The High Maintenance Missionary and The Frontal Assault

I'm using the photo of the empty tomb today because it's a symbol of the resurrection power available to us. When Jesus arose, He conquered sin and death. He defeated the enemy of our soul. 

When He ascended into heaven, He made it perfectly clear. That same resurrection power is available to us.

"All authority is given to me... I am with you..." (Matthew 28:19-20) 

"Anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." (John 14:12)

He's with us. We can access His power. That's the truth in which we're supposed to live.

Paul also shared some truth that highlights how much we need Jesus' resurrection power. Ephesians 6 tells us, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

The struggle is real. The power against which we battle is strong. 

BUT CHRIST... 

He has all the power we need to defeat this dreadful foe. We simply need to don our armor, stand firm, and use our only offensive weapon, which is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. 

I've had to remind myself of this truth over the last two days. As you probably know, if you've been reading my blog, I'll soon be leaving for the Middle East, where I'll be encouraging the remnant of the church and praying God breathes life back into the fading embers of faith that remain. I believe He will. I also believe He will use it to help trigger worldwide revival.

I knew, when I started speaking this out loud, that the enemy of our soul wouldn't be happy. I'm not surprised that crazy things, seemingly designed to stop the progress of the plan, have begun to happen. 

In case this ever happens to you (which I kinda hope you will experience, because that will mean you're doing something useful in the kingdom of God), here's what you do.

Mentally put on the girdle of truth, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of peace. Pick up the shield of faith and hold it in front of you. When you do, the fiery darts of the enemy will bounce off.

Here's how that looks for me right now: I'm positive that I'm supposed to do this, and I'm doing it if I have to crawl to the plane and crawl off again. I'm going. 

Determining to persevere is critical. 

Once that decision is made, it doesn't matter what tactics the enemy uses. I'm still going. I've thought through all the things that could happen, and determined that I can press on anyway.

The safest place for a warrior is in the midst of the battle, not looking off the housetop. King David's experience with Bathsheba taught us that. 

Armor, though, is only for defense. 

If we want the fiery darts to stop, we have to use our only offensive weapon, which is the Word of God. 

Speak aloud all the verses you've memorized. Say them with conviction. Claim them for yourself. Wield your sword.

Look up and read aloud all the verses that relate to your particular battle. Today, I'm reading and speaking the verses about health, because that's the kind of battle those who are participating in the upcoming trip are experiencing (including me).

It's pretty simple. We have an offensive weapon, but we seldom use it to great effectiveness. Why not? I'm afraid it's because don't know the word of God well enough to wield it like a sword. It's why I stress Bible study so much. You can't use what you don't know.

If you're going through a fiery dart, all-out-assault time, it's certainly wise to don your armor. If you want to win the battle, rather than merely outlast it, you will have to use the Sword Of God, which is His Word.

Today, use a concordance or Google if you need help finding useful verses, but start praying Scripture. 

Claim what you read. Live what you know.

If you don't need warfare verses, I certainly do, so spend a little time praying for me and the upcoming mission. (Even if you do need warfare verses, please pray at least one of them my way.) 

We don't have to live under siege. 

We can stop the fiery darts with our shield of faith. We can stop the dart-thrower, at least temporarily, with our Sword.

Warriors, take your places. Don your armor. Hold your shield. Slash away with your sword. We face a real foe, but a defeated one. 

Choose to live in victory.

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If you've been touched or encouraged by this post, please share it. Your likes and shares, offered as a kind of digital mission work, greatly increase our reach.

In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: The High Maintenance Missionary 

This ministry is so much more than a blog. Speaking. Teaching. Hands-on outreach. Connecting with and encouraging missionaries around the world. It's only possible because of the generosity of your support. 

Together, we're making progress, but help is still needed. (I don't get a salary until this ministry is funded) If God has called you to help, here's the link to give your tax-deductible donations: Global Outreach Acct 4841 or you can mail your  check or money order to:
Global Outreach/ PO Box 1, Tupelo MS 38802. Be sure to put Account 4841 in the "for" line.
#prayer 

                

The All-Important IF

Spiritual warfare, and the tactics of the enemy of our souls, has been on my mind a lot lately. This ministry of intercession and recruiting people to pray is one that the devil particularly dislikes, so it's a frequent target.

