If God Be for Us

1 John 4:18  NKJV  18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Perfect love is the completed love, the finished when applied to persons. Perfect is that being whole, the soundness present in the Lord. Perfect!!!

So where do you and I stand in the perfect of that understanding and believing He loves us?

One place to take a good look at is how we respond to trials. Does faith reside in us knowing He is God ? Faith resides in us who walk, not hindered by what the world is tossing around. If we think God is tossing a plague at us to get our attention, then we must have been sleeping. But if we regard that plague with a fear, a torment, then we are held in that place with no release. We are held under that which is of a burden with no light!

Children in God should not be acting out anything toward a plague other than confessing God’s goodness in the land of the living, that His will is for good to those who love Him, and that His word never fails, but accomplishes where it is sent. And if we truly have been confessing Psalm 91, Psalm 23 and Psalm 103 daily, then we stand in His protection, where our faith is active that He has heard us. Psalm 103 gives this: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.

Believing He has forgiven us, relieved us that burden with a responding trust that He is for us, and will continue to be present with us! He sent His Holy Spirit to teach us and do we listen and obey Him when He gives instruction? He is very aware where we stand, even now, and how we act either as the one who trusts and gives thanks He is present with us always or whether we are acting like the child who thinks God is giving a spanking.

Another factor is strength to our faith! It is that measure of strength our faith man has by readily expressing and confessing His truths. Some consider that if they had more money they would have a more strengthened faith, and others think they need a mate to complete their faith factor! Psalm 84:11 speaks: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Simple, right? The LORD God is a sun and shield, He gives grace and glory. NO good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Light is provided to help us see through darkness, and that shield is protection against the scorching heat along the way. Grace helps in our need and the glory is when we enter eternity with Him. He withholds that which is not good for us. Let’s say you had a marriage with one husband and a child or two. Let’s say, you got tired of the work required to keep the marriage in good working order, left with words of he or she did that, this is all a mess, and he or she can have the mess. But in truth, you walked out of the situation, yes, that trial and carried the “mess” with you.

The other person you might have left with the child or children, the spouse with home and bills, yes, you who left them to face life, caused them to be living life, moving on to future things, but you in your decision decided to leave, exit stage right and forget it. But that is not how it works. So today, when you make decisions you still have a whole room of people attached to that continuing “mess” from either yesterday or 20 years ago. Repentance, with that humble heart will bring a certain relief, but then you have to live by faith in God, a trust in His word that He will help you walk through that darkness to where you receive more light to not make the same mistakes again.

A couple we met some years ago kept having issues rising in their life. It would affect the father more than the others. Still they had a share in "it". The leader asked for prayer and wisdom from God. Praying revealed a heart had not repented of the early appearance of a child born before marriage. Now whether they asked for that forgiveness only God knows. But when we know we have done something outside of what is righteous before God, we are to repent and turn!

If things are mounting for you in your home, workplace or elsewhere, and fear and worry are present, that perfect will not describe your belief in the Lord. It is a sure signal you or I are not on the same page as God is. At this point a good verse is Isaiah 43:13 (NKJV) to rehearse….Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work and who will reverse it?”

 Isaiah 43:13 (CEV) : "I am God now and forever. No one can snatch you from me or stand in my way."

Message Bible: “ I, yes I, am GOD. I am the only Savior there is. I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene. And you know it, you are my witnesses, you are the evidence. Yes, I am God. I have always been God and I always will be God. No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it?”

 I love that: "I make; who can unmake it?"  Yes, God makes, He presents and will not unmake that which He purposed. Nothing outside of us can stand in His way of accomplishing His purpose to save except ourselves!

John 6:39-40 NKJV This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 10:28 NKJV And I will give them eternal life; and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Philippians 1:6 NKJV…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus;

You most likely have heard how difficult Job had it. And certainly there are those have who lost whole households like during the Holocaust, some in World War 1 and also in World War 2 of the twentieth century. Theirs was a great loss as well! Such hatred toward others for an agenda killed multitudes. Job 36:15 He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.

