When Casting Out An Evil Spirit Didn't Work
I feel a burden placed on my heart today about this subject, and I feel the need to really write about casting out evil spirits gone wrong.
Blessed be the believers that the Lord has placed the burden of casting out demonic influence and spirits. This is a hard job in many ways, and it's very dangerous for your own soul. Many believers balk at the idea of doing this type of work for the Lord, even though it's so desperately needed in this day and age.
The devil has went far and wide convincing people of the world and many believers that he is not real. He's made a mockery of Christianity, and made people arrogant in the belief that there is no heaven or hell. This has left society wide open to demonic influence and possession. Ouija boards are sold at WalMart as a GAME for kids to use. Why? Because people don't believe there are demons!
Demons will ruin your life. Blessed be the people that can somehow find the belief in God during those times of demonic attacks. Most people can never see beyond the problems that are inflicted upon them by the demonic influence.
If God has placed the burden of casting out demons upon you, you will face a difficult task. You will need to know the New Testament inside and out. This gives us the most information about casting out demons. You will need to have a solid prayer life. You will need to live a life without sin, and you will need to genuinely be full of faith that there is a God that will hear your pleas and will remove the evil from the lives of the people you visit.
A person that casts demons out of others will face terrible opposition from the people of this world. You will have people to laugh in your face because they don't believe that a demon has attached themselves to their soul. You will have other "Christians" telling you that you are misguided, that demons left when Jesus did. You will have demonic attacks against you because the devil will do all he can to prevent you from showing others the way to salvation. This is why it's so important to wholeheartedly pray daily. Satan will try to rip your life apart to put a stop to the work you are doing.
This is where your faith will come in. If you have enough faith, you will overcome all these obstacles. Never lose heart. God will place you in the path of others that desperately need to be set free of the demonic influence that has attacked them. You will need to be thick-skinned as you will face opposition. Remember though you are a tool of a God that created a whole world and the human population. Amazing isn't it? In God's name, there is nothing that cannot be done if we just believe.
Here are some Bible verses, as well as tips and hints to help you:
Acts 19:13-16
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Have you ever heard of someone casting out a demon that talked to them? They use the person they have "possessed" to speak and sometimes to physically attack. If possible it's best not to engage the demon at all. This is what Satan wants you to do. When you talk with them, you are opening a door. Don't do it. Concentrate on praying and using your faith in God to get the job done. The Jewish exorcists made a huge mistake, because they were trying to use Paul's faith, not their own. Remember it's always God that overcomes the demon, not us, and we have to believe in God ourselves.
Acts 16:16-18 ESV
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
Paul had tremendous faith. He knew Jesus had casted out demons, and he had no doubts that in his name the demon WOULD come out. End of story. So he commanded the demon to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. He had the faith needed to cast out demons. So can you by faith and a solid relationship with God.
Another thing we see from this verse is that a demon might not come out in an instant. This is up to God. In the verse it says the demon come out in that hour. So sometime within the hour that woman was set free, by the Grace of God. We can't expect it to be instant. When we cast out demons in the name of Jesus, stuff starts happening in the spiritual world that we can't see. We don't know exactly what God does and what type of battle is fought to free a soul from demonic oppression. Is God sending an angel to fight a spiritual battle during that time? Only he knows. We just have to have the faith to get the battle going to set that person free!
There is a lot more God has placed on my heart regarding casting out demons. Let me know by leaving a comment if you'd like to see a part 2 for this, with more Biblical references, tips, and hints. Just because we don't see an instant result when we cast out a demon does not mean that it didn't work. If you pray about it, God will reveal it to you. You can also leave a comment about your experiences with this as well.
Greetings
Monday, November 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
The Final Days.... What the Bible Says About the End Times
Christians worldwide all feel a similar feeling, and that feeling is that we are nearing the end days.
I believe that it's the Holy Spirit inside of us warning us that the time is drawing near. It's amazing how many Christians experience the same feeling that we are nearing the time that Jesus will return. What else could it be? The Bible says that we are all parts of one body.
We live in a world where sin is encouraged. Society is encouraging sex with as many people as you want. Society is urging people to live together and walk away when you want to. Society is urging people to do what feels good. Society tells us that it's OK to have sex, get pregnant, and have an abortion. It's discouraging to many of us, but it's part of Bible prophecy being fulfilled. Although the Bible was written thousands of years ago, God already knew what was going to happen.