This morning, I read the account of the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4. You probably know this passage. Jesus had just completed forty days of prayer and fasting in the wilderness. The devil came to him three times with temptations. Every one of the temptations began with the taunt "IF". If you're the Son of God.

I hadn't thought much about that word until today, when I finally realized that there was no "if" in the equation. Jesus knew He was the Son of God. So did the devil. 

The enemy was simply taunting Jesus by questioning the truth they both knew. In a way, he was saying to Jesus, "How sure are you?"

It's the same tactic he uses with us. If you've been made free from ... prove it by... If you're a child of God... If you have authority... 

Jesus, however, has already countered the attack. "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36) "If any man is in Christ, He is a new creature." (2 Cor. 5:17) "Behold, I have given you authority over... all the power of the enemy..."(Luke 10:19)

The enemy may stand against us, our faith, and our work, but, IF the words of Christ are true, the enemy can only have victory if we concede defeat in a battle that Jesus has already won.

Our victory in battles of spiritual warfare depends on how well we know the words of Christ and how certain we are of their veracity.

If the words are Christ are true... and they are, we can stake our lives (and all our battles) on that truth. He died, was buried, and rose again to defeat sin and death. To conquer the grave. To deliver the fatal, crushing blow to the head of the serpent, the enemy of our soul. 

We serve a victorious king and we have a defeated enemy.

No matter what lies he whispers today, let's resist. Stand firm. Remember Whose we are and Who has won the victory. Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Battles will come. Struggles are inevitable. Defeat is entirely optional. We have a conquering King and we fight, not in our own power, but in His. 

"Take heart. I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

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In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: Breaking the Burn Ban and Taming the Fire of Hell
Other posts you may have missed: A Month of Gratitude: The One Who Always Keeps His Promises and When Good Comes From Evil

#warfare #spiritualwarfare 

Demolishing Strongholds and Choosing to Be Free

I'm sick of the devil and all his schemes.

The issue of spiritual warfare has been on my mind a lot lately. I've finally come to a conclusion that I should have reached a long time ago. 

I don't have to put up with his tactics.

According to Scripture, our enemy, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) There have been a fair number of days recently when I've thought the one he wanted to devour was me, and I don't appreciate it.

Last night, I read a couple of verses in 2 Corinthians that have left me wondering why I've tolerated his schemes so long. 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 nasb)

Read that verse again and let it soak in. 

This business of good versus evil is war, but we aren't powerless. We're equipped to fight. The weapon we have is "divinely powerful". That means it's the most powerful weapon imaginable, because it has the power of God in it. 

This weapon does not just have a little power. It's powerful enough to utterly destroy the fortresses the enemy has claimed.

Does he have a stronghold in my life? We have a weapon that can shatter and destroy that stronghold.

Does he have a stronghold in the lives of our loved ones? We have a weapon that can shatter and destroy that stronghold.

Does he have a stronghold in our nation? We have a weapon that can shatter and destroy that stronghold, too.

What, you may be asking, is this divine nuclear weapon?

Ephesians 6 tells us God has given us only one offensive weapon in the fight against the forces of darkness. It's the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

The word of God can demolish all the lies the enemy whispers, all the tricks our enemy tries, all the strongholds the enemy claims.

Waving the Bible will not get the job done. We need to study the Bible in order to understand it and to know how to use it. Then, we need to do exactly what it says.

When Scripture says to take every thought captive, we must take our thoughts captive. 

When Scripture says to forgive, we have to forgive.

When it says to love the unlovely, we have to love.

The enemy will tell us it's too hard. Too terrible. But it's not. Forgiveness benefits us. Love benefits us. Even taking our thoughts captive benefits us. And when we do it, it will be worth it. As hard as it may be to believe (and to do), when we obey, we'll like the result.

If you're suffering under the schemes of the enemy, stop cowering. 

Stand up and fight. 

Use the Sword of the Spirit that God has already placed in your hand. Learn Scripture. Speak it aloud. Claim it. Obey it. 

We have an enemy, but we can be free. If we will. 

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Craving Miracle Bread
Here's the link for Tuesday's post: The Water Walker in the Night 
#warfare #SwordoftheSpirit

Three Reasons We Don't Have to Fear Spiritual Warfare

"It's spiritual warfare."

Those words used to send chills through me. I'm not sure what I expected the devil to do, but I imagined him in a long, black cape that swirled around his feet as he walked, rugged face that could be charming in an instant, with dry-ice-style smoke billowing at his feet. I imagined him, arm outstretched, finger pointed my way, making a slashing motion and roaring, "Take her down."

There's not much that's Biblical about my Hollywood-inspired devil fantasy. 

What I've come to understand is that there is a spiritual battle being waged constantly. Evil against good. Satan against Jehovah God. 

In the end, our God wins because our God has all the power, all the wisdom, all the authority, all the control. Satan has a little power for a brief season. It's nothing compared to God's. (Revelation tells us this in vivid detail.)

I try to remember that.

Here's what I know from Scripture. Our God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He controls life and death. Our enemy is not. 

God knows all, hears all, sees all, and is present everywhere, all at once. Our enemy prowls about like a roaring lion, (1 Peter 5:8) but he's not everywhere all the time. He can't hear our thoughts. 

If we want to resist with Scripture (as Jesus did in the desert temptation described in Luke 4), we have to speak it aloud.  

He has plenty of demon help to harass us far too often, and those demonic forces have a powerful hierarchy. (Ephesians 6) They have areas over which they are responsible, but their authority is not God-given. It's devil-given. They can hurt us and the ones we love, but they cannot take a life. God knows the days of our lives (Psalm 139:16), and that cannot be changed by warfare.

Instead, as believers, WE have the authority over demonic forces, and it has been given by the One who rules the universe and keeps the constellations in their place. (Luke 10:19, Matthew 16:19) We may be defeated in a few skirmishes, but we don't have to be. 

We have authority over our enemy.

Satan always opposes the work of God. If we're doing God's work, he will oppose our efforts. If we encounter no opposition, we need to consider how well we're doing the thing to which God has called us. It's that simple.

The enemy works first on our mind, whispering lies into our heads. If we don't take every thought captive, we can be easily defeated by those lies. (2 Corinthians 10:5) I know, because he's defeated me with lies more than once.

If we do take every thought captive, keeping our minds stayed on Christ, opposition will come in many other forms. Our enemy is creative in his efforts, and it's easy to get frustrated. When I remember that those efforts are borne of desperation, it's a little easier to withstand.

I recently encountered a surge of what I considered warfare. Multiple aggravations all designed to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) It has taken years to get to this point, but I actually found the opposition reassuring, knowing that I must be on the right track for the enemy to work so hard against me. (That's a radical change from a few years ago, and I thank God for it.)

My response to spiritual warfare is no longer to cower, because God hasn't given us a spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)  Instead, my response is to work harder for the Lord.

Ephesians 6 explains that we have powerful armor for fighting spiritual battles. Girdle (or belt) of truth, breastplate of righteousness, boots of gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:11 tells us that we are to put on ALL our armor so that we can stand firm. If we put on everything except our sword, we are still in a vulnerable position. 

God's Word is our only offensive weapon. If we don't study the Bible and know it well enough to use it when we need it, we'll be powerless in a spiritual battle. We may stand, but we won't be able to fight.

Knowing God's Word is not optional for His warriors.

Either God has all authority or He doesn't. I believe He does. 

Either He has given us authority in Christ over the forces or darkness, or He hasn't. I believe (because of Scripture) that He has. 

Either our armor can protect us or it can't. Scripture says it can, and I believe that. 