In circumstances like these, we look to God. No one can dispute with God. His power and His wisdom is a summons to appeal in that fear of the Lord. Things like what occurred during the Holocaust or the world wars is to educate us to not go that way again! To have that fear of the Lord, to fear Him: Job 37:24 Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.”

Job 37:24 Message Bible: “Mighty God! far beyond our reach! Unsurpassable in power and justice! It is unthinkable that he would treat anyone unfairly. So bow to him in deep reverence, and one and all! If you are wise, you will most certainly worship him.”

If God is for us and we know His word is true, then our faith should hold that measure of truth in our heart. But if our attitude of heart takes things into our hands, that we cannot trust God to do what He said He would do, then you and I do not believe how good God really is and how much He loves us! That is a big doubt, and it is a doubting of the depth of God’s love for us. It is exposed as that which denies God, the essence of Who HE truly is: LOVE!

In this nation, just as in other nations around the world, we have the attitude of satan take can take a hold causing insanity in a lot of humans. They leave one thing to just take up another thing that is nothing but that which results in death for themselves and for many others. You can see that with a vaccine today.

 We know human nature can mimic satan’s spirit as see in Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.  INSANITY! This is seen as destructive, and it is in each of us a self-destruct button when we wander from one area to another, from one group of people to another,  to put our lives in our own hands making our own decisions.  Wander out of God's authority and moving into man's whims and delights can carry one into harm, great pain and yes, death!

God always loves us more than we love ourselves. We must know that love of God that sets us free in His goodness. 1 John 4:17 promises that perfecting our faith in God's love for us gives us the power we need to face our trials, our day of judgment, and boldly stand in Him.  1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

God is love. Abiding in God will reveal that love. And that love is for the born-again believers and those in fellowship with them. Today we must be about God and His love. Today we must be about the Father’s business to love others as He has loved us. And if we have not grown in that love to operate in faith toward Him, we find ourselves in the cringing terror arena. It is that place where you do not sleep, rest is far from you and justice is not seen.

Perfect love from God to us, in that grace we have received washing sins away into the full light of day where no darkness is seen. Will we see our feet free of debris to walk the path or highway God has given us to take for His glory? Or will our walk looking like someone who stepped on wet toilet paper which is stuck to the bottom of the shoe revealing a “mess” we just left behind?

Jesus is our example. He is the point man of God’s love to us! In that love, through Jesus we rise above to overcome this world. Our faith is believing with whole hearts that God is for us, we are the saved and our love is expressed in willing obedience to His commands. 

I cannot speak for you, but for me, I have seen His hand of healing, I have seen His willing to walk with me in darkness to visit with me in that valley of dark shadows when a doctor's diagnosis was given. In choosing God’s holy word to bring back life into my soul I walk today but no paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe!

 I know that He is for me and I that He loves me with a great love to be with me in the midnight hour, to soothe the tears of anxiety and to wash away any fear in the love that set me free to know He is real and He is coming for me soon. 

Let us be set to know Him, who set captives free preaching the gospel to the poor, who healed the broken-hearted,  the recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. That which tormented you in 2020 and 2021, Jesus is still the answer to the ills in a physical sense or in a spiritual sense. For the Scripture given in this is fulfilled in your hearing and your seeing. The Lord is our only answer and He is for us….He proved that on the Cross. Now will we accept His invitation to stay and follow His leadership when voicing that word of truth while insanity continues in the world? We are safe in HIM!

 

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Have You got a Sword?

Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, and will be secure, without fear of evil.

Listening to the wisdom of God is reading and understanding what He gives us like reading the book of Proverbs. Was thinking of David and Goliath this morning and how he came with a sling shot to face a giant!
And in meditating on this I was reminded to ask:

·   Is our trust really in God or in ourselves?

·   Is it really a God-thing: that is, does it look & sound like His life, look like His love, appear as His peace, His joy & power?

