This article is invaluable for believers that desire to amount to something and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

 

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17.

Feel free to copy and distribute free to bless other believers.

 

Praying For Patience!!!

 

The joke goes like this:  a man goes to his pastor and asks tells him how much he needs more patience and asks that the pastor pray for him in this matter.  The pastor agrees and suggests they have prayer right there.  As he prays, he prays that this man would have trials come into his life and have many struggles.  Right in the middle of the prayer, the man stops his pastor.  “That’s not what I asked for.” 

 

“Sure it is,” his pastor replied, “the way to patience is through just such trials.  Paul himself told us that tribulations work patience.”

 

If that’s the case,” the man answered, “I’ll be glad to wait a little longer to get it.”

 

1. Facts Everyone Should know About; That are based only on the Bible!

Every person longs for inner peace, but many are unable to find it.  There is only one way to find it.  Search the Word of God, the Bible.

The question is, Who is God?  In Genesis 1: 1 we read, “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.”  In the original Hebrew text the word God is in the plural, Elohim and not EL, the singular.  The plural form of God is used over two thousand times in the Old Testament.  In Genesis 1: 2 it says, “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  And in Genesis 2: 4 it says, “These are the generations of the Heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord (Jehovah) God made the earth and the Heavens”.  This tells us that God is triune: God the Father, the Lord (Jehovah), and the Holy Spirit.

 

Who is the Lord (Jehovah)?  His Hebrew Name is YHVH.  The Lord (Jehovah) is the Creator.  “For in six days the Lord (Jehovah) made Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day…”Exodus 20: 11, and also Isaiah 45: 8.  He is also called the Saviour. “I, even, I, am the Lord (Jehovah); and beside Me there is no saviour.” Isaiah 43: 11.  His Name is also Son.  “Serve the Lord (Jehovah) with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way… “Psalms2: 11, 12.

 

In the first three verses of Psalm 2 the heathen and the kings of the earth take council together against the Lord (Jehovah) and in verse four we read, “He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh: the Lord (Adonai) shall have them in derision”.  The word Adonai always refers to God, and in verses five to twelve God is the One who speaks.  In verse six He says, “Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.”  The literal translation of verse seven is as follows: I will declare of the statute of Jehovah, He said to me: My Son; you are, I today have begotten you.  This agrees with verse eleven and twelve.  It is God who speaks and not Jehovah.

 

This is verified by Acts 13: 33: “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee”.  This has reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  This is positive proof that Jehovah is Jesus Christ.  God has only one Son.  “I am the Lord (Jehovah) and there is none else”.  Isaiah 45: 6, also 21 and Isaiah 44: 6, 8.

 

Jesus is called God, Emmanuel… God with us”.  Matthew 1: 23.  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God”.  John 1: 1.  Verse fourteen proves that the Word is Jesus.  Also “and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life”.  1 John 5: 20.  Jesus is also called the Creator.  “All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.”  John 1: 3.  See also 1 Corinthians 8: 6; Colossians 1: 15; Hebrews 1: 10.

 

Why did Jesus Christ have to die on the cross?  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.  Romans 3: 23.  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”.  1 John 1: 8.  “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”.  Romans 6: 23.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3: 16.  Confess your sin, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”  Romans 10: 13.

When one really believes in Jesus, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.”  Romans 8: 16.  To be a victorious Christian one has to be obedient to the Word of God, read it daily and pray.

“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ “.  1 Corinthians 15: 57.

 

2. The Seven Myths of Education

 

 INTRODUCTION: Modern society universally acclaims the benefits of education.  We all know that “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.”  And we know that you waste that mind by not giving it a college education.  We encourage our children to get all the education they can and stress the importance of finishing their degrees.  “Whatever you do, get a good education.”

Many think that scripture places the same importance on education as we do today.  Yet, the Bible sees two sides of the picture.  God’s people are told to get knowledge, understanding and wisdom in large quantities.  “Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Prov.4:7).  But the knowledge and wisdom God desires is founded on the “fear of the LORD” (Prov.1:7; 9:10). 

 

The Bible teaches the existence of two kinds of wisdom.  The wisdom God’s wants is “the wisdom that is from above” (Jas.3:17).  According to James, this wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of mercy and good fruits.  Yet, He also warns of the second kind of wisdom.  It descends “not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish” (Jas.3:15).

 

The importance God gave to His wisdom has been transferred to all knowledge.  So we now have college classes where the students study and practice their skill at writing pornographic stories.  We have public schools that spend their greatest energies molding the students into their concept of the perfect citizen of the world.  We have an education system that does not educate.

 

How did this happen?  It happened because we bowed at the feet of the goddess called “Education.”  We decided that all learning, of any kind, was equally good.  We accepted seven myths of education of which we were warned (many centuries ago) in the Bible.  Here are those seven myths.

 1.       That Education Can Be Bought With Money

Parents spend thousands of dollars so their children can get an education.  I have seen numerous people who did not mind spending the money for a degree but had to get it quick and easy or else.  (Degree mills are fed by those who want the piece of paper without giving the personal effort.)  But a true education cannot be purchased with money.  God says it best:

 

“Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?” – Proverbs 17:16

True learning requires a person to give their heart to it.  It does not come because you attend class, or cram and pass a test or even because you receive a degree.  You gain wisdom and learning by diligent application of the heart and mind to the subject at hand.  Proverbs 18:1 describes the process of true learning:

“Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”

Notice the four steps to wisdom as taught by this verse: 

 Desire: You must have a desire to learn.  Without this, you are wasting your time.  Learning is hard work.  Without the desire, you will not do the work.

 Separation: Learning requires separation: separation from other people and separation from other duties.  You must be prepared to spend time alone if you would be wise.  We try to make learning a social experience.  And, of course, you can learn much in classrooms or in conversation with others.  However, wisdom cannot be gained by social learning alone.  At some point, you have to separate and learn with no one else around.  Wisdom is given to the man who is alone with his thoughts, his books and his God.

  Seeking: Wisdom must be sought before it can be found.  You cannot catch it as you would the flu.  You do not find it by looking for something else.  You must seek it.  You must be earnest in your search.  You must seek it until you find it.  God says this about Himself:

  “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13

 Saturation:  The one who would be wise must intermeddle with all wisdom (Prov.18:1).  In other words, you must intermingle your very being and mind with God’s wisdom in order to attain unto it.  It must become a part of who you are.  In godly wisdom, you learn to think the thoughts of God.  You “let the word of Christ dwell in you in all wisdom” (Col.3:16).  In other learning, you do the same.  You intermeddle with it until it becomes you.

 

Education cannot be purchased with dollars and cents.  It must be purchased with determination, time and application. 

2.                    That Education Leads to Self-Understanding

Many go to school for self-discovery.  They want to know who they really are.  This helps to explain the popularity of self-analysis tests and self-help books.  As a society, we are obsessed with finding out who we are.  We want to understand our feelings, our needs, our desires, our personality.  Yet this longing did not begin with our generation.  Three thousand years ago, Solomon proclaimed:

“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” – Proverbs 18:2

 

Folk-wisdom has it that most who major is psychology in college do so in order to find out what is wrong with themselves.  I wonder how close that is to absolute truth.  Yet God tells us that we will not discover ourselves in the halls of education.  We will more likely lose ourselves.  God wants us to be little concerned about discovering ourselves (a disappointment if ever there was one) and to be much concerned about discovering Him.  To know God is the heart of true wisdom.  To know self is the errand of fools.

3.       That Education Can Be Finished

Many think that they are going to get their education and then spend the rest of their life using it.  But experience demonstrates and the Bible teaches that our learning never reaches a stage of completion.  There is always more to learn.  Solomon told us this:

 

“And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” – Ecclesiastes 12:12

In the time known as the Renaissance (14^th-16^th century Europe), when books were still scarce and knowledge was just beginning to open up, some men attempted to master all known truth.  They were called Renaissance men.  But soon they learned that no man could be master of every field.  Of the making of books there would be no end. 

If you would be wise, your education is not completed when you receive a degree.  If your education was adequate, you will have received the foundational truths of your field and will have the means by which you may continue to learn.  However, you will not be master, even of your chosen field, much less of all truth.  True seekers of wisdom never cease to learn.  They know that they are on a journey that never ends and that never reaches its destination.

