More Than a Conqueror by Carolyn Vardell

MORE THAN A CONQUEROR

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always have what you have right now. anonymous

WHEN YOU BLAME OTHERS, YOU GIVE UP THE POWER TO CHANGE.

ANONYMOUS

The Wisdom of God says... Because I have called and you refused to answer, have stretched out my hand and no man heeded it... Because you have treated as nothing all my counsel, and would accept none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when the thing comes that shall cause you terror and panic when your panic comes as a storm and desolation, and your calamity comes on as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then will they call upon me [Wisdom of God], but I will NOT answer; They will seek me early and diligently, but they will NOT fmd me. Because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord... Because they would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be satiated with their own devices. For the backsliding of the simple shall slay them, and the careless ease of self-confident fools shall destroy them.

BUT whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom of God], shall dwell securely and in confident trust, and shall be quiet without fear or dread of evil.

IF you will turn [repent] and give heed to my reproof, behold, I [Wisdom of God] will pour out my spirit upon you! I will make my words known to you! Proverbs 1:24-33, 23 Amplified

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity... Jeremiah 29:11-14

Egypt... In the Hebrew, Egypt means limit, and it comes from a word meaning hemming, which comes from the root word meaning cramp, i.e., confine; which is translated in the King James as: adversary, assault, beset, besiege, bind up, distress, inclose, lay siege, put up in bags

Bottom Line:

EGYPT = LIMITATION

When God wanted to tell His people He was faithful to keep His part of the Covenant, He would remind them, ". . . for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt." (Exo. 13:9) As we read those words over and over in the Bible, we should not think of the country in northeastern Africa, nor of Pharoah and the 400 years of slavery, because those are not relevant to us today. When we read Egypt, we should think limitation. Jesus' mighty redemption has brought us out of all limitation! And God's desire is that we never go back thereâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to limitation (Deut. 17:16; Gal. 5:1).

REDEEMED freed from captivity by payment of ransom* I was pawned...by Adam...sold into captivity to the curse of sin. Jesus has paid what was owed to the owner and operator of the Curse-of-Sin Pawn Shop, satan, and has freed me from captivity to him and to ALL the curse. Jesus redeemed me! No other pawn shop owner goes to the redeemed guitar, for example, and says, "You still owe me." No! Either the price is paid in full, or the guitar does not leave the pawn shop. Satan knows the price for me has been paid in full! He remembers his awful, complete, and humiliating defeat by Jesus; but satan sends symptoms to see if I know what REDEEMED means and to see if I will stand fast. Satan sends a SYMPTOM of sickness, of the "old me," of lack, dismay, fear, etc., and tries to convince me something is still owed to satisfy/pacify/satiate the curse. The audacity! I don't give a symptom a second chance! I nip it in the bud! I say, "NO! My debt has been paid. I owe you nothing! I don't have to give in to any junk of the curse. I'll give you no place -- not a second of my time, my health, my peace, or my money! "I've been sought out and blood bought. My Redeemer has paid my debt to you... by dying my death demanded by you. "That same act of redemption made Jesus and me covenant partners. I'm REDEEMED from ALL the curses and am brought into all the blessings...translated from the prison of the pawn shop into the promises and peace of the palace. I'm FREE! "You're trying to trespass on purchased property, but you can't cross the BLOOD line! I won't let you. SCAT in Jesus' Name! I stand fast in ALL Jesus has done and is doing for me! "I AM REDEEMED -- freed from captivity by payment of ransom!" *Webster's dictionary

REDEEMED freed from captivity by payment of ransom*

* Webster's definition

Windshield vs. Rear-View Mirror "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth! Shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee." Isa. 43:18-19; Prov. 4:25

Think how large the WINDSHIELD on your car is as compared with how small the REAR-VIEW MIRROR is! There's a message there . . . God never told us to dissect, work through, figure out, relive, place blame for, or understand the past. The past is just that — passed! The only reason God kept mentioning EGYPT was to remind them how HE had BROUGHT THEM OUT of that bondage into promised freedom! The only reason to look back is to be encouraged by God's faithfulness!

Go back and look what I've done for you — Ev’ry trial, I brought you THROUGH !* And when the waves were mounting so high, I lifted you up, and I kept you dry ! And when they threw you in the fire, Called you a "fool" and said I was a liar I kept you safe! You weren't alone . . . For you are My child, My very own ! * "I didn't cause the trial; but when it came on you because of sin and the curse, and you called on Me, your Covenant Partner, for help, I was right there in your fiery furnace, and I brought you out without even the smell of smoke on your new clothes. I brought you through!"

The Fear of the Lord... The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord leads to LIFE,

and

he who has it shall REST SATISFIED

he canNOT be visited with evil! Proverbs 19:23 Amplified [also read Job 5:19; Pro. 12:13; Ise.. 46:4; Jer. 1:8; Dan. 6:27; Psa. 91:3; 2 Tim. 4:18]

GOD SENT HIS WORD God sent Jesus, Whose name is The Word1 and The Word of God2, and He confirmed and secured God's Word3; and now He lives to watch over God's Word and to perform it4. God sent His Covenant5, His Will6, His purpose and plan7... His Word that speaks and it happens8, His Word of all-authority9, His Word that accomplishes and prospers itself10, His Word that is eternal and exalted even above His name11, His Word that comes to pass12.

AND HEALED THEM God's Word is life and health to all our flesh13 -- dispelling all dis-ease and in its place giving wholeness, soundness, safety, preservation, healing, deliverance, restoration, and pardon.

AND DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR DESTRUCTIONS No matter... what who why where how long how bad how serious how difficult how hopeless how deep how strong how ugly

Nothing is... too big too proud too far gone too far too old too evil too hard too strong too late too abysmal too bound too gross

God spoke and sent forth His Word that healed you, and rescued you from the pit and destruction pulled you back from the brink of death. (Psa. 107:20 Amplified and The Message Bible)

References: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

John 1:1,14 Rev. 19:13 Heb. 8:8 - 10:23 Jere. 1:12 Amplified Heb. 6:16-20 Jn. 4:34; 1 Jn. 5:14 Jere. 29:11-13 Amplified Gen. 1:3; Rom. 4:17-21 Num. 23:19; Mt. 8:8-10 Isa. 55:11 1 Pet. 1:25; Psa. 138:2 Isa. 46:11b; 48:3 Prov. 4:22

FEAR NOT Exodus 14:13-14; 17:8-16

Fear not! Stand Still! Be not dismayed, discouraged, nor alarmed! The Lord, your God, will fight for you, and you will not be harmed! The enemy you've seen today you'll never see again! Fear not! Just stand there silently, and in God's rest remain. Jehovah Nissi is His name, Defender and Deliverer He'll be! He's never lost a battle yet, and He will fight for thee!

ÂŠ 06/12/06. Written down by Carolyn Vardell, 07/14/83. Scribe hereby gives her permission for it to be freely reproduced and used for the glory of God; because Jesus said, "Freely you have received freely give." (Mt. 10:8) Amen.

ASK GOD... IN ALL YOUR WAYS, KNOW, RECOGNIZE, AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE WILL DIRECT AND MAKE STRAIGHT AND PLAIN YOUR PATHS. SO SHALL YOU KNOW SKILLFUL AND GODLY WISDOM TO BE YOUR LIFE; IF YOU FIND IT, THEN SHALL THERE BE A FUTURE AND A REWARD, AND YOUR HOPE AND EXPECTATION SHALL NOT BE CUT OFF.

CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, FENCED IN AND HIDDEN, WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW DO NOT DISTINGUISH AND RECOGNIZE, HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF AND UNDERSTAND. Pr. 3:6; 24:14; Jere. 33:3

My Refuge ... In You, 0 Lord, do I put my trust and confidently take refuge... Be to me a Rock of refuge in which to dwell, and a sheltering Stronghold to which I may continually resort, which You have appointed to save me; for You are my Rock and my Fortress.

Psalm 71:1,3

according to ... Now to Him -- Who is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think -infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams -by and in consequence of the action of His power that is at work within us! King James says -- according to the power that worketh in us... Greek says the word according to denotes distribution or intensity... Webster says the word according to means in accord with the way in which depending on how depending on whether if So ............. God is able to do out-of-sight things in accord with the way in which His Power (His Word... His Spirit...) is working in us! Therefore .......... It's our responsibility to RELEASE His Power by what we believe, and say, and do! He's ready, willing, and able! He's watching over HIS WORD to perform it.

NO WEAPON formed against you can prosper, and EVERY tongue (that's satan, too, and all his lies) that rises against you in judgment (saying the opposite of God's Word) you shall condemn (show to be in the wrong) with your WORDS speaking God's Word to cast down his lies! THAT is your inheritance as a child of God, and your right-standing is because of what Jesus has done for you, saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17

GOD SAID, "NO WEAPON...â&#x20AC;? "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me," saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 King James

Hebrew

"No

not, no:

[translated in KJV asi neither, never, no, not

weapon

something prepared, i.e., any apparatus (implement, utensil, vessel, weapon): [translated in KJV as] armor, artillery, instrument, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, [and when used with other words as an idiom] whatsoever

that is formed

[comes from press, i.e., be narrow] (through squeezing into shape) to mold into a form, especially as a potter; (figuratively) to determine: [translated in KJV as] fashion, form, frame, make, potter, purpose

against you

shall prosper;

and every tongue

above, over, upon, against

[a primary root word] to push forward: [translated in KJV as] break out, come (mightily), go over, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send) prosper (-ity, -ous, -ously) all, any, every tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as an instrument of speech or eating)

and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of water): [translated in KJV as] [when used with other words as an idiom] babbler, bay, [and when used with other words as an idiom] evil speaker, language, talker, tongue, wedge

[Webster defines an ingot as: a mass of metal cast into a convenient shape for later processing] that shall rise against thee

[a primary root word] to rise: [translated in KJV as] raise (up), rear (up), rise (up, again, against), stand (up), stir up, strengthen

in judgment

[comes from a primary root word, to judge, i.e., pronounce sentence (for or against); (by implication) to punish; (extensively) to govern, (passively) to litigate: [translated in KJV as] condemn, execute (judgment), rule] {and as used in this verse) a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree: [translated in KJV as] determination, judgment, sentence [Webster says litigate comes from the Latin for lawsuit + to drive, and the defmition is: to carry on a legal contest by judicial process]

thou shalt condemn:

[a primary root word] to be (causatively do or declare) wrong; (by implication) to disturb, violate: [translated in KJV as] condemn, make trouble, vex [Webster's defmition of violate is: break, interrupt]

This is the heritage

[from a primary root meaning to inherit (as a mode of descent), (generally) to occupy; (causatively) to bequeath; (generally) to distribute, instate: [translated in KJV as] divide, have (inheritance), take as an heritage, (cause to, give to, make to) inherit] {and as used in this verse) something inherited, i.e., (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; (generally) an estate, patrimony, or portion: [translated in KJV as] heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession [Webster's definition of heirloom is: a piece ofproperty that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance; something of special value handed on from one generation to another] [Webster's definition of patrimony is: an estate inherited from one's father]

of the servants of the Lord,

[from a primary root meaning to work; (by implication) to serve, worship] servant: [translated in KJV as] bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant

and their righteousness

[a primary root meaning to be (make) right] (abstractly) rightness, (subjectively) rectitude, (objectively) justice, (morally) virtue, (figuratively) prosperity: [translated in KJV as] justice, right (-eous) (act, -1y, -ness) [Webster's definition of rectitude is: straightness, righteousness, correctness of judgment or procedure]

is of me," saith the Lord.