Our response to spiritual warfare is based largely on our faith and our knowledge. Do we know what God has said and do we believe it?

There's another important point that's often overlooked. Vulnerability. When I'm tired or hungry, I'm most vulnerable to the enemy's advance. If I am already indulging sin (especially in the form of wrong attitudes), I become a much easier target. 

When God says we need to care for our bodies, which are temples of God, He speaks with our protection in mind. 

A well-maintained fortress is a more impregnable one.

As we work for the Kingdom of God, opposition will come from our enemy, the evil one, but we don't have to be afraid. Our Lord has both power and authority over everything in heaven and on earth, He has given us authority over the attack, and He has given us all the equipment we need to win our battles.

The question for today is will we stand in the face of evil? Will we fight to serve our Lord? Will we hold firm against temptation?
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In case you missed the story of Sam's project, here's the link: Sam's Project: Rubber Boots for Barefoot Rwandan Children
If you'd like to give to help buy boots for the barefoot school children of Rwandan, you can go directly to the project page here: Help Sam's Kids. There's still a LONG way to go. I'll have an update later this morning.

In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: What Do You Seek When You Follow Jesus?
#Christian #armorofGod

Spiritual Warfare: The Warring Horn Vision and the Ultimate Victory

Most of us know the story of Daniel. He was one of the Jewish exiles carried to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. He turned down the fancy food to have plain vegetables and water. He and his friends thrived on the simple fare.

The rest of Daniel's life was lived in that simple but faithful way, and God honored him for it. God spoke to him through dreams and visions.

One night, Daniel had a particularly terrifying vision filled with beasts and horns and arising kings and the flaming throne of God. There was one king that waged war against the saints of God and steadily overpowered them. 

It was a discouraging, frightening vision of things to come. What did it mean? Daniel wanted to know, so God sent him an interpretation that included these beautiful verses:

"But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 

Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Holy One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him." Daniel 7:26-27 nasb

There's a fair amount of spiritual warfare in this job of "Director of Intercessory Prayer and Outreach". The dread of it threatened to keep me from doing what God had called me to do. I've experienced "warfare" (as described in Ephesians 6) many times, and I don't care for it. I didn't want to do it again.

The enemy of our souls does not want us to pray and he'll do whatever he can to stop us. He especially does not want us to talk to our Lord about helping those on the front lines of evangelism, about spreading the light of the gospel in the darkest places on earth. 

Those are the kind of prayers God loves and answers. Those are among the requests that move God's heart. Our enemy knows that, and works steadily against them.

But God.

God knows all about our enemy, and He maintains dominion, even over the evil one. He uses the warfare waged against us to strengthen us and draw us ever closer to Him. 

It's not wasted. 

One day, God will put an end to our enemy's reign on earth. He will end the dominion of evil, and annihilate it forever. 

That's what Daniel saw. The war was terrible. The beasts were terrifying. The lead up was awful. The end of evil, however, was so glorious that all that went before was worth it.

If you're facing a spiritual battle (and who among us is not?), take heart. 

God sees.

God knows.

At just the right time, in just the right way, God will intervene.

There will come a time when all pain, and suffering, and evil pass away. There will come a time when the enemy's dominion is annihilated forever.

Once, the evil one seemed to have won the victory. For three long, terrifying days, he probably gloated. One early morning, though, the tomb was opened and Christ arose. He conquered sin and death. He defeated the enemy.

We serve a risen Savior.

We serve a conquering King.

We serve a victorious Lord.

So no matter what we face today, let's remember Who we serve. 

Our enemy will fight against us, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Knowing that, we cling to Him. Take our needs to Him. Rest in the assurance that God is on the throne. And He always will be.

No matter what we face, He will never leave us or forsake us. He is still God.
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photo above is of the traditional tomb of Jesus that now stands empty, a reminder of His great victory.
In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Wading in the Deep Water


Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List 


Here's the link to my Global Outreach page: Leanna Hollis MD
#Jesus

When Our Enemies Flee

The king of the Ammonites had died. David sent a delegation of men to the funeral because the king had previously done a kindness for him. The advisors of the deceased king's son accused the men of being spies. 

The son believe the lies and treated David's men badly. He cut their clothes off short and cut their beards. It was disgraceful conduct. David was, needless to say, upset.

The Ammonites took it one step further. Since David was so upset, they decided to attack him before he could attack them. They hired extra soldiers and gathered outside the gate of Jerusalem. 

If I were going to do what they did, I'd never have gathered to attack in the first place, but there's no accounting for some people's choices.

With multiple armies outside the gates, David sent his army out, too. The hired Arameans saw the army and fled. The Ammonites saw the Arameans running, so they fled, too. 

That fleeing seemed remarkable to me, so I checked the Hebrew. Newc is the word translated as "fled" and it does, indeed, mean they turned and ran.

As I've read through the exploits of the armies of Israel recently, I've been surprised by how often the army showed up to do battle only to have their opponent flee.

In 2 Samuel 5, the Philistines heard the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees and fled. I read that and wondered what kind of army they thought marched in trees instead of on the ground.

In 2 Kings 7, the same thing happened. The Aramean army showed up, but left in the middle of the night because they heard the marching of a mighty army.

I wonder how different this nation would be if we understood that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) 

How often would the enemy of our soul flee before us if we simply showed up for battle, dressed in our full suit of armor, instead of cowering before him? 

I can't even remember what the project was now, but there was so much resistance that a friend said, "God must be planning to do something or the enemy wouldn't be trying so hard to stop it. What are you going to do?" 

"I'm gonna do exactly what God told me to do. Why waste all this warfare?"

Resistance from the enemy is not the time to stop. It's the time to press in, work harder at righteousness. It's the time to rejoice, because he knows his kingdom is in danger.

Just as a review, let's look at the spiritual armor we have available:

Girdle of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Boots of preparation of the gospel of Peace

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God

The only offensive weapon we have is the Word of God, but we can't wield the weapon if we don't know the Word. That's why in-depth, dig-it-out-for-yourself Bible study is so critically important. It plants truth deep in our hearts so we'll have it when we need it.

It's important to realize that neither indignation nor outrage are part of our spiritual armament. Those emotions may be popular today, but, if I read Scripture correctly, they are useless against the evil one.

Today, let's stop cowering before the enemy and his minions. Let's put on our battle gear and stand, with all the love of Christ in our hearts, before our enemies.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength; And your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27 nasb

"Our battle is not against flesh and blood..." Ephesians 6:12 nasb

#spiritualwarfare #MondayMeditation #armyofGod

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In case you missed it, here's the link for yesterday's post: A Heart Like King David's

Fighting with Valor - on our knees

My reading this morning was in 2 Samuel about David's mighty men of valor. Eleazar's story caught my attention and surprised me all over again.

Eleazar was one of David's three closest, and bravest, warriors. He was a "mighty man". When David and his men fought the Philistines, Eleazar was determined to overcome them. He wrapped his hand around his sword, held on tight, and fought like the nation depended on him, because it did.

Eleazar fought so long and hard that his hand "clung" to the sword. His grip on the sword was so tight that the muscles in his hand spasmed and wouldn't release the sword. 

"and the Lord brought about a great victory that day." (2 Samuel 23:9-10)

The warriors went to battle, fought until they were exhausted, then fought some more. They didn't stop until the battle was won.

We, the body of Christ, need that kind of stamina. There is a spiritual battle that must be won and, judging by the state of our nation, we're not fighting the way we should. 

For the believer, the spiritual battle is fierce, but it is not fought with swords or knives or guns. It's fought on our knees. The enemy of our souls is strong and wily. If we expect to survive the battle unscathed, we must gird ourselves with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith and, most important, the helmet of salvation. 

We have one offensive weapon, and we can use it with impunity, if we but will. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the weapon with which Jesus began His own battle on earth. It is powerful and can overcome any enemy offensive. That's why studying our Bible and knowing what it says is critical for the believer.

