JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(Psalm 91:1-16) “They that dwell in the secret place of the most high”
For the last week I have been rattling the sabers as it were, trying to reignite an awareness of the need for you and I, “the child of God and believers in Christ”, to wake up and strengthen our spiritual defenses.
Why you might be wondering.
The answer is simple.
Because of the enemies attack?
Its all around us and is getting more and more fierce, bolder and intense every day.
There was a time in my life when I had no enemies.
But once I began to walk with God however, that changed.
It should come as no surprise that many who serve God in full-time ministry become targets of demonic assaults, especially those who serve in regions where the powers of darkness are common place.
But enemy attacks are by no means limited to the dark corners of the world, nor to the full time professional minister whom has committed their life to heralding the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching of the Word of Truth.
The adversary… our enemy the devil… is working overtime anywhere he can find a “relational rift”, to exploit or a habitual sin to manipulate.
He is doing his level best to present stumbling blocks and temptations that would cause the strongest spiritual giant to quake in fear at times.
How grateful I am for this song of scripture and assurance found in Psalm 91.
It, like few other scriptural passages, comes to grips with the enemies attack and gives us hope to get beyond them.
Psalm 91 has a unique tone in its message.
We discover this by reading it through and looking for words or phrases that communicate similar thoughts.
Here are some of them…
Verse 1: shelter
Verse 2: refuge…fortress
Verse 3: pestilence…
Verse 4: refuge…shield
Verse 5: terror by night…arrow by day
Verse 6: destruction
Verse 7: a thousand may fall
Verse 9: security
Verse 11: guard
Verse 15: rescue
There can be little doubt about the tone of Psalm 91.
It is about warfare, battle, conflict, and fighting.
It is a song for battle… in that it conveys an atmosphere of daily, oppressive enemy attack.
And who is this enemy?
Israel’s national foes… no I don’t think so?
A human being who opposes the writer… no I don’t believe so?
An actual visible war on a bloody battlefield… again I don’t think so?
Look at several more verses as we identify the enemy.
Verse 3: the trapper
Verse 8: the wicked
Verse 10: evil
Now consider the promise of angelic assistance as written in (Psalm 91:11-12)… as well as divine deliverance (91:14-15).
When you put all the evidence together, I think Psalm 91 builds a strong case for a song about surviving the attacks of our spiritual enemies whom are Satan and his demons!
It talks about a battle in the unseen spiritual realm.
This explains our need for angelic and divine intervention… because our supernatural enemy comes at us with supernatural strength, and we need supernatural help.
Keep this thought in mind when digging into Psalm 91.
The tone is warfare and the enemy is our evil adversary, who comes at us with persistent regularity.
But do not despair and do not be afraid.
There are four distinct “promises of providence” that are shared in Psalm 91 as well… promises given to encourage each of us.
1) Protection amid Evil (91:1–4)
2) Attitude toward Evil (91:5–10)
3) Assistance against Evil (91:11–13)
4) Security from Evil (91:14–16)
The Bibles says “our weapons of warfare are not carnal or powered with human wisdom… but they are mighty unto God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2nd Corinthians 10-4)
The Bible says (Isaiah 54:17) “no weapon formed against us will prosper… and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord… and their righteousness is of me says the Lord”.
That is the security you and I have when having to face the enemy of our souls.
Jesus said (Matthew 28:20) “never will I leave you… lo, I will be with you always”
Good Day!
(Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
In order to overcome “the works of the enemy” and in order to “fight the good fight of faith”, we must know our enemy.
Each of us is confronted daily with the snares, the tactics, the tricks, and the devices of the devil.
At this time Satan is not in Hell, nor he is he locked up in the bottomless pit as he will be someday.
He is the “god of this age,” walking up and down, to and fro in this world, seeking to drag men and women away from Christ.
He has each of our names on his list, and he is doing his level best to drag each one of us down to defeat and destruction.
Satan is working overtime in these days because he knows that his time is limited, and he is aware that shortly he will be cast into “The Lake of Fire “where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
(Revelation 20:10), “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
But until that time… how can we overcome his onslaughts?
What is our resource against the strategies of the devil?
(James 4:7) gives us a a two-fold answer “Submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you."
#1) We are to submit ourselves to God.
We cannot resist the devil in our own human power.
We must be born again, and become committed children of God, and have the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling within us.
(1st John 4:4) tells us “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
In (Galatians 2:20) The Apostle Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ… nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ lives in me.”
Jesus Christ, who dwells/lives within the body of the believing Christian, is greater than the devil.
The devil is a supernatural being, and it takes a “supernatural” power to respond to his devices.
That’s why you and I cannot fight the devil and his schemes on our own!
Jesus Christ is that power.
In order to overcome the devices of the devil, we must surrender our lives to God and receive Jesus into our hearts by faith.
When a person takes that step, he becomes “a new creature” with new desires and with new powers to overcome temptation.
#2) We are to resist the devil.
We can resist the devil in the same way that Jesus resisted him when He was tempted in the wilderness.
Jesus resisted the devil by appealing to the Scriptures.
When the devil commanded Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone.” (Luke 4:4)
When the devil told Him to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple, Jesus said, “It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
When Satan offered Him all the kingdoms of the world, Jesus said, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”
Jesus resisted the devil by appealing to, quoting, and relying on the Scriptures.
He could have summoned ten thousand angels.
He could have displayed His own supernatural powers, but instead, Jesus used the same weapon that is available to every one of us… “the Word of God”.
All of us must make new commitments to spend more time with the Bible; to memorize portions of Scripture; to study the Word of God…so that we will have a Scriptural dart/arrow to throw at the devil every time he comes our way with a temptation.
#3) We are to put on the whole armor of God.
Any one who takes Christ as their Savior and starts to live and work for Him will soon discover that there is an enemy seeking to destroy our faith and testimony as we talked about in earlier devotions this past week,
(1st Peter 5:8) “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”.
If you are truly living for Christ you will find that living the Christian life involves an ongoing warfare, battle, and struggle to live sold out and radically commitment lives to Him.
But God has provided spiritual armor to protect us, and He has placed in our hands a sword… the Word of God… to help us conquer and overcome evil.
We read about that armor in (Ephesians 6:10-18).
The armor includes a belt of truth (it always pays to be truthful), a breastplate of righteousness (the ability to do the right thing), and a shield of faith (the willingness to trust and believe that what God says is true).
In addition, He gives the “Sword of the Spirit”, which is the Word of God.
In the Christian life we battle against powerful evil forces headed by Satan.
To withstand his attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of armor which is provided.
All believers are special objects of Satan’s attacks… because they are no longer on Satan’s side.
As believers in Christ, we are a “threat” to the devils kingdom… and his objective to thwart the plan of God.
We need supernatural power to defeat Satan, and God has provided that power by the Holy Spirit who lives within us, and by the provision of “supernatural” armor which surrounds us.
May God help every believer to be alert to these truths.
So remember (1st Peter 5:8) “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”.
Remember as well, (Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
But take heart and take joy, this is a battle that is the Lords.
“This is what the Lord says to you, Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
(2nd Chronicles 20:15)
(1st Samuel 17:37) “know that the Lord saves… not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s.
“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal… but mighty unto God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2nd Corinthians 10:4)
Your job in this battle is to be watchful, and pray.
Then stand back and see the salvation of the Lord as He fights for you! (Psalm 46:10-11)
Good Day!
(Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
As I mentioned yesterday one of the most “neglected subjects” in many pulpits of churches today is that of the personality, activity, and power of the devil.
Yet (1st Peter 5:8) tells us to be careful… “for our enemy the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom He can devour”.
Therefore we must speak about him and try to understand him as the “enemy of our soul”.
We are told in (2nd Corinthians 2:11) that Christians should not be “ignorant or unaware” of the devil’s devices. “in order that Satan might not outwit us… for we are not unaware of his schemes”.
He is constantly battling for mastery over your soul.
The devil’s work is to “deceive” human beings, and he has many “subtle devices” and many cunning ways by which he does the job.
Some of Satan’s devices are listed in the paragraphs that follow.
1) Satan lies and blinds to the truth.
Jesus says that the devil “abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
This may sound strange to say, but the devil is a gifted liar!
His nature is to lie… and he used that nature with our first parents (Adam and Eve), and he has been using it effectively ever since.
God told Eve, “But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17).
But in the very next chapter, we read: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.”
Satan said the exact opposite of what God had said.
God said, “If you eat, you will die.”
Satan said, “You will not die”… and He said it convincingly enough that Eve believed him.
God’s truth is revealed in the Bible.
Whenever we face a situation where the truth of the Bible is argued or denounced, or when a person tries to question or to argue away any of the teachings of the Bible, you can be sure that it is the old serpent, the devil, the enemy of our soul, trying to “deceive” that individual.
Often Satan will take a passage of scripture “out of its context” and twist the truth to confuse or say something else that it did not mean.
He distorts the truth to try and make the Bible say something altogether different from its plain statements.
That’s why we need to be students of the Word… “workmen studying”… “be approved and not ashamed” (2nd Timothy 2:15)
The point I am trying to get across this morning is that the devil is a liar, and any attempt to play down (or to twist) the Scriptures is definitely motivated by the devil in his attempt to try and dishonor the plan of God.
2) Satan puts evil suggestions into our minds.
Satan is always on the alert.
He is looking for “weak places” in our defense system!
He is eager to take advantage of any opening we might give him through a lack of watchfulness.
The Bible speaks of the betrayal of Jesus (just before His crucifixion), and says, “The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot… to betray him “ (John 13:2).
And at another place, the Scripture says, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” (Acts 5:3).
These passages answer some unique questions.
Who was it that prompted Judas to betray Jesus?
And who motivated Ananias to lie about the donated money?
The Bible says it was the devil.
If we would only recognize that the evil temptations which we have from time to time… are promoted by a real personal devil who is trying to bring defeat to our souls, perhaps we would do more to resist his lies.
It is the devil who entices us to do wrong.
It is the devil who inflames the passions, and stirs the appetites, and awakens old habits.
We don’t have to give in to him.
We are given the power of choice.
But Satan is one who sneaks into the hearts of people and tries to lead all of us astray.
The wicked thoughts we contend with from time to time are energized by the devil and empowered by all the forces of evil.
The ultimate aim of the devil is to mar us and scar us… to disfigure the image of God in us… to saturate our minds with filth and dirt and moral rot… to wrap us in darkness and lock us forever in the place where there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The devil aims to slay everything that is noble and decent and good in our lives.
He has energized every rotten deed that has ever been committed by every person that has ever walked on the face of the earth… and he somehow causes us beguiles us to participate in evil thoughts and thinking.
So as Peter tells us in (1stPeter 5:8) “be alert and of sober mind for your enemy the devil prowls about like a roaring lion looking for someone He can devour”
But James 4:7 tells us “to resist the devil and He will flee”
To resist means to withstand, strive against, or oppose in some manner.
Resistance can be a defensive maneuver on our part, such as resisting or withstanding the temptation to sin.
Or it can be an action we take to use the only offensive weapon in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18), the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Using the Scriptures to expose Satan’s lies and temptations is the most effective way to strive against and defeat them.
Why will resistance cause the devil to flee?
Because he knows he cannot have victory over us if we are prepared to do battle against him.
As mentioned before, the Bible assures us that we need only put on the full armor of God to be fully protected from evil and to actively resist it.
Never forget that Satan is is a liar and coward.
There is nothing more frightening to Satan than a believer who is fully equipped with spiritual armor, beginning with the “helmet of salvation,” which protects our minds, and the “breastplate of righteousness,” which protects our hearts because it is the righteousness of Christ (2nd Corinthians 5:21).
Only a true believer wears these because only those who have received God’s forgiveness by grace through faith have eternal salvation and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them.
Good Day!
(Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
As I mentioned yesterday one of the most “neglected subjects” in many pulpits of churches today is that of the personality, activity, and power of the devil.
Yet (1st Peter 5:8) tells us to be careful… “for our enemy the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom He can devour”.
Therefore we must speak about him and try to understand him as the “enemy of our soul”.
#1) Yesterday we saw that He (Satan) has a distinct personality and hierarchy.
#2) We also know that he is a distinct personality!
#3) Satan promotes an unforgiving spirit among brethren.
The devil has never had a good word to say about God’s people.
He dislikes us because we love the Lord, and so he tries his best to get us to ruin our testimony by showing enmity toward our Christian brothers and sisters.
The Bible says, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not . . . this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish” (James 3:14-15).
The Bible says that a bitter and unforgiving spirit among fellow-Christians is demonic… it is of the devil… it is inspired by Satan.
Satan delights in hearing us say unkind and critical (and often untrue) things about our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sharpness and contention among Christians does not promote the cause of Christ.
Such conduct helps instead to extend the devil’s kingdom.
We need to take seriously the admonition of (Ephesians 4:32), “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
The word “kindness” speaks of a generous and thoughtful attitude toward others.
The word “tenderhearted” means heartfelt compassion, a sense of sympathy that feels for the needs and the circumstances of others.
We should be careful not to quickly clobber others with words of negative criticism.
Satan, by way of contrast, stirs up bitterness and envy, and does everything he can to break down “a spirit of harmony” among God’s people.
The devil sows “tares of conflict and discontent” among believers in order to dampen the testimony of the believer.
#4) Satan incites persecution against Christians.
The devil does his best to discourage disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ by bringing various kinds of persecution to bear upon them.
(Revelation 2:10) says, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer… behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison.”
For most of us, persecution comes in the form of “social pressure”.
People where you work want you to engage in activities which you believe are wrong… and if you refuse to join them… they make derogatory remarks, or at least laugh at you behind your back.
That is a form of persecution, and even though it is a milder form of persecution than the martyrdom of earlier centuries, it is still persecution, and it is the devil who incites it all.
#5) Satan tempts believers to commit sexual immorality.
(First Corinthians 7:5) says that married couples should not withhold their bodies from each other (except by consent), so that “Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
Satan is the one who tempts believers to enter into sexual immorality.
All those men who are running off with other women, and people who are living together without the commitment of marriage, are following the promptings of the devil.
The temptation to longingly lust after a person of the opposite sex is a device promoted by Satan.
The conduct evidenced by those miserable “lust-buzzards” who “eye” every woman they meet and “gush” over silly females walking down the street… is initiated by the devil in order to break down “the sanctity” and security of our homes and to saturate our communities with fornication and incest, prostitution and adultery, and all the other ugly sins related to sexual immorality.
We are living in the midst of a tremendous moral revolution.
Most of our society is “pleasure” oriented.
The mood is permissive and immodest and daring.
There is an attitude of irreverence toward God and sacred things.
The buzz word or phrase of the day is “my rights”… “No body can tell me what to do with my body!”
Many consider sexual purity a concept that no longer has validity in our society and is outdated.
Our age is reeking with sexual immorality, and Satan will do his best to get us to become careless about maintaining high moral standards.
When we think about the devices of the devil, we must remember that the devil is a liar.
He puts evil suggestions into our minds… and he develops a bitter and unforgiving spirit among brethren and sisters.
He incites persecution against Christians in order to discourage them and he tempts believers to sexual immorality so as to pervert the true relationship that God designed for men and women.
Once discouraged… it is really hard to pull up your boot-straps and get excited about jumping back “into the fray” as it were.
But Jesus says of we will come unto Him… He will give us peace that the world cannot give. He will give us joy unspeakable, and He will restore our soul.
You don’t have to fight the devil. The battle is the Lords!
Just be aware and be careful… as you live your life “as the light of Christ” in these latter days.
Good Day!
(Ephesians 6:12) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
One of the most neglected subjects in many pulpits of churches today is that of the personality, activity, and power of the devil.
One of the national news magazines said recently, “Literal belief in the devil is widely viewed by theologians as a holdover from the Dark Ages.”
It’s true that most of us would rather speak about Jesus Christ than about His enemy (and our enemy) the devil, but the Bible says that the devil is a very real and a very dangerous character.
Therefore we must speak about him and try to understand him as the “enemy of our soul”.
We are told in (2nd Corinthians 2:11) that Christians should not be “ignorant”… or “unaware” of the devil’s devices. “in order that Satan might not outwit us… for we are not unaware of his schemes”.
The great Apostle Paul told his young prodigy Timothy to teach his congregation in such a way that his listeners might recover themselves out of the snare of the devil.
(2nd Timothy 2:26) "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
In (Ephesians 6:11) we are told to “put on the whole armor of God that we might be able “to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
The word “wiles” is sometimes translated “tactics” or “schemes” or “strategies.”
Strategy is the “carefully arranged plan” to deceive and outwit others.
The devil’s primary work is and always has been “deception”, and thus the words “wiles, tactics, schemes, and strategies” are all appropriate.
Over the next couple of days I am going to try to help you catch a glimpse of who the devil or the enemy of our soul is, and just how he operates in our lives trying to confuse and distract us from the work and purpose of Gods calling on our lives.
Today I am highlighting three of his operative schemes.
1. The Personality of the Devil
One of Satan’s cunning schemes is to try and convince people that he does not really exist.
A spokesman writing in one religious magazine says, “If when I die, I am met by someone with horns and tail, calling himself the Devil, I hope that I shall not be frightened, but reassured… knowing that I am having my leg pulled, and that there is humor also in the hereafter.”
In other words, the writer of those words hopes that the idea of “the devil” is just a joke.