moral

integrity,

By combining all these meanings—and remember, God is talking…….the verse reads: "No weapon, no preparation, no apparatus, no implement, no vessel, no armor, no artillery, no instrument, no stuff, no tool, no thing—nothing whatsoever that is pressed, narrowed, squeezed, molded, formed, framed, determined, or purposed above, over, upon, and against you shall push forward, break out, come mightily, be profitable, prosper—avail or succeed; and all, any, and every tongue or other instrument of speaking, instrument of eating, mass of metal cast and shaped for later use, fork of flame, cove of water, or wedge that raises up, rears up, rises up, stands up, stirs up, or strengthens against you to judge, to pronounce a sentence against, to punish, to govern, to drive a lawsuit against, to condemn, to rule, to pronounce a verdict or formal decree against you you shall disturb, break, interrupt, condemn, make trouble for, vex—declare wrong! We are to declare that "tongue" WRONG by superseding it with the Word of God—believed in our heart and spoken out of our mouth. This guaranteed-by-blood victory over all THINGS (weapons) and over all WORDS (tongues) is your Blood Covenant heritage—inherited by descent for you to occupy; bequeathed, distributed, and instated to you as the estate you have inherited from Me, your Father; and it is your portion, your possession, and an inseparable part of your inheritance as My child, handed down to you from one generation (Jesus, My FirstBegotten) to another (you). Your right to this overwhelming, decisive, and guaranteed victory is not because of anything you've done or could ever do, but your rightness—even your correctness of judgment and procedure to enforce this heirloom—is because of Me, My Covenant, and My love for you."

That's what the Lord says! It's not something to pray for or wait for! It IS our inheritance NOWours for the believing and walking in!

Jesus said, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist! No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me. I have created thee and formed thee. Fear not for I have redeemed thee! I have called thee by thy name! Thou art Mine! When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee! When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee! Fear thou not... for I am with thee! Be not dismayed, for I am thy God! I will strengthen thee! Yea, I will help thee! Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness! Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded! They shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish! For I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not! I will help thee! Behold! I am the Lord, the God of all flesh! Is there anything too hard for Me?" Luke 21:15; Isa. 54:17; 43:1-2; 41:10-13; Jere. 32:27

The devil seeks whom he may devour. The Holy Spirit seeks whom He may empower.

We are not to be ignorant of . . .

OUR ENEMY'S M.O. Methods of Operation Words in brackets { } are additional meanings from the original and/or dictionary.

S T OP ! If Jesus is not your Lord and Master, then you have not yet been born again into God's family. Therefore, what you are about to read doesn't apply to you . . . yet. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (Jn. 3:16: Rom. 10:9; 8:16) You need to count the cost — Lordship includes obedience, intimacy, and forever. That whosoever includes you. Come on in!

When the United States Armed Forces began fighting in Vietnam, we were using World War II and Korean War tactics and losing! We had to change our methods of operation and learn gorilla warfare. In the Desert Storm, Afghanistan, and Iraqi conflicts, again we had to learn how our enemy looked, thought, and fought in order to win. Now, apply that to Christians as soldiers of the Cross. We need to get an accurate perspective, of Whose we are, where we are, and how our enemy operates in order to win all the time. God never planned for — and Jesus did not pay so great a price for — us to just hang-in-there, muddle-through, win-a-few/lose-a-few, good-days/bad-days, and other such compromises. I.

FIRST AND FOREMOST Unlike the enemy the U.S. soldiers faced . . .

OUR ENEMY IS ALREADY DEFEATED! Read that over and over . . . and over again . . . aloud!

We have already won! We are standing in the winners' circle now!

JESUS defeated satan by His death and resurrection! Jesus legally defeated satan and stripped him and his hordes of ALL their power; but you will not experience the freedom from satan's captivity that Jesus purchased for God's children unless you know your enemy's defeated, believe it, choose it, and stand fast in it. It's like someone who has been in prison and gets the news one day that he has been pardoned and is free. He's free legally, but until he walks through the unlocked prison cell door, out of the prison, and into the sunlight, he doesn't

experience his freedom. "Fighting the enemy" is very prevalent in the Church today because many preachers preach it; and, therefore, many Christians (who listen to the teachers and don't check out what they say by what the Bible says) believe it. So, you will have to check out what you're reading hem (in this teaching) with the Word of God and get His point of view regarding Whose you are, who you are, and where you are. Draw the line where Jesus did . . . right down the middle of John 10:10. It's in red, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." What else does our Commander-In-Chief say about this subject? Jesus said, "When a strong man [our enemy] armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger [Jesus] than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he [Jesus] taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." (Lk. 11:21-22) God said through Paul, "[God] disarmed the principalities and powers ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him [Christ] and in it [the cross]." (Col. 2:15 Amplified) Jesus said, "Fear not: I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Rev. 1:17-18) Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Mt. 28:18) Jesus said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Lk. 10:19) II. WHO HAS THE BALL? The above references are just a few of the many scriptures that clearly show THE BALL IS IN OUR COURT â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not to fight the enemy, but rather . . . A. to fight the good fight of faith "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed a good profession before many witnesses. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (1Tim. 6:12; Heb. 11:6) B. to give the devil no place "Neither give place to the devil." (Eph. 4:27) {Place means condition, opportunity.} C. to resist the devil and he will flee "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) D. and to stand fast in the liberty Jesus purchased for us "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1)

Jesus gave us His power, His authority, and His name . . . and told us to destroy the works of the devil just like He did . . . Jesus said, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." (Jn. 14:30) God said through John, "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 Jn. 3:8) Jesus said, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." (Jn. 20:21) Does that sound like we're supposed to be trudging along, struggling against the enemy, some

But

times up and a lot of the time down? No! if we don't know what the Bible says about us now, and believe it, and choose it, then we'll be continuously bombarded, wounded, and defeated. Jesus has already paid for our being .. . A. more than conquerors "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Rom. 8:37) B. with no weapon formed against us being able to prosper "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isa. 54:17) C. because we quench all the fiery darts "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Eph. 6:16) D. and take every thought captive to obey Christ "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:4-5)

WARNING We must NOT apply our enemy's M.O. in the Old Covenant to our situation, because we are partakers of the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, satan had to get permission from God before he could attack Job. Under the New Covenant, satan has to get permission from us before he can attack us. We must NOT say, "God allowed thus-and-so to happen to me." We are the ones who allowed it â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by ignorance or indifference (see Exod. 21:27-36). 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that God is faithful always to give us a way of escape, but we have to choose to hear it and do it. Remember â&#x20AC;&#x201D; on this side of the Cross and Resurrection, the ball is in our court. Jesus transferred to us the authority and power to stop satan in his tracks. When we believe that and appropriate that, God sees to it.

So, what is our enemy's M.O.? Why are so many Christians entrapped in muck and mire that

is not a part of their inheritance as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus? How can we get out of the bondage and into our rightful place? How can we stay free? III.

ENEMY'S M.O. A. WHO 1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

6. B. HOW 1.

2. 3.

LIAR - Jesus said (to the Pharisees), "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and 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." (Jn. 8:44) DECEIVER - "And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Rev. 12:9) ADVERSARY - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Pet. 5:8) ENEMY - Jesus said, "Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Jn. 10:19) ACCUSER - "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev. 12:10-11) THIEF, KILLER, DESTROYER - Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (Jn. 10:10) SEEKS PERMISSION TO DEVOUR - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Pet. 5:8) {Devour means to drink down, gulp entirely, drown, swallow up, to seize upon and destroy.} WILES - "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph. 6:11) {Wile means traveling over, trickery, lie in wait, a trick or stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive with false allurements.} GETS AN ADVANTAGE BY DEVICES - "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Cor. 2:11) {Advantage means covetous, over-reach, deprive of rights by deliberate perversion of the truth.} {Device means perception, purpose, intellect, disposition.}

Our enemy can get an advantage ONLY if we are ignorant of (that is, if we do not know or if we ignore through unwillingness)

our position and his tactics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his M.O. C. ARMOR Jesus said, "When a strong man [enemy] armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger [Jesus] that he shall come upon him, and overcome

him, he [Jesus] taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." (Lk. 11:21-22) God's armor is designed to keep life in and death out therefore, satan's armor is designed to keep death in and life out. Notice the detail Jesus included, "wherein he trusted" – that's because satan's armor has been proved; and it has worked so well, on so many people, for so long . . . 1. LIES - Jesus said, ". . 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." (Jn. 8:44) He denies the Truth, limits God's Word, contradicts the Bible, and perverts what "Thus says the Lord" – but he never speaks TRUTH. Why do Christians listen? Duh! 2. REBELLION - "How are thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou has said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isa. 14:12-15) And Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." (Lk. 10:18) Rebellion is how an arch-angel changed into our arch-enemy. {Rebellion means open defiance of or resistance to one in authority or dominance.} Rebellion pushes away the truth so that it (1) won't have to obey it and (2) won't have to deal with the guilt of knowing – "I knew what was right, but I chose to disobey."

Our enemy's armor, which effectively keeps death in and life out . . speaks no truth and pushes away anyone who does. D. W E APONS 1. FEAR - "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (Rom. 8:15; 1 Jn. 4:18; 2 Tim. 1:7) FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real, and it is always the opposite of FAITH. Since that spirit does not come from God, that means it comes from you -knowwho. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23)

If we fear1 anything ... we are not fearing 2 God. 1

are afraid of, 2 reverencing, honoring, believing, trusting

WHISSSSSSPERING DOUBT - Jesus said to sinking Peter, "0 Thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Mt. 14:31) {Doubt means waiver.} Doubt and double must be first cousins, because there's more than one thing or choice involved in both of them. If we're being single-minded and looking at the Word only, then there's only one thing involved that's called faith. But if we're separating thoroughly, withdrawing, opposing, discriminating, deciding, or hesitating, then something else is involved besides the Word—and that's called

doubt.

Doubt doesn't blow a horn and say, "It's me—dirty ol' Mr. Doubt, and I'm about to give you something that's opposite to the Bible. I'm here with my double-tongued double-talk to give you double-vision, so you'll double-back and double-cross the Word of God. I'm the double-dealing deceiver. I sssssslithered into the Garden of Eden, and I've been whisssssspering offense against God's Word ever ssssssince. Ready?" That's not how it comes, because Doubt is very subtile and very wily. It comes as the slightest twinge, the briefest symptom, the swiftest thought, the whispering fear, or the sounds-almost-right-even-sounds-like-a-scripture statement. We've heard, seen, and felt dirty of Mr. Doubt so much, that we've become accustomed to it, and we've allowed it to spue out its filth for hours, days, and even years. Doubt – Decides On Unbelief Bypassing Truth. Now that we've seen Doubt for what it really is, we must re-train ourselves to nip-it-in-the-bud at the first twinge, first symptom, first hissing sound of "Hath God ssssssaid?" Doubt is our #1 enemy as believers, and it must be stopped, silenced, and eradicated without delay before it can make the Word of God without effect. SYMPTOMS - The enemy knows he's defeated, but he comes knocking on our door with a symptom of sickness (depression, fear, strife, etc.) to see if we know he's defeated. If we "sign for the package" (just like we do when the UPS man comes to the door), it proves we don't know he's defeated. We "sign" by ignoring it or not resisting it BUT, if we slam the door with "It is written" and a scripture that supersedes the symptom, it proves we know and believe the TRUTH . . . and our enemy flees! "Leave no such room or foothold for the devil – give no opportunity to him." (Eph. 4:27 Amplified)

DON'T GIVE A SYMPTOM A SECOND CHANCE 4.

