Wonderful Jesus!

Tag: Spiritual warfare

• Waters That Never Fail!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 10, 2021

  John 7:38-39 – He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. NKJV

  

  In my last blog, I briefly wrote on the importance of the well. I was unable to cover all the important aspects of the well, spiritually and naturally, but I can always write another blog in the future!

  My husband was really excited about the well and brought up the point that in third world countries they are not a thing of the past, but are very important in getting clean water to people, even today. Then we started talking about water, which in turn, reminded me of a point I brought up in the last post about living water. In this blog, I will look at the imagery of water in the Word.

  Water is considered a valuable resource in the world today, just as it was in the ancient world. Any historian can validate this truth by pointing out how the great civilizations of the ancient world always formed near a body of water.

  Even when America was founded with the 13 colonies, they were established on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As more land was needed to handle the increase in population, people had to find ways to bring water inland. Wells, cisterns, canals, and tunnels were a few of the ways that water was harnessed to meet the need.

  Just to connect with Black History month, Benjamin Banneker devised an irrigation system that connected the water of the springs near his farm to bring water to his farm. This irrigation system caused his tobacco farm to flourish even in the times of drought. Banneker, known as an inventor, mathematician, and an activist against slavery, learned, at the age of 15, the importance of water to the life of his farm, his family, and thereby, his livelihood.

  An equally important fact about water was the need for a continual supply of it during wartime. Especially when a city was under siege. Hezekiah, when faced with a siege from Sennacherib, had a tunnel built underground to keep the city of Jerusalem with a continuous water supply. I see a spiritual connection with water already!

  Jesus, at the feast, announced that if anyone believed on Him, as the scriptures said, that out of his belly (heart) would flow rivers of living water. This living water was identified as the Holy Spirit, which had not yet been given. But when He came, He became Living Water to all who received Him.

  Zechariah 14:8 – And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

  Zechariah’s prophecy speaks to a time, when Jerusalem will have living waters flowing in the summer and the winter. The disciples were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended. This Living Water that he saw, was none other, but the Spirit of God! Living waters that are not contingent on the time of year or the season, but on those who believe!

  For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17 – NKJV

  John speaks of Jesus, our Shepherd, leading His people to living fountains of waters. Isn’t that what He said to the woman in Samaria? He promised that He would give living waters to those who asked. And we see here that He leads us to living waters. This kind of reminds me of Psalm 23, where David spoke of the Shepherd, leading us to still waters. Even in a moving body of water, there are places where the waters seem still, safe for sheep.

  Isaiah wrote this about water:

  Isaiah 44:3 – For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

  The Holy Spirit takes the dryness of a soul and make it a flourishing land, causing thirst to be satisfied. He not only causes the individual, or a place to flourish, but He also pours His Spirit and His blessings upon our children. I like being blessed, but I absolutely love seeing my children blessed! This Living Water that we receive from Jesus is so vital to our lives as believers. He provides for us, and for our children, and children’s children. Blessings that are natural and spiritual!

  Isaiah 58:11 – And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

  This verse speaks to my heart. The Lord shall guide me continually and satisfy me in a drought. When I feel dry, like God isn’t listening, or responding to me, I just need to drink from the source of Living Water to find strength to continue on my journey. He promises that I will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. When I think of a watered garden, I am reminded of well kept garden with healthy, vibrant plants. That’s what living waters produce in our lives! And a spring of water that never dries up?? The imagery is powerful!

  I’ve ministered when I felt like I was in a dry place. But as I would begin, I would sense His Presence and the words would just flow. Why? I had no choice but to trust that rivers of living water would flow from me. Every time, He would give His people what they needed, in spite of how I felt. Waters not failing!

  There is so much more that I can share about water, but the space and time does not allow me to be as thorough as I would be in an in-depth teaching. However, I believe you get the point!

  Maybe you are feeling dry right now. This pandemic may have taken a toll on your spiritual life as you have had to shelter in place and limit your church attendance. Or maybe you have not been to church this entire year. Well, I have great news for you, you can still be a flourishing garden as you wait to re-enter the sanctuary and enjoy the blessings of koinonia. Sometimes, the devil would like to condemn us to keep us from enjoying Him; but living waters flow in the winter and the summer. Good times and bad times! Hard times and easy times.

  Maybe you feel like you are under attack! That’s ok! You have reservoirs you don’t realize you have. Tap into the vast source of Living Waters and allow Him to keep you satisfied and flourishing during the battle. People who live around water are healthier and able to endure longer than those who are without water. This is encouraging to note, because you will outlast your enemy when you allow the rivers of Living Waters to guide you and refresh you!

  And don’t forget! What He provides for you, He wants to provide through you. Don’t just drink and get full! Look for ways to allow rivers of living water to flow out of your belly into someone’s else dry place! Get refreshed and let’s do this! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in encouragement, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blessings, children, encouragement, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, Jesus, living waters, pandemic, provision, Sennacherib, Spiritual warfare, water

• Pray Without Ceasing!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on September 10, 2020

  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

  

  pray-without-ceasing_.mp3

  Praying without ceasing! I was a member of a Baptist Church when I first learned this scripture. Over the years, I have tried to be this person who pray without ceasing. I’m pretty sure that I haven’t arrived yet, but I believe sincerely in the discipline of praying without ceasing.

  There used to be a time in my life when I would get some really bad news and I would say, “All I can do is pray” as if every possible avenue had been tried and I was now left with trying prayer. I truly believe this attitude of, I guess I now have to pray, is the root behind many unanswered prayer.

  I spend a lot of time reading and studying about prayer, people who pray, and the impact of a life of prayer. I want to pray more effectively, I want to see my prayers answered instantly, I want to see God move in people lives and situations, and sometimes, I just want to deepen my communion with the Father!

  The phrase, “praying without ceasing” causes me to infer some things about prayer that will break through our traditions on how to pray: our posture, our voice, our place.

  If I am truly to pray without ceasing, then the posture of prayer doesn’t matter to God. Some people think that prayers must be prayed on bended knees, because it demonstrates humility, and it does. Some people think standing is the position of prayer, because Jesus said “when you stand praying”! These are certainly postures of prayer. However, you can also pray sitting in a chair, riding in your car, walking down the street (I love to prayer walk), or laying out before the Lord, just to name a few! And whichever posture you happen to be in when you pray, God will hear you!

