Day Twelve - Drown him Out
Overwhelmed yet? What has God been saying to you through this season of sermons, devotions, and blogs? Maybe I should ask also, what has Satan been saying to you, as well? God might say "Welcome." Satan might say "Why?". God always wants our fellowship with Him to be sweet and, thus, He draws us close to Him as much as we will allow.
Satan refutes that and interferes in every way possible. This is my twelfth blog. If you are really reading them and working your way through the Scriptures, as well as watching the videos, you are taking some serious time out of your day. Then, some of you may be doing these in addition to your customary daily devotional time. This is a huge commitment of time, energy, and soul. If you have gotten anything from them, you have had to open yourself up to change and transformation. Not easy! Then, to top it off, some have surely decided to lay something down, or at least aside for a season, and that only irritates the Evil One more.
I didn't send out a reminder and notice of the post on Friday intentionally. I doubt I do it again. First, I am sure Satan has used that to frustrate and even anger some against me, and could use that to stop them from viewing it out of rebellion. Second, if it is important and valued part of your day, you will look on your own.
Billy Graham used John 14:15-18. I referred you to it in the same post because of the word "dwell". The Holy Spirit dwells within us, but Satan never ceases to tempt and ensnare.God wants to bless. Satan wants to destroy. Notice verse seventeen that Jesus called His Spirit "Truth", just as He identified Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The enemy's job is to pull us away from truth, for without Him, we can do nothing. May I remind you of the names of Satan in Scripture? He is called the Father of Lies, the Author of Confusion, the Tempter, Adversary, the Deceiver. He accuses the brethren and is always on the attack.
Many times, we can be faithful by our attendance in corporate worship and even in daily devotions, but unfruitful in coming fully under the authority of the Truth. My simple challenge to you is to allow God to judge your heart and make sure that this good thing you are doing through this Twenty-One Day Challenge has not, or will not, just simply be a "thing" you've done. We do that, don't we? Most are capable of some pretty impressive things. When we set our minds on something, we can usually get it done. Twenty-one days, you got it. Even a twenty-four hour fast; I can make it. But a total transformation? A total surrender? Living the Spirit-Filled life, giving up and giving in. . . well, we will see.
Read Psalm 139:23-24
Satan refutes that and interferes in every way possible. This is my twelfth blog. If you are really reading them and working your way through the Scriptures, as well as watching the videos, you are taking some serious time out of your day. Then, some of you may be doing these in addition to your customary daily devotional time. This is a huge commitment of time, energy, and soul. If you have gotten anything from them, you have had to open yourself up to change and transformation. Not easy! Then, to top it off, some have surely decided to lay something down, or at least aside for a season, and that only irritates the Evil One more.
I didn't send out a reminder and notice of the post on Friday intentionally. I doubt I do it again. First, I am sure Satan has used that to frustrate and even anger some against me, and could use that to stop them from viewing it out of rebellion. Second, if it is important and valued part of your day, you will look on your own.
Billy Graham used John 14:15-18. I referred you to it in the same post because of the word "dwell". The Holy Spirit dwells within us, but Satan never ceases to tempt and ensnare.God wants to bless. Satan wants to destroy. Notice verse seventeen that Jesus called His Spirit "Truth", just as He identified Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
The enemy's job is to pull us away from truth, for without Him, we can do nothing. May I remind you of the names of Satan in Scripture? He is called the Father of Lies, the Author of Confusion, the Tempter, Adversary, the Deceiver. He accuses the brethren and is always on the attack.
Many times, we can be faithful by our attendance in corporate worship and even in daily devotions, but unfruitful in coming fully under the authority of the Truth. My simple challenge to you is to allow God to judge your heart and make sure that this good thing you are doing through this Twenty-One Day Challenge has not, or will not, just simply be a "thing" you've done. We do that, don't we? Most are capable of some pretty impressive things. When we set our minds on something, we can usually get it done. Twenty-one days, you got it. Even a twenty-four hour fast; I can make it. But a total transformation? A total surrender? Living the Spirit-Filled life, giving up and giving in. . . well, we will see.
Read Psalm 139:23-24
God can use this to bring revival to our church, community and beyond. But that is not what this is about right now. It is about freeing you to be at oneness with your Savior as you surrender to His Lordship in your life. The outside results for those that are associated with us could be staggering, but, right now, it has got to be just about you and your relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
We hear stories about someone wrongly imprisoned and freed after years behind bars, someone who has battled an addiction or illness who now is well, or someone who has fought to earn that degree or promotion, and they finally cross the finish line. We celebrate them, right?
That could be you. What if you were freed? What if you were healed? What if you finally won? That's right, anger, bitterness, jealousy, disappointment, low self-esteem. . . they can all be healed. That need to forgive someone, yourself, and, yes, even forgiving God can be achieved. That mountain can be climbed, that battle can be won, that sin can be destroyed once and for all. Some people battle something for a lifetime as a Christian. That is an unnecessary paradox.
The wonderful, Spirit-filled life of intimacy with Christ is about freedom, abundance, the Fruit of the Spirit, being appropriated daily (Galatians 5:22-26) and so much more. In time, I promise, as some of you can attest, that an hour of daily devotion will not be a chore, but will be the highlight of your day and when something or someone interferes with it, you will be flustered.
He wants to be your Truth. Satan wants you to be deceived. You don't have to do much to yield to Satan. It comes very naturally. Centering yourself in Christ is a discipline that must be honed. If you are reading this, then you are well on your way. Don't quit, please, but my point for today is do not - do not, I say - let it be just a thing. Let this become who you are. Let Him speak. Let Him have His will and way. Turn loose. Turn loose of anything, even a lifelong struggle, personality trait, tendency, habit, pleasure, or sin. Give it to Him!
You will not regret it.
In all my years of ministry, we will do something in the morning (1/28/24) that I have never done before. We will begin with an alter call for all of us to pray over what God has been saying and what He is about to say in song and message. We hope to see you there!
In Christ,
Pastor Todd
We hear stories about someone wrongly imprisoned and freed after years behind bars, someone who has battled an addiction or illness who now is well, or someone who has fought to earn that degree or promotion, and they finally cross the finish line. We celebrate them, right?
That could be you. What if you were freed? What if you were healed? What if you finally won? That's right, anger, bitterness, jealousy, disappointment, low self-esteem. . . they can all be healed. That need to forgive someone, yourself, and, yes, even forgiving God can be achieved. That mountain can be climbed, that battle can be won, that sin can be destroyed once and for all. Some people battle something for a lifetime as a Christian. That is an unnecessary paradox.
The wonderful, Spirit-filled life of intimacy with Christ is about freedom, abundance, the Fruit of the Spirit, being appropriated daily (Galatians 5:22-26) and so much more. In time, I promise, as some of you can attest, that an hour of daily devotion will not be a chore, but will be the highlight of your day and when something or someone interferes with it, you will be flustered.
He wants to be your Truth. Satan wants you to be deceived. You don't have to do much to yield to Satan. It comes very naturally. Centering yourself in Christ is a discipline that must be honed. If you are reading this, then you are well on your way. Don't quit, please, but my point for today is do not - do not, I say - let it be just a thing. Let this become who you are. Let Him speak. Let Him have His will and way. Turn loose. Turn loose of anything, even a lifelong struggle, personality trait, tendency, habit, pleasure, or sin. Give it to Him!
You will not regret it.
In all my years of ministry, we will do something in the morning (1/28/24) that I have never done before. We will begin with an alter call for all of us to pray over what God has been saying and what He is about to say in song and message. We hope to see you there!
In Christ,
Pastor Todd
Posted in 21 Day Devotion
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1 Comment
Thank you, Pastor Todd! We appreciate you and these blogs.