UNBELIEF - Everything that is not Truth, not faith, and not in our inheritance – that is, not 100% believing God and His Word – is unbelief. Some of its other names are depression, discouragement, dismay, distraction, doctrines of men, all limitation, teaching that blames God for satan's work, teaching that blames God for our choices, witchcraft, perversions, dwelling in/trying to figure out/placing blame for the past, unforgiveness, strife, mind-control, addictions, covenant-breaking, unrighteousness – the list is endless. This weapon's victims are strewed throughout the Bible, for example: a. "And he [Jesus] did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Mt. 13:58) b. "Afterward he [Jesus] appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." (Mk. 16:14) c. "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it . . . and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief . . . Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Heb. 4:2, 6, 11) d. "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart

was darkened . . who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." (Rom. 1:21, 32) Even though the word unbelief is not used here, it is obvious that is what is being described in this chapter. BUT is an eraser. If Truth is spoken and we follow that with " BUT . . ." look out! Unbelief is about to erase Truth. "And he [Jesus] said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. BUT when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, 0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Mt. 14:27-32) If unbelief is spoken and we follow that with "BUT . . ." — right on! Truth is about to erase unbelief. "[Jehoshaphat said] 0 our God . . we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: BUT our eyes are upon thee." (2 Chron. 20:12) "PLAN B" —

Years ago, I asked God why the miracles we read about in the Old and New Testaments are not happening today; a nd I heard Him say in my heart, "They didn't have Plan B simmering on the back burner." "Plan A" is always God and His Word, that is, Jesus and the redemption He purchased. Any alternative is "Plan B." Our society makes "Plan B" so accessible and so acceptable. Wherever real miracles are happening in the world today, it is because that person had no one and no thing and no alternative — only God. Even if we fall for "Plan B" for a while, when we do a 180° turn and come to God 100%, He is ready and willing to make us every whit whole. Read Mark 5:25-34. The woman had been going to "Plan B," but when she heard of Jesus, she went after "Plan A" with all of her heart and was made whole. Hearing the Word can cause us to turn from "Plan B" to "Plan A." Notice — I said "can cause us to turn." Even after we've heard the Word, we still have a choice; and the enemy will marshal all his arsenal to try to prevent our choosing "Plan A" — but remember, he is already defeated! Be watchful that you don't settle for the world's way instead of the Word's way — including well-meaning but ignorant fellow Christians who try to persuade you to settle for "Plan B." One of the challenges our military troops face in war is encountering traitors, turncoats, and others from within their own ranks who commit acts of treason. Traitors betray another's trust or are false to an obligation or duty; turncoats forsake their comrades or principles; and those who commit treason do overt acts and attempt to overthrow the very ones to whom the offender owes allegiance. Selah. {In the Hebrew, Selah means pause, consider carefully.} IV. HOW DID SO MANY CHRISTIANS GET ENTRAPPED? A.

IGNORANCE OF THE WORD

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hos. 4:6) WRONG TEACHING Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (Mt. 16:3, 6; 23:13) "But when he [Jesus] saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching." (Mt. 9:36; Mk. 6:6) NOT SEARCHING THE WORD FOR THEMSELVES "These [the Berean believers] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 2:15) NOT VIGILANT AND STEADFAST "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." (1 Pet. 5:8-9) LAZY "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Heb. 6:12) {Slothful means lazy, sluggish, stupid, dull.}

V. HOW DO WE GET OUT OF THE BONDAGE AND INTO OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE? We — all of us — are where we are today because of choices we have made. Don't blame it on someone else! You won't do anything to change your situation until you take responsibility for your own actions. Get gut-honest with yourself and God. It's your choice.

If you want a change in your status quo, you've got to make a change in your M.O. . . . Yes! Ignorance and deceit got the bondages on ya... knowledge and Truth will get the bondages off ya ! A.

BREAK ALLEGIANCE with the habits, strongholds, and whatever else the Holy Spirit brings to your heart and mind. It was your decision to give them a place when they first knocked at your door, and now it's your decision that will evict them — all of them. DO A 180° — Ask God for forgiveness for the ignorance and unbelief that gave the bondages a right in the first place . . . and forgiveness for the disobedience, hardheartedness, rebellion, and laziness that let the bondages stay. If you really meant what you just said to God, He has forgiven you. The slate is clean. Forgive yourself. ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM

If Jesus needed to be anointed and empowered before He began His ministry, so do we. He told His followers not to start fulfilling His instructions until they'd received the power to do so. All we have to do is read about the disciples in the gospels, and then notice the difference in them, especially Peter, after the second chapter of Acts. John G. Lake said, "The life of the Christian, without the indwelling power of the Spirit in the heart, is a weariness to the flesh. It is an obedience to commandments and an endeavor to walk according to a pattern which you have no power to follow." Malcolm Smith said, "If you want to do what Jesus did, you'll have to have Who Jesus had—the Father-that-dwelleth-in-Him—the Holy Ghost" Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Lk. 11:9-13) NEW DOGTAGS – Get a new I.D. of who you are now as a Christian . .. clean, forgiven, restored, free, redeemed, healed, delivered, overcomer, heir of God, joint-heir with Jesus, anointed, empowered, victorious . . . "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, no angels, nor principalities, no powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:31, 33, 37-39) ARMOR – Keeps life in and death out . . . already proved in battle by Jesus (see Isa. 59:16-17) . . . 24/7 – no holidays, no vacations, no leaves of absence . . . don't take it off at night and put it back on in the morning, as so many have mistakenly been taught. "Put on" literally means "have on," and the armor listed in Eph. 6:10-18 is your permanent uniform as a soldier of the Cross, along with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness (see Isa. 61:10). "God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels. "Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet . . 1. Truth 2. Righteousness 3. Peace 4. Faith, and 5. Salvation {Salvation means delivered, healed, preserved, pardoned, restored, sound, whole} . . . are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. "God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out." (Eph. 6:10-18 THE MESSAGE)

F. WE APONS The shield and sword are inseparable. Faith (the shield) comes by hearing the Word of God (the sword). The Word of God (the sword) has to be believed (that's faith — the shield) before it's spoken; or else it's just like training a parrot to say, "By His stripes I'm healed" — it's as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Psalm 91:4 — "He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." The Hebrew meaning of shield is guarding as if by prickliness, and it comes from a root word meaning cactus-hedge. Have you ever touched a cactus plant? Anywhere you touch the cactus, you get pricked! The inside of the cactus — the real plant — is inaccessible to every intruder and devourer because of the prickles! That's a great picture of how completely we are guarded and protected from every intruder and devourer by God Himself (Gen. 15:1), by His Word (Psa. 91:4), and by His faith in us (Eph. 6:16). Remember: Jesus was not here as God in an earth suit, as some have wrongly taught. Jesus was here as a man flesh, blood, and bone . . . just like us — so He could take our place and pay our debt. If He were here as God, He would not have needed to be empowered and anointed before He could begin His ministry (see Jn. 1:31; Lk. 4:1819; Act 10:38); and He would have been unjust to tell us to do what He did (see Jn. 14:12 and 20:21). Jesus is our example. Look at His M.O. — Jesus has already overwhelmingly proved our weapons . . . Shield — FAITH "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Eph. 6:16) Believing God and His Word above everything and everyone else is faith — that's Bible-believing faith, that's 100% faith, that's no-"plan B"-simmeringonthe-back-burner-faith! That faith will extinguish all the fiery darts the enemy launches — no matter their name (fear, guilt, sickness, despair, failure, etc.) just as water quenches a flaming match. The faith shield is impenetrable, and it makes you inaccessible. The faith shield is kept in place and fully operative as we continue to study, meditate on, and believe God's Word . . . and refuse to allow anything or anyone to water it down, choke it out, or steal it away. Jesus said, "If you have faith, and doubt not ." (Mt. 21:22) When we are re-born into God's family, He gives us all that He is — His Spirit, His likeness, His image, His love, His peace, His faith, and all the rest. That's why Jesus exhorted His followers when they were so surprised at a miracle that He had just done, (literally) "Have God's faith." (Mk. 11:22) 2. Sword — THE WORD OF GOD Jesus has already proved the sword in face-to-face combat with our enemy. When satan tempted Jesus to compromise the Word of God with lust, power, and pride, Jesus believed (that's the shield of faith in action) and chose God's Word instead. Then He spoke what He believed (that's the sword) — not to satan, but to Himself — to encourage Himself with His Father's promise that superseded and quenched satan's lying dart. "It is written . . It is written . . . It is said . . ." The only thing Jesus said to His adversary was, "Get thee behind me, Satan." (see Lk. 4:1-13) G. FIRST PERSON — PRESENT TENSE How do we get out of the bondage and into our rightful place? 1.

In the early 1900s, Smith Wigglesworth, a mighty man of God who did exploits and worked wonders, was standing on a street corner in London waiting for the next trolley. A lady was standing along beside him, and her little dog was playing at her feet. The trolley stop was located just in front of her apartment, and the dog had followed her outside. She knew the dog would have to go back inside before she left, or it would be in danger. She kept saying, softly and sweetly, "You've got to go back inside. Go on, now, go inside. You can't go with mama. I'll bring you a treat later. Go on, now — I really mean it this time." But the dog just kept on playing at her feet. All of a sudden she looked up and saw the trolley coming, and she shouted, "SCAT!" and stomped her foot. The little dog tucked its tail and scurried up the steps to safety. And Wigglesworth said, "That's what you've got to do to the devil!" God knows when we are really believing — so does the devil. "Resist {stand against, oppose, withstand} the devil, and he will flee {run away, vanish, escape} from you." (James 4:7) If he hasn't fled, we haven't resisted.

Start making new choices. Ask God to make you aware of the darts, the symptoms, or whatever the enemy has baited you with in the past; and this time, instead of falling into his trap, decide to resist! Refuse the pressure to disobey by choosing what God says belongs to you. He has promised He will give you a way of escape. Listen for it. Obey. "It is written . . ." Each time you stand and choose, the trap gets weaker and you get stronger. Each time you stand and choose, you are taking back your rightful dominion and overcoming — instead of being dominated and overwhelmed. "He that hath no rule {control} over his own spirit {life, mind, anger} is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." (Prov. 25:28) That means, if I can't say "no" and stick to it, I am vulnerable and defenseless. Ouch! "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity — of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear — but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." (2 Tim. 1:7 Amplified) "But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law." (Heb. 5:14 Amplified) H. YOU ARE NOT ALONE "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isa. 41:10) "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name: thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God . . ." (Isa. 43:1-3) "The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." (Nahum 1:7) "This is the word of the LORD unto (your name) , saying, Not by might, nor by power, but be my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, 0 great mountain? before (your name) thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." (Zech. 4:6-7)

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Rom. 8:31, 37) ". . . for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Heb. 13:5) ". . . and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Mt. 28:20) "And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." (Mk. 10:27) "Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me . . ." (2 Tim. 4:17) "Now to Him Who, in consequence of the action of His power that is at work within us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think — infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen — so be it." (Eph. 3:20-21 Amplified) "And they [God's heirs] overcame him [the accuser of the brethren] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony . ." (Rev. 12:11) "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:6-7) "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:16-17) "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses — who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens — let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience {consistency} the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith . . ." (Heb. 11:33-34; 12:1-2) "And being not weak in faith, he [Abraham . . . and you] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Rom. 4:19-22) VI. HOW CAN WE STAY FREE? A. Listen to your spirit — your heart, your conscience, your gut (as the world calls it). "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left." (Isa. 30:21 Amplified) "He wakens me morning by morning, He wakens my ear to hear as disciples — as those who are taught. The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I have not been rebellious, or turned backward." (Isa. 50:4-5 Amplified) "[Jesus said] I am the Good Shepherd . . . The watchman opens the door for this man, and the sheep listen to his voice and heed it, and he calls his own sheep by name and brings (leads) them out. They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call. My sheep will listen to My voice and heed My call . . . The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice, and I know them and they follow Me." (Jn. 10:11, 3, 5, 16, 27 Amplified)

Each time we obey that still small voice, it's as if the volume is turned up a little more the next time we hear it. But also, our willingness to obey and our tenderness of heart that shuns anything that would cloud our union with God work together to increase the fine-tuning of our receiver to His transmission. Conversely, each time we ignore His nudging, it's as if the volume is turned down a little more the next time. Actually, it is our hardness of heart and our rebellious stiff neck that have muffled His voice — and that is hell on earth. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (Rom. 4:17) But — the moment we make a 180° turn back to Him, He says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 Jn. 1:9) When we willfully choose to obey the Spirit of God, then and only then will we walk in the manifested victory that we chose. We are to stand strong by what we know we've heard in our heart when others try to sway us to compromise. To tell ourselves compromise is okay is deceiving our own selves. They haven't heard what we've heard. We are the only ones responsible to do what we've heard. To hear and do what we heard is to build our lives on rock. To hear and not do what we heard is to build our lives on sand. B. BOTTOM LINE God's M.O. hasn't changed. hear Truth + obey = blessing Satan's M.O. hasn't changed. hear lies + obey = cursing If we want a change in our status quo, we've got to make a change in our M.O. The choice is ours.

“In this freedom Christ has made us free – Completely liberated us; Sand fast then, and do not be hampered And held ensnared and submit again To a yoke of slavery – which you have once put off. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. In every prayer of mine I always make my entreaty and petition for you all with joy and delight. And I am convinced and sure of this very thing,

That He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ – right up to the time of His return – developing that good work and perfecting and bringing it to full compldtion in you. “Not in your own strength – for it is God Who is all the while ffectually at work in you – energizing and creating in you the power and desire – both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” (Gal. 5:1; Phil. 1:3-4, 6; 2:13 Amplified)

In the early part of the 1900s, there was a man who lived in Europe, and he had a very hard life. He said, "If I could just get to America, things would be better. I know they would." He began to save his money; and after a very long time, he finally had enough money to buy his boat ticket. He had a little bit of money left over, so he bought cheese and crackers to eat on the crossing. Finally, the day arrived, and he went on board—full of expectancy for a better life. Each day at mealtime, he would go and look through the small glass windows in the doors that led into the dining room, and he'd watch all the other passengers eating the wonderful food. Then he'd go back to his cabin and eat his cheese and crackers. When the boat docked in New York City, the ship's steward came to him and asked, "Sir, I noticed you never came into the dining room to eat with the other passengers. Did we do something to offend you? Was there something wrong with the food?" The man replied, "Oh, no. I'm sure the food was good. I didn't have the money to pay for the food, so I ate cheese and crackers in my cabin." The steward exclaimed, "The food was included in your ticket!" No one had ever told the man all that was included in the cost of his ticket. There are many more scriptures in the Word on this subject, but these have been presented so that you would have God's perspective and no longer be destroyed for lack of knowledge of Whose you are, who you are, and where you are — a victorious overcomer 24/7 . . . no more "cheese and crackers." The ball's in your court . . .

Do what you know to do!

Jesus said, "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace.

BUT when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he (the stronger) taketh from him

ALL his armour (full suit of armor with appendages), wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." Luke 11:21-22

"But thus saith THE LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I (the Lord) will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I (the Lord) will save thy children!"

Isaiah 49:25

ARMOR When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divided) his spoils. Luke 11:21-22 The ARMOR of God keeps light in... and darkness out. The ARMOR of satan keeps darkness in... and light out. Satan's armor and protective covering is UNBELIEF ... for example: lies & lying white lies veil (2 Cor. 3:14-16; 4:36) false doctrine false teaching religion & legalism having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof UNrightly dividing the Word "old man" still hanging around ALL limitation ("But .. ") words, words, words holding truth in unrighteousness Plan "B" wolves in sheep's clothing handling the Word of God deceitfully doctrines of men traditions of men "Hath God said...? Oh, but you're an exception!" Murphy's Law luck deceit evil reports heresy new age evolution blasphemy blaming God for satan's work calamities & accidents sickness & disease symptoms allergies genealogic diseases & curses aging death self-righteousness boasting pride

every proud & lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God high-minded & inflated with selfconceit seared conscious hard-heartedness fiery darts fear & all phobias guilt, condemnation, remorse hurt, disappointment, brokenheartedness dismay, despair, depression, distress failure & defeat sadness, the "blues," pity parties rejection dwelling in the past, trying to figure it out, & placing blame for the past unforgiveness bitterness incapable of being appeased mercilessness unthankfulness blaming & criticizing mote-seeing & fault-finding murmuring accusations gossip whispering & slandering sowing discord strife contention backbiting debate revenge temper, anger, wrath, rage cruelty & hatred suicide & murder

maliciousness envy covetousness selfishness love of money debt & poverty greediness cheating & false balances peer pressure self-controlessness irresponsibility procrastination excuses, lethargy reasonings, arguments, theories ignorance foolish jesting foolishness & lack of understanding tribulation & persecution for the Word's sake cares of this world offense fence-sitting wavering & backsliding looking back & quitting mind-control, ESP, and ALL mind games reprobate mind vain imaginations strongholds demonic oppression, obsession, possession ALL rebellion gangs & sedition treason, treachery, betrayal covenant-breaking disobedience to parents impenitent heart despising God's goodness haters of God

ungodliness uruighteousness temptation carnal weapons impurity loving sensual pleasures & vain amusements lust (pressure on the flesh to disobey God) hidden things of shame adultery & fornication inventors of evil things vile affections unnatural affections pornography (literally, writing of harlots) R-, X-, M-rated TV, movies, radio, soaps, music, videos, magazines, etc. finding pleasure in those who disobey God revelling & wantonness drugs (legal & illegal) ALL addictions - alcohol, sex, tobacco, gambling, cursing, eating, working, etc. ALL forms of witchcraft idolatry & false gods the world of darkness astrology Halloween ALL perversions & counterfeits false & perverted joy, peace, love heady (exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense; rash; unwise speed) thrill-seeking etc.

The power of ALL this armor has been broken by Jesus' blood sacrifice! The GOOD NEWS of Jesus is in the earth so everyone can hear it, receive it, and be set free from satan's kingdom of darkness .and be brought into the kingdom of God! The Word of God is necessary to remove the veil that has hidden the truth from them, so that they may be able to hear. "Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of My people." (Isa 57:14)

TACTICS

OF AN ENEMY ■■■

THE SAMARITANS (WHO WERE NOT IN COVENANT WITH GOD AS THE ISRAELITES WERE) WANTED TO HELP THE ISRAELITES BUILD THE TEMPLE BUT THE LEADERS OF THE ISRAELITES SAID, "YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US IN BUILDING A HOUSE TO OUR GOD." THEN THE SAMARITANS CONTINUALLY WEAKENED THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH (ISRAEL), AND TROUBLED AND TERRIFIED THEM IN BUILDING; AND HIRED COUNSELORS AGAINST THEM, TO FRUSTRATE THEIR PURPOSE AND PLAN...

EZRA 4: 1 -5 AMPLIFIED

THIS IS VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE TACTICS OF OUR A D V E R S A R Y

We have been . . .

DELIVERED FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS The king of darkness, satan, no longer has power over us, but he is all the while trying to get back the power over us—seeking whom he may devour, He does that by symptoms, thoughts, and spoken words, which are all temptations to doubt, to compromise, to limit, and to disobey the Word—just like the angler snares a fish with the well-suited bait The power of deception makes his bait look okay, sound okay, seem not-so-bad, even forgivable later on.

If we choose what he presents, then, and only then, does the king of darkness have any power over us when we give it to him.

DUH ! Jesus said, "Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power that the enemy possesses, and nothing shall in any way harm you." Paul said, "The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption through His blood, which means the forgiveness of our sins." Our instructions are: "Be well-balanced--temperate, sober-minded; be vigilant and cautious at all times, for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring in fierce hunger, seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith against his onset —rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined—knowing that the same identical sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood, the whole body of Christians, throughout the world."

Satan is seeking whom he may devour. Holy Spirit is seeking whom He may empower. It's our choice! Luke 10:19; Colossians 1:13-14, 1 Peter 5:8-9 Amplified

Be Strong... Be strong, courageous, and firm,

FEAR NOT nor be in terror before them; for... it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will march with you; He will not fail you or let you go, or forsake you; Let there be no cowardice or flinching, but

FEAR NOT, neither become broken in spirit... depressed, dismayed, and unnerved with alarm. Deuteronomy 30:6-8 Amplified

Be strong and of a good courage, Fear not, nor be afraid of them... For the Lord, thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee. He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. Fear not, neither be dismayed. Fear thou not ..... for I am with thee. Be not dismayed....for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. For I, the Lord, thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, "Fear not. I will help thee." Settle it, therefore, in your heart not to meditate before what ye shall answer... for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist... but there shall not an hair of your head perish, and it shall turn to you for a testimony. If God be for us, who can be against us? Deuteronomy 31:6 ,8; Isaiah 41:10, 13; Luke 21:14-15, 18, 13; Romans 8:31

He that hath no rule (control) over his own spirit (life) is like a city that is broken down, and without walls (vulnerable and defenseless). Prov. 25:28

CHOOSE.. I call Heaven and earth to witness this day against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, the BLESSING and the CURSE;

therefore choose LIFE... that you and your descendants may LIVE; to LOVE the Lord your God, to OBEY His voice, and to CLING to Him;

for

He is your LIFE, and the LENGTH of your days, that you may DWELL in the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers... to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (the covenant)!

Deut. 30:19-20

When I make a choice and willfully choose to obey the Spirit of God, then... and only then... will I walk in the manifested victory that I chose. The opposite is true, also.

When I am tempted to fall and the pressure gets tight, I want to choose to depend on Your strength and Your might. I want to choose to obey what I've heard in Your Word... Know in reality... the victory of my living Lord! Not by my might, Zechariah 4:6 nor by my power, but by Your Spirit... O, my Lord!

Wisdom... Through skillful and godly WISDOM is a house built, and by UNDERSTANDING it is established on a sound and good foundation, and by KNOWLEDGE shall the chambers of its every area be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4

If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God Who gives to every one liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him! Only it must be in faith that he asks, with no wavering â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no hesitating, no doubting. For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea, that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything he asks for from the Lord, for being as he is a man of two minds â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hesitating, dubious, irresolute he is unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, decides. James 1:5-8 The devil will help me to fail when I'm in DOUBT (double-minded, wondering if, indecisive, having 2 minds, 1/2 way okay--1/2 way wrong, second-guessing, reasoning about what God said-trying to figure out how and when, doubting if God is hearing my prayers, doubting if I'm hearing God, doubting if what I've heard will work, etc.).

God will help me to succeed when I'm in FAITH (listening and obeying).

GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF LISTENING OPPORTUNITIESWHEN THERE'S NO TV, NO RADIO, NO SOUNDS... JUST SILENCE. SET YOUR HEART... AND MIND... TO HEAR "FATHER, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THIS?" HEAR COUNSEL, RECEIVE INSTRUCTION, AND ACCEPT CORRECTION... THAT YOU MAY BE WISE IN THE TIME TO COME. (Prov. 19:20) IT'S EASY, SOMETIMES, TO GO AGAINST WHAT YOU HEAR FROM YOUR SPIRIT... WHEN THERE'S PRESSURE FROM A SALESMAN, WHEN YOU'RE PRESSED FOR TIME, WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE SUCH A GOOD BARGAIN... LOOKING LIKE A GOOD DEAL - - DOESN'T MEAN IT IS! SOUNDING LIKE THE RIGHT THING - DOESN'T MEAN IT IS! GOD PROMISED, THINE EARS SHALL HEAR A WORD BEHIND THEE, SAYING, "THIS IS THE WAY WALK YE IN IT," WHEN YE TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND, AND WHEN YE TURN TO THE LEFT. Isa. 30:21 IF YOU - - - - "DON'T FEEL RIGHT..." "THERE'S SOMETHING BOTHERING ME..." "I DON'T TRUST HIM..."

PAY ATTENTION TO IT! EVERY TIME YOU HAVEN'T IN THE PAST, IT'S BEEN A BAD DECISION.

STAND

vs,

FIGHT

It is very important for a Christian to have the correct understanding and point-of-view when it comes to our adversary–the devil. Most of the time, Christians can be heard to say, "I sure have been fighting the devil this week," or "You all pray for me–the devil's been fighting me all day!"

Wrong information = Wrong perspective Jesus defeated the devil—past tense. In today's vernacular, "Done." Paul described the scenario by saying, "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he [Jesus] made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:15) Jesus said it this way (it's in red), "Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the ken of hell and of death." (Rev. 1:17-18) Jesus gave us His authority: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) Therefore, our position is not that of fighting the devil, but of standing in the victory that Jesus, our Lord and Master, has already won! "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1) Jesus' encounter with the devil in the wilderness is our example. Jesus spoke His Father's Word to counteract and supersede every thought and temptation that the adversary presented. Jesus was not speaking the scriptures to the devil–but to Himself, thereby making the Word the shield and buckler His Father had said it would be (see Psa. 91:4). Example: Jesus would not have said, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve" to the devil; because the devil is his own god and would never consider worshipping God anyway. The only thing Jesus said to the devil was, "Get thee behind me, Satan." (Luke 4:8) We are to bring every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God into captivity to the knowledge of Christ (which is the Word of God), and we do that by superseding the thought with "It is written + the applicable scripture." (see 2 Cor. 10:3-5) Our believing the Word, the power of the Word, and God's faithfulness to His Word creates an impenetrable cactus-hedge-like shield around us that makes us inaccessible to every weapon formed against us and quenches every fiery dart that is hurled at us. (see Psa. 91:4; Isa. 54:17; Eph. 6:16-17) That's how we are to STAND – aka, resist. James 4:7 does not say, "Fight the devil, and he will flee from you." It says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Peter adds to that in 1 Pet. 5:8-9, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may [that means, he has to have our permission before he can succeed] devour: whom [you are to] resist stedfast in the faith." What a difference this truth can make in our day-to-day lives! It is no longer me–fighting to get the victory over my adversary. Now it is me–standing in the victory Jesus has already won for me. "It is written, Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him [Jesus] that loved us. If God be for us, who can be against us?'" (Rom. 8:37, 31)

Right information = Right perspective.

Really "FREE" vs. Still "WANT-TO" If I - have been depending on alcohol * for comfort, love, peace, to unwind, to sleep, to escape...and then...through determination, self-discipline, and willpower...with prayer...stop drinking — I am considered sober, dry, clean ...even FREE !

BUT... if I - do not also depend on God to fill the need(s) that caused me to drink, I will always battle the "want-to" to go back to that fallout shelter...or find another way to have my needs anesthetized.

God - has stated His provision to be ALL that I need — Restorer, Healer, Provider, Protector, Redeemer, Counselor, Savior, and more... because He loves me and wants me to be free: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5 KJV) "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:11 TMB) "Call to Me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own." (Jeremiah 33:2 TMB) "God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done." (2 Corinthians 9:8 TMB) "You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 TMB) "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Philippains 2:13 KJV) "No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your limit; He'll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:13 TMB) "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." (Isaiah 26:3 KJV)

The ball is in MYcourt -

In order to receive ALL that God has to give, I have to give Him ALL that I am — fears, failures, perks, quirks, strengths, weaknesses, habits, mind-sets, past-present-future: "God has had it with the proud, but takes delight in just plain people. So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; He'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; He is most careful with you. Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up." (1 Peter 5:5-9 TMB) "Don't become so well-adjusted to our culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:2 TMB) "The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way-never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 TMB) "And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong." (Ephesians 6:10 TMB) *

or drugs (legal/illegal), food, and all other created substances—even people, jobs, amusements, sports

BY YOUR SPIRIT, O MY LORD Zechariah 4:6

Not by my might, nor by my power, but by Your Spirit, O my Lord! Not by my might, nor by my power, but by Your Spirit, O my Lord! When I am tempted to fall and the pressure gets tight, I want to choose to depend on Your strength and Your might. I want to choose to obey what I've heard in Your Word . . . Know as reality the victory of my living Lord! Not by my might, nor by my power, but by Your Spirit, O my Lord! Not by my might, nor by my power, but by Your Spirit, O my Lord!

Written down by Carolyn Vardell, 02/06/84. Scribe hereby gives her permission for it to be freely reproduced and used for the glory of God; because Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give." (Mt. 10:8) Amen. ÂŠ 06/12/06.

Free Indeed John 8:31-32,36; Romans 5:10; 8:11; Galatians 5:1; Revelation 1:18 Sin's ultimate dominion was enthroned in hell's dark grave, but Jesus' Resurrection proved He could not stay sin's slave! Because He 'rose triumphant with the keys of victory, He holds the door to freedom opened wide each day for me! If Jesus could not stay the captive of sin's penalty, then neither can I stay enslaved by sin's authority! As I depend upon His Resurrection life within, the Pow'r that raised Him from the dead delivers me from sin! When I decide to let His Word reign in supremacy, there is no sin... there is no chain that can imprison me; and as I choose to let His Word continue inside me, then His disciple I will be, and I'll be free indeed!

06/12/06. Written down by Carolyn Vardell, 02/06/85. Scribe hereby gives her permission of it to be freely reproduced and used for the glory of God; because Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give." (Mt. 10:8) Amen.

Once you are committed . . . Once you are committed . . . sold out . . . jumped off the diving board—to whatever, or whomever, or wherever—you won't turn back, look back, vacillate, waver, fall off the wagon, slip up, get bored, or detour. Commit, entrust, confide, consign, and relegate are all synonyms. Commit expresses the general idea of delivering into another's charge, or the special sense of transferring to a superior power, or to a special place of custody. That's what happens when you cut a blood covenant. Entrust implies committing with trust and confidence. Confide implies entrusting with assurance or reliance. Consign suggests transferring, i.e., to remove from one's own control with formality or finality. Relegate implies a consigning to a particular class or sphere, often with a suggestion of getting rid of. If you're NOT committed, you'll just TRY IT; but you'll be easily distracted; and you'll soon quit, vacillate, and stop. Once a decision, a truth, a dream, or a goal is ALIVE and real in you . . . once it's REVEALED in you—it will be anchored in rock. There is NO possibility of taking it out of you. Stop and think about your life. What truth . . . what person . . . what decision . . . what dream . . . WHAT or WHO is anchored in rock . . . in YOU? WHAT or WHO are you sold out to? WHAT or WHO would you lay your life down for and never hesitate about it? THAT'S what you're COMMITTED to! If you are born again into the New Blood Covenant, that's your relationship with God as your Father and Jesus as your Lord. You've spent time studying and learning about that person (thing, organization). You've weighed all the pros and cons. You've examined the good and the bad. You've counted the cost of what being committed forever to that person (thing, organization) will mean. You don't have an escape hatch in mind—a "Plan B," a pre-nuptial agreement, a codicil—because that's NOT being committed. Now, apply all of the above to whatever (studying God's Word more, eating to live, regular exercise, more fruitful use of spare time, getting free of a bad habit) or whomever (your God, your wife, your husband, your family) is in your life that you know you need to become COMMITTED to . . . so that you will WIN in that arena. Whatever "bad habit" you've been committed to—you need to get "rock-anchored" IN YOU the truths about what you gut-honest KNOW you should be doing, choosing, or living in its place. If that REVELATION is not rock-anchored in you, you'll just keep on "trying to quit;" and you'll keep on "falling off the wagon"—no matter what the wagon's name is. There's always a way of escape—"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your limit; He'll always be there to help you come through it." (The Message Bible). The King James Bible says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make A WAY OF ESCAPE, that ye may be able to bear it." We are responsible to hear it, choose it, and do it. If you always do what you've always done, you're always going to have what you have right now. If you want a change in your status quo, you've got to make a change in your M.O. (Method of Operation)

God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of KNOWLEDGE" not lack of TRYING. What's the solution? Jesus said, [condition] "If ye continue in My Word, [results] then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

KNOWING is not just head knowledge; but it also includes committing to, acknowledging, covenanting with that truth. If every husband would do this about his wife and their marriage covenant, he'd never look around, never look at porn, never be vulnerable again. If every wife would sell out like this, she'd never complain about him, or his weaknesses, or his habits. (She's really murmuring about herself when she does, because they're one.) If every addict (drugs, alcohol, food*, gambling, TV, work, money, clothes, shoes, entertainment, racing, sports, thrill-seeking, sex, self, things, etc.) would do this, they'd at last be successful in getting free and staying free. *Once the food addict KNOWS and COMMITS to that rock-anchored revelation that they are responsible to EAT TO LIVE (rather than live to eat), then they will be strong and wise to choose only the food and drink which makes them LIVE healthily. They won't be tripped up and side-tracked by every temptation, holiday, craving, or advertisement. The TRUTHS of why the addict should quit have NOT been alive and rock-anchored . . . and they have been vulnerable to vultures who steal the seeds of knowledge away, to drought because their "new roots" aren't deep enough to find water, to rocks and bumps in the road that get them side-tracked and off-course, and to weeds and thorns that choke them and drag them down. (Read Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:5-15) Rememberâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;good soil does not stay good automatically. There are always vultures flying around, rainless days, rocks kicked your way, and weed seeds in the wind. The enemy roams about seeking whom he may [he has to get your permission] devour. BUT when the TRUTH on the matter is rock-anchored, it sets them FREE!! That TRUTH continues to grow and reinforce them, so that they STAY FREE!! They successfully resist the attempts to go back, look back, or turn back . . . the vultures, drought, rocks, detours, weeds, and thorns are powerless!

If you're committed, you'll find a way. If you're not, you'll find an excuse. DO WHAT YOU KNOW TO DO.

BEEN THERE... DONE THAT. KNOW MORE... NO MORE!

"THY WORD HAVE I HID IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST THEE." PSALM 1 1 9: 1 1

PLANS... The plans of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the wise answer of the tongue. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits the thoughts and intents of the heart. Roll your works upon the Lord commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and so shall your plans be established and succeed. When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come. Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. 0 Lord, I know that the determination of the way of a man is not in himself. It is not in man... even in a strong man and a man at his best to direct his own steps. Man's steps are ordered by the Lord... The steps of a good man are directed and established of the Lord, when He delights in his way, and He busies Himself with his every step. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him. Pr. 16:1-3,7,9; 19:20-21; Jere. 10:23; Pr. 20:24; Psa. 37:23-24

The Mature . . .

Hebrews 5:14

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. —King James But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. —Amplified Solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. —The Message By practice the mature have trained their judgment to distinguish and select what is excellent. —Strong's and Webster

God's Formula for Success... "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you! Be strong and confident and of good courage... Only be strong, and very courageous, that you may DO according to all the Word... Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and DO according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous; be not afraid, neither be dismayed;

for... the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:5-9 Amplified

GOD'S PERSPECTIVE "I've got Him where I want Him!" satan said when Jesus died. "He won't be both'ring me again; at last, He's crucified! Just look at Him -- the Son of God -- He's hanging on a cross! Now ev'ryone's deserted Him, and all He owned is lost! "He's covered with disease. He's laden down and black with sin. Oh, what a fool I've made of Him! He lost! He didn't win! Let's see... I'll take Him back with me into the pit of hell... Wait 'til my men see what I got and hear what I will tell!" But Father God had different plans and through His Son had said, "I'll die, but after three days, I'll be raised up from the dead." Down deep inside, God smiled with joy, while watching what they'd done, For He could see the empty tomb, the keys, the rising sun! The enemy may laugh at you and say, "I've got you now! The things you thought you heard God say just didn't work somehow. Now ev'ryone is laughing, and they're saying you're deceived. You went too far with that 'faith stuff' -- the lies that you believed!" Just press-in closer to your God. Stay safely in His hand. He hasn't changed a word He said, nor altered what He planned. Ol’ Noah did, and Abraham... Jairus pressed-in, too... There's Daniel, Joseph, Joshua... just to name a few. So keep your eyes on what He sees and echo what you hear, Then you will be protected as they laugh and scoff and jeer. God hasn't finished what He started out to do for you! Now trust His love and know that ev'ry word He said…..He'll do! The enemy will see and in frustration he will say, "I wish I'd never messed with her [or him] -- how I regret that day!" But you'll say, "See, I told ya! I'm a winner! I can't lose! Now SCAT in Jesus' name! It's God's perspective that I choose!"

© 06/12/06. Written down by Carolyn Vardell on 02/06/85. Scribe hereby gives her permission for it to be freely reproduced and used for the glory of God; because Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give." (Mt. 10:8) Amen.

Prayer of the Christian who wants to fulfill God's plan for their life . . . Father, regarding the mission You have given me to do . . . prompt me with Your Word and whatever "way of escape" I need and supply me with the wisdom to hear You and the courage to choose to obey You so that . . . •

my mission is protected from the uncommitted,

•

my principles are protected from the undisciplined,

•

my morals are protected from those with a driven appetite,

•

Your Truth in me is protected from man-pleasers,

•

my vision is protected from the opinions of the complacent,

•

my liberty is protected from all controllers and manipulators, and

•

my mission—the mission You have given to me—is empowered and fulfilled. So be it.

Scriptures About Who I Am...

IN HIM

Father, You are glorified in me. Keep me through Your own name, that I might have Your joy fulfilled in me. Because of Your Word given to me, I am not of the world. Keep me from evil. Sanctify me and thoroughly set me apart through Your truth â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Your Word is truth. As You sent Jesus and in the same glory, You send me into the world to preach the Good News, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, and set the captives free! Reveal to me that You love me the same way You love Jesus, and that Jesus made the way for me to dwell in Your presence now... and forever. John 17:9-26 You are praying for me and mediating the New Covenant for me... that my faith fail not... that I am quick to repent and turn around when I grieve You... and that I strengthen others by my own walk in You and in Your faithfulness to me. Luke 22:32 Father, I praise You for continuing to send laborers into my life â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bold, loving, listening-to-You, full-of-theWord laborers... and that You make me that same kind of laborer to others. Matt. 9:37-38 I thank You always for Your unlimited favor that You continue to give to me by Jesus, the Anointed One... that in everything I am enriched by Him... in all utterance and in all knowledge. 1Cor.1:4-5 I believe You that I do what is honest, avoiding the very appearance of evil.

2 Cor.13:7

I praise You for revealing to me that I am now reconciled to You... and that I stand in Your presence, face to face... that You see me forgiven and clean through the blood of Jesus... so that I do not receive Your unlimited favor in vain. 2 Cor.5:20, 6:1 I praise You that You give unto me the spirit of wisdom and revelation (of insight into mysteries and secrets) in the deep and intimate knowledge of Yourself, by having the eyes of my heart flooded with light, so that I can KNOW and UNDERSTAND (1) the HOPE to which You have called me (2) and how rich is YOUR glorious INHERITANCE IN ME Your saint, Your set-apart one. And so that I can KNOW and UNDERSTAND (3) what is the immeasurable, unlimited, and surpassing greatness of Your POWER IN AND FOR ME who believes as demonstrated in the working of Your mighty strength which You exerted in Christ [also a man, who was believing} when You (a) RAISED Him from the dead (b) and SEATED Him at Your Own right hand in the heavenly places far above ALL rule,

authority, power, dominion, and every name... (c) and PUT ALL THINGS UNDER His feet (d) and APPOINTED Him Head of the Church. I believe You, Father, that You cause me to personally know and understand that even as You did these things for Jesus, You've done these for me — delivered me from that which had me bound, and lifted me all the way up to total victory. You cause me to know and understand that Your love for me caused You to make me ALIVE with the life of Jesus Christ... that Your mercy and unlimited favor have delivered me from the judgment my depravity deserved, and has made me a partaker in salvation (wholeness), and has raised me up and seated me in Your presence. You've done this for me to demonstrate to me the immeasurable, limitless, and surpassing riches of Your unlimited favor in kindness and goodness toward me in the Anointed Jesus. For it is by Your unlimited favor I am delivered from judgment and made a partaker of salvation through my faith — not because of anything I've done to try to deserve it — it's Your gift to me. I am Your handiwork, recreated (high-born) in Jesus to do those good works (exploits!) which You planned beforehand for me to do... taking the paths which You prepared ahead of time that I should walk, living the good life which You pre-arranged and made ready for me to live. I praise You that I am NO LONGER separated and living apart from You, excluded, utterly estranged, and outlawed with no share in the covenant promises... without knowledge of Your Word, without hope, without God. But NOW, I, who was once so far away, have been brought near BY THE BLOOD of Jesus. You are my peace — peace at last with You and with myself. I now have access to You, can stand in Your presence, have fellowship with other believers, am consecrated and set apart for Yourself, and belong to Your Own household. I am built on Jesus, anchored in the Rock, rooted and grounded in the Word, filled, taught, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, fulfilling Your plan for me in Your Kingdom! Eph. 1 :6--2 :22 Out of the rich treasury of Your manifested presence, Father, I believe You to strengthen and reinforce my inner man with mighty power by the Holy Spirit Himself indwelling my innermost being and personality. Through my faith, may Christ, the Anointed One, actually dwell, settle down, abide, and make His permanent home in my heart! May I be rooted deep in Your love and founded securely on Your love... so that I have the power and am strong to apprehend and grasp the experience of that love — its breadth, length, height, and depth... (1) so that I really come to KNOW — practically and through my own experience — the love of Jesus the Anointed One, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience, (2) that I may be FILLED through all my being unto all the fullness of God to the point of being wholly filled and flooded with God Himself! Now — to You Who, by the action of Your power at work within me, is able to carry out Your purpose in me and to do superabundantly, far over and above ALL I dare ask or think — infinitely beyond my highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams — to You be all the glory in the Church (of which I am now a part) and in the Anointed Jesus forever! So be it! Eph.3:16-21 Father, I praise You that I am an imitator of You — I copy You and follow Your example — thinking like You think, saying what You say, doing what You do; and I walk in love for others unselfishly, even as the Anointed One

did when He laid down His life for the world. I rejoice that immorality, impurity, greediness, filthiness, coarse jesting, and covetousness are no longer named in me, nor do I associate with those who partake in those things. For once I was in darkness, but now I am light in the Lord, and I walk as a child of light, leading the life of those native-born to the Light. The effect of the Light (the Spirit in me) consists in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life. I am learning what is pleasing to you, Lord, and my life is constant proof of what is most acceptable to You. I take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead, my life is so in contrast to the darkness as to expose, reprove, and convict those in the darkness. I look carefully how I walk. I live purposefully, worthily, and accurately as the wise... making the very most of the time and buying up each opportunity, because the days are evil. I am no longer vague, thoughtless, and foolish, but now have understanding and firmly grasp what Your will is. I am now drunk, filled, and stimulated with the Holy Spirit... speaking Your Word, worshipping You, and always giving thanks to You for Your love toward me. Eph.5:1-20 Thank You for making me STRONG IN YOU, empowered by my union with You, drawing strength from You — that strength which Your boundless power provides. At salvation I put on — and I keep on — Your whole armor so that I am able to successfully stand up against ALL the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For I do not wrestle against physical opponents, but rather against evil spirits of darkness. Therefore, I have put on Your complete armor so that I am able to resist and firmly stand my ground. I tighten the belt of truth around my loins; put on the breastplate of integrity, moral rectitude, and right standing with You; having shod my feet in preparation to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, promptness, and readiness produced by the good news of the Gospel of peace; lifting up over all the covering shield of saving faith upon which I quench ALL the flaming missiles of the wicked one; and taking the helmet of salvation (wholeness) and the sword the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God; praying at ALL times, on every occasion, and in every season in the Spirit with ALL manner of prayer; keeping alert and watching with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of ALL Your consecrated people. Eph.6:10-20 I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that You Who began the good work in me will continue it until the return of Jesus — developing that good work, perfecting it, and bringing it to full completion in me!

