In Keep the Change Part I, we spoke of the necessity of cultivating, and keeping the intial change that God makes in our lives when He washes us and cleanses us through His blood and when He gives us power through the infilling of the Holy Ghost (see I Corinthians 6:11).
In this second installment, the focus is on telling others to keep the change when they would try to distort, detract, or destroy what God has built up in us. The focus in Part II will be on keeping the change against the spiritual attacks in our lives.
Isaiah 59:19 says, "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him."
We have no need to fear when our enemy, be it our flesh, opposition from humanity, or spiritual resistance swoops in to try and steal the things we received from God. Jesus said in John 10:10 that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy, but that He (Jesus) came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Likewise, in Luke 22:31-32 Jesus warned Peter that the enemy desired to sift him as wheat, but Jesus said that He prayed for Peter. Such power in the fact that we have a covering in Jesus!!!The devil and his minions will no doubt try to attack us and try to get us to turn back from the change God worked in us. Indeed the Bible says in I Peter 5:7-8 that the devil goes around like a "roaring lion" seeking those he can devour. But this passage also says we can cast all our cares on Jesus because he cares for us. Remember, Jesus always gives us the opportunity for victory, no matter how dark the storm. Actually, we have much more power than the devil:
Ephesians 4:27 says not to give place to the devil.
Ephesians 6:11 says to put on the armour of God to stand against the devil's whiles.
James 4:7 says to submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee.
Isaiah 14:12-19 says those who see the devil in his true light will “narrowly” look at him and scoff at him.
We have complete authority and dominion over the devil and all the forces of hell through the power of Jesus name!!! Listen to the awesome words of Jesus Christ:
"...upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Gates are not designed or built to be an offensive weapon, they are defensive. Jesus is telling Peter and the apostles that the church will be on the front lines, attacking the gates of hell itself, and that hell.......................doesn't stand a chance.....
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Keep the Change Part I
Matthew 25:1-13 gives us the parable of the ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. Here Jesus reveals to us the scenario where ten individuals start off with oil. We know from the scriptures that oil signifies the anointing, so these ten virgins all had a great starting point.
However, only five of the ten actually made it all the way to the wedding. Five of the virgins, whom we refer to now as the foolish virgins, didn't prepare and store up enough of the oil to last. Though they all ten started off with lamps burning, only five "endured 'til the end."
This treasure we have in earthen vessels (II Corinthians 4:7) must be nourished, cultivated, protected. We can't allow the cares of this world (Mark 4:19) to choke out the precious change that God worked in us when we were saved and received His wonderful Spirit.
We are new in Christ according to the following scriptures, having put off our old man, our former self, and put on the new man, the one that seeks God and follows the Spirit:
II Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 4:22-24
Colossians 3:9-10
The things of God and a walk with God truly come as a gradual process. Jesus asked, in what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer," for daily bread (or sustenance), and in II Corinthians 4:16 Paul said our inward man is renewed "day by day." Finally, II Corinthians 3:18 says we are changed from glory to glory.
Jesus said in Mark 13:13 that only they which endure until the end will be saved. Our initial change, out with the old and in with the new, must be kept. We must fight to keep the change that God has made in our lives.....
However, only five of the ten actually made it all the way to the wedding. Five of the virgins, whom we refer to now as the foolish virgins, didn't prepare and store up enough of the oil to last. Though they all ten started off with lamps burning, only five "endured 'til the end."
This treasure we have in earthen vessels (II Corinthians 4:7) must be nourished, cultivated, protected. We can't allow the cares of this world (Mark 4:19) to choke out the precious change that God worked in us when we were saved and received His wonderful Spirit.
We are new in Christ according to the following scriptures, having put off our old man, our former self, and put on the new man, the one that seeks God and follows the Spirit:
II Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 4:22-24
Colossians 3:9-10
The things of God and a walk with God truly come as a gradual process. Jesus asked, in what we refer to as "The Lord's Prayer," for daily bread (or sustenance), and in II Corinthians 4:16 Paul said our inward man is renewed "day by day." Finally, II Corinthians 3:18 says we are changed from glory to glory.
Jesus said in Mark 13:13 that only they which endure until the end will be saved. Our initial change, out with the old and in with the new, must be kept. We must fight to keep the change that God has made in our lives.....
Friday, April 3, 2009
Power in the Name
There is awesome power in the name of Jesus Christ. Mark 16:17-18 lets us know that the believers can do many incredible things when they invoke the name of Jesus.
The important thing to remember is that we must be people of the name and in order to truly do that, we must have a relationship with the original owner of the name. Both John 5:43 and Hebrews 1:4 make it clear that Jesus received His name by inheritance. When we read Ephesians 1:10-11 we understand that we also receive an inheritence through Christ.
So be encouraged to walk in the name of Jesus, pray in the name of Jesus, believe in the name of Jesus. In fact, accordng to Colossians 3:17 we should do all in the name of Jesus.
What are some examples of the power in that name? I'm glad you asked:
Acts 3:6-healing
Accts 4:12-salvation
Acts 16:18-deliverance
Philippians 2:10-11-dominion
Philippians 4:19-financial blessing
The important thing to remember is that we must be people of the name and in order to truly do that, we must have a relationship with the original owner of the name. Both John 5:43 and Hebrews 1:4 make it clear that Jesus received His name by inheritance. When we read Ephesians 1:10-11 we understand that we also receive an inheritence through Christ.
So be encouraged to walk in the name of Jesus, pray in the name of Jesus, believe in the name of Jesus. In fact, accordng to Colossians 3:17 we should do all in the name of Jesus.
What are some examples of the power in that name? I'm glad you asked:
Acts 3:6-healing
Accts 4:12-salvation
Acts 16:18-deliverance
Philippians 2:10-11-dominion
Philippians 4:19-financial blessing
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)