Knowing what someone says about the Scriptures is not sufficient. We must know it for ourselves so that it becomes a part of us. It is only then that we are adequately equipped to fight past exhaustion until the battle is won.

I could do more. I could pray more. Fast more. Be on my knees more. If I would. Perhaps you could, too. 

Our God, who judges nations and hearts, is well within His right to judge our nation. And He will. He has.

Time is short. We must do our part, and it begins in the position of humility. 

So, body of Christ, let's do it. Let's humble ourselves and pray. Immerse ourselves in God's word and repent of our sins. Seek His face.

When we do, He will do as He as promised. Forgive and heal.

"If my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 nasb

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Want to read more? Here's another post on this topic: The 7:14 Prayers
Here's the link to yesterday's post: Epiphany on the Patio: Using the Past to Overcome
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I'm blown away by the response to the Hosea study that starts May 1. There's still time if you want to be added. It's in depth and a lot of work, with online links to follow and a lot of background Scripture to review. You will work at your own pace and from the comfort of your own home. It's my prayer that, at the end, you'll be able to study Scripture in depth on your own. You can still join the group. Let me know if you want to be a part. (message, comment, email)
#Jesus #spiritualwarfare #714 #disciple

The Totality of Trouble and Complete Deliverance

Any time you start a new project designed to honor the Lord, you can expect resistance from the enemy of our souls. The Hosea Bible study has been no exception. 

When I began work on the proposed study, it went quickly at the start, but the resistance soon started. I take it as a good sign that the study will make a difference in the lives of those who participate. The resistance, however, is frustrating and difficult.

One problem after another, from computer difficulties and internet connection problems to untimely trouble with septic systems to unexpected expenses, have arisen. 

There are probably some people who are more perfect and serene at working through these issues than I am, but I freely admit that I struggle. When the first trouble arose, I reminded myself that "Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) 

As time progressed, I remembered, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

On Friday, I had such a plethora of pressures that I spent the afternoon and evening recalling, "Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) 

There hasn't been much time for trouble-taming because I've been eyebrow-deep in Hosea, but I've spent my bit of spare time this weekend casting cares on the Lord. I've reviewed the ways He's cared for me in the past and all the victories I've seen Him win. 

This morning, I read about David's troubles when Saul chased and tried to murder him. It was terrible, and I doubt I could've survived it, but David persevered and God helped him. 

Saul complained that David was very cunning (1 Samuel 23:22) and, when I read that, I laughed out loud. In a way, it was God who was "very cunning" because He's the One who protected David from Saul.

We serve a creative, sometimes cunning, able-to-deliver God, as David learned over and over again.

David wrote about his troubles with Saul. His words are so appropriate for my own troubles that I thought they might be an encouragement to you today, too.

"Behold, God is my helper;

The Lord is the sustainer of my soul...

For He has delivered me from all my trouble;

And my eye has looked with satisfaction upon all my enemies."

psalm 54:4,7 nasdb

 You won't be surprised that I went to the Hebrew to be sure about that lovely word "all". It turns out that the phrase "all my trouble" means that God delivered from the totality of trouble. 

Everything about David's trouble was resolved. He will do that for me, too. He'll do that for you.

After David's deliverance was accomplished, he looked back "with satisfaction" for what God had done. 

Fully delivered. Completely satisfied.

That's how our God works. 

When troubles arise and cares assail us, casting those troubles and cares on Him makes the most sense of all. We might not be able to handle all that comes our way, but Our God can. 

And He will.

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In case you missed one of the Sam stories, here are the links:

Hunger and the Importance of Having Enough

Education and Reading the Bible

The Importance of I Love You
Just Plain Sam
Abominations, The Bible, and Praying for Our Nation
The Importance of Your Word
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#SundayBlogShare #castyourcares #Heisable

Dealing with an unclean spirit, part 5: Victory in Jesus

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. But when someone stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away from him all his armor on which he had relied and distributes his plunder. (Luke 11:21-22 NASB)

In these verses, Jesus gives a brief but vivid summary of the power of sin and the victory of the gospel in the lives of mankind. He portrays the devil (Satan) as a "strong man" who is fully armed to guard his territory, the lives of the unredeemed. The power of the evil one is strong and he has weapons that are effective for securing his hold on our lives. Guilt, condemnation, temptation, and lies are the weapons he uses to entice us into ongoing sin. He creates a stronghold thereby, through which he secures his position. 

