Escaping Fiery Darts and Entrapping Sins

Satan attempts to use the sin in the world and in people dwelling all around us to inflict us with physical and emotional wounds. He delights in deceiving us and inflicting pain through the destruction of sin.

God tells us to draw near to him and to resist the devil, and the devil has to flee (James 4:7). We can avoid many of life's tragedies and their consequences by walking in the Spirit instead of in the flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

There are inevitable consequences of life on this sin-cursed earth, such as certain illnesses and death; yet, it is often the foods we eat and products we use on our body and in our home, as well as the people in our life, which contribute to our unnecessary illness and untimely death.

If we realize that we are raised with Christ and hidden with Him in God, we understand that God has ultimate control over our life. We keep our self free from the pursuit and love of money and escape undue stress and its effects on our body, soul and spirit.

Jesus calls us to seek Heavenly matters and wisdom from the right hand of God where He is sitting (Colossians 3:1-3). We learn to obey His Spirit and to live contentedly with what He provides.

God's great love and compassion never fail and prevent us from being consumed by sin, the devil and the world. God faithfully provides His mercy for us each new morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

We awaken to a whole new day of His provision and protection. As we are still before God and listen to His voice, we know God in an intimate relationship, and find His peace in uncertainty.

He never leaves or forsakes us and He abides within our spirit and protects our body and soul from the ravages of this world (Hebrews 13:5). Born of God, we overcome this world and enjoy His victory through our belief and faith in Christ (1 John 5:4-5).

Prayer:

Father God, life is so uncertain and we constantly wonder what will happen tomorrow to throw a wrench in the works. You give us the faith of Christ, which helps us to realize that life's challenges are really adventures when You are involved in them with us. As we focus our faith in Your faithfulness, we enjoy life so much more.

You are Creator and Savior and are always in charge, even when we wander from Your will. Your love never changes and You always draw us back to the protection of Your straight and narrow road (Matthew 7:14). We look forward to You coming for Your Saints, but we thank You too for overcoming this world in and through us until You do.

Thought for the Day:

Christ in us enables us to escape the fiery darts of the devil and to protect us from reaping the destruction of the sins, which so easily trap us in their grip.
 - Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 12:1

Condemnation or Conviction

 

There is a huge difference between condemnation and conviction. A person without Christ in their life might experience both of these; but a child of God is freed from all condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Satan condemns us, but God's Spirit convicts us. For instance, when we choose to walk in slavery to the flesh, God convicts us to walk in the Spirit instead (Galatians 5:15-25).

Condemnation brings shame, hopelessness and discouragement with it. Yet, conviction brings relief, and gives us the opportunity to decide not to sin and to please God instead (James 4:7).

Satan will crush us with his shameful condemnation and attempt to cripple our soul in order to prevent us from ever serving God again. If we flee temptation, we also flee condemnation (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Satan is the accuser of God's children and he will attempt to belittle us, telling us that we are not enough, will never amount to anything and that we are a hopeless failure.

However, these accusations are contrary to God's truth about us. God says that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). We have victory in all things through Christ in us (1 Corinthians 15:57)

As we submit to God and resist the devil, he has to flee from us (James 4:7-8). Nothing can ever separate us from the multi-dimensional love of God (Romans 8:35-39).  

Prayer:

Father God, when Satan attempts to defeat us, remind us that You already gave us the victory through Christ in us (Galatians 2:20). Thank You for being so willing to forgive our departure from Your will for our life (1 John 1:9), and for giving us Your Spirit to help us to walk in Your perfect peace.

Produce in us a Godly sorrow, which pricks our conscience and reminds us not to succumb to Satan's temptations (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Prompt us to walk in Your Spirit, filled with His fruit, so that we will not fulfill the lusts of our flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

Thought for the Day:

The blood of Christ frees us from the penchant to sin, as well as from the condemnation of the devil.

- Revelation 1:5; Romans 8:1

United With Christ

As Born Again Believers, we are filled throughout our entire body, soul and spirit with all of God’s fullness. We possess the richest measure of His divine presence within us and we are wholly filled and flooded to overflowing with God Himself (Ephesians 3:19, Amplified Bible). We are united with Christ in the very marrow of our spirit (Hebrews 4:12). He provides us with everything we need to live a healthy, Spirit-filled life. Then, His Spirit infiltrates the joints of our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions - to realistically perform His perfect will in and through us (Hebrews 4:12).

We are liberated from living in this earthly realm, even though we physically continue to dwell here. Paul counted all of his worldly possession and gain as lost when compared to the joy of his salvation and the riches he received from intimately knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-11). In this same way, we detach from our connection to this world, even the good parts of life which hinder our walk with God, such as family, houses and lands – in order to obtain the better blessings provided for us by Christ (Luke 14:23-33; Philippians 3:10).

We realize that even the worst of adversity in our life comes from God to perfect and to provide for us (Hebrews 11:32-34; Job 1:8, 2:3). What Satan plans to harm us, such as the death of Christ on Calvary’s cross, God means for our good, such as bringing His resurrection life to lost sinners (John 19:10-11). Satan has no authority of his own. He can only do the bidding of our Father God. The Lamb, who is opening the seal, bowl and trumpet judgments, even directs the plans and purposes of the anti-Christ during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 5:2-10).

All of Satan’s wiles against us are orchestrated by God to work out His purpose in us, through us and for our eventual good (1 John 4:4; Romans 8:28). So stop spending so much time fighting Satan. Submit to God instead, then resist the devil and he has to flee from you (James 4:7). This does not mean our trials in life will end, however. Our Heavenly Father loves us and makes us more than conquerors through them all (Romans 8:37). He even makes all of our paths straight because of our enemies (Psalm 27:11; Zechariah 4:7). Jesus is exalted in us as we overcome as His joint heirs by His power within us (1 John 3:2; Ephesians 3:6).

We find our true self, hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). He called us out of sin into His glorious life. God elected us as His holy and stately priests. We are God’s special possession created to declare His praises to a lost and dying world around us (1 Peter 2:9). We actually become the love of Christ to the world (John 2:12-14; Exodus 33:13). Jesus went to the cross with joy in His heart as He focused on the glory awaiting Him in Heaven (Hebrews 12:2). We live life with this same joy in our own hearts, looking forward to sitting together with Christ for eternity (1 Corinthians 4:9-13; 2 Corinthians 6:8 10; Ephesians 1:21, 2:4-6).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You take pre-eminence in our heart over all other aspects of life (1 Corinthians 9:22). We knock on doors and invite our neighbors to church. We pray for them and for everyone You bring to our mind. We shed Your light within us for all the world around us to see, so they may live with us in eternity as the redeemed of the Lord (Psalm 107:2). You bore our sins in Your body on the cross; so that we too can die to sin and live righteously and victoriously, just as You did (1 Peter 2:24). We give You all the praise and glory and honor due Your name (Psalm 96:8).

Thought for the Day:

Problems are simply opportunities for God to prove Himself strong on our behalf. We find out what He is doing in every situation and then join Him.






Thank you, Naturally North, for sharing your beautiful photo.