Recognize the source of the opposition as being Satan, and stand your ground!

A team of soldiers on duty in Afghanistan had reached their destination and were only 50 yards or so from parking their vehicle when one of them unhooked his seat belt in preparation to get out of the vehicle.  Seconds later, the truck blew up from a bomb planted by opposing forces, throwing the unsecured soldier and killing him instantly. 

I admire his parents and siblings back in America.  They immediately recognized this as a work of the enemy.  I often hear many say, “Well, it must have been his time. It was God’s will. It is a test to make your family stronger.  Or He must have been living in sin.” 

Recognize the source of the opposition as being Satan.  2 Cor. 4:4 tells us that Satan is the god of this world, and Jn 10:10 tells us that it is the thief (Satan), that comes only to kill, steal, and destroy!  Jesus came so that we can choose life, an abundant life! 

Once you realize the source of the opposition, RESIST him (Jms 4:7), and STAND (Eph 6:10-17)!

In Memory of Christopher Johnson.

Having Done All to Stand – Stand! How long? Just keep on standing! (Eph 6:10-17)

When I attended Bible School I heard this illustration from Kenneth E. Hagin:

The miltary had been experimenting with aircraft, and were trying to secure an aircraft to a steel tower.  A hundred or more soldiers held down the rope, but the aircraft shot back up in the air.  As it did, some of the men let go of the rope, but others did not and went up with it.  They were too high to let go now.  Eventually,  the men could not hold on any longer.  As their own strength gave out, they fell to the ground and were injured or died.  One man was left holding on to the rope.  Thirty minutes went by, 45 minutes went by, and then 60 min went by, but he was still hanging on the rope.  When he was rescued, people who had been watching down below asked, “How did you hold on?”  He said that while he was hanging he realized there was three of four foot of rope below him, so he held on with one hand and tied the extra rope around his waist.  He did not hold on, the rope held him. 

Stop trying to hold on through out your situation.. Wrap yourself in the promises of God.  While the people below were in fear that the man would fall.  He was enjoying the scenery.  He was not trusting in himself to hold on, he was trusting the rope to hold him. He was swinging free. Wrap yourself in the promises of God, swing free, enjoy yourself.  If you try to hold on you will get tired and give out.  In having done all to stand - stand!   Say, “I stand my ground In the name of Jesus Christ,“ and begin to speak scripture to the enemy.  Stand against the opposition!  (Jms 4:7) You can do it!  You do not have to yield to things that are not of God!  Yield to His Word:  It is the Truth you know that shall make you free. (Jn 8:32)

Faith is to the Word of God as water is to a seed.

“He sent his word, and healed them…” (Ps 107:20) 

A man’s son lay ill with fever in Capernaum (Jn 4:46-53). Upon hearing that Jesus was returning to Cana of Galilee, he remembered the miracle of turning water into wine, a miracle in which Jesus performed in this very place before. “Surely this Jesus can heal my son,” he may have thought. 

With this faith in Jesus, the Word (Jn 1:1), he knew that if he could get Jesus to come, his son would be healed. This man put action to his faith (Js. 2:20) and traveled more than 20 miles to seek out Jesus, and ask, “…come down, and heal my son: for he is at the point of death.”

Surprisingly, Jesus answered him, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”

I can see this man thinking, “not believe? I have traveled over 20 miles because I know you can heal my son!” This nobleman replied, “Sir, come down ere my child die. “

What was Jesus’ response to the man’s persistence, “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” The nobleman turned, knowing that his son is healed, and began his journey home.

On the way home, his servants met him and reported that his son lives. Not surprised, he asked what time did this occur. After realizing his son was healed at the same time Jesus said, the man’s faith increased, and his whole household believed.

All that Jesus did and said while in the world was out of obedience to His Father, who laid the example for Him. (Jn 5:30, Jn 14:24, Jn 15:15) Many times in the Word Jesus said that it is faith that “made whole”, or “healed”, the people.

It does not take much faith. Jesus tells us in Lk 17:6, “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” A mustard seed is a very small seed. Just like the nobleman, take the Word that you know is true, and believe, expecting it as the reality (this is your watering of the seed) in any and every situation you encounter, despite what you may see, feel, touch, hear around you (2 Cor 5:7).

