GIVING UNDUE RECOGNITION TO SATAN!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY APRIL 02, 2024.

SUBJECT: GIVING UNDUE RECOGNITION TO SATAN!

Memory verse: "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (Second Corinthians 2 vs 14.)

READ: Colossians 2 vs 13 - 15:

2:13: And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,

2:14: having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

2:15: Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

INTIMATION:

Everything that Jesus did is accredited to us. The entire substitutionary work of Christ was for us. He didn't conquer Satan for Himself. He didn't put sin away for Himself. He didn't suffer the judgement that would have fallen upon the sinners for Himself. But He suffered it on our behalf, and we have entered into His victory, it is accredited to us. So Satan now is a defeated enemy. The enemy of our souls—the Adversary, the ruler of this world, who always leads us to sin, that is, to rebel against God, and constantly accusing us before God for our sins, was flatly defeated when God sent His Son, Jesus, to legally pay the penalty of sin on our behalf. 

Satan was defeated before Jesus arose from the dead. We are seen as crucified with Christ (Romans 6 vs 6; Galatians 2 vs 20), died with Christ (Romans 6 vs 8), buried with Christ (Romans 6 vs 4), suffered with Christ (Romans 8 vs 17; First Peter 1 vs 4; 4 vs 13), justified with Christ (Romans 5 vs 1), made alive with Christ (Romans 6 vs 8), conquered the Adversary with Christ, and then were raised together with Him (Ephesians 2 vs 5 - 6; Colossians 2 vs 13), and now we are seated together with Him (Ephesians 2 vs 6). That shows us our utter oneness and union with Christ.

In the passage we read today, the Scripture says that Jesus wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. That is, one the legal demands of the Old Testament Law. The law opposed us by its demands for payment for our sin (Ezekiel 18 vs 4; Romans 6 vs 23). And Jesus Christ has taken it out of the way, haven legally paid the penalty, and nailed the requirements to the cross.  

The war against Satan was fought and won for us by Christ on the cross. Christ disarmed Satan and his demons on the cross, and stripped the defeated enemy of his armor on the battlefield. He triumphed over them and made a public spectacle of them on the cross for all to see, Therefore, there is no denial of the fact, and hence God declared us not guilty, and we need no longer live under sin’s power—the devil’s power. He delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1 vs 13).

We are recreated in Christ when we accepted the substitutionary work of Christ for us. We war not with flesh and blood, not with humans, but with demons who know that we are, in Jesus' Name, their masters. Every demon knows that you, the recreated one, is his master. We enjoy our new lives in Christ because we have joined Him in His death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, and our love of sin died with Him. Now, joining Him in His resurrection life, we may have unbroken fellowship with God, and we can be clean and new. 

Satan and his cohorts rule us by subterfuge, by bluff, by deception. For instance, they put diseases upon us and hold us in bondage through our ignorance of what we are in Christ and what belongs to us. Once they know you know your rights in Christ, you are free from their attacks. Let us know, claim, and exercise our rights in Christ.

However, God does not take us out of the world or make us robots, we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes will sin. The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we are free to live for Christ.

Jesus Christ was glorified when He finished the work and declared so (John 19 vs 30), Now He sits at the right hand of the Father—the hand of authority, in the heavenly places, and with all the authorities handed over to Him (Matthew 28 vs 18). He is the head of the body—the church (Colossians 1 vs 18), and He sits in heaven with His body far above principalities and powers. And the head cannot be without the body. The Father has qualified us, as the body, to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption You gave us in Jesus Christ. Give me the grace to always exercise my rights in Christ thereby putting the Adversary far away from me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE WINNING PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 01, 2024.

SUBJECT : THE WINNING PRAYER!

Memory verse: "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1 vs 8.)

READ: Isaiah 1 vs 18; 41 vs 21; & 43 by 2:

1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

41:21: “Present your case,” says the LORD. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob

43:26: Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.

INTIMATION:

The winning prayer is the prayer anchored on reasoning with the Lord in His Word. Therefore, a winning prayer is richly prepared in God’s Word, presenting His Word back to Him that He may hasten to perform it (Jeremiah 1 vs 12). As the Scripture says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good.” (Numbers 23 vs 19.) 

The Word of God is forever settled in heaven (Psalm 119 vs 89.) Therefore, a Christian wins in prayer if he or she prepares very well in God’s Word before prayer so as to present his prayer and supplication in tandem with God’s Word.

The apostle Paul told the believers in Colosse in Colossians 3 vs 16, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..." You must have a word-stuffed heart, to maintain a hotline communication with God. Emotional displays in prayer does not move God. No amount of tears from your cry will move God if your communication is void of adequate Word preparation. God is only moved when you ask according to His Will—His Word. So, all you need is the right Words and your communication with Him will be through. 

One thing is needful for every other thing to fall in place—the right Word of God. If you check through Scriptures, you will find out that everything is hooked to, and rooted in the Word. Faith, effectual prayer, and success etc, are all rooted in it. Being outstanding in Christianity is a function of your Word content, and not the amount of religious exercises you engage in. 

I have seen many heavy prayer warriors who are weary, but I am yet to see a Word warrior who is not a conqueror. When you are wordless in God’s Word, your prayers can't be genuine. You will either be under pressure, or just be playing games. 

It is God's Word that connects you to the Throne for response. No matter how long you have been cheated by the devil, when you cry to God and say, "Lord, can't You see how I am being cheated? Can't You see how long I have been a Christian?" All He will say is, "My son, my daughter, talk sense! What do you want Me to do for you?" He wants you to bring your strong reasons from His Word and put Him in remembrance of them. So until you remind Him of His Word that commits Him to perform, your prayers will continue to remain unanswered. 

The Bible in John 1 vs 1 & 14 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." Jesus is the Word of God. Therefore, locating the Word for any situation, is locating Jesus for that situation.

Now, the Bible says in Matthew 21 vs 42 & 44, "Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes?” And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." 

The stone referred to here is Jesus—the Word. If any opposition falls on it, that opposition will be broken; and when it falls upon any opposition, it grinds it to powder. Anytime you locate Scriptures that address any issues of concern in your life, and use them, you are spiritually hauling stones against the opposition, breaking them first and then grinding them to powder. And it is obvious the Scriptures cannot be broken (John 10 vs 35).

The Bible in Hebrews 4 vs 12 says, "For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Embedded in the Word is the power and might of God. It is living and dynamic as it works in us. Locating the Word is bringing God to the scene, and that marks the end of any oppositions in your life. 

The Lord said, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from out My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55 vs 10 - 11.) 

Rather than spend time doing some religious exercises that won't profit you, spend it in the Word, to gather the appropriate stones that will bring down your Goliath. Go by the River of Life (the Bible), carefully choose and pick up those lively stones (Scriptures), put them in your bag (your heart) and then move against the opposition and you are sure to bring it down.

Prayer: Abba Father, You have given us all that pertains to life and godliness in Your Word. Give me the grace to be richly endowed with the deep knowledge of Your Word, and that I will confess it at all times. to overcome all oppositions of the devil by the words of my testimony, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OPEN UP YOURSELF!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MARCH 31, 2024.

SUBJECT : OPEN UP YOURSELF!

Memory verse: "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57 vs 15.)

READ: Romans 7 vs 14 - 20:

7:14: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

7:15: For that what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will do, that do I not practice; but what I hate, that do I.

7:16: If, then, I do what I will not do, I agree with the law that it is good.

7:17: But now p, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me; but how to perform what which is good I do not find.

7:19: For the good that I will do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

7:20: Now if I do what I will not do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

INTIMATION: 

The starting point of ministry is being moldable. The more you open up yourself to God, the more He comes in to mold and use you. The more you let down your guard, take off your mask, and share your struggles, the more God will be able to use you in serving others. It is notable that opening yourself can be risky. It can be scary to lower your defenses and open up your life to others. When you reveal your failures, feelings, frustrations, and fears, you risk rejection. But the benefits are worth the risk. Opening up yourself is emotionally liberating; it relieves stress, defuses your fears, and is the first step to freedom.

We have already seen that God "gives grace to the humble," but many do not understand humility. Humility is not putting yourself down or denying your strengths; rather, it is being honest about your weaknesses. The more honest you are, the more of God's grace you get. You will also receive from others. Being moldable or meek, that is, opening up yourself, is an endearing quality; we are naturally drawn to humble people. 