·   Are there still some that have heart issues that will be revealed in the next  encounter we have & see a hit to our emotions?

·  Do we check ourselves on that issue of the heart?

                         

1 Samuel 17:1-20 NKJV Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam and his iron spearhead weighted six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him.

1 Samuel 17:8 then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."  10 And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together." 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. 17 Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers a ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp, 18 and carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them." 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

Now we are told in verse 17 of chapter 17 that this Goliath presented himself daily for forty days and he did it both in the morning and in the evening. Sounds like a lot of bullying, does it not?
David obeyed his father Jesse. He takes the food down to the men who are serving Saul. And David left his sheep with a keeper.
David has arrived with cheeses, the grain and ten loaves to check on his brothers as requested by his father Jesse. And what reaction is seen?
And remember David is to return to his father with the news from the front-line with the Philistine's!

1 Samuel 17:22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25 So the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel."
1 Samuel 17 :26 then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." 28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." 29 And David said, " what have I done now? Is there not a cause?" 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

So what David has spoken is given to King Saul! Seriously he is interested in not paying taxes, would you not be interested in this as David was?
And of course you know how Saul tries to put his armor on David and it does not fit nor has it been tested. But David has fought the lion and the bear! David knows what works in the wilderness! 
1 Samuel 17: 34 But David said to Saul, "your servant use to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be  like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go and the LORD be with you."

The paw of the lion and the paw of the bear....is viewed in the natural as a conflict of interest. The lion and the bear wanted to eat sheep, but David was there as the protector of his father's sheep. It is a place of violence spoken and can be against you and about you. It involves you and will appear as the 'up close and personal'. It will be a 'rolling in the dust'. It will attack your character, and your voice. And it will specifically point to what you give regard to as in God, His word, His Son and life!
This appears as a scheme to shut you down and if you are ruled by your emotions, you are already defeated! Our faith is to be in God, knowing He is our righteousness and without Him we can do nothing. He is truth that should prevail in our lives, whether it is a rolling in the dust with sickness, or a rolling in the dust against your good name. We are to stand firm voicing freely of God and His love for us and His love for others. 

From verse 28 Eliab, the oldest brother heard David speak to the men. And in his anger he spoke out negatively against David. Was Eliab upset at David for being anointed by the Prophet Samuel. You see that in 1 Samuel 16: 13....how Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers and the Holy Spirit came on David in power. You know Jesse lined up his sons before the Prophet but David was with the sheep in the field. And the prophet asked if Jesse had anymore sons! Yikes! Yes, he certainly had the youngest in the field with the sheep! And who did the prophet want to anoint: David!


Now we know of the sling from verse 40: Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag in a pouch which he had and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came and began drawing near to David and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 so the Philistine  said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "you come to me with a sword, with a spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands.

Our speaking must always be speaking of God's deliverance He has done through Jesus Christ! David chose 5 stones, one for Goliath and the four for his brothers. David's faith was in God and it was God Who would deliver the Philistine into David's hand!

You see here that David's older brother Eliab evidently has big issues with his younger brother. Being a mighty military man you would think this trained military type would have it altogether for that which was before him, but his heart reveals many things as he speak to David. YOU also have many men who are afraid of the giant and they hide when he comes out to speak. And this sling David used is not one you stretch out like a length of a rubber-band to spring forward when forced backward at length. No this sling is a width of something that can hold the stone in place but David had to fling it in a way that the stone would reach the giants forehead with accuracy to knock him to the ground!

We face the enemy like David did with Goliath……and certainly…..the battle is the Lord's." Goliath was a Philistine. A Philistine spirit is an unclean spirit. Unclean spirits manifest in many different ways and one of the ways is by an attack through attempts to keep us silent – to shut our mouths.

An unclean spirit will directly target our testimonies of victory and God's goodness. Another manifestation of the unclean spirit is a demonic attempt to clothe us with legalism. Legalism involves a rigorous adherence to doctrines of man, and to religious performance.