4.       That Education Leads to Happiness

By God’s own testimony, Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived.  As such, he determined to know all wisdom.  He declared, “I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven” (Eccl.1:13).  The greatest mind gave years of his life in pursuing the greatest height of knowledge and wisdom.  Yet, in the end, Solomon came to a solemn conclusion:

 

“And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” – Ecclesiastes 1:17-18

 

Do you believe that if only you had a better education you could be truly happy?  If you do, you are wrong.  Increased knowledge and wisdom is more likely to leave a happy man depressed than give a sad man peace.  Education reveals the futility of man and his schemes to make the world any better.  Education removes hope and replaces it with a scoffer’s heart; it removes faith and replaces it with a skeptic’s insecurity. 

At this point, I must remind you that God is not anti-intellectual or against learning.  Study the book of Proverbs.  You will see that He greatly exalts godly learning.  However, He does speak against the empty wisdom of this world (1Cor.1:20-21).  Education that is not founded on the fear of the Lord brings emptiness and sorrow.  Make sure that you seek the wisdom of God.

5.       That Education Leads to Goodness

Much of the socialism of Europe and America has been based on the myth that education automatically creates good citizens.  An educated person does not harm his neighbor, does not steal from his employer, does not deal in drugs.  And, though time and experience has proven this myth false, scripture spoke of the danger of education centuries ago. 

“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” – Isaiah 47:10

People can actually be perverted by knowledge and wisdom.  Instead of making them good, it can lead them astray.  We see this today in the perverting influence of our public schools and colleges.  Many young people are taken away from God and goodness by their education.  Although the right kind of education will be a great blessing, all forms of education are not the same.

6.       That Education Leads to Humility

This myth is more prevalent among scholars themselves than it is among common people.  However, there is a myth that increased knowledge brings greater humility.  The reasoning goes like this.  One who has learned many things knows better how much there is to know and therefore understands his ignorance more than those less knowledgeable.  This learning humbles him.

As with many lies, this myth has a little truth in it.  Increased knowledge does reveal better the vastness of truth and brings certain awe to the scholar.  However, it does not keep him from comparing himself with others less knowledgeable and feeling superior to them.  Read what the Apostle Paul said:

 

“Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge.

Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” – 1Corinthians 8:1

Knowledge puffs up its possessor with pride.  “How could they be sodumb!  That’s such an easy thing to know.”  Again, the correction is to base all knowledge on the fear of the Lord.  Our fear of God keeps us humble, not our knowledge.

7.       That Education Leads to God’s Truth

A popular saying among evangelicals is that all truth is God’s truth.  This statement is true as far as it goes.  But, for some, it leads to false conclusions.  If this concept means that you judge all other truth by the revelation of truth in God’s word, then your conclusions will be correct.  However, if you use this maxim to force man’s ideas on God, you will be led down the wrong path. 

 

The crux of the matter is in your authority for truth.  If your authority is man’s scientific or philosophical reasoning and you use this maxim to correct the Bible, then you are wrong.  If you accept God’s word as absolute, then all other truth will be subservient to it.

 

Universal education in England and America was established so that all people could read the Bible for themselves.  But education long ago left its original foundations.  It does not lead to God’s truth but is now designed to lead people away from God.  Paul spoke of those who were ever “learning,and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Tim.3:7). 

 

We deal with this today.  Many are continually learning but are not coming any closer to the truth.  The god of education leads men astray and makes them faithful servants of the god of this world.

 

CONCLUSION:  The solutions to the dangers of education have already been answered in the body of this article.  Fear the Lord first.  Then base all knowledge on this recognition of His preeminence.  Bring desire and determination to your search for wisdom.  Submit all truth to the truth of God’s word.  Take hold of this kind of wisdom with all your might.  Use the truth God gives you to exalt and serve Him.  By this, God will be pleased and will grant you greater wisdom.

Education does not cure all ills or change man for the better.  Only God can do that.  Education, like music, is a tool.  It can be founded on biblical truths and used for God’s glory.  Or, it can be used to pervert God’s truth and excuse the sins of men.  Make sure you keep your education in submission to God and His word.  Never fall for the myths of education.

3.Faith and Our Suffering

Why?

Let’s address perhaps the most universal question in the Christian faith, “Why, God?” She points to life events that can rock the faith of even the most devoted among us. And in every case, the answer is the same. Our response to God must be to trust Him. Not for a specific answer that we are sure would be perfect for us, but because He loves us and is always working in us and for us. His answer is to trust Him because He is trustworthy and He knows the big picture. Anne says, “When the pain is sharp and the doubt is deep and it’s impossible to see the sense of it all, the only response that will carry you through is to trust God.”

Personal Experience

Anne’s encouragement to other believers is not made up of empty platitudes. She refers often to an 18-month period in her own life not long ago when she “went through a cluster of storms that left [her] emotionally gasping for breath.” A hurricane downed 102 trees in her yard, a fire consumed her husband’s dental office, her oldest son was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery, the health of both of Anne’s parents faltered, and a contractor made off with all the remodelling money from the Lotzs and did NONE of the work. Not only were all these negative circumstances occurring, but Anne’s three children were each being married during the same time frame. Anne was on what could have been a deadly spiritual and emotional roller coaster ride. She learned afresh how to look into the face of the One who loves her and trust.

Anne’s understanding of real trust in God started early in life. Unanswered prayers that she and others had poured out before the Lord for long seasons caused her to begin asking the big “why” questions of God. She found that the path led her to ask God about those painful and difficult questions related to all types of suffering.

The Importance of the Word and a Promise

A gift from Anne’s mother has been used repeatedly over the years to help her through the painful times. The book called Daily Light is a collection of Scriptures on each page, one for each day of the year. Since age 10, Anne has used this daily collection as part of her daily devotions. Anne knows that to get through the fiery, painful times with trust in the Lord, you need to know what His promises are to you. Often the Scriptures on a given day have been just the ones to encourage her to trust for that day. However you go about it, getting into the Word to hear and know God’s promises is crucial to living through times when you simply don’t understand. On the day of her son’s cancer surgery, Anne read the promises of God and was overcome with His presence and peace regardless of the outcome.

Answering the Tough Questions

Anne offers a compassionate and scripturally rich explanation of how we are to live through and even grow through the bad times in our lives.

Let’s see the accounts of Lazarus’ death and resurrection and the Hebrew boys in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace to teach and challenge us at the same time. “Don’t you think those boys begged God to deliver them out of bondage and send them home? Don’t you imagine they were doing everything they knew to do and doing it right? And still God didn’t answer. Instead He allowed them to face the fires of the superheated furnace.” She asks, “Are you facing a superheated furnace? What God wants is for you to look full in the face of Jesus. Get your focus off whatever it is that appears to be unanswered and focus on the Son.”

Whether God delivers you as He did Shadrach and his friends or resurrects the death in your life like Lazarus, or whether He, by His own intimate presence with you, provides grace to endure, He does it all with your best interest and spiritual wholeness in mind.

An Ailment in the Church

Anne believes our churches give refuge to a large number of saints who have allowed a pattern to overtake their lives. She says unanswered prayer gives way to hurt, hurt to resentment, and resentment to taking up an offence against God. That offence leads to anger, and anger finally results in bitterness. This is a barrier then between the believer and his or her God. At the beginning of such a cycle, you must get your eyes off “self” and get them on God and who God is. Believe there is a greater purpose, and as it is best for you, He will reveal it to you.

When it is finally all about Him, peace will come, and along with it, real freedom. She says that when you are in this downward spiral, “lay down” before God and give yourself up to Him. Anne says she experiences a great sense of personal security when at last she “lays down”.

Anne pinpoints our tendency to doubt: doubt in God’s love, doubt that He would intervene in our life’s, doubt that He personally cares one-on-one for us. And she speaks to the doubt when she encourages us to hear God’s answer — not “because!” but “I AM…”.”I am with you. I know what I’m doing. I love you with an everlasting love. Trust Me!”

 

THE PROCESS / MINISTRY OF PERSONAL DELIVERANCE.

 

Obadiah 1:17 says, “But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.” 

Joel 2:32 says, ” And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalemshall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.”

Luke 4:18 says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal thebrokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

Matthew 10:1 says, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

Mark 6:13 says, “And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”

Mark 16:17 says, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”

Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

Isaiah 10:27 says, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.”

 

THE PROCESS OF PERSONAL DELIVERANCE.

 

When you understand self deliverance, you will keep yourself from being demonized; you will keep yourself healthy, physically and spiritually and be free from demonic pollution.  Everyday, you will enjoy divine health and will not be spending your money on drugs and hospital bills.

Sometimes, there may be no minister who is anointed and knowledgeable about deliverance to help you. Sometimes, you can be heavily attacked in your dream and the next service is about four days away.  What do you do? You should never allow evil spirits to reside in your life.  If you lack adequate time to do a self-deliverance in the mornings, after your quiet time, then, when you’re having your bath, you could do it.