Satan is often made out to be a joke, but in reality, he should be feared.
The devil is a person just as real as God.
He is not as powerful as God, but he is just as real.
D. L. Moody used to say that there were two reasons why he believed the devil exists as a real being:
(1) The Bible says so.
(2) I’ve done business with him.
When Jesus spoke of the devil, He used personal pronouns.
Jesus said to Peter, “Behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31).
Later, the Apostle Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1st Peter 5:8).
According to the Bible, the devil is a created spirit being and just because we cannot see him, does not mean that he is not real.
The air about us is filled with strange voices and musical sounds even though we cannot see or hear them.
If we had the proper electronic devices, such as those used in a radio or a television set, we could hear the sounds and see the pictures without any difficulty.
The Bible indicates that Satan was one of the most magnificent creatures ever created.
He was the climax of God’s creative wisdom… he was not always the vicious character we know him to be today.
He was once a beautiful angel.
The Scriptures say (of Lucifer), “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee” (Ezekiel 28:15)
Those who believe the message of the Bible believe that there is a real devil who is the enemy of God, and the enemy of God’s people.
We don’t understand all there is to know about the devil, but the Bible says he has his own synagogue, church, worshipers and followers.
(Revelation 2:9) “I know thy works… and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”
(Galatians 1:6-9) His own gospel or message… “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel?
(2nd Corinthians 11:14-15) His own ministering angels/demons… “And do not wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
(1st Timothy 4:1) His own doctrines… “The Spirit clearly says that in later times, some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons”.
(1st Corinthians 10:20-21) And his own “communion service”… “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God… and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils… ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
So my point in bringing these thoughts today and over the next couple of days is to make you aware that there are two forces in the world.
Good and evil!
However you do not need to quake or cower in fear because of him or his tactics.
Like any good general on a battlefield that respects his enemy and try’s to make himself as familiar with him and his tactics as he can, you and I need to do so as well.
We fight the good fight of faith, knowing that the battle is not ours… but it is the Lords.
As Paul said “we should not be ignorant of the devil or his devices” (2nd Corinthians 2:11)
More on this tomorrow!
Good Day.
(Psalm 34:18) "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted."
When someone has broken your heart.
When somebody you love breaks your heart and betrays your trust, you’re in a vulnerable place.
And the enemy will use the experience to get you to do four things that will hurt you even more,
derail you spiritually, and rob you of God’s blessing:
Those four things are but not necessarily limited to;
1) Isolating yourself
2) Lose your sense of trust
3) Cause a root of bitterness that will enslave you
4) Make you vengeful
Don’t do it!
Instead, stand on God’s Word!
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13)
“The Spirit of the Lord…has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…heal the brokenhearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Has someone done you wrong?
Forgive them, and keep on forgiving them until you’re free in your mind.
Forgiveness is the release of resentment or anger.
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation… but forgiveness is vitally important for the mental health of those who have been victimized.
It propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in an injustice or trauma.
Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Carrying the hurt or anger of an offense leads the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Eliminating the perpetual flow of those hormones may also explain why forgiveness provides physical health benefits, such as lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.
Forgiveness is a daily walk that sometimes feels like three steps forward and two back.
But if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you’ll get there.
But perhaps your thinking, “if I forgive them then they’ll just get away with it.
Shouldn’t they have to pay for what they have done”?
Actually when you forgive those whom have hurt you, you set yourself free.
When you forgive those whom have betrayed your trust, abused you, and violated your world… you open the door for God to begin to work on your behalf.
That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive those who have trespassed against us” (Matthew 6:12)
(Matthew 6:14) “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
(Romans 12:19) “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written… "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.”
Listen you are Gods child!
(Zechariah 2:8-9) “Your are highly favored, and the apple of His eye. He promises to take care of you!”
So let Him do that starting today!
Surrender yourself to God and His saving grace.
Let Him reveal His love to you today.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13).
Good day!
Those four things are but not necessarily limited to;
1) Isolating yourself
2) Lose your sense of trust
3) Cause a root of bitterness that will enslave you
4) Make you vengeful
Don’t do it!
Instead, stand on God’s Word!
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13)
“The Spirit of the Lord…has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…heal the brokenhearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Has someone done you wrong?
Forgive them, and keep on forgiving them until you’re free in your mind.
Forgiveness is the release of resentment or anger.
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation… but forgiveness is vitally important for the mental health of those who have been victimized.
It propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in an injustice or trauma.
Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Carrying the hurt or anger of an offense leads the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Eliminating the perpetual flow of those hormones may also explain why forgiveness provides physical health benefits, such as lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.
Forgiveness is a daily walk that sometimes feels like three steps forward and two back.
But if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you’ll get there.
But perhaps your thinking, “if I forgive them then they’ll just get away with it.
Shouldn’t they have to pay for what they have done”?
Actually when you forgive those whom have hurt you, you set yourself free.
When you forgive those whom have betrayed your trust, abused you, and violated your world… you open the door for God to begin to work on your behalf.
That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive those who have trespassed against us” (Matthew 6:12)
(Matthew 6:14) “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
(Romans 12:19) “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written… "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.”
Listen you are Gods child!
(Zechariah 2:8-9) “Your are highly favored, and the apple of His eye. He promises to take care of you!”
So let Him do that starting today!
Surrender yourself to God and His saving grace.
Let Him reveal His love to you today.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13).
Good day!
(Psalm 34:18) "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted."
When someone has broken your heart.
When somebody you love breaks your heart and betrays your trust, you’re in a vulnerable place.
And the enemy will use the experience to get you to do four things that will hurt you even more,
derail you spiritually, and rob you of God’s blessing:
Those four things are but not necessarily limited to;
1) Isolating yourself
2) Lose your sense of trust
3) Cause a root of bitterness that will enslave you
4) Make you vengeful
Don’t do it!
Instead, stand on God’s Word!
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13)
“The Spirit of the Lord…has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…heal the brokenhearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Has someone done you wrong?
Forgive them, and keep on forgiving them until you’re free in your mind.
Forgiveness is the release of resentment or anger.
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation… but forgiveness is vitally important for the mental health of those who have been victimized.
It propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in an injustice or trauma.
Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Carrying the hurt or anger of an offense leads the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Eliminating the perpetual flow of those hormones may also explain why forgiveness provides physical health benefits, such as lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.
Forgiveness is a daily walk that sometimes feels like three steps forward and two back.
But if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you’ll get there.
But perhaps your thinking, “if I forgive them then they’ll just get away with it.
Shouldn’t they have to pay for what they have done”?
Actually when you forgive those whom have hurt you, you set yourself free.
When you forgive those whom have betrayed your trust, abused you, and violated your world… you open the door for God to begin to work on your behalf.
That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive those who have trespassed against us” (Matthew 6:12)
(Matthew 6:14) “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
(Romans 12:19) “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written… "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.”
Listen you are Gods child!
(Zechariah 2:8-9) “Your are highly favored, and the apple of His eye. He promises to take care of you!”
So let Him do that starting today!
Surrender yourself to God and His saving grace.
Let Him reveal His love to you today.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13).
Good day!
Those four things are but not necessarily limited to;
1) Isolating yourself
2) Lose your sense of trust
3) Cause a root of bitterness that will enslave you
4) Make you vengeful
Don’t do it!
Instead, stand on God’s Word!
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13)
“The Spirit of the Lord…has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…heal the brokenhearted…proclaim liberty to the captives…recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18)
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Has someone done you wrong?
Forgive them, and keep on forgiving them until you’re free in your mind.
Forgiveness is the release of resentment or anger.
Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean reconciliation… but forgiveness is vitally important for the mental health of those who have been victimized.
It propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in an injustice or trauma.
Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression.
Carrying the hurt or anger of an offense leads the body to release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Eliminating the perpetual flow of those hormones may also explain why forgiveness provides physical health benefits, such as lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.
Forgiveness is a daily walk that sometimes feels like three steps forward and two back.
But if you keep your eyes on Jesus, you’ll get there.
But perhaps your thinking, “if I forgive them then they’ll just get away with it.
Shouldn’t they have to pay for what they have done”?
Actually when you forgive those whom have hurt you, you set yourself free.
When you forgive those whom have betrayed your trust, abused you, and violated your world… you open the door for God to begin to work on your behalf.
That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “forgive those who have trespassed against us” (Matthew 6:12)
(Matthew 6:14) “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
(Romans 12:19) “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written… "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.”
Listen you are Gods child!
(Zechariah 2:8-9) “Your are highly favored, and the apple of His eye. He promises to take care of you!”
So let Him do that starting today!
Surrender yourself to God and His saving grace.
Let Him reveal His love to you today.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” “I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing” (Jeremiah 31:13).
Good day!