What is spiritual warfare? We hear a lot of talk about it, but what is it? How is it done. Spiritual warfare, to put it simply is doing battle with spiritual forces in prayer and fasting.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Now these passages make it clear that there are forces that war against the saints of the Most High God. These forces are not imaginary and are not weak. They are patient and it is their intention to wear out the saints through continuous aggravation and problems.
Daniel 7: 25
25And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
This reference in Daniel refers to the Anti-Christ who is to come. However, it is conceivable to believe that our Adversary, the devil, already has plans to wear out the saints of the most High. He does this by bringing difficulties into our life which never seem to end. It is our responsibility as servants of the most High to take on the whole armor of God and stand fast in whatever situation we find ourselves. This is not easy to do. There are times when it seems that God cannot be found. However, that does not mean that He is far away. It means that He is giving us an opportunity to demonstrate our faith and trust that He means exactly what He says, and that we believe deep in our souls that His promises are true and will never fail.
God loves you. He is faithful and just. We must be willing to stand firm in the face of every trial that comes our way. Remember His promises. Not one of them will fail.
God Bless
Many people are conflicted about their spirituality. Spiritual Truths From a Layman's Point of View offers insight about Christian Living, prayer, the Holy Spirit and other spiritual truths from a Pentecostal perspective.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
God Loves You
God loves you. He understands the difficulties your life holds.
Hebrews 4:15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. KJV
Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to earth with one purpose. He was born to be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. He was perfect in every way and yet he took on the sin of the whole world. I know this is a difficult concept to understand. The question arises...why are we sinners? From the moment that Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, the human race has been under the curse of sin.
There is nothing you will ever do to make yourself good enough to escape sin. Overcoming sin is not about becoming good or doing good works. If that were the case many would be ok because many people live good lives. Unfortunately, none of us are good enough, righteous enough, or holy enough within ourselves. There is only one way to overcome sin and that is through a blood sacrifice. The Hebrews served YHWH in the old testament and offered the sacrifice of goats, bulls, and lambs for the different types of sacrifice offerings. Even these offerings were not enough. Their sins were never forgiven. They were postponed for a year when they would return to make new sacrifices and hope they would have another year without sin. These people died without ever receiving the full forgiveness of their sins. When Jesus Christ died he preached to these people and gave them the offer of eternal life. Then and only then was their sin finally forgiven. We are blessed today to have the understanding of who Jesus is and how great the sacrifice he made for us. Come to him today. Repent of your sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the Holy Ghost. You will never regret it and you will never be the same.
Hebrews 4:15
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. KJV
Hebrews 4:15 (New International Version)
15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to earth with one purpose. He was born to be the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world. He was perfect in every way and yet he took on the sin of the whole world. I know this is a difficult concept to understand. The question arises...why are we sinners? From the moment that Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, the human race has been under the curse of sin.
There is nothing you will ever do to make yourself good enough to escape sin. Overcoming sin is not about becoming good or doing good works. If that were the case many would be ok because many people live good lives. Unfortunately, none of us are good enough, righteous enough, or holy enough within ourselves. There is only one way to overcome sin and that is through a blood sacrifice. The Hebrews served YHWH in the old testament and offered the sacrifice of goats, bulls, and lambs for the different types of sacrifice offerings. Even these offerings were not enough. Their sins were never forgiven. They were postponed for a year when they would return to make new sacrifices and hope they would have another year without sin. These people died without ever receiving the full forgiveness of their sins. When Jesus Christ died he preached to these people and gave them the offer of eternal life. Then and only then was their sin finally forgiven. We are blessed today to have the understanding of who Jesus is and how great the sacrifice he made for us. Come to him today. Repent of your sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and receive the Holy Ghost. You will never regret it and you will never be the same.
Friday, April 18, 2008
What is My Adversary Up To Today?
I have been thinking a lot about my Adversary today. It seems that just when you get a breathing space, he comes at you from another direction. Satan and his fallen angels are busy stirring up trouble for the human race. He has been in my path lately!
1 Peter 5:7-9 (New International Version)
7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
When my enemy targets my life I go to my Friend Jesus Christ. He wants me to cast all my cares on him. He is willing and ready to stand between me and my Adversary.
Father, protect me when my enemy comes against me to destroy my life and my soul. Bring peace to my life and comfort to my heart. You are the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and there is none like you. I love you and adore you, my King. Be with me in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
God is Faithful
I usually read the King James Version of the Bible, but I thought you might like to read Psalms 27 in a new version I discovered called (The Message) on www.biblegateway.com. It is in plain English and seems like someone you might know is talking. God loves you and is steadfast. He will never leave you alone. No matter what heart break you are suffering, God will be right by your side if you let him.
Psalm 27 (The Message)
Psalm 27
A David Psalm
1 Light, space, zest— that's God!So, with him on my side I'm fearless,
afraid of no one and nothing.
2 When vandal hordes ride down
ready to eat me alive,
Those bullies and toughs
fall flat on their faces.
3 When besieged,
I'm calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I'm collected and cool.
4 I'm asking God for one thing,
only one thing:
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate his beauty;
I'll study at his feet.
5 That's the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.
6 God holds me head and shoulders
above all who try to pull me down.
I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
that will raise the roof!
Already I'm singing God-songs;
I'm making music to God.
7-9 Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:
"Be good to me! Answer me!"
When my heart whispered, "Seek God,"
my whole being replied,
"I'm seeking him!"
Don't hide from me now!
9-10 You've always been right there for me;
don't turn your back on me now.
Don't throw me out, don't abandon me;
you've always kept the door open.
My father and mother walked out and left me,
but God took me in.
11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
direct me along a well-lighted street;
show my enemies whose side you're on.
Don't throw me to the dogs,
those liars who are out to get me,
filling the air with their threats.
13-14 I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness
in the exuberant earth.
Stay with God!
Take heart. Don't quit.
I'll say it again:
Stay with God.
____________________________________________________________________
God loves you more than you can imagine. His love never fails. He wants to know you better.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Who is the Restorer of Souls?
We spend a lot of money and time restoring things we have. Some of you would spend everything you have to restore that classic car in your garage. Others restore antiques and re-upholster furniture. Recently I have given a lot of thought to having my soul restored. I have read the 23rd Psalm hundreds of times.
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
When life gets the best of you and your heart is sore, look to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to restore your soul. He will comfort every agony of your heart and lead you in the way to go if you will let him. God can give you a new heart that will be stronger and help you through the dark places in your life. Let him restore your soul!
Praise the Lord, O My Soul!
Psalm 146
1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.
New International Version
No help is greater, no love is deeper. There is none greater than the Lord God Almighty. Life and death is in his hand. Learning to worship and praise the Lord is the greatest knowledge. To the born again child of God it is the beginning of wisdom . Always remember that the spirit of the Lord dwells in the praises of his people.
Do you need comfort? Praise him! Do you need strength? Praise him! Do you need a friend? Praise him! Whatever your need you will find in the praises of the Lord. He comes close to those who know him and draw close to him.
Where Do I Get My Strength?
Psalm 121
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
When I think of the dark days in my life I always think of this Psalm. In my darkest moments I always knew that the Lord would never leave me nor forsake me. It is a promise. God does not always work things out in the way that we expect him to do, but everything he does is for our betterment. I do not know why God loves us so much. It is more than I can understand. But this one thing I know, He does love you and care for you.
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