2 Chronicles 20:21, And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army and were saying: Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.
If you really want to do damage to the enemy of your soul, praise to God works well!! Satan was once the praise and worship leader in heaven. Because of his pride, he wanted to exalt himself above God. This was a huge mistake. God cast Him down from heaven along with about 1/3 of the angels who had decided to take part in Satan's scheme. (See Isaiah 14:12-16 and Ezekiel 28:12-15)
Whenever Satan hears praise to God, it infuriates him. When you praise God, it reminds him of what he once was, and it reminds him that you now have his job.
In the above scripture, King Jehoshaphat's enemies were coming for him. His first reaction was fear. This is normal. He was a human being as we are. Then he began to seek the Lord. This is what we need to do when we are being attacked. After seeking God, he appointed singers to sing "Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever." That's all they had to do. Can you imagine going into a battle only singing? When their enemies got closer and heard them singing praise, they became confused and slaughtered each other.
That's what happens to the demons who attack you when they hear you praising God, their plans are thwarted. There is power in praise. You have to speak it. Speak God's word and speak God's praise. Your enemy will be self-slaughtered.
If you read on in chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles, you will find that once the enemy was slaughtered, it took the people of Judah three days to gather the spoils. Once your enemy is defeated, he has to give back what he stole from you plus more. That is your right at a blood bought child of the Living God.
Don't complain. Don't be overcome by fear. Fight fear and all other enemies with praise.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
God's Continual Gift
Peace is God's continual gift to us. It flows from His throne. It is available to us. I have to make the choice to accept His peace. The Israelites could only gather enough manna for one day. (Exodus 16:14-20). We can only gather enough peace for one day. The next day, we receive from God what we need for that day. It is a day by day process. This keeps us aware of our dependency on God. If He gave us permanent peace, we would become independent of Him. That is the last thing we need to do!!
From Jesus Calling, "As your awareness of your neediness increases so does your realization of My abundant sufficiency."
God is all-sufficient. Allow Him to fill you. Only He can satisfy.
Philippians 4
6.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
19.And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus
From Jesus Calling, "As your awareness of your neediness increases so does your realization of My abundant sufficiency."
God is all-sufficient. Allow Him to fill you. Only He can satisfy.
Philippians 4
6.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
19.And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Death and Life
This is an appropriate time to talk about death and life. At this time of year we do our best to honor the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. (Although this should be a year-long celebration.)
Matthew 28
1.After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2.There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
3.His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
4.The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5.The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6.He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7.Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
8.So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
9.Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
10.Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me"
The women went to annoint Jesus' body. They thought he was dead. They went seeking for Him at the place of the dead. How many times do we do that? How many times do we seek for things in dead places? We won't find what we need in the dead places. We need to be in places where life is. Where is that? At the feet of Jesus. He is life. He is the resurrection and the life. He has the keys of death and hell. It is under His power now. It has no hold over us. Because of Jesus' victory over death, we are alive forever. Yes, this physical body will die, but we will live on.
When Jesus returns, our bodies will be resurrected and reunited with our souls and spirits. We are alive, and we will always be alive. Let's live for Christ because to live IS Christ. Hallelujah!!!
If we are dead in any way, it should be to sin. Jesus died and rose again so we could die to sin and bondage and come alive to His righteousness. We do not have to be bound to our sins. How awesome is that!!
1.What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
2.By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
3.Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4.We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5.If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
6.For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
7.because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8.Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9.For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10.The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11.In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
If something is going to be dead in us, it must be our old nature, our sin nature; however, our new nature is alive in Jesus Christ.
Stop seeking what you need among things that are dead. Those things cannot fulfill you. Life in Christ is the only thing that brings true fulfillment.
I have posted a song by Travis Cottrell called Alive Forever Amen.
Matthew 28
1.After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2.There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
3.His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
4.The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5.The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6.He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
7.Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
8.So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
9.Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
10.Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me"
The women went to annoint Jesus' body. They thought he was dead. They went seeking for Him at the place of the dead. How many times do we do that? How many times do we seek for things in dead places? We won't find what we need in the dead places. We need to be in places where life is. Where is that? At the feet of Jesus. He is life. He is the resurrection and the life. He has the keys of death and hell. It is under His power now. It has no hold over us. Because of Jesus' victory over death, we are alive forever. Yes, this physical body will die, but we will live on.
When Jesus returns, our bodies will be resurrected and reunited with our souls and spirits. We are alive, and we will always be alive. Let's live for Christ because to live IS Christ. Hallelujah!!!
If we are dead in any way, it should be to sin. Jesus died and rose again so we could die to sin and bondage and come alive to His righteousness. We do not have to be bound to our sins. How awesome is that!!
1.What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
2.By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
3.Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4.We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5.If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
6.For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
7.because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8.Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9.For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10.The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11.In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
If something is going to be dead in us, it must be our old nature, our sin nature; however, our new nature is alive in Jesus Christ.
Stop seeking what you need among things that are dead. Those things cannot fulfill you. Life in Christ is the only thing that brings true fulfillment.
I have posted a song by Travis Cottrell called Alive Forever Amen.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Enjoying Today
Matthew 6:34, Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I am a planner by nature. I like to have things worked out ahead of time. This is alright to a certain extent; but if I am not careful, it can become an idol.
God is teaching me to trust Him one day at a time. To enjoy each day. This is totally against my human nature, but it is in line with God's word. Trusting God is leaning on Him minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day.
Too many times, I look to the future, when I need to enjoy the present. The following quote is from Joyce Meyer: "We can enjoy where we are at on the way to where we are going."
I have things right now that God has given me to enjoy. No, life is not perfect, but God is still sovereign.
From the devotional "Jesus Calling": "Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to me, responsive to my will...Exert your will to trust me in all circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My presence. Don't get tangled up in worry-webs. Trust Me one day at a time."
I am a planner by nature. I like to have things worked out ahead of time. This is alright to a certain extent; but if I am not careful, it can become an idol.
God is teaching me to trust Him one day at a time. To enjoy each day. This is totally against my human nature, but it is in line with God's word. Trusting God is leaning on Him minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day.
Too many times, I look to the future, when I need to enjoy the present. The following quote is from Joyce Meyer: "We can enjoy where we are at on the way to where we are going."
I have things right now that God has given me to enjoy. No, life is not perfect, but God is still sovereign.
From the devotional "Jesus Calling": "Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to me, responsive to my will...Exert your will to trust me in all circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My presence. Don't get tangled up in worry-webs. Trust Me one day at a time."
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