  Lightfoot, a well-known commentator to many theologians, wrote that it’s not possible for us to spend all of our time with words of prayer on our lips; but, we can remain in the spirit of prayer, recognizing that we are dependent on God for everything! This leads to my second point. Some believe you are not praying, if you are not opening your mouth, for when Jesus taught the disciples to pray He said, “And when you pray, say…” While using your words are an important part of praying, your heart’s cry or desire, can get the job done! After all, if you go about praying out loud all day, you’ll look like a crazy person! I have prayed many prayers in my heart that I have seen God answer! Do I pray out loud? Most definitely! But, there have been times that words could not express what was in my heart, or I wasn’t where I could pray them, and yet God heard, understood, and responded!

  Praying without ceasing keeps us from being locked down to a location. My sister-in-law, Pastor Caren, teaches on “The Secret Place”. Whenever she does, it causes me to want to pray even more. Even still, you don’t have to be confined to praying in one place. Jesus’ instructions to us to pray in the secret place is vital in developing a personal prayer life. However, if that was the only place we could pray, we could not pray always. The car, the church, the bank, the restaurant, the shower, the garden, the beach, are all great locations for prayer. Any place, is a great place, to talk with God. Enjoy the secret place, but if you find yourself in the bathroom and someone is crying their heart out, it’s okay to stop and pray. God is in the bathroom!

  Smith Wigglesworth, an evangelist in the early part of the 20th century, walked in supernatural miracles which included the raising of the dead, and creative miracles of body parts being restored. Once he was asked how long did he pray? Here’s the discourse from a book written about him:

  “Tell us, how long do you pray every day?  “Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.” What?” his questioners exclaimed. After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

  I think we can all agree that Wigglesworth was a man who prayed without ceasing! It is even said, about his prayer life, that people couldn’t take being in the room with him when he prayed, because of the presence of God! That’s powerful!

  We should get to a place where we are talking to God about everything that is happening in our day. He wants to be involved in every part of our lives. Some say, it would be ridiculous to ask God what to wear! I have heard more than one testimony of someone asking, of Him answering, and of it being a benefit in more ways than one. But it’s not necessary to ask Him what to wear, He gives us free choice. However, throughout the day, there will be many times when talking softly to the Lord will make things go so much better!

  Is there a reason to pray continuously?

  • Luke 18:1-Jesus Himself said that if we are always praying, we won’t faint! That means constant communication with God, through prayer, gives us the strength to make it through the tough times in life!
  • Luke 21:36- Jesus says that we should not allow our hearts to be weighed down with the cares of this life to the point that we will miss His return! However, if we are praying continuously, we will not be drinking and carousing, but watching for His return and will not be caught unaware!
  • Ephesians 6:18 -Paul talked about the armor of God, then he said that we are to pray with all kinds of prayer! It is a strategic weapon against our enemy and his attacks, and praying always enables us to be watchful for all the saints! Have you ever been praying about one thing, when God interrupts your prayer, bring someone to your heart or mind, and you begin to pray? Then you find out that it was at a crucial moment that had a major impact on their life? Wow!

  I know some prayer warriors. They can be in the middle of a celebration, hear of a need, and go into serious combative prayer. My mother-in-law wouldn’t let you out of her sight without her praying for you. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many people in your life who can pray at the drop of a hat, because they live a life of prayer. I thank God for them! The word of God tells us to pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God concerning us! Let’s get started today! Wonderful Jesus!!

  Posted in Bitterness, Prayer, will of God | 4 Comments | Tagged Attitude, encouragement, God, Jesus, miraculous, pray without ceasing, Prayer, Smith Wigglesworth, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, testimony, the devil

• Yielding the Sword!

  Posted at 2:44 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 8, 2020

  Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” NKJV

  yielding-the-sword_.mp3

  I trust you are getting encouraged in your walk with the Lord! The Word of God says that we are more than conquerors; therefore, the weapons against our adversary are fail proof when used in faith! Have you ever watched someone play a video game, or maybe you have played, and the battle called for warriors to use different weapons at different phases of the game? Or maybe you have no knowledge of video games, but understand real warfare. You understand that there are foot soldiers with guns, snipers with rifles, tanks with artillery, planes with bombs, all headed for the enemy to engage him in different ways. All important, all strategic, all deadly, but in different ways! That’s how our spiritual weapons are used; in different phases of the battle, for different attacks, but all are lethal against the adversary! I wrote a blog, this year, “Talk Back to the Enemy” that is a companion blog to today’s entry.

  Paul is writing about the full armor of God in this passage. I won’t address the armor in this blog, but I do want to address the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Typically speaking, a sword is a weapon of defense and the Word is definitely great for defending ourselves against the enemy; but it can also be an offensive weapon used to attack an opponent. Which ever position you find yourself in, even at this moment, the word will work!

  In Matthew, chapter 4, we find Jesus is being led into the wilderness. After forty days and nights of fasting, the devil comes for a visit. He didn’t send a demon this time. This was an assignment he took up.

  The first temptation was at Jesus’ physical need of food. He said to Jesus, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” This was a real temptation because Jesus was hungry. It was also an attack on Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. Jesus didn’t get into a long discourse with the devil. He simply replied, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” Jesus’ weapon against the devil’s attempt to pull Him into the flesh after a forty day fast was countered with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God!

  Then we see that the devil took him up into the holy city, and said, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you.'” We can see that Satan came with a counterattack at Jesus, using the Word against Him. That was pretty dumb to use the Word against the Living Word, but he did it. Jesus of course responded with a greater truth, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'” In other words, it is very true that angels would come to His rescue, but He knew it would be silly to test God’s faithfulness on a challenge from Satan.

  Lastly, Satan takes Jesus on an exceedingly high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Now he is trying to impress Jesus with his goods. He say to Jesus “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Jesus rebukes Satan by saying, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'”

  After these words of rebuke, the devil leaves, and angels came and ministered to Him. He whipped the devil with the Word and was victorious, not because He was the Son, but because of the effectiveness of the sword of the Spirit! It worked for Jesus, and it will work for us!

  I want to address something that was going on. During this time of temptation, Satan was trying to get Jesus to sin against God. The temptation wasn’t a sin, but had Jesus done either of these things, He would have sinned. When we are tempted, they are just temptations, but when we give in and do a thing, it becomes a sin. Learning to cut the devil off before he has a chance to get us to thinking about his proposal is key in maintaining our victory. The immediate weapon to use against a suggestion to sin, is the Word of God!

  • Consider an individual who is dating. The enemy tells that person some tired lies that he have used throughout the centuries with others. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, but he’s had enough success that he still uses it. Recently my daughter told me this one that a young person shared with her, “Girl, you have to try it before you buy it!” How many times did my “girlfriends” tell me the same thing, decades ago. The only thing you get to try before you buy it is a car. Are we reducing our bodies to that of an automobile? You buy a house, you buy it first, then you move in; unless you rent to own. See the lie for what it is then use the word against sexual sin.
    • It is written, “Flee sexual immorality! And again it says “that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and I am not my own. Or have you not heard how Joseph, when approached by Potiphar’s wife refused her saying that he would not sin against God?” No devil, I will not do this thing for it is written, “You shall not commit adultery or fornication. So get out of here with your lies!”

  • Consider an individual who is struggling to make ends meet. The enemy tells that person, you should not be giving the church all of their money. You have been tithing (for all of two months) and things are worst. You have been giving to support the teens ministry, VBS, or pastoral support, but who is helping you?
    • It is written, “Bring the tithe in the storehouse…and I will open the window of heaven and pour you out a blessing you will not have room to receive. It is also written, “Give and it shall be given to you!” There is no way that I will stop being a financial blessing to my church for God has promised in His word, that the righteous are not forsaken and His seed is not begging for bread!” Now leave me alone!

  These are just examples that are common in the church. And they are lies that I have heard hundreds of times over the years that I have living for the Lord. Lies you have heard personally, or know others who have heard them. The Bible is filled with examples of people who have gone both ways: Eve, Samson and Judas believed the lies, Abraham, Noah, and Joseph did not! You don’t have to give in to the lies of the devil, just yield the sword of the Spirit at him and watch him hightail it out of your presence! Once you see it work, it may very well become your preferred weapon of attack!

  I believe I am finished with the weapons of our warfare blogs. I trust you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them. On wonderfuljesus.blog, it is my hope that you will always find encouraging, practical topics to keep you living a victorious life and falling in love with Jesus, over and over again! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, Satan, Spiritual warfare, the devil, weapons of warfare | 0 Comments | Tagged blessings, God, Jesus, sexual sin, Sin, Spiritual warfare, the devil, Tithing, Vic tory, Victorious Living, weapons of warfare, word of God

• At That Name!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 6, 2020

  Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” NKJV

  

  at-that-name_.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation.m4a

  I am still blogging about our weapons against the devil. There is no way I can end my “series” without mentioning the Name of Jesus! I’ve written about our salvation, as our first line of defense against the devil. I’ve written about the truth that we can use the Blood of Jesus against the enemy. I’ve mentioned that praise silences the enemy; and I’ve even blogged about our lifestyle as a testimony against the enemy. There are other weapons we’ve been given, the armor of God, the word of God, and fasting and praying are in the line up. They are all powerful, but I’m not sure that I will address them all. However, I simply must talk about the Name of Jesus!

  This particular text is packed with nuggets about Jesus, but I am only zeroing in on the the Name of Jesus against the enemy. Paul wrote that God had given Jesus the Name. Using the article “the” we can determine that His name is not just any name, but the specific Name that has been given to Him by God, which is above every name! By every name, Paul intended us to understand that he meant every name.

  But just in case we didn’t get that, or understand that to be true, he further elaborated that Jesus’ name is above every name in heaven, above every name on earth, and above every name under the earth! That’s the part I am getting at with this blog, that Jesus’ name is above every name under the earth. What do we think of when we think of who lives under the earth? We think of the devil and his demonic kingdom as being under the earth! But just in case you want to say they are anywhere else, well, that’s covered also!

  What happens at that name? Every knee must bow! All inhabitants must bow at His Name! And because of this truth, we have the authority to use His name to command demons to bow! I was reading in one of my books about Smith Wigglesworth, where I came across a testimony that illustrates this point, beautifully. A group of men went to pray for someone who was sick. They went into the sick room and they prayed every thing and every way that they knew how to pray; and nothing happened. They left the room feeling discouraged. As they were outside talking about what “didn’t happen” and how they had tried “everything”, one of them spoke up and said, they hadn’t tried the Name of Jesus. So they went back into the room, and started saying the name of Jesus, very softly. But then they continued saying that Name until fervor and passion overtook them and they were shouting the Name, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” Something happens at the name of Jesus! That sick person rose up completely healed because of the Name! That sickness that was draining him of his life, bowed to the Name that is above every name! Jesus!

  Another testimony of the power of the Name over demonic activity was shared in Wigglesworth book, Faith That Prevails. He was preaching in Toronto. After one of the services, a man met him at the place where he was staying. He told Wigglesworth that three years prior his nerves were shattered and he couldn’t sleep and his life was miserable. Wigglesworth told him to go home and sleep in the name of Jesus. The man slept all night and was completely healed! There is still power in that name!

  There have been times in my own life that I have used the name of Jesus and seen sickness bow to that Name! I was ministering to a lady who was in great pain. In the Name of Jesus, I commanded that pain to bow and to leave her body, and that pain left her body! It was if I just saw that pain bowing before Jesus as if to say, “You’re the Boss!” This has happened on more than one occasion . I know that faith is a huge part of it, but we have been given authority to use His name, and I am learning how to do just that! One commentator says that the words used in this verse depicts everything paying homage to Jesus! Can’t you see it?

  In Acts 3, Peter and John used the name of Jesus to heal the lame man. “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” When everyone was looking at Peter and John as if they did something wonderful, Peter said, “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know”. I can’t explain how it happens, I just know that it does.