Performance robs us of strength. Yes, if we are working hard to perform for God, it will exhaust us – therefore leaving no strength to take true dominion!

If we really believe, then our trust will be in God and not in ourselves.

Faith comes to us by hearing God’s Word taught to us. Faith comes by our reading it. At some point we have to grow up and really know who we are in Christ Jesus! At some point our faith must be tested as David's was tested many times in the wilderness. And yet I hear people say they will not be tested in any way, shape or form of testing! And I say you are so wrong!

We know from reading on in this passage that David is given a royal robe, a suit of armor, and even the sword of Saul's son Jonathan. For this was given as a covenant between Saul's son Jonathan and David.

David slew Goliath by using the giants own sword against him! And we too can face an enemy and use the very sword that the enemy would use against us but in turn take him down never to rise again.

1 Samuel 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the  Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistine's saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

May you know what has been placed in you from the foundation of the world, that God is with you and will release you into a sphere of authority just like He did David. For you are to demonstrate God's kingdom on earth as Jesus did and when you do, that power of the Holy Spirit and that godly authority will be seen and heard in you indeed!

The courageous like David need never to pretend for they carry an undaunted courage in their heart! They will run toward the giant. They have no fear for they carry no discouragement for they are armed with the presence of God!

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A Zealous Warrior at Dawn, or in the Dark of Night

Isaiah 42:13...........13 The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies. NKJV

A mighty attack against the enemy, God sent His Son. He came to stir us up to life and living eternally. He sent His Son to the world so we could be saved from the wrath to come. What a beautiful love story and how His Son prevailed against satan.

Jesus fulfilled the promises to Israel and brought light of revelation to the Gentiles. Truly we were the captives set free from sin and to give glory that belongs to God alone.

Psalm 144:1-2..........Blessed be the LORD my Rock,

Who trains my hands for war,

And my fingers for battle-- 

2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,

My high tower and my deliverer,

My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,

Who subdues my people under me.  NKJV

Like David, we too can use our hands as the warrior. Whether for battle against the enemy or soothing King Saul of the spirit that gave him grief, we can know and use the works of our hands and fingers to give praise to God.  As David worshiped, danced and raised hands to the Lord, we too, can lift holy hands to worship and expect to see change. When we read about David, we see him use the harp to ease an embittered soul in King Saul.

In David's case, he could wield a sling shot with the expertise of a champion. With many military men looking on, David, truly brought down the giant that faced Israel in defiance. But David's skill also took him into the rooms of a palace to play music to a king who could not be consoled to peace in any manner.

I think it is interesting too, that David was out with the sheep. When the prophet Samuel came looking for him, David was out tending the sheep. His brothers stood together in the house when the prophet came calling with the horn of oil for anointing. We too, should consider that while all his other brothers were military men trained for battle with bows and arrows and battle axes as well, David too was probably different in that he was of small stature. Could he have been the son of a different mother than the rest of the other sons? Could Jesse's pride been just in the sons with the "look" of military might?

Like David out with the sheep, we can see everything is tested in the "wilderness". Like David, I too, think our hearts are measured in that place like I believe David's was tested. God always comes to check our motives, our devotion, faith, our relationship with Him and with others. David's skill came from what he used in the "wilderness" of what he had on or in his hand. He had to lean on God alone!

What skills do we hold in the "wilderness" area? Do we voice praise and worship or something else? What do we seek within our home when no one is watching us? Do I search the Bible for answers to a problem or do I seek the channel changer to be entertained? Do I think I can run from a situation that should be addressed, but choose to ignore it hoping it will just go away?
I think of people going camping when I think of David out in the field with the sheep. I think of the great beauty of stars that blanket the black sky in array of twinkle lights that sparkle on without delay or burnout till daylight breaks. How dark it can be in the "midnight" hour with no electricity to turn on, but that which only comes from the starlight sky. And then there is this "quiet" that seems to surround you and embrace you and then invade our body, to the core our being, that brings a most uncomfortable feeling of being alone in a "big world".
The quiet of the dark night seems to penetrate to the core of our being when standing or seated out on a dark night to watch the parade of majestic stars parade along for our viewing. Only those sounds that inhabit the night watches are heard. They either delight us or make us fear.
Whatever came to visit David and those sheep in the field during those night watches certainly had their idea of what they came for at the time, the dark of night, and the specific hour.

 And David proved ready when we see what he speaks in 1 Samuel 17: 34-37.........

1 Samuel 17:34-37...................34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"   NKJV

It takes more than the prowess of a strengthened body and muscles twice the size of a weight lifter to prove the worth in battle. But ultimately, we face an enemy who works in the spirit world. We have to be trained in the Word that is "spirit and truth".
David said, "I caught it by its beard and struck and killed it." NOW THAT IS A WARRIOR IN ACTION THAT IS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!

To take on the enemy, we must know who the adversary is and how to handle him.

Ephesians 6:12-19...........12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Our strength to walk everyday is in knowing God and His ways and thoughts. We are to be clothed with that which looks like "the Christian soldier". We are to contend with faith that our trust is in God and His plan. We look expectantly to victory for He is our courage, and all the promises He has for us are in Him and Him alone!


As we know, the devil does not show up in a red suit and tail to dance around us, but he certainly works in darkness and to practice the ambush he wants  to set to destroy man. Like he came to Jesus in the "wilderness' time after the water baptism, he too, can come and tempt with the eye gate and ear gate. He always comes to people, not in a repulsive form but with some enticing temptation to allure to his way of sin and deceit. He comes with an invitation to entice one  to the pleasures of the world.

Any darkness can represent sin, and ignorance. We are to be those Christian soldiers who as warriors wage the war on the enemy. We are to light the way with God's Word and declare what He has done through His Son Jesus. We are those to stand against pride, ambition and of course, against any revenge against another person. Jesus taught what His Kingdom was and we are to operate within that kingdom. We are stand against anything that speaks crosswise to the Word of God.

Reading the Word of God is paramount and when we put on our righteousness, we are standing ready with the Word for battle. We are the warriors, who have put on truth in our hearts, and being sincere to speak knowing it is what our Father God speaks as well. It is the Light of God's word that will dispel the darkness.
As we continue to stay joined to truth, His measure of faith in us and His love poured into our hearts gives us the cover of the breastplate for safety.
Our preparation includes that His peace takes our steps where they are ordered according to the Word spoken. We can stay in His peace as we war with the devil and not by taking sides with the devil.
 That shield of faith is put in front of us and is  much like a door the size on a house is before us in the "spirit". It is the size of an oblong door. Some say the measurement is close to 4 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide and not the shield size the Roman soldiers used in their parades. No this shield is a big shield to hide the soldier behind.

We stand in preparedness with the faith that conquers. 1 Peter 5:9-11.................9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. NKJV

Whatever the devil may bring, as to his darts of temptations or to wrath, lust, revenge or despair are stopped by the Word of God we speak.  We are the over-comers of the world and its devices. (1 John 5:4) And we overcome the prince of the air, satan, (1 John 5:18)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Take, [dexasthe (NT:1209)] - different Greek from Ephesians 6:13,16. 'Receive' the helmet provided by the Lord-namely, "salvation," appropriated already, as 1 Thessalonians 5:8, "helmet, the hope of salvation;"

We guard our head, which is the seat of our mind.

The head is among the principal parts to be defended, as on it the deadliest strokes might fall, and it's importance to command the whole body. ( we can see today the importance for those who ride bikes or motorcycles to keep the head covered while riding out of doors on one)
The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has the sure "hope" of eternal life, will not receive false doctrine, or give way to satan's temptation to despair. God, by this hope, "lifts up the head"

Psalm 3:3............3 But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.  NKJV

Sword of the Spirit-i.e., furnished by the Spirit, who inspired the writers of the Word (2 Peter 1:21).