2 Peter 3:3-10 English Standard Version (ESV) 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.[c]
Footnotes: 2 Peter 3:9 Some manuscripts on your account 2 Peter 3:10 Or elements; also verse 12 2 Peter 3:10 Greek found; some manuscripts will be burned up http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A3-10&version=ESV
As you see from above, we are already warned how society will scoff at the teachings of the Bible. We hear this all the time. People say if there were a God, why is everything still the same. Why don't we see something from him? The Bible tells us though that God doesn't know time as we do. A thousand years for him is like one day to us. God is giving as many as possible a chance for salvation.
2 Timothy 3 New International Version (NIV)
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
The above is another reflection of our society today. How many women have allowed themselves to lower their hopes and dreams of marriage simply because the man refuses to commit? There are many women out there that would prefer to be married to their "boyfriends", but the boyfriend is unwilling to commit. This leaves the woman with the choice of being alone or living "in sin". It's not a good feeling or situation for a woman to be in. Society tells us that this is OK, but it's not what God wanted for women. He wanted women to have the security of marriage, with a man that cares enough about the woman to offer her that commitment.
This is all part of Bible prophecy.
Matthew 24 talks about salvation being taught to the entire world before the ends times. With TV, missionaries, and technology, this has definitely come to pass. God wanted everyone in this world to have the chance to come to him.
I have no doubt that we are in the end days. Bible prophecy is coming to pass as it will in God's time. Will we be the generation to see his return? That nobody can answer. I can say as the next years approach us, I believe Christians will face more persecution and opposition as ever.
In times like these we can only continue to live as righteously as possible. There are still many out there that God has written down in his Book of Life, but they haven't realized it yet. We need to keep spreading the word of God in a Godly manner, sharing our faith. God will do the rest.
I believe that it's the Holy Spirit inside of us warning us that the time is drawing near. It's amazing how many Christians experience the same feeling that we are nearing the time that Jesus will return. What else could it be? The Bible says that we are all parts of one body.
We live in a world where sin is encouraged. Society is encouraging sex with as many people as you want. Society is urging people to live together and walk away when you want to. Society is urging people to do what feels good. Society tells us that it's OK to have sex, get pregnant, and have an abortion. It's discouraging to many of us, but it's part of Bible prophecy being fulfilled. Although the Bible was written thousands of years ago, God already knew what was going to happen.
2 Peter 3:3-10 English Standard Version (ESV) 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.[c]
Footnotes: 2 Peter 3:9 Some manuscripts on your account 2 Peter 3:10 Or elements; also verse 12 2 Peter 3:10 Greek found; some manuscripts will be burned up http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A3-10&version=ESV
As you see from above, we are already warned how society will scoff at the teachings of the Bible. We hear this all the time. People say if there were a God, why is everything still the same. Why don't we see something from him? The Bible tells us though that God doesn't know time as we do. A thousand years for him is like one day to us. God is giving as many as possible a chance for salvation.
2 Timothy 3 New International Version (NIV)
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
The above is another reflection of our society today. How many women have allowed themselves to lower their hopes and dreams of marriage simply because the man refuses to commit? There are many women out there that would prefer to be married to their "boyfriends", but the boyfriend is unwilling to commit. This leaves the woman with the choice of being alone or living "in sin". It's not a good feeling or situation for a woman to be in. Society tells us that this is OK, but it's not what God wanted for women. He wanted women to have the security of marriage, with a man that cares enough about the woman to offer her that commitment.
This is all part of Bible prophecy.
Matthew 24 talks about salvation being taught to the entire world before the ends times. With TV, missionaries, and technology, this has definitely come to pass. God wanted everyone in this world to have the chance to come to him.
I have no doubt that we are in the end days. Bible prophecy is coming to pass as it will in God's time. Will we be the generation to see his return? That nobody can answer. I can say as the next years approach us, I believe Christians will face more persecution and opposition as ever.
In times like these we can only continue to live as righteously as possible. There are still many out there that God has written down in his Book of Life, but they haven't realized it yet. We need to keep spreading the word of God in a Godly manner, sharing our faith. God will do the rest.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Is God's Grace Sufficient For You?
Is God's Grace Sufficient For You?
A lot of movies contain a plot of guilt or regret. Sometimes the main character inadvertently caused an event to happen. This character continues to feel grief and anxiety, which prompts the events of a movie.
All of this is not just in Hollywood though. How many people carry around grief, regret, anxiety, or just not feeling good enough? It can end today.
As human beings, people are going to make mistakes. You are going to say something you will regret later. You might hurt someones feelings and later regret it. Sometimes the mistakes are much bigger than some words said in anger. As much as you try not to, somehow someway you will have an accident or mistake.
Paul was a great man of God. He gave his life to doing God's work. His day to day life was based on spreading the word, and his travels are a reflection of that. Paul had a past though.
Paul's past involved some of the worst things possible. He was responsible for the deaths of many, many Christians. These were not just accidents. He purposely pursued Christians, even going house to house to remove them.
Paul was involved in the death of Stephen as well. He fully approved of the stoning that killed him. The Bible states that he "approved" of it, meaning he felt a satisfaction in it being done.
As he traveled to Damascus, the Lord took control of that situation. How many prayers do you think were answered that day? I'm sure the families of the people persecuted and imprisoned by Saul were praying day and night for the Lord to intercede. Saul was on his way to get further permission to persecute even more Christians.
By the time God got done with Saul, he was a believer. His name was changed to Paul, and he spent the rest of his life working for God. But with his heart being changed, do you wonder how much regret must have bothered him? What terrible burdens he must have carried in his heart for the ones he personally had persecuted in the past.
What about proving himself? People didn't just automatically want to be around him. He had to prove himself. Countless lives were affected by the acts that he did as a non-believer.
God forgave him though. God forgave him, and he did wonderful things in Paul's life. These things would not have happened if God hadn't forgiven Paul. By using Paul, no telling how many people were forgiven for their sins and will have eternal life. They are still being saved to this day. Paul's story has touched the hearts and souls of millions of people. God knew that these events would unfold.
His story also shows us that we can be forgiven. No matter what your sins are. No matter what has caused the terrible grief, regret, and pain you are feeling. He will set you free. God can and will work miracles in your life. His grace, his forgiveness, is all you need. Seek his forgiveness, and start living the life he planned for you.
I don't know your story, and I don't need to know it. I don't know what happened to make you carry the regret. Only you and God does. God didn't place us here to judge each other's sins. I can say no matter what, there is a God that loves you in Heaven. He's waiting for you to repent and change your life. He's waiting for you to seek him for forgiveness. If you are living in guilt, fear, anxiety, or regret, it's time to get forgiven. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Today is the day.
God has sent you to the post for a reason. He wants you to cast off the regrets and fear and start making a difference for someone else. He granted you this life to live it and live it well. He wants you to cleanse off your soul and the pall and sins this world has placed on your shoulders and began again with a righteous heart.
You can't get closure for past mistakes until your heart is right and you seek forgiveness. Do that today. If applicable, seek forgiveness from the person that you wronged. Then, with a Bible and a repentant heart, seek forgiveness with the one that has blessed you with this life. By the Grace (approval) of God, today is the last day you're going to be where you're at.
I can't tell you how long you need to pray for. I can tell you to pray with a sincerely repentant heart. You have to be ready to make a change in your life, and determined to see it through. Don't let nothing or nobody hold you back from your destiny and salvation. God will set you free. You might want to pray something like the following:
Holy Father,
Lord I haven't been living right, and I want to change. Please forgive me for (insert events, etc), and help me to forgive myself. I come to you with a repentant heart. I submit myself fully to you Heavenly Father and ask that you help me learn to live for you. Dictate my life Father and help me to live as you would have me to live.
By the gift of Jesus, I can have eternal life. I believe in my heart and soul that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and by his resurrection I will have eternal life. Your grace is sufficient for me Holy Father. Lead me in the way you would have me Lord. Free me from the burdens I have been carrying, they are to big for my shoulders. I release them unto you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen
This is just an example prayer. You will want to pray for what feels right in your heart and soul. Pray until you feel the peace that comes from the hand of God upon you.
God knows a heart that is truly ready for change. Let him take control and submit fully to him. Pray and read your Bible daily. Don't let sin in your life no more. Make the best choices possible. God will move in your life and continue to set you free. Be determined about this. Remember that God's Grace is sufficient unto us all, and it's the only grace that we truly need.
Need prayers? Feel free to leave a comment!
A lot of movies contain a plot of guilt or regret. Sometimes the main character inadvertently caused an event to happen. This character continues to feel grief and anxiety, which prompts the events of a movie.
All of this is not just in Hollywood though. How many people carry around grief, regret, anxiety, or just not feeling good enough? It can end today.
As human beings, people are going to make mistakes. You are going to say something you will regret later. You might hurt someones feelings and later regret it. Sometimes the mistakes are much bigger than some words said in anger. As much as you try not to, somehow someway you will have an accident or mistake.
Paul was a great man of God. He gave his life to doing God's work. His day to day life was based on spreading the word, and his travels are a reflection of that. Paul had a past though.
Paul's past involved some of the worst things possible. He was responsible for the deaths of many, many Christians. These were not just accidents. He purposely pursued Christians, even going house to house to remove them.
Paul was involved in the death of Stephen as well. He fully approved of the stoning that killed him. The Bible states that he "approved" of it, meaning he felt a satisfaction in it being done.
As he traveled to Damascus, the Lord took control of that situation. How many prayers do you think were answered that day? I'm sure the families of the people persecuted and imprisoned by Saul were praying day and night for the Lord to intercede. Saul was on his way to get further permission to persecute even more Christians.
By the time God got done with Saul, he was a believer. His name was changed to Paul, and he spent the rest of his life working for God. But with his heart being changed, do you wonder how much regret must have bothered him? What terrible burdens he must have carried in his heart for the ones he personally had persecuted in the past.
What about proving himself? People didn't just automatically want to be around him. He had to prove himself. Countless lives were affected by the acts that he did as a non-believer.
God forgave him though. God forgave him, and he did wonderful things in Paul's life. These things would not have happened if God hadn't forgiven Paul. By using Paul, no telling how many people were forgiven for their sins and will have eternal life. They are still being saved to this day. Paul's story has touched the hearts and souls of millions of people. God knew that these events would unfold.
His story also shows us that we can be forgiven. No matter what your sins are. No matter what has caused the terrible grief, regret, and pain you are feeling. He will set you free. God can and will work miracles in your life. His grace, his forgiveness, is all you need. Seek his forgiveness, and start living the life he planned for you.
I don't know your story, and I don't need to know it. I don't know what happened to make you carry the regret. Only you and God does. God didn't place us here to judge each other's sins. I can say no matter what, there is a God that loves you in Heaven. He's waiting for you to repent and change your life. He's waiting for you to seek him for forgiveness. If you are living in guilt, fear, anxiety, or regret, it's time to get forgiven. Not tomorrow. Not next year. Today is the day.
God has sent you to the post for a reason. He wants you to cast off the regrets and fear and start making a difference for someone else. He granted you this life to live it and live it well. He wants you to cleanse off your soul and the pall and sins this world has placed on your shoulders and began again with a righteous heart.
You can't get closure for past mistakes until your heart is right and you seek forgiveness. Do that today. If applicable, seek forgiveness from the person that you wronged. Then, with a Bible and a repentant heart, seek forgiveness with the one that has blessed you with this life. By the Grace (approval) of God, today is the last day you're going to be where you're at.
I can't tell you how long you need to pray for. I can tell you to pray with a sincerely repentant heart. You have to be ready to make a change in your life, and determined to see it through. Don't let nothing or nobody hold you back from your destiny and salvation. God will set you free. You might want to pray something like the following:
Holy Father,
Lord I haven't been living right, and I want to change. Please forgive me for (insert events, etc), and help me to forgive myself. I come to you with a repentant heart. I submit myself fully to you Heavenly Father and ask that you help me learn to live for you. Dictate my life Father and help me to live as you would have me to live.
By the gift of Jesus, I can have eternal life. I believe in my heart and soul that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and by his resurrection I will have eternal life. Your grace is sufficient for me Holy Father. Lead me in the way you would have me Lord. Free me from the burdens I have been carrying, they are to big for my shoulders. I release them unto you Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen
This is just an example prayer. You will want to pray for what feels right in your heart and soul. Pray until you feel the peace that comes from the hand of God upon you.
God knows a heart that is truly ready for change. Let him take control and submit fully to him. Pray and read your Bible daily. Don't let sin in your life no more. Make the best choices possible. God will move in your life and continue to set you free. Be determined about this. Remember that God's Grace is sufficient unto us all, and it's the only grace that we truly need.
Need prayers? Feel free to leave a comment!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Has the Devil Got YOU Down?
Has the Devil Got You Down?
One of the biggest weapons that the Devil uses against us is fear. Being in the flesh makes us prey to this, and boy does he know it! The Devil will take your fear and magnify it.
There are a few out there that have never experienced this. At least not yet. This post will probably not be helpful to you now. One day it might be though.
We all have a fear of something, whether we realize it or not. It might be something as simple as the fear of spiders or something major like a true fear of death, your neighbor, gossip, etc. Many times you might have a fear that is buried underneath your day to day consciousness. It's not something you think about daily.
Get a sincere desire to work in the church or magnify your relationship with God, and see what happens.
The Devil knows your fears. He will grab hold of these and increase them. He will do all he can to make sure that your focus is turned from God and onto the fear. Some situations and fears can and do become big enough that many people decide that they have to stop what they were doing and focus on the problem (fear or situation brought about by Satan) at hand.
Someone may share a fear that they have, and it might not seem to be a big deal to you. To them though, it's terrible. This is because Satan is behind this fear, driving it in with everything that he has got.
So how does he use your fears to take control of your life?
Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Overcoming fear will take you to a whole new level in your relationship with God. If you are caught in the throes of Satan's attack, you will have to be aggressive in this. You will also have to give it to God. Isn't that hard though? It's in our very human natures to continue to worry and fear and carry the burden ourselves.
Steps to Overcoming Fear:
The last one I mentioned is one of the hardest. This is what will bring you to a whole new level of worship though. Learning to not fear or worry in ANY situation is a true act of faith. When you reach this point, you have truly begun to trust in the Lord.
I want to put a side note in this post as well and encourage you to always be watchful that the enemy doesn't use YOU as a source of fear for another person. Make sure to live as Christian as possible. The devil uses people everyday to discourage, worry, or put fear into other people's hearts. Make sure you keep a strong prayer life and are vigilant about your words and actions.
The Devil may have you down now, but keep believing that the Lord is going to bring you back up. After Jesus fasted for 40 days, the Devil came to him then. We don't know what fears he might have attempted to use against Jesus. We do know though as hard as it was, Jesus overcame. It was after Jesus overcame that GOD SENT the angels down to him. God didn't send them before. He waited till Jesus OVERCAME.
I believe with prayer, the Bible, and God, you can overcome this fear too. God has the Calvary waiting, he just needs the signal from you. He needs to see that you aren't going to fall the first time the enemy attacks. He needs to see that you are going to stand strong in the face of attack without surrendering to the enemy. By your faith, you can and will do this.
Satan has his eyes on you, your neighbor, the person at work, etc. There are some that are already there with him, whether they know it or not. There are some that have been trying to resist, but they will fall at the first signs of pressure. Then there are some that will never lose sight of the Lord.
As the Bible says, what we fight is not of flesh and blood. It is something unseen which will attack the essence of you, your soul. Your soul is where fear will originate from. It's also where courage originates from. No matter how bad it gets, never stop praying and living by your faith in God. Eventually this is what will break the fear and oppression you are living in.
The devil may have you down, but God can bring you back up. With God nothing is impossible.
Need prayer? Leave a comment!
One of the biggest weapons that the Devil uses against us is fear. Being in the flesh makes us prey to this, and boy does he know it! The Devil will take your fear and magnify it.
There are a few out there that have never experienced this. At least not yet. This post will probably not be helpful to you now. One day it might be though.
We all have a fear of something, whether we realize it or not. It might be something as simple as the fear of spiders or something major like a true fear of death, your neighbor, gossip, etc. Many times you might have a fear that is buried underneath your day to day consciousness. It's not something you think about daily.
Get a sincere desire to work in the church or magnify your relationship with God, and see what happens.
The Devil knows your fears. He will grab hold of these and increase them. He will do all he can to make sure that your focus is turned from God and onto the fear. Some situations and fears can and do become big enough that many people decide that they have to stop what they were doing and focus on the problem (fear or situation brought about by Satan) at hand.
Someone may share a fear that they have, and it might not seem to be a big deal to you. To them though, it's terrible. This is because Satan is behind this fear, driving it in with everything that he has got.
So how does he use your fears to take control of your life?
- He will attack your subconsciousness while you are asleep, causing nightmares and worry at night.
- He will use people around you to make this situation worse. This doesn't apply to strangers. This could be anyone around you.
- He will cause events to happen to remind you of this fear and multiply it.
Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Overcoming fear will take you to a whole new level in your relationship with God. If you are caught in the throes of Satan's attack, you will have to be aggressive in this. You will also have to give it to God. Isn't that hard though? It's in our very human natures to continue to worry and fear and carry the burden ourselves.
Steps to Overcoming Fear:
- Pray. Before you attempt to overcome this situation, pray. Repent of any known sins. Submit yourself fully to God.
- Read Bible verses regarding worry and fear. Meditate upon these.
- Contact prayer warriors in your church and ask them to pray for you. Children of God are all parts of a whole. When one part comes under attack, it should affect the entire body.
- Change any situations that are contributing to the fear. If you are going through a stressful situation, pray about it. Try to get closure as quickly as possible.
- Believe that God is going to get you through this. Be determined not to fall to this fear. Give your worries and fear to God and praise him for bringing you through.
- Continue to read your Bible daily. Pray daily. Be aggressive with your prayers and be determined in your heart and soul to break free of this oppression by the grace of God.
The last one I mentioned is one of the hardest. This is what will bring you to a whole new level of worship though. Learning to not fear or worry in ANY situation is a true act of faith. When you reach this point, you have truly begun to trust in the Lord.
I want to put a side note in this post as well and encourage you to always be watchful that the enemy doesn't use YOU as a source of fear for another person. Make sure to live as Christian as possible. The devil uses people everyday to discourage, worry, or put fear into other people's hearts. Make sure you keep a strong prayer life and are vigilant about your words and actions.
The Devil may have you down now, but keep believing that the Lord is going to bring you back up. After Jesus fasted for 40 days, the Devil came to him then. We don't know what fears he might have attempted to use against Jesus. We do know though as hard as it was, Jesus overcame. It was after Jesus overcame that GOD SENT the angels down to him. God didn't send them before. He waited till Jesus OVERCAME.
I believe with prayer, the Bible, and God, you can overcome this fear too. God has the Calvary waiting, he just needs the signal from you. He needs to see that you aren't going to fall the first time the enemy attacks. He needs to see that you are going to stand strong in the face of attack without surrendering to the enemy. By your faith, you can and will do this.
Satan has his eyes on you, your neighbor, the person at work, etc. There are some that are already there with him, whether they know it or not. There are some that have been trying to resist, but they will fall at the first signs of pressure. Then there are some that will never lose sight of the Lord.
As the Bible says, what we fight is not of flesh and blood. It is something unseen which will attack the essence of you, your soul. Your soul is where fear will originate from. It's also where courage originates from. No matter how bad it gets, never stop praying and living by your faith in God. Eventually this is what will break the fear and oppression you are living in.
The devil may have you down, but God can bring you back up. With God nothing is impossible.
Need prayer? Leave a comment!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Protect Your Rights as a Parent
The HSLDA is the homeschool legal defense attorneys. For a small monthly membership, about $10, these attorneys will fully represent you and protect your rights as a homeschooling parent. I recommend any parent that homeschools to go ahead and spend this extra money each month. Consider it homeschooling insurance.
The following was taken from their website, and we should take this seriously. Special needs children are not just children with severe disabilities. This can also include ADD,ADHD, Autism, etc. As parents we do not want to give control of our children over to an uncaring government. Please join us in fighting against this. All it takes are calls or emails to your state senators.
July 13, 2012
Senator Kerry: We’ll Pass the CRPD by July 26
Michael P. Farris, Esq., LL.M.
Founder and Chairman
Founder and Chairman
Senator John Kerry announced yesterday that he plans to pass the UN
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities before July
26—just 13 days from today. He has scheduled a formal committee vote
next Thursday—July 19. This is an unprecedented attempt to jam a binding
international treaty through the Senate without proper time for debate
or consideration.
Yesterday’s “hearing” was a carefully orchestrated attempt to get
this treaty ratified without any serious consideration. There were nine
total witnesses. Only two people opposed to the treaty were allowed to
testify—Steven Groves from Heritage Foundation and me.
False Ideas
The administration seeks to promote two ideas that are simply
inaccurate: 1. Disabled Americans who travel overseas will directly
benefit by U.S. ratification of this treaty; 2. Ratifying a treaty does
not require us to comply with international law.
They are arguing that a treaty is an empty promise with no actual
substance. The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution makes it clear that
the administration is wrong. Treaties form a part of the Supreme Law of
the Land once ratified.
And no one even attempted a serious answer to our core parental rights concern.
Article 7 of the UNCRPD gives government the ability to override
every decision of a parent of disabled children if the government thinks
that its views are in “the best interest of the child.”
Parental Rights at Stake
This is a radical attempt to take away parental rights. Make no
mistake—if they succeed at ratifying this treaty, the Convention on the
Rights of the Child is next. This is not a battle just for parents with
disabled and special needs children. This is a battle for every parent.
We absolutely must flood the U.S. Senate with phone calls.
Senator Durbin mentioned that they were hearing from homeschoolers (and
he was annoyed at us for voicing our opinion of his side’s planned
assault on parental rights.) But, we need to do even more.
This is the most important issue that we will face this year. By July
26—up or down—we will either take another step toward becoming the
subjects of a world government or we will preserve our rights as American citizens.
I urge you all in the strongest possible terms—call both of your U.S. senators today.
If you have called them in their Washington, D.C. office—call them
again in their in-state district offices which you can find online.
Please give these senators some or all of the following message:
“I urge you to oppose the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This treaty surrenders U.S. sovereignty to unelected UN bureaucrats, and will threaten parental control over children with disabilities. Our nation already has laws to protect disabled Americans. This treaty is unnecessary and will hurt families. If the Senate ratifies this treaty, it would be the first time ever that the U.S. has ratified a treaty that substantially impacts domestic law. Please take the time to examine this treaty carefully.”
The Capitol Switchboard’s phone number is 202-224-3121, or use HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox.
Get everyone you know to call their senators as well. Network. Facebook. Phone lists. Every place you can network—please do it.
And pray like mad.
Taking away our parental rights won’t build wheelchair ramps for
disabled Americans who travel to other countries. The promise being made
that this treaty will result in new accessibility options in foreign
countries is an illusion.
The demise of our parental rights is a certainty.
Call. Call. Pray. And Call.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
July 1 - Honor God
Numbers 29:1:“And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month,
ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a
day of blowing the trumpets unto you.”
Leviticus 23:24:“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”
Leviticus 23:24:“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.”
In the old testament days, July 1 was very important. It was the Festival of the Trumpets. On that day Christians were supposed to gather and honor God. Sacrifices were made through animals to atone for sin.
Then came the new testament and the sacrifice was made through Jesus Christ. The same Jesus that walked this earth and healed countless people and told them of eternal life and how to have it. The same Jesus that experienced the same human temptations that we do, yet still managed to live a holy and blameless 33 years here. Never forget what Jesus gave up for our ancestors, you, and me. He gave the world his life, to give us eternal life.
Although we are in the New Testament days, we should still honor what God wanted on July 1. A holy gathering. If you can't attend a gathering, you can still honor God through prayer and praise. He is a great and awesome God that deserves our love, respect, and praise. What would this world be without him?
July 1 symbols the last half of the year. We should praise and honor God this day, and be thankful for Jesus Christ. This should be a day where we give to God instead of asking to receive. A day to remember all he has done and all that he is doing. Blessed be his name.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman
We all reach a point sometime or another, where we need to feel the prescense of God. Contemporary worship songs are really awesome. Just listening to them and feeling the lyrics can help you get the peace you need. The following video is called 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman. It's a beautiful song and it includes the lyrics so you can sing along with it.
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