  But it’s not just demons of sickness and physical disabilities that the Name of Jesus has dominion over; it’s any demonic activity! In Mark, Jesus Himself stated that in His name we would cast out devils! I’ve only personally experienced this a few times, but there are countless testimonies to people casting out demons in His Name!

  Kenneth Hagin, who is with the Lord, shared a story about using the name of Jesus. He said the Lord came to him and was trying to share something with him, but a demon showed up and kept jumping around distracting him. Finally, he got irritated enough that he commanded the demon to leave in the name of Jesus, and the demon left. He was waiting on God and God was waiting on him! We are responsible for dealing with the devil, his demons, and all their activity! Not God!

  This teaching is so vitally important for the Body. I trust that you are growing hungry to know more about how to withstand the attacks of the devil. I encourage you to read some books or listen to teachings that give more insight into these powerful weapons of warfare. Personally, some crazy things have been happening to let me know that someone must be getting blessed! I’ll stay on my assignment and I trust that together we will all begin to stand like never before against our enemy. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, Spiritual warfare, the devil, the Name of Jesus, weapons of warfare | 2 Comments | Tagged casting out demons, Deliverance, encouragement, Healing, Jesus, miracles of healing, miraculous, Satan, Smith Wigglesworth, Spiritual warfare, the devil, the enemy, the Name of Jesus

• Can I Get a Witness!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on August 4, 2020

  Revelation 12:11 -They gained the victory over him on account of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witness. Love for their own lives didn’t make them afraid to die. CEB

  

  can-i-get-a-witness.mp3

  I’ve been blogging on the spiritual weapons given to us to overcome the devil. This week will be my last week dealing with the subject. What I am realizing is that Jesus gave us so many ways to be victorious, that to live a life of defeat would be a slap in His face!

  Today I want to look at the phrase, “the word of their witness” as our spiritual weapon against the enemy. When I think about this phrase, it brings to mind, “what are we saying about Jesus?” Have you thought about the fact that what you say about Jesus can cause you to be either victorious or defeated?

  John wrote that they overcame the devil by the word of their testimony, or in this version, by the word of their witness. One commentator wrote that every single time we say no to sin, to temptations, to the lies of the devil, we are overcoming him! That’s what the end of this verse is reflective of when it says we overcome by the word of our testimony.

  The way we live as Christians, going back to holiness, will determine how adept we are at overcoming the devil. In the Bible we have two great men of God, who were totally different in their walk with the Lord, yet alike! Peter and Paul!

  Paul is one of my favorite people in the Bible, outside of Jesus! His life, speaks to me. He was a persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, arresting them and consenting to their deaths. Paul was zealous for the Law he had given his life to learn about, but ignorant of the God who sent His Son to die for him. I believe that every time he arrested one of the disciples their lives were a witness to him. He just couldn’t understand why they were so passionate, and some times, so willing to die for this Jesus! After watching Stephen die, I believe his life was changed. This young man had just used the very Law Paul had studied to explain his devotion to Jesus, and as Stephen dies, he cries “Lord, forgive them!” This was on his mind as he traveled on the road to Damascus. Now he was ready to encounter Jesus, and when he did, Paul recognized Him and called Him Lord. The same energy that Paul used to persecute the believers, was the same energy that he used to serve the Lord. He was strong in faith, strong in power, and strong in his teachings. There is no record of him ever straying from Jesus. He was passionate about his faith in Jesus, and he loved not his life, even to the death. Paul’s witness is an encouragement to me to live for Jesus. His life demonstrates that we can live a devoted, separated, victorious life with the Messiah.

  Peter was so enthusiastic in his service for Jesus that he sometimes got ahead of himself! When Jesus asked His disciples what were they saying about who He was, Peter spoke up, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Yet, Jesus rebuked Peter on several occasions, and Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. But Jesus saw Peter’s heart, and restored him, and Peter went on to be used mightily of God. Peter then stumbled in his relationship with the Gentiles, not wanting to eat with them when the Jews were around. It wasn’t that he was a flaky Christian, he just showed a more human side, a fear for what people thought of him. His enthusiasm and passion, sometimes got the best of him, trying to block out his godliness. Yet he still remains a powerful witness that we can all look up to! God knows we aren’t perfect, that we will stumble, and through Peter’s life we have a witness that we can overcome, even when we don’t always get it right!

  Can you imagine the impact these men lives had on the people they came into contact with? By his witness, Paul overcame the devil, and God used him to write most of the New Testament and to take the gospel to the Gentiles! By his witness, Peter impacted the Jewish community for Jesus every time he preached, winning thousands of souls to Jesus at a time. Their witness, in their life, and with their words, caused them to overcome the devil, time and time again!

  I think of the Voice of the Martyrs magazine at this time. The powerful testimonies I have read over the years of these same type of Christians who, in spite of intense persecution, continue, even in the midst of trials to deepen their relationship with Jesus. One such man comes to mind that I read about. I don’t remember his name, but I remember his witness. He was arrested for his faith in the Lord Jesus while living under a communist regime. During his arrest he would witness to the prisoners. One day, the guards took him outside in the wintry weather, naked, as a means of torturing him. However, each time he was brought back inside, he was without sickness, frost bite, or even pain. I believe I also read that the Lord clothed him in warmth while he was outside. His witness was even stronger after the intense persecution and he led many to Christ. I don’t remember the end of his life, but he overcame the devil and his attacks, with his witness!

  We won’t all be a Peter or a Paul, but we can all be a witness. The devil will constantly do things to try and tempt us from our faith in Christ Jesus, but we must be determined that nothing will separate us from God. He will lie to us about God’s character, but we must be diligent in letting our words speak of God’s faithfulness, His goodness, His mercy, and His love. Even in these challenging times with the coronavirus, we must remain true to Him, remembering always, that people are listening to our words and watching our lives.

  We overcome the devil! Jesus made it clear that we do so! He gave His Blood as an overcoming weapon. We have praise to silence the enemy. We have the word of our testimony to testify that God is good and the devil is a liar! We have our holy, consecrated lives that give no place to him. We must live free of any fear of the devil! And now, we just have to live like we know these truths, believe these truths, and operate in these truths. Can I get a witness? Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in God, Jesus, the devil, weapons of warfare, witness | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, coronavirus, freedom, God, Jesus, king, Paul, Peter, Revelation 12:11, Satan, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, weapons of warfare, witness

• The Weapon of Praise!