The Gospel word is "the power of God" to the believer (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). The two-edged sword, cutting both ways (Psalm 45:3,5), some with conviction and conversion, others with condemnation. That cutting will cut off what is not needed in our lives. It is important to take that "power capsule" of the Word everyday!

Christ's use of it in the temptation is our pattern of how we are to wield it against satan (Matthew 4:4,7,10). Matt 4:4-10..........4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' " 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

'He shall give His angels charge over you,'

and,  'In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' "

7 Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' " 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." 10 Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "NKJV

We ARE TO always remain facing forward toward the enemy. ( I believe David faced the giant and kept his focus where that stone needed to fly to hit that big object of wrath which was against the Lord and His plan for David.) We never turn our back to him. Luke 9:62.....
62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." NKJV

Yeah, remember Lot's wife............looking back is not good!

And then as a warrior, we are to be praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.


Always, [en (NT:1722) panti (NT:3956) kairoo (NT:2540)] - 'in every season:' implying opportunity and exigency: the mind being always ready for prayer (Col 4:2).

With all-i.e., every kind of; implying the earnestness, being determined and serious about it,  of one leaving nothing untried.
We are to be watchful and not sleeping but observing, keeping guard, inspecting, all that is before us.


Remember about Saul, that it was while Saul slept that his spear and cruse were taken. It was while Samson slept in Delilah's lap that his locks came off his head. Sisera's head was indeed nailed to the ground (a type of those fastened to earthly things) while sleeping in Jael's tent. Or remember Jonah sleeping in the storm, those spiritually asleep shall only awake to be plunged in destruction. Yikes!

And then the most profound thing for us, is to be given a mouth that boldly declares the mystery of the Gospel!  We would do well to having courage to open and speak about the Lord and His goodness. Amen!

Like Paul, we too, are to look for utterance to be given us and not to depend on the  natural or acquired power.Our earnest prayer is to be for that God would open for us "a door" and be ready to open our mouths, so as to avail ourselves of every opportunity to speak to others about the Lord. Remember the Psalms written by David and know he had some conflicts to arise, but he met them head-on, not running but facing the enemy and had testimony after testimony of how great God is, was, and is to come!

Father, Your word is promises to me and those who pray this today. We go to possess in the name of Jesus. In His name we pray today and say that we are willing to take the chance, to take the risk and get back to the good fight of faith. Oppression and destruction will not come near us as we take up the armor of God and we stand enjoined with You for the purpose You have for our lives. We offer up thanksgiving to You Who has called us to be fellow workman.....laborers together with and for YOU! We have on the breastplate of righteousness that protects our love walk. We will not draw back  or shrink in fear, then Your soul would have no delight or pleasure in us. We rejoice today that You delivered us out of darkness and drew us to Yourself. We are transferred into the Son of Your love. We confess and praise You, O Lord our God with our whole heart; we will glorify Your name for evermore. We pray that we always and in every season, embrace opportunities to pray and confess the Word as the warrior. Today we commit to put aside our own desires and conveniences. We yield to Your leading and take our place in putting on the armor that qualifies us for a good future against rebellion and stubbornness. Anoint our ears to hear, and eyes to see, We stand with feet shod with the Gospel peace.  As our steps are ordered by You ( Psalm 85:13) righteousness will go before You O God, and shall make Your footsteps our pathway. We stand in readiness to receive Your instruction today. We pray for the saints, and endure with patience. We ask for a character that produces and sounds like a joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. We are free and our desire is to forget those things that lie behind us and we strain forward to what lies ahead. We press forward toward the goal to win the prize to which You in Christ Jesus are calling us upward. The past no longer will control our thinking patterns or our behavior. We have the mind of Christ and His wisdom is formed within us!
In the name of Jesus, we withstand the devil. We are firm in our faith. We are rooted established, strong, immovable and determined. We cease from human labor and are zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter into the rest of God and that we will know and experience that for ourselves. Father, thank YOU that Your presence goes with us and You give us rest. Amen.


You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV