A Powerless Roar!

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  Over the many years that I have served the Lord, I can't tell you how many times I've heard and quoted this scripture. Yet until this year have I truly understood the fullness of it's meaning. Have you ever wondered why the devil is "roaring", I started thinking about this and how angry the enemy is with the children of God. We are progressively tearing down the devils kingdom all in the name of Jesus, and yet there is absolutely nothing he can do to stop us! All but is left to do is to wastefully spend his time "roaring"!! Over a year ago a friend from church and I had been praying about starting a home Bible Study group. After a while of prayer the Lord led us into a direction that would give us the opportunity to start such a ministry that would later also become a ladies Bible Study group. I remember one night after Bible Study, we had a really great turn out and I was so encouraged and on fire about what the Lord was doing! Later that night after I went to bed I found myself face to face with Satan in my sleep, literally. I woke up and immediately felt the presence of anger in my midst. Yes, the devil was roaring mad in my bedroom that night walking around me, wishing he could get his grips on me but yet roaring even more that he couldn't. Even though I identified with this spirit, I was not afraid because I knew I was covered! I am covered by the blood of Jesus and while the devil can look at me face to face he still has no power to cause harm to me! I rebuked Satan and told him  he was wasting his time. I had a job to do and I would let nothing stop me, so I told Satan to get thee behind me in Jesus name and immediately he was gone! The next morning I called my friend up that I did the bible study with and said nothing about the dream or prayer meeting I had the night before. She proceeded to tell me she had a dream of her own the night before, and Satan came to her in her dream. He was looking at her through the window of her bedroom. She told me she wasn't sure why she had this dream or exactly what it meant. She told me she woke up and begin rebuking and praying for the spirit to leave and immediately it did! The Lord spoke to me confirming our dreams and what they meant. I told her that I had a similar encounter the night before and the Lord wanted us to know that although the devil was looking at us in our dreams and watching us, he NEVER touched us because we are covered and protected by His blood! Aren't you glad you serve a God that gives us dominion and power over our adversary! We do not have to be afraid of Satan, or his crafty lies and tactics to distract us from the Lord. Through Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors! We must continue doing what the Lord has called us to do, fearing nothing because the Lord is spiritually defending us along the way! After all......What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

POWER IN THE WORD!

Let's Praise the Lord Today!

Psalm 150:1-6 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD
Just as David fell upon his face many times, humbled and full of adoration for the Lord so should we. We should bow down before the Lord, surrendering our hearts and lives to Him completely. Making our mouths sing out as an instrument of praise to our Savior, Jesus Christ. "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works, I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." (Psalm 9:1-2) Moses had a song of thankfulness in His heart for the Lord, "The Lord is my strength and song," Moses and the children sang, "and he is become my salvation... he is my God... and I will exalt him." Scripture tells us how David once cried out to God when he was delivered from his enemies and from the hand of Saul,"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised." Psalm 100 explains that there is a God, who is real and who must be praised, we do this by making a joyful noise unto Him and serving Him throughout our days with gladness. "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." There are many blessings given to each of us from the Lord. His word tells us all good things come to those who love and serve the Lord. Let's thank Him for His goodness, and mercy. All our blessings come from Him, so let's sing a song of thankful praise to our Lord!

Living Fearless!

2 Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
The Lord never promised that our time spent here on earth would be trouble free. In fact the Bible warnes us of perilous times near the coming of the Lord. I think we would all agree according to scripture that we are living in the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1 says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." In Matthew 3 Jesus describes His return to the disciples. Matthew 24: 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Yet though these times are promised to come, the Lord is very direct in His word that we should fear nothing and pray about everything. The Lord promises time and time again to never leave us, that He will be our refuge and strength. He is our shield, our strong tower, our loving Father. These times may test our faith, but we are promised power, and authority over our circumstances and adversaries if we put our trust in Him. We are more than conqueror's through Christ Jesus! The Lord reminds us to let not our hearts be troubled with things of the world, but to keep our eyes and hearts on Him. "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord'' (Psalm 112:7) So what really do we have to fear with the Lord on our side? "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind'' (2Timothy 1:7). The world may be filled with trouble and uncertainty, however... God is our only certain hope in time of trouble, our ever present help, His love is endless and never fails! We must live each day praising God and giving thanks for His grace and mercy. Keeping His word hidden in our hearts, and our minds focused on Him and His very soon coming!

TAMING THE TOUNGE THROUGH PRAYER

Have you ever had someone approach you with a comment that you felt was a deliberate attack? Most everyone has been in this situation at one time or another. Do you remember how you felt when that person walked away? Maybe angry, belittled, or possibly broken hearted. We know this is not of God, the Bible tells us the most controlling and powerful part of our body is the tongue. We are taught through the word to be humble and meek in our speech and in the way we treat others. With the tongue we use to sing praises and lift prayers to the Lord, that instrument can also be used to tear down, and disappoint. Now, let's not get the term "meek" confused with "weak". In fact.....it takes great strength and self control to say nothing rather than to rattle off hurtful words that I promise you will regret afterwards. It also means keeping composure in some of the most grueling and provoking circumstances. This is not always easy, in fact it can be quite difficult! Retaliate with love and understanding, think against what the enemy would have you to believe. I myself have been in situations in which I became angry and used my words to hurt back the person who hurt me. The counter reaction made me feel worse because I reacted in a way that was less than what the Lord had expected of me. Through years of experience with others and through my own mistakes and struggles, the Lord is steadily teaching me to be less and less quick to speak and more and more meek! James 1:19-21 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. The dictionary defines the term bridle as a means to control or hold back; restrain; curb. The Greek terminology defines "meek" as mild mannered, gently and kind in attitude, opposite of anger or wrath. This is how the Lord expects us to bridle our tongues. Through the help of the Lord and strength through Him, He will help us do this successfully, leaving us with a right spirit and a clear conscience. 1 Timothy 1:5 But the aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. We will be held accountable and judged for the words we speak, and we must work out our own salvation. Back biters, whispers, accusers, liers, evil doers, they too will answer and be judged. Their works will not go unnoticed or unaccounted for either. Matthew 12:36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. It is not our place to judge them while here on earth, it is our place to love them with a godly love to the best of our ability. Through scripture I have found it is best to separate yourselves from those who cause affliction and use evil ways to provoke you. It is possible to set yourself apart while still loving their souls enough to earnestly pray for them with a godly love.
Luke 21:36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Sometimes if we have been deeply hurt in the past we can become over sensitive to the motives of others. This too is a trick from the enemy, causing us to put up a guard between us and others from fear of being hurt again. The enemy would like nothing more than to make us feel isolated, unloved, worthless, and discouraged. How can we go about the Lord's business, building His kingdom or obtaining a healthy spiritual walk with that mind set? Prayer changes minds that are set to believe on things that aren't reality. Prayer is our weapon against the enemy, prayer protects our families, prayer changes perspective, prayer gives you joy and peace, prayer makes you a friend to many, prayer gives hope to the hopeless! Prayer tames the attitudes of others and the attitude we carry within. Remember David, even though he had commited such terrible sins, he was never to good to fall on his face before God and be accountable for his sins. David desired and knew he needed the Lord's help. Through his prayer to God he asked for change! Psalm 51:1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. We must see a need for change within us! THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN'T BE OVERCOME OR CHANGED THROUGH PRAYER, PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING!

WALKING WITH GOD!

In Romans 8 Paul illustrates the difference between walking in the spirit opposed to walking in the flesh. The term "walk" had a much more significant meaning than a person just walking. The term was used to describe a lifestyle. Walking in the flesh is merely identifying one living a sinful or worldly lifestyle. When we walk in the Spirit, we are than living a lifestyle that is centered around God and His infinite will. Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the SpiritRomans 8:6-8 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.What makes us a child of God? Through scripture I have come to believe that we must have a converted mind and spirit to become a child of God. Converting our sinful nature to a life of holiness and a Christ like manner. Now this does in no way apply that Christians are infallible or without fault. If this were the case there would be no need for a Savior. The truth is we do need a Savior, God alone can save us from ourselves. We are born with a fleshly or worldly nature, only through Christ can we resist the temptation on sin and live a righteous life. Romans 8:16-17 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.We are protected heirs of Christ, and we must know how to sustain or keep such an inheritance. The "Once saved, always saved" method of believing is not biblical. However, repenting daily and praying in the Spirit will help eliminate distractions that pollute our minds and spirits. Staying focused on God and our walk with Him will only bring peace and happiness to our lives. Remember, the mind is Satan's playground. 1Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. John 8:32, Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The way you think widely depends upon your level of happiness, peace, freedom, victory and strength. Now there are times when God will allow certain obstacles to take place in our lives. These obstacles are not allowed to destroy us but to build us up in faith, confidence and wisdom. Proverbs 3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Even Paul prayed for the removal of a hindrance from his life, but God did not take away that burden away immediately. God wanted Paul to learn a valuable lesson first. Our walk with God should be a progressive process. There will be ups and downs, days when you feel you have taken a faithful leap of progression and other days when you feel you may have taken a few steps or even a mile backwards. The most important lesson to be obtained.....be determined to never give up, never quit the path you've been allowed to walk! Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

POWER & STRENGTH IN THE LORD!

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Philippians 4:13  What is the true meaning of this verse and what benefits can it bring to us if we remind ourselves of Gods' strength daily? The word of God is filled with encouragement that gives strength and power to all who believe and receive it! Satan fights against us by attacking our mind, but if one fills their mind with scriptures of God given hope, strength and power the devil is powerless in his efforts to make us feel inadequate and defeated. These thoughts and feelings are directly from the enemy to keep us bound and unable to be a productive vessel for the Lord. Paul was explaining in this passage that he knew God could change his circumstances. Often though, it is us that God desires to change rather than the circumstance. God wants to remove all doubt and fear from us, he does this by changing the way we think and react to situations in our lives. Molding us into His likeness, giving us confidence and teaching us to depend on Him for answers. Once we acknowledge Him all we do and through every circumstance we can have assured peace that the Lord will give us strength to see us through! We are totally inadequate by ourselves, but through the Lord we are made adequate enough to conquer and accomplish what we set out to do. John 15:4-5 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." The Lord empowers us to do His will and what ever purpose and plan He has for us to fulfill! I am so thankful for a life filled with victory, He is limitless and we are more than conquerors through Him! "No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." Romans 8:37 NLT