  Posted at 4:33 pm by wonderfuljesus8, on August 1, 2020

  Psalm 8:2 – Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. NIV

  

  the-weapon-of-praise_-2.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation-2.m4a

  I’ve been blogging about weapons that are effective in stopping the enemy! I have blogged about the weapon of our salvation, the weapon of the Blood of Jesus, and the weapon of holiness. In this blog, I want to talk about the weapon of praise!

  The psalmist, David, stated that praise establishes a stronghold (a tower) against our enemies. Can you imagine yourself building a tower, with your praise, that the enemy cannot get over? Hopefully, when you finish reading this blog, you will do just that! In the KJV of the Bible the translators used the word “strength” and not “praise” in this verse. However, to be clear that the psalmist is referring to praise, in this verse, let’s look at how Jesus quoted it in the book of Matthew. In Matthew 21:16 – “And (the Pharisees)said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” NKJV

  When I think of both of these words, (praise and strength) it causes me to draw the conclusion that our strength against the enemy lies in our praise! Get this picture in your mind: The enemy is on the attack, in some form or fashion, then you begin to praise God, and you start constructing a tower with your praise! The longer you praise, the higher the tower, the higher the tower, the harder it is for the enemy to access you! I like that picture!!

  The word praise is sometimes translated as “boast” meaning to boast in the Lord and what He has done, and to boast in who He is! Praise can be carried out in a number of ways:

  • We can praise Him in the dance!
  • We call praise Him with song!
  • We can just walk around and praise Him for who He is
  • We can sit and praise Him for what He has done in our lives
  • We can bow before Him and give Him praise just because we feel like it
  • We can praise Him at church or at home
  • We can praise Him with or without music
  • We can praise Him in the Spirit

  Choose one! Better yet, try them all! The next time the enemy goes on a rampage, praise God like never before!

  The Old Testament reference that comes to mind involves Jehoshaphat! There was an army of people who came up against the king and the people of Judah. When the king heard, he called a fast and prayed. The Lord gave the king a promise, a prophetic word, that he would not have to fight in the battle, and Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, gave Him praise. The next morning, when they got up, Jehoshaphat called for another time of praise. Here’s what verse 22 states: “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated!” Now how powerful of an example is that? Yes, they had fasted and prayed, and that caused them to hear from God! But when they began to praise Him, God defeated their enemies!

  Now, if you have been following me, you know I have to give you at least one more scriptural proof of praise silencing the enemy!

  The verse that keeps resonating in my heart and spirit is found in Isaiah 61. Although these are the words that Jesus said He fulfilled in Luke 4, there is a part that illustrates the victory through praise. Isaiah wrote, “put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness”. What is the spirit of heaviness but an oppressive spirit from the devil? Isaiah said, when it comes, clothe yourself in praise! Get up from your place of “woe is me” and get in a position of “Lord, You are good! You’ve been better than good!” Hallelujah!

  Everyone may not be able to “apply the Blood of Jesus” in faith as soon as you learn about it, but you can start praising Him right now and be extremely effective against the attacks of your enemy!

  In Psalm 30:12, the psalmist wrote, “You have turned for me mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. O lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!” What was David mourning over? Why was he in sackcloth? Who knows? Much had happened in his life before this point. It could have simply been that God had denied him the honor of building His temple because he had so much blood on his hands. Yet, when David was dedicating his home to the Lord, he began to give God praise and said, “you have turned my mourning into dancing”.

  My sister died many years ago. I hadn’t seen her in decades. One day I was just talking to the Lord when I said, “Father, I don’t want the next time I see Jeannie to be at her funeral.” That’s it! That’s all I said. Not long after that, Jeannie contacted me, came and spent a couple weeks with my family and I, and went back to California. She died shortly after. As I was beginning to allow grief to set in, God reminded me of what He had just done for me. I want you to know, I had such a spirit of praise in my heart at the funeral, it was almost embarrassing. However, I shared with my family that day about why my heart was not heavy, and I had to leave it there! He turned my mourning into dancing!

  I can give you example after example of the power of praise over the enemy. When we are praising God, the enemy runs away, because he can’t stand to be in a place where praise to God is going on. Also, when you praise God, you don’t have time to think about what the enemy is saying and doing, thereby, silencing him! And don’t forget that tower that is built when you give God praise! It’s blocks the enemy’s access to you!

  Let’s say that you are not in a place to even give Him praise right now. It happens! At this time, you just put on some praise music, and just be in the atmosphere of praise. It worked for Saul. When the evil spirit came upon him, David was called in to play some music for him. It was probably one of David’s psalms that he played for Saul, because the enemy left. He didn’t want to hear it. Not even in instrumental form!

  David wrote, “Let the poor and needy praise your name,” in Psalm 74. There is no state, no condition, in which we cannot give God praise. The best praise will come from your lips. Sometimes, it will have to be a sacrifice of praise more than a praise party. However it starts out, know that your praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, praise, the devil, weapons of warfare | 0 Comments | Tagged attacks, David, Deliverance, encouragement, hard times, Jehoshaphat, Jesus, praise, Spiritual warfare, the devil, the enemy, victory, worship

• Secret Weapon!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 30, 2020

  Revelation 12:11 – “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. NKJV

  

  secret-weapon_.mp3

  Are you a fan of westerns? I am! I grew up on the Lone Ranger series, as dorky as it looks today! My daughter discovered that the Lone Ranger was actually a Black man, and decided she wanted to honor his work and memory. Her latest release is loosely based on the character of the Lone Ranger and his friend Tonto; or in her case, Sly and Jamie! In the first three books of the series, Sly is in and out of the stories, helping runaway slaves; but book four is his story. I mention him, to give her free advertisement, and to make a point: Sly, had a secret weapon! Whenever Sly got in a tight spot, he did daring things to help the runaways, or to stop a lawless individual, all without getting hurt. Why? His secret weapon! Jamie was always in the background, giving the appearance that Sly was on his own, and just when Sly needed him, he would show up! One day, Sly was without his secret weapon and things got messy! You’ll have to read the book if you want to know what happened to Sly!

  A secret weapon is something or someone that no one knows about and that will give you an advantage over your competitors or enemies. I’m calling today’s weapon against the devil a secret weapon because many Christians conduct themselves as if they are unaware of it, and it’s so powerful! That’s the weapon of holiness. That’s right! It’s been a secret weapon for far too long, and now we need to become more aware of it in order to have an advantage over the devil.

  In John 14:30, Jesus spoke these words, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” As I read this verse, I thought about the blogs I have been writing, and I knew I had to include this verse in this section! Jesus said that the “ruler of this world is coming”. This title is another name for the devil, our adversary. Jesus knew that the enemy was getting ready to attack Him with a mighty blow, and He says, “he has nothing in me!” Wow! What is Jesus saying?

  For Jesus, this was no secret weapon, it was how He lived. And as such, the devil was unable to get a place in His life! The devil came to bring death to Jesus, but he didn’t realize that he couldn’t take Jesus’ life. However, Jesus had to die, for us, so He gave up His life. The devil thought he was doing something, that he had finally outsmarted God and Jesus, but had he known the power of the cross, and the blood that was shed, he would have never allowed Jesus to get on it!

  As I was reading to find examples of the truth of this principle, I found Albert Hibbert’s book, “Smith Wigglesworth: The Secret of His Power”. On page 93, he wrote the following words:

  “To discern satanic activity, we must live in the Presence of Him Who is holy; otherwise, we will very likely fall victim to Satan’s wiles. If we maintain the same attitude toward sin and all its by-products that Jesus had, we need never fear the devil or what he can do. Rather, he will fear us.”

  Smith Wigglesworth was a man of great power. If you have never heard of him before, allow me to introduce him to you. Smith and his wife worked in ministry together for the Salvation Army, when salvations really were its objective. Then one day Smith received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After that, his life changed, he changed. The Holy Ghost began manifesting His gifts wherever Smith went and mighty miracles broke forth. Creative miracles, the dead rising, miracles of healing, and divine salvations, just to give you an idea of his ministry. Hibbert interviewed him in writing this book and asked him about what he did in his spare time. Wigglesworth said he spent his time in the presence of God, and that kept him ready to be used by God to destroy the works of the devil!

  Jesus lived in the presence of the Father. When He wasn’t meeting the needs of the people, He was stealing away to be with His Father. When He was with the people, His only concern was to do the will of the Father. With such God consciousness, He had no time for sin, for His personal gratification of the flesh. His attitude towards sin was that it needed to be forgiven or dealt with; not enjoyed for a season!

  This is holiness! I know a lot of people think holiness is about what we wear or don’t wear, and the things we watch and listen to. Those are by products of holiness. Holiness is living your life free from sin, as Jesus did, as God does. It’s not always easy, but the pursuit of holiness is a powerful weapon that gives us an advantage over the devil. I know you’ve met the individual who lives to see how close they can get to the world and still be saved. That person is making himself vulnerable to Satan’s attacks! However, the person who is living a set apart life for God, is strengthening his advantage over the enemy! Don’t we need one? Is not there a cause to have an advantage?

  We gush over the lives of the “old timers” and the way God used them, they are great examples. But they were just men and women who allowed Jesus to be the guide for all they did and said. Holiness was a high priority and because of that, they walked in much authority over the works of the devil. They came under attack, but when they were in their rightful place in Christ Jesus, he was no match for them. When they took their eyes off of Jesus, they found themselves sinking much as Peter did.

  There’s so much to holiness. I can’t cover it all, but maybe later I can go more in depth on the subject. I just thought it was interesting to note that Jesus knew His life was lived in such a way, the devil had no ability to hurt Him. It should be a goal for each of us, as it gives us an advantage, and it’s a powerful weapon against the devil! Don’t ever let the devil catch you without your secret weapon! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in holiness, Jesus, Spiritual warfare, the devil, weapons of warfare | 2 Comments | Tagged Attitude, Believer, Deliverance, encouragement, Forgiveness, God, holy, Holy Spirit, Jesus, miraculous, protection, Salvation, Satan, Sin, Spiritual warfare, supernatural, the devil, victory

• There’s Power in the Blood!

  Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 28, 2020

  Revelation 12:11 – And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. NKJV

  

  there-is-power-in-the-blood.mp3

  Lewis E. Jones wrote the hymn, “There is Power in the Blood” in 1899. It is still sung today. The questions he asked are:

  • Would you be free from your burdens of sin?
  • Would you, a victory over evil win?
  • Would you be free from your passion and pride? Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide!
  • Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? Sin stains are lost in it’s life giving flow!
  • Would you do service for Jesus your King?
  • Would you live daily His praises to sing?

  Then Lewis repeatedly answers the questions by saying, “There’s power in the Blood!” I’m sure you have heard, and know this hymn, but here’s the chorus:

  There is power, power, wonder working power
  In the Blood, of the Lamb!
  There is power, power, wonder working power
  In the precious Blood of the Lamb!

  Jones understood a basic, yet profound truth, that whatever you need, there is power enough in the Blood to bring it to pass. My previous post on the first line of defense being the Blood of Jesus, through provision of salvation is where it starts, not where it ends. The Blood of Jesus will not only lift your burdens of sin, wash you whiter than snow, and destroy the bondage of passion and pride; it will also give you victory over evil, empower you to live daily for the King, and enable you to serve Him. It’s in the Blood!

  I’m re-reading a book, written by Billye Brim, “The Blood and the Glory!” It’s one of the best books I’ve read on the subject. In her book, she gives testimony after testimony of the power of the Blood for protection. She writes about the principle of applying the Blood and pleading the Blood over our lives, our families, our properties, and our businesses. Basically, over everything!

  I want to share one of her testimonies. I will generalize it so that I am not copying from her text. This happened pre-cell phone days. There was a minister who had to go to Canada to conduct some services. The power of God was moving and people were getting saved and set free. The devil spoke to him and told him that he was going to kill his children. He responded by saying, “Devil, you’re a liar! You cannot kill my children.” The devil told him that he was going to use rabid foxes to kill his children. He remembered that someone had mentioned to him, they had seen foxes on his land before he had left. So he and some friends drew a blood line of protection around his property. A week later he received a letter from his brother saying that he had found five dead foxes on the boundary of his property and they were all tested and had rabies! Now that’s power!

  She also shares testimonies from Mrs. C. Z. Nuzum’s book, “The Life of Faith”. Mrs. Nuzum was a missionary in Mexico and she trusted the Blood of Jesus would protect her from violence, from a bulldog, a raging fever as she went to help a family, a drunk man who followed her to bring her harm, and a number of other instances. There is power in the Blood!

  I’ve already talked about the protection at Passover. Today, I will remind you of Rahab, who was protected with a token of the blood. When she hid the spies, she had a conversation with them about saving her and her family. The spies told her that if she and her family stayed in the house, they would be protected, as long as she kept her end of the bargain. As she lowered them from her window, using a scarlet cord, they told her that she should tie that cord to the window, and when the Israelites came, and saw the cord, her home would receive protection. That cord was a token of the blood. It saved her entire family from destruction when the walls of Jericho fell. As a matter of fact, her walls didn’t even fall. You’ll have to go back and read the story in its entirety, but there is power even in the token of the Blood.

  What does that mean for you and I. When we are born again, we have the Blood applied to our hearts, but we can also apply it, or plead it over us and our family for protection. I have done so on numerous occasions for myself and my family, and it works! I have gotten lax, but I am thankful for this reminder, during the coronavirus outbreak that there is power in the Blood to protect us.

  Let me say this! Smith Wigglesworth, a man whose life and ministry I greatly admire, was used mightily by God to heal the sick, and to restore life and limb to individuals. But when it came to health, he did the natural things necessary to stay healthy. When it was cold outside, he wore a coat, scarf, and a hat. When it was raining, he used an umbrella. He understood the authority he had over sickness and disease, but he didn’t give place to the devil. Jesus, the Son of God, said that we are not to tempt the Lord our God. Just because God has given His angels to protect us, doesn’t mean we go about defying death. So with the coronavirus, just because we are covered in the Blood, and can apply the Blood, doesn’t mean we need to walk around like we are untouchable. We don’t operate in fear, and we don’t run from life, but we walk in faith, trusting God, not trying to prove that we are invincible.

  How does it work? You say, “In the Name of Jesus, I plead the Blood of Jesus over my body against ___________________”! This is not prayer! It’s a decree, based on the Word of God, and done in faith! You can, by faith, apply the Blood to your vehicles, to your home, over your business. You can by faith, draw a bloodline, in the same way. As you go, the Spirit of God can prompt you, or you can operate by faith! I am out of space, but for more on the Blood, check out the scriptures in the Bible related to blood, and check out those books I mentioned. When you finish them, you will be more equipped to use this weapon, and to overcome the enemy, by the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus! He cannot fail! Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Jesus, supernatural, the Blood of Jesus, weapons of warfare | 4 Comments | Tagged apply the blood, Believer, coronavirus, Deliverance, draw a bloodline, Faith, Family, Jesus, plead the Blood, protection, Rahab, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the Blood of Jesus, the devil, trust in God, victory

• Our First Line of Defense!

  Posted at 2:06 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 25, 2020

  Revelation 12:10-11- Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. NKJV

  

  our-first-line-of-defense-2.mp3

  prayer-for-salvation.m4a

  This text is loaded with revelation, but for today’s blog we are dealing with a key weapon God has given us against the devil. John the Apostle has been exiled to the Isle of Patmos as a punishment or because of persecution for his faithfulness to the Lord. However, he is not sitting around whining about his isolation, he is communing with Jesus!Jesus takes this time to reveal to John, “things which must shortly take place”. It is at this time, when John is being given an opportunity to see and listen in on what’s happening in heaven, that we learn how to overcome the devil.

  Since we have already talked about him as the accuser of the brethren, I won’t focus on that. What I want us to see in this verse is, the weapon: “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” They, meaning the ones to whom salvation was given, the children of God. Him, meaning the devil. So our most effective weapon against the devil is the Blood of Jesus. Let’s look at how it works!

  Salvation comes through the precious blood of Jesus. Ephesians 1:7 – “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, it is our first line of defense against the devil. Satan knows that he has no way, whatsoever, to get back into God’s grace. And he doesn’t want you to experience it either. Therefore, he does everything he can to keep mankind from accepting Jesus and partaking of the grace of God. Once a person receives Jesus, they are born into the family of God (John 1:12). Paul wrote that at the time of salvation, we are also delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. (Colossians 1:13).

  This is important to note as a first line of defense against Satan. Before you or I became the children of God, we belonged to the devil. In Ephesians, chapter 2, Paul wrote that at that time, before Christ, we were strangers to the covenants of promise, we had no hope, and we were without God in the world. This is a terrible place to be because it’s Satan’s domain, and he is in complete authority. He can whip up on you and have full legal authority to do it. The only way you can stop him from kicking you around is the Blood of Jesus! You have to become born of the Spirit of God, through the Blood. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. There is no other way!

  Our physical bodies have a first line of defense. “The first line of defence (or outside defence system) includes physical and chemical barriers that are always ready and prepared to defend the body from infection. These include your skin, tears, mucus, and, stomach acid….” Once we become spirit beings, our first line of defense for us as spiritual beings is the Blood of Jesus, applied on the doorpost of our hearts. This salvation keeps us in a state of readiness against our enemy!

  A natural depiction of this spiritual principle is seen in Exodus, chapter 12, when the children of Israel is getting ready to depart from Egypt. Moses instructs them to kill a lamb and to reserve the blood of the lamb. The blood was to be placed on the two door posts and on the lintel of the houses they were in. (This was to be their first celebration of the Passover). In verse 12, God tells them that He will strike all of the firstborn in the land, of man and beast, and when He sees the blood, He will pass over them and their homes. The blood was a sign, that the people in the houses where the blood was applied was “off limits”.