Pretentiousness repels, but authenticity attracts, and meekness is the pathway to intimacy. Your life becomes a testimonial when people see God using you in spite of your weaknesses, and they are encouraged, and they will then think that God can use them too. This is why God wants to use your weaknesses, not just your strengths. Our strengths create competition, but our weaknesses create community.

At some point in your life you must decide whether you want to impress people or influence people. You can impress people from a distance, but you must get close to influence them, and when you do that, they will be able to see your flaws. That's okay. The most essential quality for leadership is not perfection, but credibility. People must be able to trust you, or they won't follow you. How do you build credibility? Not by pretending to be perfect, but by being honest, and open.

Our Scriptural model, the apostle Paul, openly and honestly shared his impressions at various times. In his failures he said, "For the good that I will to do, I do not; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." (Romans 7 vs19.) Concerning the openness of his heart, and his feelings, he said to believers in Corinth, "O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open." (Second Corinthians 6 vs 11.) On his frustrations, he said, "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life." (Second Corinthians 1 vs 8.) On his fears, he said, "I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling." (First Corinthians 2 vs 3.)

In the passage we read today, the cry of the apostle Paul is more than the cry of a desperate man, it describes the experience of all Christians struggling against sin or trying to please God by keeping rules and laws without the Spirit’s help. He opened up himself, emphasized his weakness, and sought help. 

We must never underestimate the power of sin and attempt to fight it in our own strength. Satan is a crafty tempter, and we have an amazing ability to make excuses. Instead of trying to overcome sin with our own human willpower, we must take hold of God’s provision for victory over sin: the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and gives us power. And when we fall, He lovingly reaches out to help us up.

The inward struggle with sin was as real for the apostle Paul as it is for us. From him we learn what to do about it. Whenever he felt overwhelmed by the spiritual battle, he would return to the beginning of his spiritual life, remembering how he had been freed from sin by Jesus Christ. 

When we feel confused and overwhelmed by sin’s appeal, let us claim the freedom Christ gave us. His power can lift us to victory. Self-determination (struggling in one’s own strength) doesn’t succeed (Romans 7 vs 15). The apostle Paul found himself sinning in ways that weren’t even attractive to him. Becoming a Christian does not stamp out all sin and temptation from a person’s life (Romans 7 vs 22 - 25). Being born again takes a moment of faith, but becoming like Christ is a lifelong process. 

Prayer: Abba Father, all to You I surrender, all to You I freely give. I will ever love and trust You, and in Your presence I will daily live, and humbly at Your feet I bow daily. Give me the grace to put my complete trust in You and never have any form of trust in myself, but to follow You to the end, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE CROSS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2024.

SUBJECT : THE CROSS!

Memory verse: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5 vs 8.)

READ: Isaiah 53 vs 3 - 9:

53:3: He is despised and rejected by men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteemed Him.

53:4: Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.

53:5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

53:6: All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

I53:7: He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

53:8: He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.

53:9: And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 

INTIMATION:

The cross was planned before the creation; 

“… the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev 13 vs 8). The Lamb—Jesus—was foreordained before creation to be crucified for the sins of man (See Isaiah 53). In the Old Testament, people offered animals as sacrifices for their sins. Here, the sinless Servant of the Lord offers Himself for our sins. He is the lamb offered for the sins of all people (John 1 vs 29; Revelation 5 vs 6 - 14). The Messiah suffered for our sake, bearing our sins to make us acceptable to God. 

The righteous Servant shall justify many before God, and this tells us the enormous family of believers who will become right with God, not by their own works, but by the Messiah’s great work on the cross. They are justified because they have claimed Christ, the righteous Servant, as their Savior and Lord (see Romans 10 vs 9; Second Corinthians 5 bs 21). Their life of sin is stripped away, and they are clothed with Christ’s goodness (Ephesians 4 vs 22 - 24). 

The events of the cross were foretold (Ps 22). Jesus would crush Satan (Genesis 3 vs 15). He would suffer for our sins (Isaiah 53). The accounts and the events of the cross were documented in the Bible (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; and John 19). Jesus died before witnesses (Acts 26 vs 26). His death gave witness to His Sonship; “Now when the centurion and those who were with him guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were happening, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27 vs 54). 

The purpose of the cross is (1) To take away sins; “The next day John saw Jesus coming to him. And he said “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1 vs 29; Hebrews 2 vs 9). (2) To bear our sins in His body (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21; First Peter 2 vs 5 - 8). (3) To save us from our sins (Matthew 1 vs 20 - 21). (4) To wash us of our sins (First John 1 vs 7; Rev 1 vs 5). (5) To reveal God’s grace; “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2 vs 11).

(6) To redeem us; “who gave Himself for us so that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a special people who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2 vs 14). (7) To reconcile us to God through Jesus (Romans 5 vs 8 - 10; Ephesians 2 vs 14 - 16). (8) To establish a covenant; “For this is My blood of the covenant that is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26 vs 28). To purchase the church; “Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that He has purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20 vs 28). 

The effects of the cross are (1) It is the power of God to salvation (First Corinthians 1 vs 18 - 24). (2) Christians boast in the cross (Galatians 6 vs 14). (3) Christians preach the cross (First Corinthians 2 vs 2). (4) Because of Jesus’ cross, Christians bear their own cross (Matthew 10 vs 38; 16 vs 24 - 25; Luke 9 vs 24; Galatians 2 vs 20; 5 vs 24; 6 vs 14).

His salvational work for man was specific, and definitely carried out. Though many rejected Him, it was their grief and pains that He bore. He took up the burdens of our grief and carried them away. Those who rejected Jesus, accused Him of being from Baalzebal, and thus stricken by God for assuming to be the Son of God (see Mark 14 vs 61 - 64; Luke 22 vs 37). Jesus willingly died (John 3 vs 14 - 16; 8 vs 28; 10 vs 18). He was cursed for our sake (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21; Galatians 3 vs 13). He endured the cross for the joy after it (Hebrews 12 vs 2). He humbled Himself to a death on the cross (Philippians 2 vs 5 - 8).

He fell into the hands of wicked men, and subsequently was crucified for the sins of men. His death was not an accident, or unplanned by God. It was for this very purpose that Jesus came to the world. He was crucified before the world was created. He was bruised through crucifixion, but in being bruised, He crushed the head of Satan (Genesis 3 vs 15). 

The world has wondered off into sin. The cross, therefore, was by grace, for there was no one who was righteous, and thus, deserving of the forgiveness of God. As with the spirit of idolatry, so is man in everything. He seeks to do only that which is right in his own eyes. He thus turns to satisfying the lust of the eyes and flesh, while following after the pride of life. Since sin is against God, then God had to be incarnate in order to be the sacrificial lamb to bear the sins of men. 

Jesus took Himself to the cross. He had the power to lay down His own life for our sins (John 10 vs 17 - 18). He had the power to take it up again. When it was time for His death, He didn’t open His mouth in order to defend His innocence. He allowed Satan to work in men in order to take Himself to the cross. He was the sacrificial lamb of God. 

God willed the cross  for the sake of those who would believe. The Father allowed His Son to go through the humiliation of the suffering for the sake of those who would be drawn to the cross. Christians are the seed of the Servant. We are the seed because we have believed and obeyed the gospel of His death and resurrection (Romans 6 vs 3 - 6). Jesus is now reigning at the right hand of God, and continues to prosper as people are obedient to the gospel. 

God foreordained that the “recorded saints” (the church) would be destined to eternal salvation (Ephesians 1 vs 4 - 11). The church is predestined to eternal glory. Those who free-morally choose to be a part of the church by obedience to the gospel are destined to heaven (See Romana 8 vs 28 - 30). One is, therefore, destined to heaven when he or she makes a free-moral decision to become a part of the group that a destined to heaven.

What can we say to such love? How will we respond to Him? One can only marvel at the love of Jesus for His creation because of His foreknowledge of the cross even before the incarnation. Those who choose to submit to the Lamb, and thus, be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, are written in the Book of Life. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You Oh Lord for this supreme sacrifice on the cross. Though the events of the cross are inexplicable but they are undeniable. I will never take the gifts of salvation and privilege of sonship for granted all the days of my life. Give me the grace to serve You acceptably and willingly out of my love for You in response to Your love for me and the extent You went to save me, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!