Walking in God's Light

There is a trend in the world today to dabble in the mystical paranormal, which is Satan's counterfeit for God's supernatural power. It leads to death and destruction.

People who participate in the occult open themselves up to demonic oppression or possession with the same intensity that Believers are filled with God's Holy Spirit.

Satan provides a fleshly fulfillment in a person's life, satisfying their carnal desires until they sell their soul to him. God provides us with fulfillment in our spirit, which is Born Again by His Spirit.

Satan's demonic spirits, who are fallen angels, appear as angels of light, but carry with them the seal of eternal death to everyone who opens up their soul to them (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Authentic Believers realize that we need no mystical events in our life, because we have the constant presence of God's Spirit in us, filling us and enabling us and giving us wisdom in every trial.

We do not seek visions of angels or signs and wonders, because Christ is enough for us. He is the head of His Body and He supplies all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).

Jesus is our all in all (Ephesians 4:6). Therefore, we trust in the sufficiency of Christ and His Word. We reap His benefits as God's children (Psalm 103:2) rather than the consequences of entanglement in demonic forces.

We walk in the Light, as Christ is in the light, and we want no part of the darkness of this world. We have fellowship with other Believers and the blood of Jesus purifies us and makes us whole (1 John 1:7; Isaiah 2:5; John 12:36; Luke 11:36; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for all of Your blessings to us each moment of the day. Remind us to thank You for the sun on the leaves of the tree, the clear air to breathe, the bird songs, the taste of the delicious foods You allow to grow in the earth. These are all blessings, which we so often take for granted.

Even in the midst of abject poverty, physical ailments, rejection from loved ones, hard physical labor and unending trials, we feel Your love, which gives us hope, and your joy, which is our continual strength.

Thought for the Day:

We were once in darkness, but now we abide in the light of the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8

The Benefits of Holy Living

God breathed the breath of life into Adam and he was born in body, soul and spirit (Genesis 2:7). God’s perfect design included all of us living in total union with Him in the Garden of Paradise. There was only one commandment Adam had to keep, and his pride would not allow him to remain faithful. Adam’s sin separated all of us from God. In fact, when Adam sinned, his spirit died. Now we are all born in this same sinful state with a dead spirit within us.

That is why human beings crave spirituality, dabble in the occult, seek Nirvana and go on holy pilgrimages. We are trying to reconnect with the Divine and to experience the rebirth of our spirit. Only those who trust in Jesus, turn from their wicked ways, and are Born Again in spirit will have eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord (1 John 5:11-12). We dwell in total union with God, live and move and have our being in Christ, and are led by God’s Spirit all the days of our life (Colossians 3:3-4; Acts 17:28; Galatians 5:16, 25).

Jesus was connected to God in Spirit throughout His lifetime (Johan 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:16; John 4:24). Since God was His actual Father, Jesus was not born with the curse of Adam’s sin on His life (Luke 2:11). However, He still lived in this sin-cursed world. His soul – thoughts, choices and emotions – was influenced by the carnality in the world around Him. His soul had to grow in wisdom and his body in stature, and it was His choice to grow in favor with both God and man (Colossians 2:3; Luke 2:52).

Before He created the world, God designed the plan to redeem man back to Himself by taking on the form of man and sacrificing Himself to pay the penalty of our sins. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, willingly laid down His life for us. He freely gives us His eternal life both now and throughout eternity. When our spirit is Born Again, we are united with Christ, we find our true identity in Christ and we connect with God once and for all time.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You suffered in life just as we do (Hebrews 2:14-18). You became a man, so that in You, we can live as You (2 Corinthians 5:21). Your Spirit exchanges our carnal humanity with Your righteousness. We have Your life dwelling within us (1 John 5:12). We grow in wisdom and stature by Your sanctifying process in our soul. We thank You for dying in our place and giving us Your eternal life now and forever. Teach us to have eternal values as we live in this world. Show us the reality of our union with You, so that we can reap the benefits of holy living both now and in eternity.

Thought for the Day:

Our human body will go to the grave, but our soul and spirit will never die. - John 11:25-26

What About Angels?

 

The Bible speaks about classes of angels: Cherubim (Ezekiel 1:5-11); Seraphim (Isaiah 6:2) and Archangels like Michael and Gabriel (Daniel 9:21, 10:6, 13; Luke 1:19, 26; Jude 9). Many scholars believe that Satan was an archangel, and higher than any other angel. Some angels are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 18:10). The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word aggelos and the Hebrew word mal'ak, which mean “messenger.”

Angels serve God through worship and praise (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-5), as messengers (Acts 7:52-53), to answer prayers (Daniel 9:20-24; 10:10-12; Acts 12:1-17), to carry our soul and spirit to Heaven (Luke 16:22), to provide (Genesis 24:7; Genesis 21:17-20; 1 Kings 19:5-6; Matthew 4:11), to protect (Psalm 34:7; Daniel 6:22; 3:23; Genesis 3:24), to guide (Matthew 1-2; John 20:12; Acts 10:1-8, 78:26), to deliver (Acts 5:19; Acts 12:7) and to encourage (Matthew 4:11; Acts 5:19-20, 27:23-25).

Angels were not born and do not have physical bodies like humans (Luke 20:34-36; Colossians 1:16-17). God created angels before He created human beings (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2,5). Humans are not angels. Angels can appear as men, but they are not human. When people die, even babies, they do not become angels. Angels are always angels, and people are always human. Angels do not marry or reproduce (Matthew 22:30). When we get to heaven two groups meet us: “myriads of angels” and “the spirits of righteous men made perfect” (Hebrews 12:22-23).

 

Jesus declared that angels have no flesh and bones (Luke 24: 37-39). They are not usually visible (Colossians 1:16). Elisha prayed for his servant to see the invisible forces surrounding the city, and the young man was amazed to see an army of a host of angels and fiery chariots (2 Kings 6:17). At times, angels appear in bright white and flaming glory (Matthew 28:2-4; Daniel 10:6). While the Bible is not specific, we deduce that the number of angels is innumerable (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 12:22).

When angels do manifest to humans, they usually appear in the form of a man (Mark 16:5). There is one instance where two women appeared, with the wind in their wings, which were like the wings of a stork (Zechariah 5:9). In Genesis 18, Abraham welcomes and feeds three men who are traveling. It is clear, however, that one of them was the Lord, who remained with Abraham to chat, while the others were two angels who went on to Sodom (Genesis 19:1). The Bible reminds us to be kind to strangers, because we may be entertaining angels without realizing it (Hebrews 13:2).

When people in the Bible saw an angel, they typically fell on their face in a muddle of both terror and wonder (Daniel 10:10; Revelation 1:17). Some Bible passages picture angels with wings (Isaiah 6:2,6). Others talk about angels flying (Daniel 9:21). However, many scholars believe that angels can move around without depending on wings. Most allusions to angels in the Bible say nothing about wings, and in passages like Abraham and the three men, they had no noticeable wings.

Angels are more mobile than men, but are not omnipresent like God (Daniel 9:21-23, 10:10-14). They are stronger than men, but are not omnipotent (2 Peter 1:11; Psalm 103:2). They have more knowledge than men, but are not omniscient (Matthew 24:36; 2 Samuel 14:20). God created angels as holy beings to worship Him (Mark 13:32; Matthew 18:10). Satan then deceived 1/3 of these angels to rebel against God and they are now referred to as demons (2 Peter 2:4; Ephesians 6:12; Matthew 25:41; Jude 6).

We can open our life to demonic forces by involvement in sinful and occult practices. The more we live by the flesh, the more influence Satan and his demons have on our body and soul. The Holy Spirit dwells in our spirit, so Satan cannot possess a Christian’s spirit. However, we can give Satan permission by our ungodly thoughts and behavior to oppress, demonize or inflict our body and soul. Satan is the god of everyone who has not repented and believed in Jesus for salvation (John 10:10). Their spirit is dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), and Satan usually possesses their body and soul and makes their life miserable (1 John 5:19; Jude 9; Revelation 16:13-14).

There is an invisible clash rampant in the spiritual realm that the Bible only hints at. It is not an equitable fight, however, because God is always in control and His forces always prevail (Luke 4:6). Satan has to get his permission from God to touch His Saints (Job 1:8; 2:3), because God uses demons and angels to accomplish His purposes in our lives. After the Millennium, God will cast all unbelievers, Satan and all of his demons into the lake of fire for eternity (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41).

 

Prayer:

Holy Lord, we thank You for sending angels to guard us and minister to us. We are excited to know that archangels do battle in the heavenly realms and that Your forces always prevail. Help us to minister to You and for You as well. Lead us by Your Spirit each and every moment of the day as we accomplish great things for Your Kingdom.

Thought for the Day:

Only that which we accomplish in the Spirit will last for eternity. Everything else is just a temporary legacy.