The Bible refers to Satan in many ways using many metaphors to give us an idea of his base character.
He is known as: the Tempter (Matthew 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:5); Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24); the Enemy (Matthew 13:39); the Evil One (Matthew 13:19, 38; 1 John 2:13-14; 3:12, 5:18); Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15); the Adversary (1 Peter 5:8); the Deceiver (Revelation 12:9); the Dragon (Revelation 12:3); Father of Lies (John 8:44); Murderer (John 8:44); Sinner (1 John 3:8); the Serpent of Old (Revelation 12:9; 20:2); the Prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30); the Prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2); the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4); the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2); the roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
The distinct personality of Satan and his activity among us should be obvious by this list of names/titles. So when Jesus said that the devil does not stand in truth for there is no truth in him and when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature for he is the father of lies, you can understand why we have a serious problem. Can you imagine that for ages the devil has been perfecting his ability to deceive mankind; he has tried every sort of lie and knows exactly what works.
2 Corinthians 4:4 says that he has blinded the eyes of unbelievers so they cannot see the truth. This should not surprise any of us. But what is surprising is the work of deception that he does in and amongst believers. In 2 Corinthians 11:14, we are told that he disguises himself as an angel of light, as do his servants who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. This is why I believe that his favorite and most cunning deed is to invade the church and speak his lies so loudly into our being that he literally prevents us from hearing or receiving the truth. And, if he can keep believers fixated on believing and living a lie then he succeeds in neutering the power of the gospel of Christ.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Learning to Believe and Live the Truth
If we believed we were truly desperate and needed His life in every area of our lives, a number of things in our life would be radically different:
1. We would believe first of all that human effort accomplishes nothing and that the Words of the Jesus are spirit and life (John 6:63). We would live as if the Word of God is our very living manna. We would be in the Word constantly because we know that it is the food for our New Creation and the very means by which faith is birthed into our lives (for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, Romans 10:17). The reason the Word is able to produce faith in our lives is because the battle we face is not about good verses bad behavior, but about truth verses error and we must know the truth in order to choose to live by truth. Besides, Jesus said that those who partake of His Word will truly live (John 6:57).
1. We would believe first of all that human effort accomplishes nothing and that the Words of the Jesus are spirit and life (John 6:63). We would live as if the Word of God is our very living manna. We would be in the Word constantly because we know that it is the food for our New Creation and the very means by which faith is birthed into our lives (for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, Romans 10:17). The reason the Word is able to produce faith in our lives is because the battle we face is not about good verses bad behavior, but about truth verses error and we must know the truth in order to choose to live by truth. Besides, Jesus said that those who partake of His Word will truly live (John 6:57).
2. We would gladly listen to the Words of God and no longer listen to the lies of the one who is the father of all who abide in darkness (John 8:42-47).
3. We would give no place of authority in our life to those who care more about honoring each other than they do honoring God (John 5:44; 7:16-18).
4. We would not let the temple of the Holy Spirit—our New Creation—be overrun with money changers, sheep, oxen and merchants (John 2:13-17). In other words, we would not be overtaken by false religious deeds that really just serve to satisfy the lusts and desires of our flesh. We would also not give place to those who try and sell us their spiritual wares (teachings) which are based on lies and falsehood that will trap us in the cycle of false Christian duty and service under the guise of “sacrifice.”
5. We would live as if Jesus is our living water and is sufficient to satisfy even our deepest needs. Most of us have developed so many coping mechanisms be it relationships, behaviors, addictions, religious service, and so on because we have not let Jesus be Lord of those areas in our soul where our deepest need screams. We would instead continually come to Jesus with all our pains trusting that he will be to us like a perpetual well of water that will always quench our thirst and which will never run dry. We would come to Him and drink trusting that He will provide not what we want, but what He knows that we need (John 4:10-14; 7:37-38).
6. We would pick up our matt and walk away, leaving no concessions “just in case” Jesus does not come through in the way that we want Him to provide for us, care for us, or lead us (John 5:8).
7. We would run from the darkness into the light and not always be stumbling around in the darkness not knowing what we should do, where we should go, or how things are to be done (John 3:21; 8:12).
8. We would believe that He is the I Am—the only one who can truly be our God (John 6:41; 8:24; 48).
9. We would live as if our nourishment comes only from doing the will of God and finishing His work (John 4:34).
10.We would quickly carry out the tasks assigned to us by the Father.
John 9:4-5
All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I am the light of the world.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
February 13th - Sunday followup
Hi Everyone,
These are the passages that Steve encouraged us to read and think on throughout the week.
Phil 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Col 3:1-4 (All of Chapter 3 was referenced)
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
I will be praying that each of us has the humility and strength to consider these things in our own lives. I know that it feels vulnerable to talk about yourself in terms of the intimacy of your individual walk with Christ, but I want to encourage anyone out there who feels comfortable to post a personal experience in regard to making these verses a reality in terms of your relationship with Jesus. It can be a praise to the Lord to encourage others or a request for prayer in a specific area keeping this truth from becoming a reality in your life. Either way feel free to step up and share.
