Resist The Devil and He Will Flee

     In a physical fight we will defend ourselves in order to resist in being hurt. If we have a spiritual fight we need to resist the devil in order to protect our minds from his influence. James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." 1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." In our spiritual fight, we must stand firm in our faith and resist the devil for he is trying turn us against God.
     The devil and his demons cannot read our minds like God can. 1 Kings 8:39 "....(for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind)." However after thousands of years in dealing with the human race, Satan knows how to tempt us and cause us to doubt our faith. The devil was able to make someone who was close to Jesus to betray him. John 13:2 "During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him" Satan caused Ananias to sin by holding back charitable money. Acts 5:3 "But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?"
     Satan and his demons can influence your mind from the outside. They can plant thoughts within your mind making you think that their thoughts are yours. Satan planted thoughts of betrayal within Judas's mind as well as putting thoughts in Ananias's mind to hold back money. In 1 Chronicles 21:1, Satan put the thought in King David's mind to take a census of Israel and he did as Satan wanted. It was against God's will so the nation of Israel was punished for what he had done.
     Our minds are so vulnerable to Satan's spiritual attacks. In my own personal experience I fought against one of those spiritual attacks. I was up late at night while others were sleeping. I was watching Christian music videos on YouTube. I like to watch them because their lyrics about Jesus Christ is so uplifting and positive. To counter this negative world of ours, the videos that I watch brings me peace to my soul. Even during the day, I found singing Christian songs can lessen my worries and anxieties.
      When I was watching these Christian music videos at night, bad, hateful and vile thoughts were slowly entering into my head.  I know they were not from watching Christian videos that was about God's love and the salvation we have from Jesus Christ. I could not understand why this was happening. All I was doing sitting in a chair and listening to the wonderful music. I could not understand where these thoughts was coming from. I was asking myself were these some unresolved thoughts that had not dealt with before. I just could not identify with them. The bad thoughts that I was thinking about did not fit the person that I am.
     Then something happen another thought cross my mind. The words resist the devil and he will flee came into my mind. I suddenly realize that I was under a spiritual attack. The Holy Spirit within me was warning me that I was under attack and need to do something about it, Now! I realize that the devil or one of demons was in my room standing right next to me emptying his vile disgusting thoughts right into my mind like it was his own personal trash can.
     In this time of my distress, the Holy Spirit of God was helping me to do what I needed to do. I remembered that the whole armor of God had a piece that I needed to use, the sword of truth which is God's word. I remembered the words that Jesus said to the apostle Peter in Matthew16:23 "....Get behind me, Satan! You are a hinderance to me For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Zechariah 3:2 "And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, O Satan!....." I also said in the name of Jesus Christ, Be gone Satan!
     After about ten or twenty minutes of saying these words in silence. Why, because it was the middle of the night and people were sleeping. The words that I was saying in silence was just as effective if I were saying them out loud because those bad words from that evil demon was no longer in my mind. In fact, my mind felt like it was washed clean by the clearest water. My mind felt like the verse in Psalm 51:7 "....and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." My mind felt whiter than snow purged of all the evil that was there. It was a ten out of ten good feeling that I was experiencing after the encounter.
     I have learned from the encounter that you cannot accept all the thoughts in your head as yours. You have to be cautious because the devil and his demons are looking for someone to devour. I did not know I was under a spiritual attack until Holy Spirit warned me with the words resist the devil and he will flee. In a physical fight you will know immediately that you are under attack but in a spiritual fight you have to rely on the Holy Spirit's help. So be careful, if you think you are being spiritually attacked then do something about and do not just stand there and take it. Defend yourself with God's word because God's word backed by the power of the Holy Spirit is a powerful combination that no devil or demon can withstand.
         

Live in The Spirit of Christ

     Live in Spirit of Christ for his death and resurrection took away our sins and made us righteous in the eyes of God. Romans 8:9 "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, If in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." If we have the Spirit of Christ within us, we are accepted by God to be washed clean from our sins. Adam's disobedience to God made us all sinners whereas Jesus obedience to God made us righteous in his eyes. Romans 5:19 "For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
     Jesus saved not only us from our sins but also from the wrath of God. Romans 5:9-10 "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." Jesus Christ brought us closer to God by shedding his blood upon the cross that washed away our sins, making us look sinless before God. This act of Jesus Christ's sacrifice justified us, meaning to be declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ. This is why I say to live in the Spirit of Christ and receive God's blessing instead of his wrath. Put your faith in Jesus and be looked upon as God's friend rather than he seeing you as his enemy.
     How hard it must have been for God to allow his only begotten so to hang upon the cross. He brought his son into our world to free us from the wages of sin which is death and to give us eternal life in his Kingdom. Death has no power over the resurrection that we received through Jesus Christ. The devil lost and Jesus won for we now have a way into heaven. Sin cannot hold us captive anymore for in Jesus name our sins are forgiven and by his example, we have a new way to live our life. Live in the Spirit of Christ and you will be accepted into God's Kingdom and there you will have eternal life.

