FYI -- My in-box today had three devotionals on the subject of Satanic attacks. Clearly the Holy Spirit is trying to make a point. Let us pray for one another.
Enduring Satanic Attacks
Dr. Charles Stanley
Ephesians 6:10-14
Every believer faces temptation. Take a moment to recall a particularly enticing situation involving something that would displease God. Did you realize you were involved in a satanic battle?
The Devil is real. Scripture reveals that he leads an army of fallen angels and is prideful enough to think he can gain victory over God. By definition, a satanic attack is a deliberate assault upon an individual, which is designed to cause spiritual, physical, material, or emotional harm. Satan desires to thwart the Lord's purpose in believers' lives, to rob them of joy and peace, and ultimately to deny God the worship He receives through yielded followers.
As in any war, knowing the enemy's plan helps us prepare for the attack. First, be aware that the battlefield takes place in our minds. To walk in a godly manner with Christ, we must first be sure that our thoughts are in submission to His Spirit. This takes daily surrender and time in God's Word. Second, Satan tempts us during vulnerable moments. Be cautious when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (This is often known as the H.A.L.T. warning). Third, he is deceptive; we won't recognize the trap as an evil scheme. Instead, it will seem good, and we'll likely wrestle with some sort of doubt.
As Christians, we should walk closely with Jesus. Satan desires to lure us into destructive actions that rob us of God's plan for a good, full life. Stay connected to the Savior: read the Word, pray, and fellowship with other believers. These are weapons we use against the Devil in spiritual war.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Strengthening Your Wings
Pastor Adrian Rogers
"How that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." 2 Corinthians 8:2
A man watched a butterfly trying to emerge from a cocoon. Thinking that he would help, the man took his penknife and slit the side of the cocoon, and the butterfly flopped out. It lay there for a while, feebly beating its wings, then collapsed and died.
"How tragic," you say, and you are right, because God had a plan for that butterfly. The struggle to break free built the strength he would need to fly. God doesn't want you to live weakly and to die feebly. He wants you to grow and mature.
Find the wings in your trial today.
Strengthen them by the promises in God's Word.
Venture on new heights of freedom in Christ today.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
Created for His Good Pleasure
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
11-12-2010
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10
Eric Liddell was an Olympic runner from Britain who won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics. He was a man who had a deep commitment to the Lord and had future plans of being a missionary. In the meantime, he knew God had given him a special gift to run, and he often said, "I feel God's pleasure when I run."
He spent years training for the Olympics. He passed each hurdle and qualified for the Olympics. Finally, the day came for him to run in the games that were held in Paris. There was only one problem. One of his running events was held on Sunday. Liddell refused to run on Sunday, believing it dishonored the Lord's Sabbath. He held to his convictions and brought great persecution on himself. He made a decision that even if it meant losing his opportunity to compete, he would not run. God's laws were greater than man's applause. Just when the circumstances seemed hopeless, another situation arose that allowed Liddell to run on a different day. So often this is the case in the spiritual realm. God tests our hearts to see if we will remain faithful to Him at the cost of something important to us. Once He knows where our loyalty lies, He opens a new door that meets the desires of our hearts. God takes pleasure in seeing His creation used for His glory. Liddell understood why he was made to run; he used his gift of running to bring pleasure to his Creator. Later, Eric Liddell went on to serve God on the mission field.
Does your life work bring pleasure to the Lord? Do you understand that God instilled certain gifts and talents in you so that He might find pleasure in His creation of you? Take pleasure in the gifts God has given to you this day. And let His glory shine through you.
Today's Prayer
God, I know that Jesus had a special place in His heart for the poor. He said that the poor would always be among us. How can I use my gifts and talents to help the poor in my community? Please lead me and show me the best way to bless them and meet their needs in your name, that I might also point them to You.
Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.
BROKEN PIECES - Matthew West
Lift up your broken pieces to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment