Devotion: You Must Control The Devil

We have previously talked about this battle that we are in, where we wrestle against the evil rulers of this unseen world, which includes the mighty satanic beings, the great evil princes of darkness, and a huge number of wicked spirits (Ephesians 6:12).  This battle takes place in the arena of our mind and is unavoidable, knowing no bounds, no gender, no age, no race, and no religion.  It attacks everyone.  As we see the daily struggles of those who succumb to poverty, sickness, and death, we know this war to control our soul involves tactics such as depression, fear, discouragement, low self-esteem, worry, anxiety, confusion, and doubt.  What many do not know is that we actually have the power to control these evil rulers of the unseen world.

“For though we walk (live) in the flesh (in this body), we do not war (fight) after (according to) the flesh (human standards)” (II Corinthians 10:3).  “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down (destroying) imaginations (false arguments) and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

We now know that our enemy comes from the spirit realm, therefore, the weaponry of our warfare cannot be that of conventional human weapons.  No, we must use spiritual weaponry, weapons provided to us by God.  These mighty weapons are designed to knock down and overthrow the enemy’s strongholds.  When used properly, these mighty weapons can cast down every proud argument against God, can pull down every high thing that promotes itself against the knowledge of God, can bring into captivity every thought, every idea, and every suggestion that comes into our mind, and can bring into compliance our mind with the mind of Christ.

We are warned to be sober and watchful because we have an adversary.  This adversary, the devil, “walks about like a roaring lion looking for those whom he can devour” (I Peter 5:8).  His tactics have not change since the first temptation in the garden and there are really no secrets to his approach.  He tries to control us through our mind, with thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.  These thoughts, ideas, and suggestions are usually tied to our five senses.  Our sense of taste, touch, smell, hearing, and seeing offers him an avenue into our mind and are the areas he tempts in order to gain control of our thought-life.  When we give in to “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (I John 2:16), we become “carnally minded, which is enmity against God” (Romans 8:7) and forgo all that is spiritual, meaning the spiritual weaponry God has provided for us has no effect.

“Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27).  “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:27).

We are warn to be sober-minded, to be self-controlled, to be careful, and to be vigilant, curbing every passion because we have an adversary seeking to devour us.  We know that he comes “to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10) and it is through our thought-life that Satan gains access to steal our peace of mind; to steal our self-esteem; to destroy our relationships with our spouse, children, parents, and others; and to basically attempt to take us out; all of which causes us to have an out-of-control mind.  Now some of you believe that you are protected by God or have some hedge that God has around you, and all of that might be true, but when you read your Bible and see such phrases as “be sober, be vigilant, resist the devil, and neither give place,” do you get the sense that you have been given the authority to one up or control the one who has come to kill, steal, and destroy?  Everything hinges on your mind and you controlling your thought-life.  When you learn to control your thought-life, you can learn to control the devil.  Remember, your thoughts will always precede your actions and you always want to make sure that your actions be in line with the word of God.

As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: God’s Word Is A Seed

Most of you are familiar with “The Parable Of The Sower.”  Jesus explains the parable to his disciples this way.

“And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:9-15).

The disciples asked Jesus why he spoke to everyone in parables.  He replied with, God has arranged for you to know the meaning of the parable because it tells about the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  He was telling them that anyone that hath ears to hear would hear the parable and understand.  Everyone else who received the parable would see and yet not see, and would hear and yet not understand.  Jesus went on to explain the meaning of the parable.  The seed represents God’s message to men, which falls on all types of ground.  The ground is a representation of the hearts of man.  Some seeds fell on the roadside, which represents those with hard hearts who hear the words, but then the devil comes and steels the message away, which prevents them from believing and being saved.  Some seeds fell on the stony ground, which represents those who enjoy listening to sermons, but somehow the message never really gets through to them.  Even though they know the message to be truth and they believe for a short period, the message never takes root and grows.  Their enthusiasm fades as the winds of persecution blow because of their beliefs and they lose interest as the temptations come.

Some seeds fell among the thorns, which represents those who listen and believe God’s words but the message is choked out by the cares of the world and their quest for money.  Their faith dies because they allow anxiety and worry, wealth and riches, the responsibilities and pleasures of life, and the gaieties of time to reign in their lives instead of the word of God.  They are never able to help anyone else to believe the Good News because they are never in a position to be a living testimony for the kingdom of God thus yielding no return and bringing forth no fruit.  Some seeds fell on good ground, which represents those who are honest and good-hearted people that have ears to hear.