I pray that my love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight — that is, that my love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment; so that I may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value — recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences; and that I may be untainted, pure, unerring, and blameless that — with heart sincere, certain, and unsullied — I may approach the day of Christ, not stumbling nor causing others to stumble. May I abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, to the honor and praise of You, Father — that Your glory may be both manifested and recognized in me! Phil.1:3-6, 9-11

I believe that I cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete my own salvation with reverence, awe, and self-distrust, that is, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, and shrinking from whatever might offend You and discredit the name of the Anointed One. Not in my own strength, for it is You, Father, Who is all the while effectually at work in me — energizing and creating in me the power and desire both to will and to work for Your good pleasure, satisfaction, and delight. Phil.2:12-16 I believe that I (like Paul) say, "Not that I have now attained this ideal or am already made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of, grasp, and make my own that for which Christ Jesus, the Anointed One, has laid hold of me and made me His Own. I do not consider that I have captured and made it my own yet; but one thing I do and it is my one aspiration — forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the supreme and heavenly prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling me upward. I hold true to what I have already attained, and I walk and order my life by that. I want my brethren to be able to follow my example and observe and live after the pattern I have set." That's what I say! Phil.3:12-13, 16-17 You are teaching me to not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything by prayer and petition (definite requests) with thanksgiving to continue to make my wants known to You. And Your peace, which transcends all understanding, garrisons and mounts guard over my heart and mind in Jesus the Anointed One. My mind is being renewed so that whatever is true, worthy of reverence and is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind, winsome, and gracious — if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, I think on, weigh, and take account of these things, choosing to fix my mind on them. Phil.4:6-8 For this reason, I cease not to pray and make special request, asking that I may be filled with the full, deep, and clear knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom , in understanding, and in discernment of spiritual things; that I may walk, live, and conduct myself in a manner worthy of You, Lord, fully pleasing to You and desiring to please You in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in the knowledge of You, Father, with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition. I pray that I may be invigorated and strengthened with all power, according to the might of Your glory, to exercise every kind of endurance and patience with joy...giving thanks to You, Father, Who has qualified and made me fit to share the portion, which is the inheritance of the saints in the Light. You, Father, have delivered me and drawn me to Yourself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and have transferred me into the Kingdom of the Son of Your love, in Whom I have my redemption through His blood, which means the forgiveness of sins and wholeness in every way. Co1.1:9-14 Although I at one time was estranged and alienated from You and of hostile attitude of mind in my wicked activities — yet now, You have reconciled me through Jesus' death, in order to present me in Your presence as holy, faultless, and irreproachable — provided I continue to stay in the faith, well-grounded, settled, and steadfast... not shifting or moving away from the Gospel I have heard. Col.1:21-23 My prayer is that my heart may be braced, comforted, cheered, and encouraged as I am knit together with other believers in love; and that I may come to have all the abounding wealth and blessings of assured conviction

of understanding, and that I may become progressively more intimately acquainted with, and may know more defmitely, accurately, and thoroughly, the mystery of You and the anointed One..: for in Him are all the treasures of wisdom, knowledge, and enlightenment. I pray this in order that no one may mislead and delude me by plausible, persuasive, and attractive arguments and beguiling speech. I am delighted at the sight of standing shoulder to shoulder with other believers in such orderly array and the firmness, solid front, and steadfastness of my faith in Christ — that leaning of my entire human personality on You in absolute trust and confidence in Your power, wisdom, and goodness. As I have therefore received the Anointed One, Jesus the Lord, I pray that I walk, regulate my life, and conduct myself in union and conformity to Him... having the roots of my being firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed and founded in Him, being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as I was taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. I pray that no one carries me off as spoil or takes me captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism, and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (man's ideas of the material world, rather than the spiritual), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe, and disregarding the teachings of Christ, the Anointed One. For in Him, the whole fullness of the Godhead continues to dwell in bodily form, giving complete expression of the divine nature...and I am now in Him, made full and have come to fullness of life, for in Christ I too am filled with the Godhead — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and reach full spiritual stature. And He is the Head of all rule and authority. In Him I have been spiritually circumcised by Christ's stripping off the body of the flesh — the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts. When I was buried with Him in baptism, I was also raised with Him to a new life through my faith in the working of You, Father, as displayed when You raised Jesus up from the dead. And I, who was dead in trespasses (my sensuality and sinful carnal nature), You have brought to life together with Jesus, having freely forgiven me all my transgressions; having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away in the handwriting of the note with its legal decrees and demands (which was in force and stood against me). This note with its regulations, decrees, and demands, You set aside and cleared completely out of my way by nailing it to Jesus' cross. You, Father, have disarmed the principalities and powers ranged against me and made a bold display and public example of those powers, in triumphing over them in Jesus and in His cross. I pray I will let no one defraud me by acting as an umpire and declaring me unworthy and disqualifying me for the prize by not holding fast to Jesus. Co1.2:2-19 Because I have been raised with Christ from the "dead" to a new life, I pray I aim at and seek the rich eternal treasures that are above, and that I set my mind and keep it set on what is above — the higher things, not on things that are on the earth. For, as far as the world is concerned, I have died; and my new, real life is hid with Christ in You. When Christ reappears, then I also will appear with Him in the splendor of His glory. I believe I have now put away and rid myself completely of all those things in which I once walked and to which I was once addicted; and I have clothed myself with the new spiritual life, which is ever in the process of being renewed and remoulded into fuller and more perfect knowledge upon knowledge, after the image and likeness of You Who created and re-created me.

I believe I clothe myself — as Your own picked representative, Your chosen one who is purified, holy, and well-beloved by You Yourself, Father — by putting on behavior marked by tenderhearted mercy, kind feeling, humility, gentle ways, patience, and good temper. I am gentle and forbear with others, readily pardoning others, even as You, Lord, have freely forgiven me. Above all these, I put on Your love. I let the peace of Jesus rule and act as umpire continually in my heart — letting that peace decide and settle with finality all questions that arise in my mind. I am thankful, appreciative, and give praise to You, Father, ,always. I believe the Word has its home in my heart and mind, and it dwells in me in all its richness, as I teach, admonish, and train others in all insight, intelligence, and wisdom in spiritual things — including singing and making melody to You with Your grace in my heart. And whatever I do — no matter what it is — in word or deed, I do everything in the name of my Lord Jesus, and in dependence upon His Person. Whatever I do, I work at it heartily as something done for You and not for men. Co1.3:1-4, 8-10, 12-17, 23 I believe I am earnest, unwearied, and steadfast in my prayer life, being both alert and intent in my praying with thanksgiving. I behave myself wisely — living prudently and with discretion — in my relations with those of the outside world. At all times my speech is gracious, pleasant, winsome, and seasoned with salt, so that I am never at a loss to know how I ought to answer anyone who puts a question to me. Co1.4:2, 5-6 Father, I continue to thank You that my work is energized by faith and my service is motivated by love, and for my unwavering hope of Jesus' return. I am Your beloved, Father, and I recognize and know that You have selected and chosen me; for the Gospel preached to me was not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. I have set myself to become an imitator of the Lord in spite of persecution, and have become a pattern for other believers who trust in, adhere to, and rely on Jesus; and everywhere the report goes forth of my faith. 1 Thess.1:2-8 I praise You, Father, that I am being personally exhorted, stimulated, encouraged, and charged to live a life worthy of You, Who has called me into Your Own kingdom. I especially thank You that when I received the message, I welcomed it not as the word of mere men but as what it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in me, exercising its superhuman power in me who adhere to, trust in, and rely on it. Father, I believe You to guide my steps, and make me to increase, excel, and overflow in love for all people, so that You may strengthen, confirm, and establish my heart faultlessly pure and unblameable in holiness in Your sight at the coming of Jesus. 1 Thess.2:11-13; 3:11-13 I believe You for the working of Your Word in me so that I walk so as to please You, attaining yet greater perfection in living this life. For this is Your will that I should be consecrated, separated, and set apart for pure and holy living, that I abstain and shrink from all sexual vice, that I should know how to possess, control, and manage my own body in purity, separated from things profane, and in consecration and honor — not used in the passion of lust like the heathen who are ignorant of You, the true God, and have no knowledge of Your will. 1 Thess.4:1-5 I pray that I get to know the leaders You've placed over me in Your kingdom, recognizing, acknowledging, appreciating, and respecting them for who they are. I hold them in very high esteem. I am at peace with others. I admonish those who are out of line (loafers, disorderly, and unruly); I encourage

the timid and fainthearted; I help and give my support to the weak and am very patient with everybody, always keeping my temper. I do not repay evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness and seek to do good to everybody. I am happy in my faith and rejoice and am glad-hearted always. I am unceasing in prayer — praying perseveringly. I am thankful for Your faithfulness to me always. I do not quench Your Holy Spirit. I do not despise inspired instruction, exhortation, or warning; but I test and prove all that I hear by what Your Word says, so that I recognize what is good, and to that I hold fast. I abstain from, shrink from, and keep aloof from all evil in whatever form or whatever kind it may be. Father, I believe You, the God of peace Himself, to sanctify me through and through — that is, separate me from profane things, make me pure and wholly consecrated to You — so that my spirit, soul, and body be preserved sound, complete, and found blameless at the coming of Jesus. Faithful and utterly trustworthy are You Who is calling me to Yourself, and You will also fulfill Your call on me by hallowing and keeping me. 1 Thess.5:12-24 I give thanks, Father, that my faith is growing exceedingly, and my love toward others is increasing and abounding. I pray that You, Father, may count me worthy of my calling and Your every gracious purpose of goodness; and with power You may complete in every particular my work of faith, so that the name of Jesus be glorified through and in me. 2 Thess.1:3, 11-12 I give thanks that You chose me from the beginning for salvation through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. I pray that I hold fast to the Word I've been taught; and that You, Father, will comfort and encourage my heart and strengthen me in every good work and word, making me steadfast and keeping me from swerving. You are faithful, and I believe You to strengthen me, set me on a firm foundation, and guard me from the evil one. I pray that I do not become weary or lose heart in doing right, but I continue in well-doing without weakening. I believe You, Lord of Peace, that You grant me Your peace at all times, in all ways, under all circumstances and conditions. 2 Thess.2:13, 15-17; 3:3, 13, 16 I pray no one will despise or think less of me because of my youth, but I will be an example for other believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. I devote myself to teaching and exhorting others, not neglecting the gifts of the Spirit that are in me, throwing myself wholly into my ministry so that my progress is evident to everybody. 1 Tim.4:12-15 I pray that I flee from everything that's not pleasing to You, Father. I aim at and pursue righteousness — that is, right-standing with You and true goodness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentle-heartedness. I fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of the eternal life to which I was summoned and confessed the good confession of faith before many witnesses. I pray that I keep all Your precepts unsullied, flawless, and irreproachable. 1 Tim.6:11-14 I pray that I stir up, rekindle the embers, fan the flame, and keep burning the inner fire from You that is in me; for I have not been given the spirit of fear, but rather the spirit of love, power, and a disciplined mind. I believe

I am not ashamed to testify to and for You, Lord. You have delivered, saved, and called me with a holy calling not because of anything I did, but to further Your purpose and grace. 2 Tim.1:6-9 I pray I hold fast to what I've heard. I guard and keep the Truth which has been entrusted to me. I study the Word for myself and rightly divide the Word of Truth. I realize every scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for instruction, for reproof, for conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness; so that I, as a child of God, may be complete and proficient, well-fitted, and thoroughly equipped for every good work. I pray I herald and preach the Word, keeping my sense of urgency — whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether it be welcome or unwelcome — I preach the Word. 2 Tim.1:13-14; 2:15; 3:16-17; 4:2 I pray that grace and peace be multipled to me in the full, personal, precise, and correct knowledge of You and of Jesus my Lord. For Your divine power has bestowed upon me all things that are requisite and suited to life and godliness through the full, personal knowledge of You Who called me by and to Your own glory and excellence. By means of these, You have bestowed on me Your precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them I may escape by flight from the moral decay, rottenness, and corruption that is in the world because of lust and greed and may become a sharer and partaker of Your divine nature. 2 Peter 1:2-4 AMEN Then the Word of the Lord said unto me, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts. For who are you, 0 great mountain of human obstacles? Before the power of the Word of God and believing, you shall become a plain — a mere mole hill! And my Lord and I shall bring forth the finishing gable stone of this new "temple" with loud shoutings, crying, "Grace! Grace to it!" Zech.4:6-7 first person/present tense

Be it unto me according to Your Word.

