The Power of His Might

 Eph 6:10
 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

We are no match for the devil. He is deceiving and cunning. He is a powerful foe that seeks to destroy our lives and our souls. He is not all-knowing, but he knows our vulnerabilities and our constitution. In the human, we don’t stand a chance. We dare not think that human resolution and determination is enough to stand against him. Such efforts are important, but fall short when standing up against the evil of this day. When the evil days come, and we are faced with a situation bigger than us, we are not alone. We serve a mighty God who knows exactly what we need. In the power of His might, we can stand and be strong. For, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Ps 46:1). We do our part and God does the rest. Our part is to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. It is to stand for what is right and good. It is to allow the Holy Spirit to take control and have His way in our lives. When we allow the Holy Spirit to abide in our hearts, Jesus said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49). His power will enable us to be strong in the face of evil. His power will give us the ability to be a witness to others, and let our light shine in the darkness of this day. His power will give us the determination to live a life that is holy and blameless. Let us submit ourselves to the power of His might, and be strong in the Lord.

Father of Sin

 John 8:44 (ESV)
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies

The Pharisees were the religious sector of the Jewish culture. They were charged with knowing the law and teaching it to the people. The problem with the Pharisees is that they were a bunch of hypocrites. They demanded that everyone else keep the law, but they were somehow immune or above having to keep it themselves. They finally came face to face with someone who would tell it like it is. They looked good on the outside, but inside they were full of sin and unrighteousness. Jesus did not mince words with them. He spoke the truth, and they were convicted and became defensive. They prided themselves on their lineage was traced back to the Patriarch, Abraham. The truth of the matter was they were not living the faith of Abraham. Claiming Abraham was their Father, Jesus denied that claim and revealed to them who their real Father was. Their spiritual lineage was rooted in sin, and their hearts were full of it. They were children of the devil, because sin still lived in their hearts. If they were to believe in the Son, then they could claim to be children of Abraham’s seed. By creation, we all are children of God, but the fall of Adam and Eve brought sin into the human race, and Satan is the Father of sin. Therefore, if we allow sin to abide in our hearts, then the devil is our Father. Jesus tells it like it is, but does not leave us without hope. Believe in the Son, believe in Jesus, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. We can be adopted into the family of God, and we can come boldly to the throne of grace, and call Him Abba Father!

No to Satan, and Yes to God

 Mat 5:37 (AMP)
But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’ [a firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.

“Don’t you understand the word “No! When I say “No”, I mean “No.” These are words often spoken to someone, often a child, who persists in asking for something they want. There is no budging or compromise. Our minds have been made up. Our statement is final, we have decided what is right and will stick with it. Satan will tempt us to take another course that God has already set before us. “This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.” (2 John 1:6). There are countless stories of those we know that started out to run the race, but failed to say “No” to the devil, and “Yes” to God. Satan tempted Eve in the garden, “Has God said.” God already told Adam and Eve they were not to eat from the tree with the forbidden fruit. Instead of telling Satan “No”, Eve started to listen to Satan, and was deceived by his words. Saying “Yes” to God and “No” to the devil requires help from a higher source of power. The Holy Spirit is able to give us the grace and strength to overcome the temptations of the devil. The chorus we sing, “I'll say, yes Lord yes to Your will and to Your way. I'll say, yes Lord yes, I will trust You and obey. When the Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart, I'll agree, and my answer will be, yes Lord yes”. It should be the cry and desire of our heart.  Let us say “No” to Satan, and “Yes” to God! 

Not By Faith Alone

 Jame 2:20,24, 26

 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...Ye see then how by works a man is justified, and not by faith only… For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

It would appear that James had something to say about getting saved or being justified before God. Paul is pretty clear that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that it is not by works or by any merit in ourselves. James is not saying that works will save you, but if you have faith that God has saved you, this faith will be demonstrated in the way you live your life. How can a person be delivered from sin, receive God’s gift of salvation and not love your neighbors by spreading works of love and kindness. A person who is hateful and selfish must examine their heart to see if they have truly believed. It could be that their faith, or belief was an intellectual acceptance to truth and not a faith that submitted to the practice of that truth. James points out that even devils could believe, and that does not save them. He who commits works of evil is of the devil, the father of deception. John was clear when he said, “He that commits sin is of the devil.” It was for this purpose that Christ came, to destroy the works of the devil. Faith in Christ will destroy the works of sin in our lives and allow us to manifest the works of godly living, doing what is right and good in the world we live in.

Our Shield

Psalm 3:3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

David was faced with a lot of opposition, people that desire to do him wrong. He looked to God to put a shield around him and protect him from his enemies. Our enemy is the devil who walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He plants seeds of doubt in the children of God. If God really cared about you, this tragedy would not have happen? If God really loved you, He would have made better provision for you? The darts of the enemy fly from all directions accusing us of having little faith. We walk away with our heads down in defeat doubting God and everyone around us. Like David, our only hope is to put our trust in God and believe in the face of it all. He His our shield, He will come through with grace. He will cause us to lift our head heavenward and trust that He does all thing good and for His glory.