And it was those who are honest and good-hearted people that have ears to hear that listens to God’s message with open minds and in the right spirit.  They hold tightly to the message and steadily spread the Good News to others because they are always in a position to be a living testimony for the kingdom of God thus yielding a great return and bringing forth much fruit.  They are the spiritually and morally mature believers that understand the terms used by the Holy Spirit to reveal those mysteries of God to them.  They understand the wisdom that has come down from God, telling them of his plans for man which have been hidden throughout the ages but are now reveal by the Spirit.  The others do not have the understanding and they do not recognize the truth because their wisdom is that which the world uses or the kind of wisdom that the rulers of this world use.  Their wisdom comes from the earth realm and is the kind that appeals to the great men of this world.

“The word of God is a seed” and it gets planted in the hearts of man.  Depending on the heart of the man, depending on the type of soil available, the seed will grow differently in each heart.  Many believe themselves to be that honest and good-hearted people, who have ears to hear God’s message with open minds and in the right spirit, however the truth of the matter is that they are those, who actually hear the words of God without understanding.  They have the wisdom that comes from the world, not the wisdom that comes from God.  Know this about the word of God.  The word of God is a single seed that produces a single crop; it is not a seed that produces a variety of crops.  The word of God does not and cannot produce a variety of truths; it produces only one truth, which is “the gospel truth.”  If you be among them who have an ear to hear, then hear this revelation, understand and let it produce a crop.

As always, we pray that today’s inspirational message will abundantly bless you, greatly inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message, please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW

Devotion: Your Hairs Are Numbered

How awesome is God?  God is totally awesome!  How awesome are we?  We are totally awesome as well!  But why are we totally awesome?  It is not because we said so.  It is not because we may have thought so.  No, it is because God has said so.  Listen to the words of King David as he speaks of God’s glory and man’s honor.

“O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens.  You have taught the little children to praise you perfectly.  May their example shame and silence your enemies!  When I look up into the night skies and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have made—I cannot understand how you can bother with mere puny man, to pay any attention to him!  And yet you have made him only a little lower than the angels and placed a crown of glory and honor upon his head.  You have put him in charge of everything you made; everything is put under his authority: all sheep and oxen, and wild animals too, the birds and fish, and all the life in the sea.  O Jehovah, our Lord, the majesty and glory of your name fills the earth” (Psalm 8:1-9 TLB).

God thought so much of us that, according to King David, he “placed a crown of glory and honor upon our head.”  God thought so much of us that he “put us in charge of everything you made and put everything under our authority.”  God thought so much of us that he is actually mindful of us, he pays attention to us, and he visits with us.  How awesome is that?

“Look at the birds!  They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And you are far more valuable to him than they are” (Matthew 6:26 TLB).  “What is the price of five sparrows?  A couple of pennies?  Not much more than that.  Yet God does not forget a single one of them.  And he knows the number of hairs on your head!  Never fear, you are far more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7 TLB).

Jesus gives us a comparison of just how much God cares for us.  Jesus tells us to look at the birds, who do not “sow, reap, or store up food and have very little value, yet God cares for, feeds, and does not forget a single one of them.  Jesus tells us “we are far more valuable to him than they are.”  We are so valuable to him that “He knows the number of hairs on your head.”  How awesome is that?  God knows the smallest of details about us, about our life, about what we are going through.  Just keep that in mind when you feel lost and alone.

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6).  “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

You are never alone because God knows exactly where you are and he has promised to never leave you.  He will neither fail you nor forsake you.  So be strong and of good courage and fear not.  He promises to strengthen you, to help you and to uphold you.  Remember, “He knows the number of hairs on your head” and how awesome is that!

As always, we give thanks and glory to God for his wisdom and understanding.  We are so blessed to be able to share with you, those things that God has placed in our hearts.  We continue to pray that our inspirational messages will forever be a blessing to each of you and that you will be the better for having read them.  If you are blessed by what has been provided, please feel free to share so that others may be blessed as well; for as freely as our Father has given this to us, we freely give so that others may share in the love and be blessed.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW