says that trouble won’t come. He never says that the enemy won’t strike, but instead God promises the enemy won’t prevail over us because God is with us, and He will deliver us from all attacks of the enemy. The enemy may not leave right away, but when we add the worship aspect, as Jesus did, He feels, for God is enthroned on the praises of His people.

Don’t give up when struggles and temptations show up because you will be able to overcome through the blood of the Lamb, the Holy Spirit, and your testimony. God never sends you out into battle alone, so don’t run out into combat without back up. No war and no battle is won with just one person, and spiritual battle is no different. Fight the good fight.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prevail With God.

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The God-Factor

“He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.’” ~ 2 Chronicles 32:6-7

Judah was being threatened by Assyria, and yes they were the leading world power. Yes they had a large, mighty, experienced, and well-funded army. But Hezekiah reminded them of the God-factor. And today, you may be facing your Assyria. Maybe you’re being bullied at work or at school. Maybe it is a health issue or a problem only God knows about, and it’s overwhelming.

Or maybe you just need to be reminded this morning of the greater power that dwells in you. For greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. Don’t be afraid you are an overcomer because you are a child of God. Be strong; you can do all things because Christ strengthens you. You are blessed and highly favored, because you are a creation and child of God.

Heavenly Father, pour out Your love today on Your people. Encourage hearts and strengthen minds. We are Your people and the sheep of Your pastures. Cover and provide for each household that reads and believes this message this morning. In the name of Jesus, amen.

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Stand In The Gap

“19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off from it man and beast, 20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.” ~ Ezekiel 14:19-20

Often, we have this idea that we can save our loved ones if we’re good enough. If we can just do enough good and love God enough, our loved ones can enter in on our good name. But they can’t. We each have to give an account for our own lives, not the lives of someone else. Not even Noah, Daniel, or Job could deliver someone else from their own fate.

Just as we can’t win a race for someone else, we can’t receive Salvation for them either. All we can do is stand in the gap. Intercede on their behalf as Moses did. Teach them the ways of righteousness, as Abraham did. Be an example of righteousness and faith as Daniel was. Take the good and the bad as Job did. Preach the Truth, even if no one listens, just as Noah did. We may not be able to deliver someone else from their fate, but we can show them another way and pray that they follow it.

Stand in the gap for your loved ones. Be an example for them. And maybe they will be able to stand for themselves on the Day of Judgment without fear because they have been saved.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Stand In The Gap.

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Seek Him and Wait

“25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.” ~ Lamentations 3:25

Sometimes we look to the LORD for a short while, and when nothing happens when we want them to or expect them to, we get upset. We give up. And we turn away. We expect God to do things immediately the very first time we speak to Him or ask something of Him. We treat God like a genie in a bottle meant to give us our wishes as we ask them. But God is so much more, and He desires so much more. He wants you to seek Him, not for what He can give you, but for Him.

He desires a relationship with you. From the garden, He desired a relationship with us. He would come down from His throne and walk and talk with Adam and Eve. He doesn’t come on our time, but He comes when the timing is perfect. If we would only wait for Him and seek a relationship with Him diligently, we would see things begin to happen. We would see doors opened that were once closed. Miracles take place. Prayers answered. When we seek God first, He will then give us the desires of our hearts.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Wait For Him.

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Sow Into Jesus

“15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” ~ John 14:15-17

We often don’t quote all of these verses together. We often forget the first part, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” We have to first love Jesus. How do we do that? We keep His commandments. That means we resist temptation, strive to live a life mirroring Jesus’, share the gospel with the lost sheep, and live exemplary lives. We don’t just choose the verses we want and ignore the ones we don’t. We hold all scripture as God-breathed, then, and only then, will we receive The Helper. The Holy Spirit.

Through Him, we will be able to overcome any obstacle. When we don’t know what to pray, He intercedes on our behalf. When we don’t know what to say, He speaks for us. The Holy Spirit guides us, teaches us, and protects us. But the only way to reap the benefits of The Spirit is by sowing into Jesus.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Sow Into Jesus.

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You Have Overcome

“4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” ~ 1 John 4:4

John said we have overcome because we are from God, with the Spirit of God living inside of us, and there is no power on earth that can match. Do you need power to overcome? There is power in the blood. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior, you are empowered with the Holy Spirit. No matter what obstacle stands in your way, or what sin is keeping you in chains, you can overcome with the help of God, for you are not alone. Jesus overcame so we shall overcome as well.

Our Father, help us to forsake the wrong and choose the right. Teach us how to connect with your power so that we can indeed overcome, for there is forgiveness, healing, peace, and joy in your presence. Help us to receive today. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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