 

Our environment is such that there are many evil spirits moving around and if you are not regularly cleaning your house, they may lodge there; your level of education not withstanding.  If a whole university professor could carry a ritual sacrifice because he needed promotion, then education is irrelevant.

 

Let’s learn a few lessons now before we go into the actual practice.

A demon is a spirit, which means it’s like a wind or breath. Most evil spirits leave through the breathing passage or by any opening in the body. This is why sometimes when prayers are hot some people begin to pass out gas or emit bad odour. Now when an ambulance wants to go through a busy area and blares its siren, the purpose is to clear the traffic so as to expedite the passage of the ambulance.

Therefore, when praying for self-deliverance, you should keep quiet after the prayer before ejecting those evil spirits.  This is why at times we ask people to breath in and out.  If you are praying or speaking at this time, the spirit will not go out because you have not opened the way for it.

The next lesson you must learn is this: demons can come out by simple breathing, coughing, choking, yawning, vomiting, etc.  The manifestations vary according to the person and the spirit involved.  All the spirits that are not deeply rooted, depart easily, but those deeply entrenched, will require more time and effort to go.  The more stubborn ones will require the help of other believers.  Even when they are that strong, and you continue to wound them daily, they will eventually be mortally wounded.

 

Also, know that if multiple spirits are responsible for one problem, all of them must be removed before total victory is assured.  One thing is certain, with every inch of ground grabbed from the devil, you will notice a definite improvement in your life.  This is certain.  Once the spirit leaves you, there will be a change in you.

Also, remember that an evil spirit must have a legal ground for staying in a person’s life.

The purpose of all these information is to enable you to do a self-deliverance at home for yourself.

The process of self-deliverance is carried out in stages. Let’s go through them one by one.

 Step ONE

Start with praise worship. You can sing songs to praise God and to worship Him.

Step TWO

Confess out loud Scriptures promising deliverance. Let us run through a few of them:

·                     Luke 10:19,

·                     Ephesians 1:7,                                               

·                     Romans 16:20,

·                     Revelation 12:11,

·                     Colossians 2:14, 15,

·                     Galatians 3:13, 14,

·                     Psalm 91:3.

·                   2 Tim. 4:18 has this to say:

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

You must at least memorize this one – 2 Tim. 4:18.

Step THREE

Break covenants and curses to destroy their legal hold. You pray a simple prayer like this:

I break any curse working against me or I break any covenant working against me, in the name of Jesus.

Simple prayer with much result.

Step FOUR

Bind all the spirits associated with those covenants and curses like this:

I bind all the spirits attached or connected to the curses and covenants I have just broken, in the name of Jesus.

Step FIVE

Lay one hand on your head and the other on your stomach or navel and begin to pray like this:

Holy Ghost fire, burn from the top of my head to the sole of my feet, in the name of Jesus.

Begin to mention every organ of your body; kidney, liver, intestine, blood, etc.  You must not rush at this level. Lay your hands on areas that the Spirit of God leads you to.  Do not be afraid if you notice that you are swaying or staggering, etc.

Step SIX

Then begin to saturate yourself with the blood of Jesus. You do this by saying:

Blood of Jesus, enter into my spirit, soul and body.

Next you say:

I drink the blood of Jesus.

This must continue until you have a release in your spirit to stop.

Step SEVEN

It is now, that you are able to demand firmly, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that any spirit that is not of God should leave you. You demand it forcefully like this:

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I come against all you hidden spirits and I bind your activities in my life. You can no longer hide below the surface because I now recognize what you have been doing; release me, in the name of Jesus.

If sickness is the problem, address it and say,

You spirit of infirmity, I speak to you directly, get out of my life now. I am redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, come out and go now. Go out with every breath by the power of the Holy Spirit. I prevail over you, in the name of Jesus.

At this point, you stop talking; open your mouth and nose and begin tobreath in and out.  Take about three to seven deep breaths, and expel them forcefully through your mouth and nose. You may be surprised that strange things will begin to happen.  Repeat this stage again and again.  This will help you to flush out any deposit or impurity within your body.  You may notice that you are coughing, yawning, sneezing, sweating or shedding tears, but continue and do not loose your concentration.

Step EIGHT

When you have finished the expulsion stage, you then ask for a fresh in-filling of the Holy Spirit and close the session with praises.

When you are attacked in your dream, rise up and go through the stages I have already mentioned. (Our book “Victory Over Satanic Dreams” can help you further.)

Self-deliverance keeps you from getting sick; it removes every evil seed of the enemy; it charges your body with fire. It uproots evil plantations and builds up your confidence.

Every night before you go to bed, you must remember these three important prayer points.

1.         Pray that the walls of fire should surround you. The Bible says:

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her (Zec. 2:5).

2.         Pray for cover with the blood of Jesus.

Rev 12:11: “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.”

3.  Also pray that the angels of God should surround you.

Ps 34:7: “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

 

No matter how sleepy you are, make sure you pray these three prayer points every night.

There is no reason why self-deliverance should not be effective.  However, if the person seeking deliverance is under stubborn demonic control or hereditary strongman and lacks sufficient faith or authority to defeat the oppressors or living in any known sin, the evil spirits will defend what they think is their right.

One final word of caution.

1.  For a person to be delivered, he must want deliverance.  Self-deliverance must not be done because of pride, shyness, the fear of possible public embarrassment, etc.  Your motive for engaging in self-deliverance has to be pure.

Remember, deliverance is a process and the length of time it takes depends on several things viz:

·        the length of time the spirit has stayed inside a person,

·        the strength and reinforcement of the spirit,

·        the experience and degree of anointing upon those who are ministering the deliverance,

·        the willingness of the person being delivered to be free,

·        the knowledge of the word of God and your level of hatred for sin.

2.  For self-deliverance to be very effective, a great deal of self-discipline is necessary.

3.  Also, remember that bondage can be weak or strong.  A weak hold can be broken quickly, whereas a stronghold may take a longer time. You will not realize the strength of a bondage until you faithfully and persistently work on it. You must remember that a foothold can graduate to a stronghold if left unaddressed.

 

MARRIAGE ARTICLES

PROSPERITY FOR YOUR MARRIAGE.

Genesis 2:18 says, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

Genesis 2:21-25 says, “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

Matthew 19:1-9 says, “And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaeabeyond Jordan; 2And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. 3The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whosomarrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

1 Cor. 7:27 says, “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.”

Malachi 2:14-16 says, “Yet ye say, wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”

Proverbs 14:1 says, “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”

Proverbs 31:10-12, 23 says, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.”

Anyone who wants to enjoy a peaceful will need to understand the purpose and plan of God for marriage and the home.  The home is a church within a church, a republic within a republic, a world within a world.  If things go right there, they go right everywhere.  If things go wrong there, they go wrong everywhere.  The home is the foundation of the church and the state. The home is the bedrock of civilization.  Every phase of human life has its foundation in the home.  It is the nursery school and training ground for all humanity.  These days, the home is under serious attack.  The devil’snumber one enemy is the godly home.  The home is therefore a primary target of the devil.  The Devil started his attack right from the Garden ofEden.  He has concentrated destructive forces on the home.  Unfortunately many are complying with satanic strategies in the home.  He has converted many homes to houses.  So, these days, homes are disintegrating, society is falling and lives are blown into pieces.  My prayer is that, God may stir up righteous indignation within you for violent prayers through this Prayer Program. 

The devil understands that a successful marriage depend two things:

Finding the right person

Being the right person.

Are you experiencing turbulence in your marital life?

Is your marriage a nightmare? 

Then this Program is for you. 

It is my prayer that the good Lord shall certainly use this program to turn situation around in your marriage.

 

Marital Problems?

 

God’s Answer Concerning Marital Problems

Ephesians 4:31-32

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Genesis 2:18

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Genesis 2:24

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Ephesians 5:21-33

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

I Peter 3:1-11

1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adornedthemselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Joshua 24:15

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Romans 13:10

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Psalms 101:2

2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 10:12

12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

I Peter 1:22

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

 

Personality Test.

 

“In my PERSONAL QUEST of ministry to couples/Singles, I’ve never come across a personality test, this accurate or as helpful as our new Personality Profile. I promise it will blow you away!”