Jesus, however, is stronger than the "strong man" and is fully capable of attacking and overpowering the evil one. When we allow Jesus to have His way in our lives, He "takes away", completely removes, those things by which we have been held in bondage. The condemnation, guilt, temptation, and lies of the enemy are cast out and replaced by the Spirit of God. Liberty comes with the Spirit, and it is the kind of freedom that only Christ can give.

There is a battle for our hearts and it is waged with deadly seriousness. The enemy would prove himself strong, for he is skilled in this warfare and knows how to use his weapons with precision. Having struggled with temptations of my own, I can confirm his skill, as you likely can, too.

In the midst of this battle, there is good news. The enemy of our souls has been overcome and defeated by the power of the cross. We do not have to live as those in bondage. We can be free, for Christ has broken the chains of sin and death. If we are willing to accept His gift of life and love, we can live in the freedom that He brings. 

Will a relationship with Christ remove the influence of condemnation, guilt, temptation, and lies from the enemy? Not exactly. What Christ removes is the power of the evil one. If we are willing to resist, Christ will give us the victory. Every time.

There is a strong one loose in this world, creating havoc at every opportunity. Praise God, though, there is one stronger who has overcome and set us free. If we are free, let us live as those who have been redeemed. Let us reject the lies, embrace the truth, and live in the freedom that only Christ can give.

Teach us to pray, part 66: Distinguishing of spirits

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  1 Corinthians 12:7- 10 NASB 

Our current series started as a study on the Model Prayer as given in Luke 11. The chapter continued with lessons on prayer and, in Luke 11:13, Jesus promised that our heavenly Father would give the Holy Spirit to us if we ask for Him. To understand what receiving the Holy Spirit involves, we have taken a detour through the passage in 1 Corinthians 12. Today, we come to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit whereby the recipient has the ability of distinguishing of spirits. 

Matthew Henry describes this as the ability or power to "distinguish between true and false prophets, or to discern the real and internal qualifications of any person for an office, or to discover the inward workings of the mind by the Holy Ghost. (One example would be Peter/Ananias in Acts 5:3) MacArthur clarifies this further. "Christians with the gift of discernment have the God-given ability to recognize lying spirits and to identify deceptive and erroneous doctrine." 

Discernment is critical, for, without it, we are easy prey for any scheme of our enemy, Satan. This manifestation works for the common good in several ways.

1) To discern false doctrine: The "prosperity gospel" is certainly appealing but even a cursory examination of Scripture will reveal how unlike Christ that idea of God's blessing leading to great wealth is. That's an obvious example, but without discernment, people can easily be led astray by doctrine that has the appearance of truth but does not actually agree with Scripture.

2) To discern deceptive leaders: Some years ago, several friends who were members of a mega-church invited me to attend services with them. They had a very popular minister who was widely known, and they were eager for me to meet him. When he approached us, I felt uneasy. By the time I had met him, listened to his message, and sat through the service, I wanted to run out the back door as fast as possible. There was something about this man that made me so uneasy that I did not trust him. My strong reaction was so unlike that of my friends and the people in their church that I distrusted it. Several years later, I learned of his involvement in a terrible scandal that had been ongoing at the time I met him. I wept that I had not said something about my uneasiness earlier. It was a Spirit-given manifestation of discernment that allowed me to avoid being swept up in enthusiasm for this charismatic leader.