  In the same manner, the Blood of Jesus is applied to our hearts on the day of our salvation. It is a sign to God and the devil, that we have been bought with the Blood of Jesus; and the devil has no legal right, or authority, to mess with us. It doesn’t stop his attacks! It makes him keenly aware that when he messes with us, he is messing with someone dear to the heart of God. It also let’s him know that in the past when he messed with us, we were on our own; but that is no longer the case. When we become born again, we gain a Heavenly Father, God, and He is in our corner! Not only that, to every one that is born again, Jesus has given authority over the devil! So that’s another reason why the devil works so hard to keep people from getting saved. Isn’t that exciting! The one who had authority over you is now under your authority! Glory be to God!

  Before you even think about going on the offense against the devil and using that authority, make sure the Blood of Jesus has been applied to your heart. Once that first line of defense is in place, you have nothing to fear from the devil. In my next blog, I’ll give more insight into the power of the Blood against the attacks of Satan. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Deliverance, Jesus, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, the Blood of Jesus, weapons of warfare | 4 Comments | Tagged authority over the devil, Blood of Jesus, forgiveness of sins, Jesus, Prayer, Salvation, Spiritual warfare, testimony, the devil, weapons of warfare

• The Flip Side!

  Posted at 9:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on July 23, 2020

  Ephesians 4:27 – “nor give place to the devil.” NKJV

  

  the-flip-side.mp3

  I grew up in the Flip Wilson era, where we thought it was funny to say, “The devil made me do it!” Flip Wilson, in his comedy show, did some stupid things, then he would say that the devil made him do it. There is a poster with him in a dress, and of course, the devil made him buy the dress. However, through the years I have realized that it’s no joking matter to give place to the devil and his bidding.

  I’ve written several blogs to remind us that we have an adversary and he is out to get us. However, I would be remiss, if I didn’t write about the “flip” side of that picture. While it is true, that the devil is directly or indirectly responsible for the bad things that happen in our lives, we willingly or unwillingly participate in his schemes. It’s time to stop giving place to the devil!

  A young lady approached me one day crying. I asked her what was going on? She said that it wasn’t fair that she was pregnant and she had only had sex one time, when she knew people who were far more active than she was and they hadn’t gotten pregnant. Can I just say that I was standing there looking at her with a “are you kidding me” expression on my face? How could it not be fair? If you are old enough to have sex, you should be old enough to understand that pregnancy can and might be the consequence of your actions. It’s not a matter of fairness, it’s a matter of consequence.

  Consequence is defined as “a result or effect of an action or condition”. Stephen Covey had this to say about consequences: “While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” This is a truth conveyed throughout scripture.

  When David slept with Bathsheba, not only did he father a baby with another man’s wife, but he killed the man to hide his sin. He chose the sin, but the consequences were costly. A warrior who served him with unwavering devotion died, the baby died, his son rape his daughter, her brother killed the one who raped her, and then he turned around and tried to take the kingdom from David. Did I forget to mention that he slept with David’s wives on the rooftop of the palace? David chose the sin, but the consequences were out of his control.

  Achan was another person whose actions brought devastating consequences. The children of Israel had just finished rejoicing over the walls of Jericho falling. They were rounding up the treasures that were to go to God. Achan saw “a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels” and he took them. They were forbidden for him to take, yet he did it. The children of Israel went out to fight the battle of Ai. They lost. Joshua was so upset that he was crying about to God. God told him there was sin in the camp. Achan was exposed. Joshua had them take Achan, the treasures, his family, and all that he owned to the Valley of Achor. There Joshua had them all stoned and burned with fire. Achan chose the action, but he didn’t get to choose the consequence. And let’s not forget that lives were lost in a battle that should have been a cake walk.

  Do you want a New Testament example? I have one for you. Ananias and Sapphira. They sold their property to be a blessing to the church. They decided that they would keep a portion of the money. It was theirs to do with as they wished. But when Ananias showed up to give his money, he lied and said that it was the total amount that he had received from the sell. It was a lie and he died on the spot. He was so not expecting that! Then his wife came in, not realizing what had happened to her husband and gave the same lie. Then she died. Wow! What an expensive price to pay for a lie. They chose the action, but God chose the consequence.

  All of these are examples of people giving place to the devil. The devil could very much have whispered in their ears, suggesting these things. But he could not make them do any of it. They had to give place to the devil. He didn’t make Eve eat from the tree and he doesn’t make us do things. Unless he possesses us! That’s a different blog, altogether.

  What about that couple I mentioned who had the yelling contest, allowing their anger to get the best of them? They gave place to the devil with their anger, and those spirits had permission to come in and wreak havoc and fear in their lives and their marriage.

  When we sin, whatever the sin, we give place to the devil. We give him an invitation to come into our homes, our lives, our finances, and our children’s lives, by our choices and our actions. When we say “no” to sin, we shut the door to the devil and his demonic activity. We stop the negative consequences from happening in our lives and open the door to the blessings of the Lord. When we say “yes” to sin, we will reap the consequences God has laid out in His word, for our sins. God isn’t punishing us, per se, we are reaping what we sowed.

  I can assure you that there are times, the devil just attacks us for no good reason, except that he can. But sometimes, we invite his attention with the things we do and say. We don’t have to be afraid of the devil, but neither should we give him access in our lives.

  I trust that these past blogs have helped you to see that Satan really is your adversary. I hope you have also realized that you can help him hurt you, or you can stop him in his tracks! And no matter where you’ve been in the past on this issue, I trust that moving forward you have a made up mind to actively watch out for his activity, and to enforce his defeat in your life. Keep reading for weapons to defeat the devil. Wonderful Jesus!

  Posted in Choices, consequences, God, Satan, the devil | 0 Comments | Tagged Achan, Ananias and Sapphira, consequences, David, David and Bathsheba, Joshua, Lying, obedience, Sin, Spiritual warfare, the battle of Ai, the battle of Jericho, the devil, the devil made me do it

• Search for:

• Recent Posts

  • Lord, I Thank You!
  • The Curse of Ham?
  • A Heritage of Faith!
  • Lord, Did You Forget Us?
  • Life in the Blood!

• Categories

  • Victorious Living (104)
  • Jesus (97)
  • Christian (67)
  • Believers (57)
  • God (40)
  • Faith (37)
  • encouragement (36)
  • Healing (24)
  • testimony (20)
  • Holy Spirit (19)