Are you hungry, thirsty, for the things of God?

  

A young man in the church noticed his friend reading the Word every morning, praying before he eats his food, listening to audio recordings of the pastor’s messages.  He could see this friend coming up in his life, and wanted it.

This past week he asked the pastor,  “How do you get this?  Why am I not hungry for the things of God?  Why do I not have a passion for His Word, and a passion to spend time with God in prayer? Give me something real I can grab onto and hold.”  He continued, “I do not understand how to get this hunger and thirst. I realize that if you are hungry for God, you will be successful.” 

The pastor responded, “Do you believe this?” 

The young man replied, “Yes.  But I’m not.”   

“Ask God to give you hunger,” said the pastor, “Have you asked God to put a hunger inside of you?“ 

God tells us in Mat 7:8,  “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Ask for a passion, a hunger, a thirst for the things of God, and He will answer you with exactly what you asked of Him – the door will be opened to you because you knocked. 

In the face of adversity....see victory!

     Have you ever come to a place in your life that you seem to be under attack?  As you stand and begin to take ground, you move one step forward, yet soon after you somehow fall three steps backward.  Darkness looks and feels like it is winning?  What do you do? 

     You have tried everything you know to do in the Word.  Friends offer well-intentioned advice in which you try.  Yet, the victory seems to get further and further out of reach.  You try and try, but eventually weariness is overtaking you.  What do you do?

It Is during times like this, and yes, we all have times like this, that we must turn to the Word of God to strengthen and build our faith (Rom 10:17), remind ourselves who we are in Christ (1 Jn 4:17), and obtain freedom in our adversity (Jn 8:32).  Jesus has overcome this world (Jn 16:32) and we must remember this.  He did not promise us a trouble free life, but He did say His children overcome and live victorious lives (1 Jn 5:4-6). 

The Word of God is where you find victory!  In the face of defeat, the Word of God provides you strength and endurance to continue standing.  The Word of God will teach you the path to peace and rest in the middle of our adversity.  Trust in God and He will direct your steps into victory!    In the words of Micah (Mic. 7:8), “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” 

Without the Word of God as our lamp guiding our feet, we cannot see in the midst of adversity.  In this darkness, we can quickly become disoriented, confused, and unsure of our step.  We may even trip and fall to the point of injuring ourselves so badly it is difficult to get back up.  You can try everything you know to do, but it is not enough.  It does not work.  The feeling of loneliness and defeat begins to set in and getting out seems impossible.  Your eyes begin to only see the situation around you. Without the Word of God feeding your faith and holding you firmly in place, your mind begins to have thoughts of doubt, and the enemy has you right where he wants to keep you, wavering and unsteady, tired and ready to quit.  It is in His Word that we receive comfort, reassurance, and strength to make it to the other side of adversity unharmed (Is 43:2) .  It is only in His Word that we are able to stand in faith and resist the attack, making our way to victory.  

What do I do now?

   

 I am often asked questions like these:  "Why am I just getting by, pay check to pay check?"  "Why does it seem that I am always taking one step forward, but three backward?"  "The problems never seem to end, why do I not see the blessing of the Lord?"........
     The Pastor of our church plant has been teaching on the subject of "Grace" for many services now.  And, he has taught on my verses leading up to the following one, but this one seems to answer some of the questions people have been asking me lately.

     Jas 1:25AMP  But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience). 

     Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

   

http://diggingtheword.blogspot.com/2012/10/
delight-in-gods-word.html

It is so simple that most people don't believe it.  1.  Get into the Word of God; 2. Continue in His Word; 3.  Don't forget His Word  4.  Do His Word.  

     While the pastor was preaching this, I thought of a water faucet.  When the water faucet is turned off (the reading of the Word), there is not flow of water (no blessing in your doing).  Turn the faucet on just a little, and there is a trickle flow of water.  Turn it on more, a small flow comes out of the faucet.  Turn it on full blast and the water gushes out.  This tells me two things.  One is that the blessing is there, we just need to turn on the faucet to receive it (get into the Word).  Secondly, that it is our choice as to how much blessing in my doing is being poured out upon us (how much quality time do we spend in the Word).