I will be praying for all of you this week.
Sarah
These are the passages that Steve encouraged us to read and think on throughout the week.
Phil 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Col 3:1-4 (All of Chapter 3 was referenced)
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
I will be praying that each of us has the humility and strength to consider these things in our own lives. I know that it feels vulnerable to talk about yourself in terms of the intimacy of your individual walk with Christ, but I want to encourage anyone out there who feels comfortable to post a personal experience in regard to making these verses a reality in terms of your relationship with Jesus. It can be a praise to the Lord to encourage others or a request for prayer in a specific area keeping this truth from becoming a reality in your life. Either way feel free to step up and share.
I will be praying for all of you this week.
Sarah
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
January 29th - Temples
1 Peter 2:5-7
Come to Christ who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him. And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are God's holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ. As the Scriptures express it, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in him will never be disappointed. Yes, he is very precious to you who believe. But for those who reject him, the stone that was rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone."
Peter talks of the discarded stone as the piece that will ultimately complete and establish the temple as a whole. A cornerstone is absolutely critical to the structural integrity of a temple. The Temple of the Holy Spirit is not made of stone anymore but of the people who believe Jesus is who he says he is. We are those people. We are the temple. This verse humbles me so much as I consider the stones that I have used to build my identity and purpose in this life. Without Jesus, my life would be unstable and in fruitless ruin. The only reason I am a completed temple instead of a pile of stones is because Jesus Christ, my cornerstone, stabilizes and establishes all the pieces that are put together to make me who I am, a temple for the Holy Spirit.
Dear Jesus,
I ask that you would encourage all of us to walk the inner and outer courts of the temple within, circle the alter, and peer into the door that leads to the Holy of Holies. Help us to challenge the money changers of our temples with truth just as you challenged them in the flesh so long ago. Help all of us to draw closer and closer to you as we accept who you truly are in every area of who we are. Help us to meditate on this truth and allow it to penetrate deep into the roots and layers of our new creations so that we will become temples founded on truth and will bring glory to you. Amen.
p.s. if you have any prayer requests that you want people to be praying for, please feel free to post them. Love you guys. -Sar
Come to Christ who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him. And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are God's holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ. As the Scriptures express it, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem, a chosen cornerstone, and anyone who believes in him will never be disappointed. Yes, he is very precious to you who believe. But for those who reject him, the stone that was rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone."
Peter talks of the discarded stone as the piece that will ultimately complete and establish the temple as a whole. A cornerstone is absolutely critical to the structural integrity of a temple. The Temple of the Holy Spirit is not made of stone anymore but of the people who believe Jesus is who he says he is. We are those people. We are the temple. This verse humbles me so much as I consider the stones that I have used to build my identity and purpose in this life. Without Jesus, my life would be unstable and in fruitless ruin. The only reason I am a completed temple instead of a pile of stones is because Jesus Christ, my cornerstone, stabilizes and establishes all the pieces that are put together to make me who I am, a temple for the Holy Spirit.
Dear Jesus,
I ask that you would encourage all of us to walk the inner and outer courts of the temple within, circle the alter, and peer into the door that leads to the Holy of Holies. Help us to challenge the money changers of our temples with truth just as you challenged them in the flesh so long ago. Help all of us to draw closer and closer to you as we accept who you truly are in every area of who we are. Help us to meditate on this truth and allow it to penetrate deep into the roots and layers of our new creations so that we will become temples founded on truth and will bring glory to you. Amen.
p.s. if you have any prayer requests that you want people to be praying for, please feel free to post them. Love you guys. -Sar
Monday, January 21, 2008
January 21 - Ephesians 3:14-19
Hey everyone,
Steve asked me to maintain the Blog postings so that it could be a little more consistent and timely. Of course he will still be posting things periodically but I'll be doing a weekly posting that can keep everyone chatting in a current entry. Soooooooo, this is the first one! :)
Eph 3:14-19 When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
Hi everyone, this passage makes me speechless. These are Paul's words but it is truly God's desire that we could be completed in this way and even more that we would encourage eachother to pursue this path. Can you imagine if we all fell to our knees when we thought of the wisdom and scope of God's plan? What a glorious thing for God to see us doing. Praise the Lord!!
Steve asked me to maintain the Blog postings so that it could be a little more consistent and timely. Of course he will still be posting things periodically but I'll be doing a weekly posting that can keep everyone chatting in a current entry. Soooooooo, this is the first one! :)
Eph 3:14-19 When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.
Hi everyone, this passage makes me speechless. These are Paul's words but it is truly God's desire that we could be completed in this way and even more that we would encourage eachother to pursue this path. Can you imagine if we all fell to our knees when we thought of the wisdom and scope of God's plan? What a glorious thing for God to see us doing. Praise the Lord!!
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