Our Spiritual Warfare

      In our spiritual warfare, we our not using physical weapons but spiritual ones against strongholds which are false reasonings, arguments and opinions. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ," We do our best to use God's word so to open people's eyes to the error of their ways and lead them to repentance of their sins. The apostle Paul told us we should correct our opponents with gentleness. 2 Timothy 2:25-26 "correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snares of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."
     Jesus at the very beginning of Paul's ministry, he told him to go to the gentiles and open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness. Acts 26:18 "to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." In our spiritual warfare, people's minds are becoming open to the truth and starting to see Satan was the one who hid the truth from them. Why did Satan try to hide the truth because he is the father of lies. John 8:44 "....He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
     In Revelation, Satan is called the deceiver of the whole world. Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to earth, and his angels were thrown down with him." This is why our warfare is a spiritual one because Satan is a spirit and so are his angels. Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
     The apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:11 to fight against the devil, we need to put on the whole armor of God. In Ephesians 6:14-17, he tells us what those pieces of armor are, the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of readiness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. He tells us also to pray and keep alert with all perseverance. 
     Even though our fight against the devil is an ongoing one, there will be a time when the Lord will return and have the devil cast into the abyss. Revelations 20:1-2 "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years."   

God's Everlasting Love

     God told the prophet Jeremiah that he loved Israel with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3 "the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." God had anger toward Israel for awhile but he continued to loved them. Isaiah 54:8 "In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer." Even though Israel angered God, God like a loving Father punished them but still loved them with an everlasting love. Hebrew 12:6 "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
     It is the same with us as it was for Israel. God loves us with an everlasting love and will punish us just like a loving Father, who punishes his children. God's love is everlasting to those who fear him, meaning those who obey, respect and worship him. Psalm 103:17 "But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children." Lamentations 3:22 "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;"
     God's love is a long lasting love. Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations," Psalm 100:5 "For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 136:26 "Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever."
     God's love is a steadfast love, meaning it will never change or become weaker. It is a permanent love that cannot be extinguished or ever run out. God's love will never abandon us or leave us without hope because it is an everlasting love.

Live Your Life as Christ Lived His

     We should be like our teacher Jesus Christ. Jesus said to his disciples in John 13:13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am." Jesus said in Luke 6:40 "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when is fully trained will be like his teacher." Jesus is saying that he being our teacher can fully train us by his words and example to be like him. 1 John 1:6 "whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 Peter 2:21 'For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."
     If we are to live our life like Jesus, we must believe in him. John 6:28-29, 40 "Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." If we are to live our life like Jesus, we must love one another. John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." If we are to live our life like Jesus, we must forgive each other. Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
     Jesus has many good qualities. 1 Peter 2:22-23 "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." Jesus lived his life in an humble manner. Philippians 2:5-8 "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Jesus said I am gentle and lowly in heart in Matthew 11:29-30 "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 
     Jesus Christ has many more qualities that I have not written about. By looking at the few that I have listed, you can see that Jesus is someone that we should be following. Out of his love for us, he die upon the cross to take away our sins so that we may have a future in his kingdom. He gave us a commandment to love one another. He told us to forgive each other. He has always been truthful. He is someone who we can trust. He lived his life in a humble and caring way.
     I want to live my life, the way he lived his. I want to be able to love as he loved. I want to do good and make a difference in someway. I know if I lived my life as Jesus lived his, my life will be the better for it and I will be seeing him someday in his Kingdom.
     
      

We are a New Creation

     We are a new creation according to 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come." Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:19-20 "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." 
     To be a new creation of God, my old sinner self had to be crucified with Christ so that the Holy Spirit of the Lord can live within me. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Romans 6:5-8 "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him."
     New Creation means being recreated and transformed into the image of Christ. Ephesians 4:22-24 "to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Colossians 3:9-11 "Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all." Isaiah 43:18-19 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
     Ephesians 5:1,15-17,19-20 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
     
     
     

I Give Praise to God

     In my heart there is a song of praise for Jesus. It is a song of hope and of love for all of us to be happy and free. Free of our fears, free of our tears of sadness and free of thinking that it will not get any better. O' Lord I pray for our souls to receive your help. I praise you Jesus for lighting our way and giving us the hope we need to carry on. Glory to God for giving us his son to save us from our sins. He has given us another way to live and another way to be. He is our hope for our future.
     I give praise to God and so does every creature in heaven and upon the earth. Revelation 5:13 "And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" I praise my God and bow before him because he is my Creator. Psalm 95:6 "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!"
     Where would I be without the LORD for he is my hope. Psalm 33:20-22 "Our soul waits for the LORD, he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you." LORD, I do have joy and peace in believing in you. Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
     I will endure any suffering because I look forward to someday to live my life within God's Kingdom. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." 
     I give praise to God for preparing a new home for us to live. A home free of suffering, pain and sorrow. He is the God of love for giving his people a wonderful place to live. May all of us continue to praise his name forever. 
Revelation 21:1-4 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."