 

The personality inventory you take is not like a test you fail or pass. It’s more like a fingerprint that shows your tendencies. Tendencies can change, unlike fingerprints. Discovering your personality tendencies in relationships helps to show where your strengths and weaknesses exist.
Each of us has these personality strengths in combinations, which are variable and adjustable. They need to be brought into balance. Therefore, the goal of this session is to honour your personality strengths and help you understand where you are “out of balance” in terms of your personality. I’ve found that our greatest personal strengths–when pushed out of balance–become our greatest weakness. For instance, let’s say that your strength is that you have tremendous enthusiasm; this becomes a weakness as your enthusiasm turns into manipulation or obnoxious behaviour.
If a particular character trait of yours is too extreme, to the point that it irritates your mate or your children, you can decide to decrease that trait and increase the characteristics of other traits.
Let’s take a closer look at four different personality (colour) types to bring oneness, satisfaction and harmony to your relationship.

1.Captain

Relational Strengths: Takes charge. Problem solver. Competitive. Enjoys change. Confrontational

Strengths Out of Balance: Too direct or impatient. Too busy. Cold blooded.

Communication Style: Direct or blunt.  One-way. Weakness: Not as good a listener

Relational Needs: Personal attention & recognition for what they do. Areas where he or she can be in charge. Opportunity to solve problems. Freedom to change. Challenging activities.

Relational Balance: Add softness. Become a great listener.

2.Social Director

Relational Strengths: Optimistic. Energetic. Motivators. Future oriented.

Strengths Out of Balance: Unrealistic or day- dreamer. Impatient or over bearing. Manipulator or pushy. Avoids details or lacks follow-through.

Communication Style: Can inspire others. Optimistic or enthusiastic. One-way.

Weakness: High energy can manipulate others.

Relational Needs: Approval. Opportunity to verbalize. Visibility. Social recognition..

Relational Balance: Be attentive to mate’s needs. There is such a thing as too much optimism.
3.Steward

Relational Strengths: Warm & Relational. Loyal. Enjoys Routine.Peacemaker. Sensitive Feelings.

Strengths Out of Balance: Attract the hurting. Missed opportunities. Stays in a rut. Sacrifice own feelings for harmony. Easily hurt or holds a grudge.

Communication Style: Indirect. Two-way. Great listener. Weakness: Uses too many words or provides too many details.

Relational Needs:  Emotional security. Agreeable Environment.

Relational Balance: Learn to say “NO” establish emotional boundaries. Learn to confront when own feelings are hurt.

4. Navigator

Relational Strengths:  Accurate and precise. Quality control. Discerning.Analytical.

Strengths Out of Balance:  Too critical or too strict. Too controlling. Too negative of new opportunities.

Lose overview. Easily hurt or holds a grudge.

Communication Style:  Factual. Two-way. Great listener (tasks). Weakness: Desire for detail and precision can frustrate others.

Relational Needs: Quality. Exact expectations.

Relational Balance:  Total support is not always possible. Thorough explanation isn’t everything.

 

 

DO YOU KNOW THE ART OF COMMUNICATING IN YOUR HOME?

 

 

Text: “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3: 8-10).

 

Our subject is entitled “Communication in the Home”.  It seems that virtually all writers in this field are agreed that perhaps the most important factor in developing a happy home is the matter of communication.  Dr. Jay Adams, in an excellent book on the subject, has a chapter entitled “Communication Comes First.”  It was the first thing in this universe, wasn’t it?  We read that in the beginning God said …God spoke -and it was done.  We find that Christ is described as the eternal logos, or the word that became flesh.  It is interesting to note that of all of the creatures on this planet, only man has been given the power to speak.  It is obvious that this, then, is going to be vitally important to our relationship in our home.  In fact, any sort of inter-personal relationship is going to depend upon communication, whether it be between nations, neighbours, parents and children, or husbands and wives.  Communication is vital.  In fact, it is probably much more important than most of us realise.  Osborne, a marriage counsellor for many years, that in examine the results of many years of marital counselling, he discovered that the major source of marital problems with women was that their husbands did not communicate with them or listen to them.  Communication comes first.

 

It is interesting to note in the epistle to the Ephesians in which Paul deals at some length with the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants, and the matter of inter-personal relationships, that before he gets to this he has a rather thorough discussion about the matter of communication as being primary and foundational.  He deals, in chapter five, with husbands and wives, but in the fourth chapter he says that we are to speak the truth in love.  This is the basic foundation rock upon which inter-personal relationships are to be formed at any level between any rational, sentient beings.  That is not always easy to do.  Some people pride themselves upon the fact that they always speak the truth; they tell it as it is.  In fact, they call a spade a spade.  I have noticed over the years in talking with people who make that statement that it is always other people’s spades that they are talking about.  They may speak the truth, but they are about as loving as a bucketful of hydrochloric acid.  Maybe you have known such people; perhaps it is your unpleasant circumstance to be married to one.  Speak the truth in love.

 

There are other people who try to be loving and yet they do not speak the truth.  They feel that this would be hurting someone and therefore they cannot tell the truth about their feelings in some situations.  We are to speak the truth in love and any deep personal relationship must be based upon complete honesty toward one another.  Probably one of the main reasons there are not only problems in marriages, but also that they have progressed to a certain level of relationship and never grow deeper and more intimate, is the fact that there is so much of the iceburg under the water.  There is so much that is never said because it might hurt.

 

We all are aware today that there is great emphasis in psychological circles on what is known as ventilation, which simply means that you just let it all hang out.  You say whatever you feel.  We have a lot of encounter groups and various others that get together and just let it all hang out and vibrate.  If they are filled with wrath and indignation at someone across the table, they just give them a tongue-lashing and excoriate them.  It is certainly popular, but I do not think it is Biblical.  The Bible says we are supposed to speak the truth in love; and Paul goes on to say that what we are to do is to be done for the edifying of, for the building up of people. Furthermore, we are not to be merely concerned as to how it makes us feel, but we are also to have concern as to how it makes other people feel. We are not to speak the truth in anger; we are to speak the truth in love. We go to one extreme or the other.  It seems that we either don’t speak the truth at all, or if we do, we ventilate our hostile feelings on another person.

 

God has another way of our dealing with these emotions as we bring them to Jesus Christ.  In Ephesians 4 we are told that we have heard the truth as it is in Jesus.  In verse 25 we are admonished with these words: “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another ……….. let not the sun go down upon your wrath”.

 

Because we are one, we are therefore to speak the truth one to another. Also we are told, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers”.  Further, we are told that “fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, ….”.-and the content of our speech is described.  It says, “For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret“.  But rather we are told what our speech should be about: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

 

Before Paul even begins to deal with husbands and wives, he deals with the fact of communication.  It is to be the truth; it is to be open; it is to be in love; it is to be edifying; it is to be clean; it is to be wholesome; it is to be joyful.  Is this the type of communication that takes place in your home?

 

If we look at the components of any situation of communication, it is obvious we have, first of all, the matter of speaking.  The Bible has a lot to say about talking-when to talk and when not to talk, what to say and what not to say.  In the Book of James we read about the sins of the tongue, which is likened to a small rudder that can steer a great ship, and we see that the little rudder (the tongue), has steered many a marriage onto the reefs of destruction.  There are many kinds of sins of the tongue that the Bible forbids.  It forbids cursing and profanity, which certainly minister unwholesome, pernicious and harmful attitudes in any home.  It is interesting to note that profanity is the only sin, the only breach of the Decalogue, for which there is no temptation.  There is no temptation to take God’s name in vain.  You would not take your mother’s name and use it as a curse word.  It is an indication of the total depravity of mankind, and in the Old Testament it was punished by death.

 

Furthermore, we notice that we the scribes copied the Bible, they would change their pens before they would write one of the names of God.  When they came to the incommunicable name of God, the ineffable name of Yahweh-Jehovah-they changed their pens, they changed their clothes, they bathed, they prayed, they confessed their sins and meditated, and then they wrote that name, the Tetragrammation.  Yet today, how frequently we hear this name bandled about; and God has said that He will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  We incur the anger and wrath of God when we take His name in vain.  If we lived in Old Testament times and the sin was as rampant as it is today, our arms would be tired from stoning people to death.

 

Bitterness and wrath are sins that the Bible frequently speaks about. Complaining is to give way to thanksgiving; anger is to give way to joy. Criticizing and faultfinding are probably two of the most damaging sins of the tongue that are found in the home.  It has been found by psychologists that children who are continually criticised, rarely turn out to be healthy emotionally when they grow up.  For some people, criticism and faultfinding has become a way of life.  They even consider it a virtue.  They do not realise that the Bible continually commands us to judge not that we be not judged.  And yet innumerable marriages have been ruined by this type of backbiting.  If you were to examine the conversation that goes on between people in many homes, you would find that very often it deals with some absent partly, someone who is not there, and frequently it is not flattering. Are you a backbiter?  The Bible says that God hates a backbiter. Someone wrote that backbiting is to another person what a knife is to the back.  And God says that He hates it and the person who does it.