3) to pray effectively for each other: When, as believers, we are burdened and oppressed by the enemy, it is helpful to recognize the lying spirit doing the oppressing. For example, when someone is overwhelmed by worry, fear may actually be at the root of the problem. In that situation, 2 Timothy 1:7 is a helpful focus Scripture. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." When we are overwhelmed by fear, we can know that is not from God and we can claim the promise that not only has He not given us fear, but He does give us power, love, and a sound mind. In addition, discernment allows us to pray effectively, whether for ourselves or for others.

4) to to effectively battle evil: (This is closely related to #3) Ephesians 6 is very clear. "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." The purpose of the armor of God is to not only protect us from those forces but also allow us to do battle. Our only offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. When we have the discernment to recognize the enemy against which we are to battle, we can more effectively use Scripture as a weapon, whether that enemy is fear, anger, greed, lust, death, idolatry or some other spirit. I tend to think of these "spirits" in terms of the Ten Commandments: idolatry, rebellion, pride, murder/death, adultery/lust, stealing/coveting, and lying. In general, most sin falls into one of those big categories, and Scripture can be used to ward off our propensity to indulgence in those sins. Recognizing the spirit of the sin helps us to combat it. 

5) to restore our focus: Our battle is against the spiritual forces of wickedness, but our focus should not be on the spirits of the battle. Our focus should always be our Lord. When we recognize (discern) the deception of the evil one, that discernment should point us back to the Lord and away from the deception. Redirecting our focus, however, requires that we discern the misdirection. The Holy Spirit, then, manifests in such a way that our focus can be restored and we can be protected from heading in the wrong direction.

6) to protect us from ourselves: Humans have a tendency to listen to the loudest voice and follow the most persuasive leader. Christians are as susceptible as anyone (perhaps more so) and this should not be. I am often shocked by the way we embrace alarmist doctrine and causes without actually checking Scripture in an attempt to discern truth. Before we run off in every direction, we would do well to ask the Holy Spirit for God-given discernment so that we can recognize truth and discern falsehood.

One of the reasons I have sometimes made stupid decisions that have had costly consequences is that I have not always asked for discernment. Jesus was clear. If we ask for the Holy Spirit, He will give Him to us. My lack of discernment is no one's fault but my own.

The manifestation of the Spirit that allows "distinguishing of spirits" is critical if we hope to live effectively and victoriously as disciples. It is critical if we hope to pray for ourselves and others, and it is critical if we hope to effectively battle evil. The only way to be certain of our decisions is to have the aid of the Holy Spirit, and the only way to have that is to ask. Just ask.

Lessons from the battlefield #1: Warrior Positions

2 Samuel 11:1

King David was one of the most amazing men who ever lived.  He was handsome and strong.  Although he was a fierce warrior, he wrote some of the most beautiful poetry ever written.  He also made one big mess of his life when he sinned with Bathsheba.  

How could someone described as a man after God’s own heart wind up in such a dreadful series of events?  The answer lies in the last five words of verse 1. 

“But David stayed at Jerusalem.”

When he should have been taking care of business, he was taking it easy, and he became an easy prey for temptation.  It might have seemed as if he was making a prudent choice by sending others to fight.  After all, he was Israel’s beloved king and had to be protected at all costs.  He found, however, that the safest place for a warrior is not relaxing on the rooftop.  The safest place for a warrior is in the midst of the battle – the midst of God’s battle.  

Are you weary?  Do you feel as if you’d rather “relax on the rooftop” than wade into the heat of spiritual warfare?  Don’t give up and don’t despair.  The safest place you can be is right where God has called you to be. There is no doubt that most of us will experience battles and difficulties in our Christian walk.  There will undoubtedly be times when we feel like turning aside from the struggle.  When discouragement threatens, remember we are not fighting alone.  As David faced Goliath, he spoke the truth that sustained him in all his battles.  “The battle is the Lord’s.” (1 Samuel 17:47) 

Our job is to engage in armed battle with the only weapon we need – the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, but remember, this battle we are fighting belongs to Him. Our Lord is able to handle every difficulty we face, including every tremendous struggle we encounter, so take heart.  Regardless of how fierce the fighting, the battle belongs to the Lord, and He is able to deliver.