Luke 1:38

When you forgive, you in no way change the past . . . but you sure do change the future!

Coals of Fire . . . "If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink... for so doing, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you."

This is not to be understood as a revengeful act, intended to embarrass its victim â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but just the opposite. The picture is that of the high priest, who on the Day of Atonement took his censer and filled it with "coals of fire" from off the altar of burnt offering, and then put on them incense for a pleasing, sweet-smelling frangrance. The cloud of it covered the mercy-seat and was acceptable to God for atonement.

Samuel Wesley wrote, So artists melt the sullen ore of lead By heaping coals of fire upon its head; In the kind warmth, the metal learns to glow, And pure from dross, the silver runs below. Prov. 25:21-22 and footnote in Amplified Bible

Shield and Defender Psa. 138:8; Psa. 94; Prov. 26:2; Num. 23:8, 20-21; Matt. 5:44

Father, I thank You, You perfect that which concerneth me. You are my Shield and Defender, too, vengeance belongs to You. Father, I thank You, You contend with them that contend with me. You are my Shield and Defender, too— Father, I thank You...Father, I thank You. Father, I'm walking in the way of love, and the curse causeless cannot come. You have pronounced Your blessing on me. No one can curse what the Lord has blessed... The curse cannot come... and I thank You...and I thank You. I pray for them, dear Father, for they are precious to You. It's nice to be free, dear Father, casting the care over on You. Father, I thank You, You perfect that which concerneth me. You are my Shield and Defender, too— Father, I thank You...Father, I thank You. Father, I thank You...Father, I thank You... and I thank You...and I thank You .................

© 06/12/06. Written down by Carolyn Vardell, 04/04/79. Scribe hereby gives her permission for it to be freely reproduced and used for the glory of God; because Jesus said, "Freely you have received freely give." (Mt. 10:8) Amen.

You were given a wrong number... but it's the RIGHT number for you to find the present and the future that will be more wonderful than you have ever hoped or dreamed! You don't need a psychic -- what you need is the Saviour. His name is JESUS. He loved you so much that He was willing to die for you. If you will turn away from the life you've been living and turn your life over to Him, He will forgive you and cleanse you. He'll give you peace... and joy! Jesus has made the way for you to overcome EVERY obstacle in your path, to resist EVERY temptation, to be set free from EVERY bondage that has held you captive. He will set you free and make you whole. He will heal your mind, your emotions, your body, and your family. He died and arose again so you can be WHOLE. Jesus wants your past to be erased, your present to be victorious, and your future to be with Him forever. For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son ... Jesus that whosoever ... that's YOU believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus wants you to call upon Him... and He will answer you. He will save you from sin and make you brand new. ALL the old will be forgiven and everything about you will become new! What do you say?

John 3:16; Jeremiah 33:3; 2 Cor. 5:17

give you the right to train your children to serve him one night out of the year in the name of fun? That's what we do if we allow our families to participate in common Halloween practices. The Bible says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it" (Proverbs 22:6). How can we righteously instruct our children in the ways of Halloween when everything about Halloween is of the devil? The Bible says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). It further states, "Perfect love casteth out fear" (1 John 4:18). Does Halloween cause our children to be at peace, or does it cause them to become terribly afraid? Remember going through the "house of horror" at the Halloween carnival at our school or church when we were growing up and the fear that gripped us as we felt and heard all kinds of mysterious things? As adults today, maybe it's funny, but to a little child, it's terror that causes nightmares and very unpleasant memories when alone or in the darkness of night. The Bible says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord, `touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Why should Christians not honor Halloween? Because it is paying homage to the devil! It's the spirit behind Halloween which makes it wrong. "Have nothing to do with the fruitless

deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). "Do I not hate those who hate you, 0 Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, 0 God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalms 139:22-24). "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (James 4:17). "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ out Lord" (Romans 6:23). If we really desire to honor the Lord in our lives and family, then we must teach our children concerning the truth about Halloween, and provide them with an alternative to "trickortreating." Don't just take away the bad. Give them something to take its place that will honor the Lord instead of honoring the devil. God desires for children of all ages to have fun, but fun at the expense of serving the devil is not fun at all. Published by The Storehouse Church, Rt. 4, Box 555, Hattiesburg, MS 39402

Halloween -Its Origin and History Three hundred years before Jesus was born, a civilization of people called the Celtics lived throughout the British Isles, Scandinavia, and Western Europe. They were a common group, much like many segments of society today, but they were controlled by a secret society of priests and pagans called the Druids. The Druids were satanists who worshipped and served the demonic god of death, Samhain (pronounced Sa-man). These satanic priests literally controlled people's lives through the mechanism of fear, and much death, disease, and destruction came upon the Celtics as a result of the Druids and their practices. Each year on October 31st, the Druids celebrated the eve of the Celtic new year in honor of their pagan god, Samhain. The "Festival of Samhain," more accurately called "The Festival of Death," was officially known (and is still recognized today by all satanists, occultists, and devil worshippers) as the eve of the new year for witchcraft. Anton Lavey, author of "The Satanic Bible" and high priest of The Church of Satan, says there are 3 important days to satanists: 1) their birthday, 2) April 30th, and 3) the most important day -- HALLOWEEN. Lavey says it is on this night that satanic, occult, and witchcraft powers are at their highest potency level; and any witch or occultists who has been having difficulty with a spell or curse can usually achieve success on October 31st, because satan and his powers are at their best that night. October 31st, Halloween, is the eve of the new year for witchcraft. The World Book Encyclopedia says it is the beginning of all that is "cold, dark, and dead!" When you send your little children out to go "trick-or-treating," you're actually telling them to celebrate all that is cold, dark, and dead! Trick-or-Treat The Druid priests would go

from house to house demanding all sorts of strange foods for their own consumption and to offer later to "Lord Samhain" at "The Festival of Death." If the village people would not give them the foods demanded, they would speak a demonic curse over the home; and history claims that someone in that family would die within the year. Thus, you have "trick-or-treat." The Druids would carry with them a large turnip, which they had hollowed out on the inside and carved a face on the front, to represent the demonic spirit they depended upon for their power and knowledge. This spirit is called "a familiar spirit" (see Acts 16:16-18). The turnip, lighted by a candle from within, was used as a lantern for the Druids as they went from house to house at night. It was believed by the Druids that their familiar spirit would inhabit these turnips and assist them in carrying out the spells spoken over the homes and lives of those refusing the Druids' demands. When this practice came to America in the 18th and 19th centuries, turnips weren't that prominent, but we did have a vegetable native to this country that was soon substituted for the turnips. That's right -- the pumpkin. The name given to the spirit which inhabited the turnip was "Jock;" and upon arriving in America, it became "Jack, who lives in the lantern" or "Jack-0- Lantern." As you can clearly see, there is NOTHING Christian about Halloween. It is today what it has always been -- a day dedicated to the devil. How Did It Get Into The Church? When Constantine became Emperor of Rome, he made a law declaring Christianity (which was Catholicism at this particular time in history) to be the official state religion. Having been recently converted by a tremendous martyr of that time, Constantine was zealous in his new found faith and demanded as emperor that everyone become a Christian or face the penalty of death. This was the old "throw them to the lions" that the

Christians had been facing for years. Well, you can imagine what happened. The churches were flooded with pagans -- not converts, but rather pagan people forced to join the Catholic Church or lose their lives for defying the Emperor. As this happened, the priests and especially the Pope faced some serious problems. These people were bringing all their pagan practices and ideas into the church, including "The Festival of Samhain." They wanted -- no, demanded -- that this festival remain a part of their lives. Since the church was unsuccessful in getting the pagan practices out of the people, it was decided to sanctify some of them, especially this October 31st ritual called "The Festival of Samhain." In the 9th century, the Pope declared a new day to be celebrated by the church on November 1st, called All Saints' Day. This day is in honor of all the martyred saints of the church, and October 31st became the eve of All Saints' Day. Now, the church contended, the people could still have their festival on October 31st, because November 1st was a holy day. The Mass said on All Saints' Day is the "Allhallowmas." Over the years, the evening before became known as All Hallow's Eve...All Hallowed Eve...All Hallow E'en...and, fmally, Halloween. But, the problem was that nothing changed. The people didn't lay down their pagan rites and worship of devils for this "new eve" established by the church. They didn't have prayer meetings or worship services to thank Almighty God for the saints already gone. What it was in the beginning, it now still is. Halloween is a day that honors and promotes all that is cold, dark, and dead. When you start making preparations for a "Halloween Party," you don't go to the store and purchase pictures of Joan of Arc, the disciples of Jesus, or any other Christian saint. You look for ghosts, witches, black cats, ghouls, etc. Halloween is a day for devils, not saints. What the Pope attempted to do in the AD 800's

backfired, because in making "All hallowmas" holy, Halloween became recognized by the church as a religious holiday, and nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, all Halloween is, and ever will be, is "The Festival of Samhain," Lord of Death. Halloween has no roots in the Church, but is firmly rooted in the occult, witchcraft, and satanism. Doreen Irving, who was the ruling witch of Western Europe and the British Isles and was the mistress of the high priest of Satan over that same area, is now a born-again, Spirit-filled Christian! She says, "If Christian parents had any idea of what Halloween really is, they wouldn't even mention the word around their children!" What Should Our Position As A Christian Be? The most common complaints about anyone taking a stand against Halloween are: 1) "You're trying to take all the fun out of little children's lives," and 2) "You're trying to make something out of nothing, because we don't believe in that stuff." Now listen! Just because you don't believe in something does not mean that it's not real. I know some people who don't believe we've even landed a spaceship on the moon. They believe that those television pictures are just made up. But, tell me something -- does that change the fact that man has walked on the surface of the moon? Of course not! Facts are facts, regardless of what some people choose to believe. Just because you don't visualize Halloween as "really" demonic and as something dangerous to your life does not keep you or your children from Satan's intended desire, which is to instill FEAR! DEATH! DESTRUCTION! in people's minds. Think about it. What is Halloween besides fear, horror, ghosts, witches, goblins, and devils? Just because you don't "Worship Satan," does that