 

Perhaps you wonder why people do not open up to you?  I remember at one time a person saying that he was concerned because other people did not open up to him.  And yet many times I have heard this person backbiting against other people.  People are not so stupid!  If a person is knocking someone else in your presence, what is he doing behind your back?  So they just stay quiet.  You don’t tell all your secrets to a rattlesnake.

 

Another sin of the tongue is sarcasm – saying the right things in the wrong tone of voice.  The person who says “thank you” when he didn’t like something – “Thanks a lot, I appreciate your help”.  Or the person who says, “You’re welcome,” when you didn’t say “thank you”.

 

Silence is another sin of the tongue.  God didn’t make us to be clams.  He made us to speak.  I have seen weddings that looked like the joining together of a chatterbox and a sphinx.  There is no communication that takes place in a marriage like that.  Communication is a two-way process. Sometimes a wife like this will complain that her husband doesn’t talk to her.  He’s been trying to get a word in edgewise for thirty years and hasn’t succeeded yet!  He’s given up trying.  When she wants his opinion, she’ll give it to him!  When you want to know what he thinks, she’ll tell you!  Just recently I heard of a marriage that broke up when this situation existed and the wife seemed to be totally oblivious to it.

 

We need to learn to speak and open up; we also need to learn when to be quiet and to listen.  The Scripture has something to say about that.  It says that the person who answers a matter before he has heard it out, for him it is folly and shame.  How many of us have been guilty of interrupting a person before he finished his sentence?  The Scripture also says that we should be quick to hear.  Most of us are quicker to speak that we are to hear.  There is great power in the listening ear.  I am more and more convinced that communication is more involved with the ear than it is with the tongue-the awesome power of the listening ear.

 

There are several types of listeners.  What kind are you?  There is the type that never stops what they are doing when you come in to tell them something.  If they are working on the car, they are still working on the car; all of which says,” What you’re saying may be all right but it certainly doesn’t demand my attention”.  If they are washing the dishes, they continue to wash the dishes.  Then there are those who may stop what they are doing with their body, but their eyes are still lilting all around the house.  They’re keeping things going with their eyes, and you know that you don’t have their attention.  And thirdly, there are the persons who look at you and stop what they are doing, but they are the grunters-uh, yeah, huh, oh, ah-and that’s all you get from them.  It is sort of like talking to a frog.  Certainly no real communication takes place.  The mother who stopped the cooking when her five-year-old child came running into the kitchen with a four-leaf clover, listened to the story, examined it with her child, and showed interest and concern, is an example of a person who is a real listener.

 

Some of us are like automobile gas tanks.  We are so full of ourselves and our own ideas, our own plans, and what we’re doing, that when others try to put anything in, it splashes in their face.  Other people, like the lady I just mentioned, are more like siphons; they draw it out.  Do we do that, and really cause communication to take place?  If there is going to be communication between two gas tanks, it is going to take some siphoning, some drawing out because if that is not done, communication stops.

 

I think the most vital factor, however, in communication is an understanding of the primary role that it plays in all inter-personal relationships and a sincere determination to see the level of communication in your home and with other people improved.  As long as you do not think it is important, it is not going to get better, and you are going to inevitably suffer the consequences.

 

John Powell has a very interesting book with a very provocative title: Why I Am Afraid to Tell You Who I Am.  It really says a lot about the need for communication and the barriers to communication.  He talks about five levels of communication.  The lowest level is what he calls clichés: ”Hi ……… How are you?…….. Fine ……You?…Nice day …. Lovely weather ……. What’s new?”- allsorts of gripping matters like that!

 

Secondly, he talks about the communication of facts: “The president’s wife had an operation yesterday ……… There was a hurricane in Honduras…….. The weatherman said it’s going to rain this afternoon ….. Johnny made a B on his report card in English”.  Thirdly, there is the matter of ideas and judgements.  You will notice that all of these are  moving from the external to the internal -from the external world which anybody can observe, which involves really no communication at all, to an internal revelation of what it is in you.  You express your ideas, what you think about something, what you believe.  As soon as you begin to do this, you begin to open yourself up and you begin to take risks.  Some people will never tell you what they believe.  They are just born politicians.  It is always, “Well, what do you think? …  That’s about the way I feel about it”. They don’t have any opinions about any issues.  They don’t have any beliefs.  They don’t seem to have any ideas; and if they do, they are keeping them to themselves because they have found that now they are in danger of rejection.  There is always this risk of rejection in communication.

 

Fourthly, there is the matter of our feelings and emotion-not only that someone may have done something (which is a fact), and what we may think about it (which is an opinion), but how we feel about it- getting down to our feelings, our desires, our anxieties.  And lastly, from the depths of our souls, there is the bringing out of our feelings about the matters which are important in our lives.  Some people will discuss feelings about some things as long as they don’t come too close to the citadel of their beings, the things that most intimately affect them, such as their marriage, their feelings toward their husband or wife, their attitude towards life, their fears about things that are really significant.  At this point, many hindrances can come up.  There is the fear of being betrayed, and that is why openness must always meet with a responding trust.  If we are not trustworthy, people rightly should not open to us.  May God grant that every one of us be trustworthy friends and husbands and wives, that we do not betray the confidences of others.

 

There is the fear of ridicule, that people will think at what we say and inwardly laugh at us, that they will not empathise and commiserate; and thus many people will move up the ladder of communication until they find themselves being rejected.  When a person demonstrates that he is not interested or he doesn’t understand, or he doesn’t empathise, or he begins to become judgmental, or he may betray the confidence, at that point communication ceases.  There must be vulnerability if there is going to be real openness, and vulnerability can only exist where there is real trust.  It is absolutely essential for a deep marital relationship that there becomplete open honesty concerning the things which are most important. Wives, how do you feel about husbands?  Husbands, how do you feel about your wives?  Would you dare to tell them?  It is on the basis of this revelation that feelings can truly be changed.  We are to speak the truth in love for up building and not for hurting.

 

A couple who had been on the mission field came to see a counsellor, and after discussing all of their problems the wife finally blurted out,” I didn’t love this man when I married him, and I have never loved him since”.  It was just like unstopping a dam.  All of the problems, all of the deep hidden feelings came out.  They were then able to be dealt with; and a family that had failed on the mission field, had returned home, and whose marriage was dissolving, ended up with a new relationship, back on the field, serving and glorifying Christ.

 

If you are willing to constructively, positively, deal openly and honestly with the deepest feelings of your life, one thing that is going to be essential for communication to take place, is an opportunity.  That is why I think it important that husbands and wives, fathers and mothers and children, plan and schedule some time where they can be alone with one another in order that communication may develop and build.  How much such time exists in your home?  How much such opportunity have you made? Without it there can be no communication.

 

And lastly, in order that communication be true, loving, joyful, open and honest, there has to first of all be a communication with Christ.  You will notice that the apostle Paul talks about the fact that we are one in Christ, that we have been reconciled to God in Jesus Christ and we have been made one in Him, and that now we are the partakers of His Holy Spirit. And the fruit of that spirit is love and joy and peace.  Man doesn’t have these things.  By nature man is selfish and completely egocentric and oriented about himself.  By nature man doesn’t have joy.  He may have a superficial happiness at times determined entirely by his circumstances, but he has no inner joy.  This comes only from God.  He has no peace. He is riddled with anxieties and fears of every sort.  He has no basis for peace or joy.  He is living without God, without hope in this world and the world to come.  He is not reconciled to his Creator and is therefore under His condemnation.  Christ said, “He … is condemned already”.  He has been found guilty.  The death sentence has been passed.  He is merely waiting for the time of execution to come.  Why should he have peace?

 

This comes only when he is reconciled to God through the cross of His Son; when he has placed his trust in Jesus Christ and becomes honest and open with God for the first time, and acknowledges, just as God says, that he is a sinner.  The word in Greek means to confess out, or literally to say the same thing as God says about ourselves, to confess our sins. God is truth itself.  He cannot lie, and when we say what God says, we say the truth.  We come to see that there is no help in us, that we have sinned, everyone, and fallen short; that we are not deserving of the least of God’s mercies; that we deserve, every one of us, to be in Hell.  It s only because Christ died in our place upon the cross and only because He freely offers us eternal life as a gift, that there is any hope of eternal reconciliation at all.  When we come to know that we received that gift and have been filled with the spirit, the spirit of love and joy and peace, only then can we hope to have this kind of communication in our home.

 

There are vast multitudes who know not God.  They know not the God of love; they know not the God of joy.  So you can expect to find in their homes that there will be no love; there will be no joy; there will be no peace.  Any type of communication they are going to have is simply going to be rancour and bitterness; and the deeper it gets, the worse it is going to be, unless they first come to know the cleansing and renewing power of God’s spirit through Christ in their hearts.

 

Have you been reconciled to Him?  If you have, then you know the importance of the relationship of communication with God.  Let me urge you to realise the vital place that communication plays and to determine in your homes to improve these bonds that will bind you together – the bonds of communication, the love and joy and peace of Christ.

PRAYER:

Father, help us in our homes to agree, to seek this, Thy peace. And help us know that if love to Thee is there, that love to all will reign.  Help us, Father, to be open, to be trusting, to communicate the deep things of our hearts and to be bound evermore closely to one another with those bonds that only come from communication, even as the Word has became flesh and bound Himself to us with His words and His love.  And unto Him and to Thee, O Father, and Holy Ghost, one God, be all praise and honour, dominion and glory, now and forevermore.  Amen.

HOW TO MAKE HEAVEN YOUR HOME

“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”. John 3:16

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans 3: 23

“Except ye repent, (turn from your sins) ye shall likewise perish”. Luke 13: 3

“Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me“. John 14: 6

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”. Acts 14: 6

 

“Please Pray This Prayer”

Dear God, Forgive me for my sins.  Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead to be my Lord.  Today I repent of my sins and invite Jesus to be my personal Saviour.  Lead me by your Word, the Bible, and your Holy Spirit so that I may live for you in Jesus name, Amen.

How do you know you have eternal life?

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life”.1 John 5: 11-12

 

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR A SOUND MIND!!

 

As you begin to claim your mind back from the enemy, he will not want to give up the place that he has had.  You will have to do battle with his lies and confusion.

 

Your first step is to declare out loud that you will not allow any outside force to do your thinking–no man and no spirit.  There are spiritual laws that demons must obey.  They cannot stay where a man wills them not to stay. Your power is in the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, and the Word of God.  Ask God to give you discernment of the lies of the devil.

 

Think about what you are thinking about.  As you recognize a lie to your mind, always defend yourself out loud.  That means speaking to Satan and the evil forces out loud, binding them in the Name of Jesus, and forbidding them to lie to you and to use your mind.

 

When you catch a lie to your mind, use this prescription regularly–and you will regain peace, your memory, restful nights, and the ability to concentrate and comprehend.

 

You are in a battle–you are not alone–for all of God’s people fight this same fight (Ephesians 6:12).  Make up your mind not to give up!  According toColossians 3:2, set your mind on things above and keep it set!  As you begin this battle, it will seem worse than ever.  The reason is that the demonic powers are fighting to keep their place in your mind (and in your thinking). Call upon God’s grace in the Name of Jesus, and He will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome every evil tendency fully.

 

Remember, regaining your mind is a process.  We all fail at one time or another.  God knows our weakness; that is why He gave us I John 1:9.  Just ask for forgiveness and see the Blood of Jesus washing away your sin. Don’t give up!  Continue claiming what belongs to you (your mind and your thinking belong to you), and Jesus will help you overcome. 

 

II Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!”

  (Cut & Carry)

 

 

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR A SOUND MIND!!

When You Hear A Lie Going Through Your Mind, Say Out Loud:

 

II Corinthians 10:5     “Satan, you are a liar.  I will not receive (or believe) your lie in the Name of Jesus.”

 

I John 4:4                   “I remind you that it is written, ‘He that is within me is greater than he that is in the world.’  I command you to bow your knee to the Name of Jesus and leave me.”

 

(Now you have pulled the lie out–just as you pull a weed out of the ground. An empty hole remains where the weed was, and you will need to fill the space you cast the lie out of with Scripture.)

 

Philippians 4:8            Begin to think on the Word or begin to sing a praise song to God.  Make a conscious effort to fill your mind with good, pure, wholesome, and lovely thoughts.

PRAYER POINTS

1.  This session is titled: PARALYZING MARRIAGE KILLERS:

1.         All counsels against my marital life, collapse, in Jesus’ name.

2.         Any association between my husband/wife and any strange man\woman be scattered now, in Jesus name.

3_.          Every demonic in-law, loose your hold upon my life, in Jesus’ name.

4.         Every curse that has been issued against my marriage be cancelled in the name of Jesus.

5.         Every demonic mark contrary to settled homes be wiped off with the, blood of Jesus.

6.         Every inherited spirit that is not of God, go, in the name of Jesus.

7.         Every curse issued against my marriage or against my marital life, be broken, in the name of Jesus. 

2.         This session is titled: ERASING EVIL ANTI- MARRIAGE MARKS:

1.     Every anti-marriage curse be broken in the name of Jesus

2.     Raise your two hands up: Every evil wedding ring on my finger beremoved by fire in the name of Jesus.

3.         Every trademark of evil marriage be shaken out off my life in the name of Jesus.

4.         I revoke every witchcraft verdict on my marital life in the name of Jesus.

5.         O Lord recreate my beauty to attract my God given partner in the name of Jesus.

 

3.         This session is titled: DESTROYING PLANS OF EVIL IN-LAWS:

1.      Let every evil architect destroying my marriage amongst my in-laws be exposed and disgraced in Jesus name.

2.      I command every evil architect of hatred, hostility, and conflict in my marriage be paralysed in Jesus name.

3.      Oh Lord, arise and disgrace every power challenging my marriage within my in-laws in Jesus name.

4.      Let all evil in-laws receive angelic slap after the order of Herod in Jesus name.

5.      Let all those despising me in my husband’s house receive divine disgrace today in Jesus.

6.      I command all evil transportation system of in-laws to ground to halt and irreparable regret in Jesus 

 

4.         This session is titled: POWER OVER TERRITORIAL SPIRIT:

1.      I command the territorial spirits controlling me from my place of birth to release me in Jesus name.

2.      Father Lord, let your fire be kindled against every shrine in my town working against my life in Jesus name.

3.      Oh Lord let the evil priests in my town destroy themselves for my sake in Jesus name.

4.      I refuse to answer anymore satanic calling of my name in Jesus name.

5.      All territorial weapons fashioned against my marital life will not prosper in Jesus name.

6.      Father Lord, I destroy all the troublers of my marriage in my home in Jesus name.

7.      Let all worshippers of idols prepared against my marriage die in Jesus name.

5.         This session is titled: PRAYER AGAINST EVIL COUNSELORS:

1.      Father Lord let all evil counsellors in the life of my husband be disgraced to death in Jesus name.

2.      I command all evil counsellors attached to my matrimonial life to die after the order of Ahithophel in Jesus name.

3.      Lord Jesus let your name and power paralyse all the activities of evil counsellors in Jesus name.

4.      I command blankness of mind to envelop all satanic counsellors attached to my marriage in Jesus name.

5.      Father Lord, release abundantly upon the heads of all evil counsellors your fire and brimstone in Jesus name.

6.      I command the wrath and anger of God to fall upon the evil counsellors in my marriage in Jesus name.

7.      You evil counsellors in my husband’s life stumble, fall, die and be roasted in Jesus name.

8.     You strongman of evil counsel release my marriage and my husband\wife  in Jesus name.

 

6.         This session is titled: PARALYZING THE ACTIVITIES OF STRANGE WOMEN/MEN:

1.   I plunder every habitation of strange women/men and render it desolate in the name of Jesus.

2.   You strange powers from the bottom of river, under rock, under evil trees and graveyard fashioned against my marriage be roasted in Jesus name.

3.   I command every activity of strange women/men in the life of my husband/wife to cease immediately now in Jesus name.

4.   Father Lord shied my married from evil sun shinning by the day and evil moon of the night in Jesus name.

5.   You son of the strange woman/man you will not shine upon my marriage in Jesus name.

6.   You moon of the strange woman/man you will not locate my marriage in Jesus mighty name.

7.   I command every strange leg in my marriage, my life and husband/wife’s life to walk out now in the mighty name of Jesus.

8.   I release myself from the cage of spiritual husband/wife in Jesus name.

 

7.         This session is titled: CANCELING ALL DIVORCE SUITS:

1.      Oh Lord, thou art the most righteous judge let the divorce suit filed by my husband be handle by the Holy Ghost in Jesus name.

2.      Father Lord, I refuse to be separated from my husband in the name of Jesus.

3.      Father Lord, fault all the excuses advanced by my husband to advanceYour favour upon my life in Jesus mighty name.

4.      I withdraw the divorce suit from the hands of satanic agents unto the hand of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus.

5.      Father Lord depose every human agent of the enemy appointed to put asunder my marriage in Jesus name.

6.      Rock of ages, let Your hammer break into pieces all the seats arranged by the devil for the judgment of the case in Jesus name.

7.      Father Lord, reverse the divorce suit into a new wedding with my husband in Jesus name.

8.      Father Lord, let all the powers supporting the separation be devoured by the Lion of Judah in Jesus name.

 

8.         This session is titled: Defeating the Powers Of Darkness Over Your Marriage:

1.      Every demonic sacrifice offered against my marriage, and me be disgraced in Jesus name.

2.      Let every satanic oracle directed against my matrimonial home be disgraced in the name of Jesus.

3.      O Lord, let blindness and deafness fall upon the raging of the enemy against my home in the name of Jesus.

4.      Father Lord, convert all evil powers against my marriage to shaft and blow them away with your own tempest.

5.      You spirit and power of marriage destruction, release my marriage in the name of Jesus.

6.      Any power fuelling conflicts and hostility in my home, I paralyse you in the name of Jesus.

7.      Every program and plans of home wreckers against my marriage, I cancel you in the name of Jesus.

8.      Let the blood of Jesus remove any unprogressive label from every aspect of my marriage in the name of Jesus.

9.      Let all circles of marital problems break, in the name of Jesus.

 

9.         This session is titled: DEFEATING THE SPIRIT OF POLYGAMY:

1.      Let every problem connected to polygamy in my life be nullified by the blood of Jesus.

2.      Every power fuelling polygamy activities in my marriage fall down and die in the name of Jesus.

3.      Fire of God, destroy every habitations of the spirit of polygamy in my life and in the life of my partner.

4.      Every polygamous plantation in my marriage, in my life, in the life of my partner, come out with all your root.

5.      Let all the affairs of my marriage be withdrawn from evil marital records, evil observer and evil monitors.

6.      Let all past evil ancestral activities affecting my marriage negatively be changed to blessings in the name of Jesus.

7.      Fingers of the living God, begin to fight on my behalf in every affairs of my life in the name of Jesus.

8.      O Lord, destroy every traces of polygamous influence in the life of my … in the name of Jesus.

10.       This session is titled: DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL MARITAL INHERITANCE:

1.      Any satanic design in my family, receive the fire of God and be roasted in the name of Jesus.

2.      Every evil marital re-occurrence in my family back to the 10^thgenerations, I reject your presence in my marriage.

3.      Let the power in the blood of Jesus separate me from the hidden curses operating in my family circle.

4.      Let every evil inherited marital spirits in my life/in my marriage, go down to the pit in the name of Jesus.

5.      I turn back from evil inherited marital journey that I have embarked upon in the mighty name of Jesus.

6.      Any evil vessel in my life and my marriage representing evil inherited marital spirit perish without mercy.

7.      Every evil inherited marital arrow presently working in my life come out with all your poisons and go down to the pit.

8.      I break every bondage of inherited marital failure upon my life and upon my marriage in the name of Jesus.

9.      Every strongman representing me in the register of inherited marital bondage fall down and die in Jesus name.

11.       This session is titled: DELIVERANCE FROM STRANGE CHILDREN:

1.      Let the habitation of strange children be desolate by the Holy Ghost fire in the name of Jesus.

2.     Any spirit or power manipulating spiritual children in my dream die with your strange children in Jesus name.

3.     Every ancestral strange child transferred to me, I reject you by fire in the name of Jesus.

4.     Every strange children working against my earthly children, die by fire in the name of Jesus.

5.     You my eyes, be purged by the Blood of Jesus and refuse to see strange children anymore in Jesus name.   

 

12.       This session is titled: JUDGE THE ENEMY OF YOUR MARRIAGE:

1.      Father Lord, let all giants standing against peace and unity in my marriage fall down and die now in Jesus name.

2.      Let all powers encamping against my home become confuse and scattered in the name of Jesus.

3.      Let every power of the oppressors in my marriage rise up against each other in the name of Jesus.

4.      Lord Jesus, let your power work mightily in every difficulty situations in my marriage in the name of Jesus.

5.      I bind you the strongman working against me in the heart of my husband/wife and all his/her relatives in the name of Jesus.

6.      I command the arrows of the strongman working in my family to be roasted completely in the name of Jesus.

7.      Let all the troubles of my marriage be disbanded and be confused in the name of Jesus.

8.      Let the blood of Jesus cleanse off every unprofitable and evil label in every department of my life in Jesus name.

9.      I paralyse all marriage destroyers and anti marriage forces in the name of Jesus.

 

13.       This session is titled: UNSEATING THE NIGHT RAIDERS

1.  Every seat of witchcraft in my family / marriage / house be unseated by fire in the name of Jesus.

2.  Let every pathway of witchcraft into my life be overturned by the blood of Jesus in the name of Jesus.

3.  Every stubborn cause of failure in my life I bury and destroyed you by fire in the name of Jesus.

4.  Any member of my family empowering external enemies, die by thunder in the name of Jesus.

5.  You family foundational bondage affecting and disgracing my life, I terminate and destroy your activities by the blood of Jesus in the name of Jesus.

6.  You evil foundational bondage connecting my life to internal and external destruction be consumed by fire in Jesus name.

 

14.       This session is titled: WORKING AGAINST STUBBORN SITUATION IN MARRIAGE

1.   Let my vision and my tempt be clear towards my marriage in Jesus’ name

2.   Every household evil traders trading with my marriage be bound and be roasted by fire.

3.   Every arm of evil re-enforcement in my marriage be a scattered by fire of God and be roasted in Jesus’ name.

4.   I refuse, frustrate and destroy enemy re-establishment of my evil covenants in marriage.

5.   Let God arise with anger and jealously over my unprofitable lateness in marriage.

6.   I decree enough is enough of my unprofitable lateness in marriage.

7.   I destroy all my evil monitoring gadgets on my marriage.

8.   Let my wasters and my delayers in marriage be found no more after the order of Pharaoh.

9.   I declare my ways open to victory over marriage in Jesus’ name.

10. I refuse to cry in vain over my marriage in Jesus name.

11. Lord Jesus rent your heavens and deliver me to my husband and my husband to me in Jesus’ name.

12. Let the good testimony of my marriage come forth in Jesus’ name.

 

SECRETS OF LONGLASTING MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE.

God’s standard for family life is very high – higher than all Old Testament examples of family life. Husbands are commanded to love their wives, not as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Boaz, Isaiah, Hosea loved their wives, but as CHRIST loved the church. What a standard!

 

Marriage is one of the most important issues in life.

It is very important to everyone in the society. Yet, in our modern world, we are perplexed by this important issue because many marriages have been messed up. As we look at the world today we see that families are breaking up at an alarming rate. Children are growing in way ward ness and many are growing up emotionally disturbed. This is a dangerous trend because the family is the basic unit as well as the backbone of the society. No community, or society or nation can rise above the state and quality of its marriage and family life.

Marriage as an institution is collapsing and recent developments show very clearly that modern man has lost faith in marriage and family life. Marital wreckage are so common that many people are beginning to think casualties are the norm.

The question is – What can be done to arrest the current state of decline of marriage and family life?

It is important to appreciate from the outset that every marriage that worked was worked on!

Steps to Healthy Marriage and Family Life.

Commitment

Marriage is a lifetime commitment. Moreover, commitment in every area of family life is essential for a strong, stable and successful marriage: commitment to the same goals, vision, and plans.

Life is not bed of roses; there will be problems from time to time. However, wholehearted commitment from both partners will see them through the thick and thin the ups and downs of family life. Sometimes people think there is a better person outside the marriage, the grass at the other side of the fence always looks greener but most people forget it still has to be cut! Don’t look outside; give your marriage the wholehearted commitment required to resolve the conflicts. Another key area of commitment is marital fidelity. Infidelity and marital unfaithfulness have undermined the bulk of modern marriages. The so-called “open relationships” will never produce a stable marriage; adultery, wife swapping, parties, cabs crawling etc. are destructive caterpillars that leave many homes in ruins, produce heartaches and eventually lead to divorce. BE COMMITTED TO MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK. Nothing of worth is ever achieved without commitment!

Commendation

Criticism will either make or mar any relationship depending on whether it is constructive or destructive. When one falls into the trap of faultfinding it becomes easier to criticize rather than commend the spouse. In order to a thriving and flourishing marriage and family life it is helpful for spouses to recognise and commend their mutual efforts towards a fulfilling relationship. The use of complimentary remarks such as: “ I do appreciate that, thank you”, “That is very thoughtful of you”, “You are ever so considerate”, etc., though seemingly trivial, goes a long way in strengthening the nuptial bond. This is not to say spouses should resort to flatteries. What is being recommended is appreciation and commendation.

Compassion

We live in an age where to be compassionate is viewed as being timid and weak. Men want to be seen as tough and the women as assertive. Tenderness becomes a casualty in the home. However, pity or loving concern is not a weakness; it is more human. Balanced emotional response to each other’s need makes marital life to blossom. The home where mutual compassion is lacking will be far from being a love nest. Acts and deeds of kindness in the home are bound to enhance the vitality of marriage and family life

Communication

Many marriages crack for lack of proper communication. The manner and quality of our communication will determine the kind of relationship we sustain in the family. Communication can be at the superficial level, when one speaks in “clichés” and it can be at the deeper level involving exchange of ideas, expression of values and intimate feelings. Meaningful dialogue ensues and can only be sustained at the deeper level rather than the superficial level. When there is a breakdown of communication in the family, the relationship is soured, love is sapped, bitterness erupts, tolerance disappears, suspicion sets in, irritation becomes the order of the day – thatfamily is set on a collision course to ruin. Learn to communicate intelligently, respectfully, courteously and gently.

Co-operation

Lack of co-operation or disunity is at the root of much marital turbulence. Surprisingly, there are couples that relate as though they are opponents in a competition. Marriage demands co-operation and not competition. Nothing works for a team of ‘unco-operative members’. A disunited army has already lost both the war and the battle even before getting to the battlefront! The husband and wife can only become a winning team when they co-operate with each other in working out their vision, plans and goals.

 

LOVE IN THE FAMILY
Ephesians 5:25-33

God’s standard for family life is very high – higher than all Old Testament examples of family life. Husbands are commanded to love their wives, not as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Boaz, Isaiah, Hosea over their wives, but as CHRIST loved the church. What a standard! Before the husband can so love His wife, he must die to self. Then there would be sacrificial, sanctifying, sharing and sensitive love (I John 3:16,17; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Where there is love, there is no animosity, no struggle, no fighting, nothing but a perfectly glorious union. Love must be at the very heart and centre of our homes – (Titus 2:4; Ephesians 5:25; Romans 13:8,10).

1. MODEL OF LOVE EMPHASIZED. 
Ephesians 5:25-27; 4:32; 5:2; John 13:1; 15:13; 11:36; I John 3:14-18.

The Spirit of God holds up the love of the Good Shepherd towards the Church as the model for a husband to imitate. Christ’s love for the Church is the strongest love that the world has ever seen or known. A husband is in no danger of loving his wife too much, provided she be not loved than God. The husband must be willing to deny self, bear toil and trial to provide, care for her and defend her.

2. MANNER OF LOVE EXAMINED. 
Ephesians 5:28-30; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7.

“So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies” because they are one flesh – (Ephesians 5:31). The doctrine here is, that a husband should have the same care for the comfort of his wife which he has for himself. He should regard her as one with himself. To “nourish” and to “cherish” her include providing food, raiment, and necessities for her. When your body has needs, you meet them; so when your wife has needs (spiritual, material, physical or psychological) you are to meet them.

3. MYSTERY OF LOVE EXPLAINED. 
Ephesians 5:31-33; Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:14-16; 3:6; Romans 7:2; Matthew 19:3-6.

The word “mystery” in Ephesians 5:32 means something which is concealed or hidden, that has to be revealed before it can be understood. No one would have understood the “mystery” without a revelation; no one understands it now except those who are taught of God.

The great secret of conjugal happiness is mutual love, kindness, tenderness and loveliness of character in the home. The wife should respect and obey the husband; the husband should love and care for the wife.

 

   MARRIAGE: Struggles With Intimacy
A man who can cry is a man who has learned some secrets about intimacy. But sadly, for many men it takes something tragic or life-changing before they understand this truth.

Here are a few ways you can tell if the man you love has trouble with intimacy or struggles to open up:
·He’s unable to discuss his feelings.
·He’s determined to avoid his feelings.
·He’s unable to express love, sorrow, or pain.
·He’s unable or unwilling to cry.
·He’s determined to make all situations into a joke.
·He’s determined to lighten the mood or change the topic when emotional issues are discussed.
·He physically leaves the room when emotional issues are discussed.
·He’s insensitive to the emotions of those around him.

Most men–unfortunately–do not undergo such traumatic experiences as the one described above. Yet many boys emerge from adolescence with a strong sense that being strong and unfeeling is the “masculine” thing to do. When a male brain is saturated in testosterone, it doesn’t take much, even from well-meaning family members, to give a boy the message that emotions and feelings are only for girls.
Here are some things your husband may have heard when growing up–things that may have shaped him into a seemingly uncaring person:
·”Don’t cry unless you’re hurt.”
·”Tough it out.”
·”Boys don’t cry.”
·”Only sissies get hurt feelings.”
·”It’s a sign of weakness to let people know you’re hurting.”
If you love a man who doesn’t seem to be able to express his feelings, you might want to consider using work pictures to help him identify what’s going on inside. A word picture uses a story or object to simultaneously activate the emotions and intellect of the hearer. As a result, he experiences your words rather than just hearing them. 
It’s important to realize that helping your husband learn to express his feelings will take time. you might have to use several examples or try for several days, weeks, or even months before he is able to feel and share with you what’s in his heart. And until he reaches that point, he won’t be able to connect with you on an emotional intimate level.
Based on what I’ve learned in my many years of counselling, I’ve found that a woman’s definition of intimacy is very different from a man’s. Consider the following lists:
What women mean by intimacy?
·Deep emotional connection
·Daily time sharing your heart
·Daily time hearing the heart of the one you love
·Ability to cry easily and together at emotional moments
·A sensitivity to know immediately when feelings are hurt
·Understanding each other’s dreams and goals
·Closeness of the heart and soul
What men mean by intimacy?
·Deep physical connection
·Foreplay
·Hand-holding, hugging, kissing
·Understanding each other’s physical needs
·An ability to communicate physical needs
·Physical time alone together
·A sensitivity to know when physical needs are present
One of the reasons men may be more focused on physical closeness is that men aren’t as sensitive to physical touch as women are. In other words, it takes more physical touch to meet a man’s physical needs. In the same way that a woman has twice the daily word count, a man has twice the need for physical stimulation.
The point is this: Women often feel unloved because their emotional needs aren’t being met, and in the same way, men often feel ignored because their physical needs aren’t being met.
I think the problem is clear at this point: Guys have trouble with true emotional intimacy.

 

Who are prophets?

Let’s consider the bible for a while; Who are prophets; Num 11:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

Num 11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which [is] upon thee, and will put [it] upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear [it] not thyself alone.And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that [was] upon him, and gave [it] unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, [that], when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.

Num 11:26 But there remained two [of the] men in the camp, the name of the one [was] Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they [were] of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

Num 11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. Num 11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, [one] of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

Num 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
True and false prophets – Mat 7:15 -         

Beware of false prophets - By false prophets we are to understand teachers of erroneous doctrines, who come professing a commission from God, but whose aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people, but rather to rob them of their earthly good. Teachers who preach for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, as it is ominously called by some, however they may bear the garb and appearance of the innocent useful sheep, the true pastors commissioned by the Lord Jesus, or to whatever name, class or party they may belong, are, in the sight of the heart-searching God, no other than ravenous wolves, whose design is to feed themselves with the fat, and clothe themselves with the fleece, and thus ruin, instead of save, the flock.

Ezek 13:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Eze 13:2  Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Eze 13:3  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

Eze 13:4  O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Eze 13:5  Yehave not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house ofIsrael to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. Eze 13:6  They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made [others] to hope that they would confirm the word. Eze 13:7  Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith [it]; albeit I have not spoken? Eze 13:8  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I [am] against you, saith the Lord GOD. Eze 13:9  And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

Eze 13:10  Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and [there was] no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered [morter]: Eze 13:11  Say unto them which daub[it] with untempered [morter], that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend[it]. Eze 13:12  Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where [is] the daubing wherewith ye have daubed [it]? Eze 13:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend [it] with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in [my] fury to consume [it]. Eze 13:14  So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered[morter], and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. Eze 13:15  Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered [morter], and will say unto you, The wall [is] no [more], neither they that daubed it; Eze 13:16  [To wit], the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and [there is] no peace, saith the Lord GOD. Eze 13:17  Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, Eze 13:18  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the [women]that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive [that come] unto you? Eze 13:19  And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies? Eze 13:20  Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make [them] fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, [even] the souls that ye hunt to make [them] fly. Eze13:21  Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD. Eze 13:22  Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: Eze 13:23  Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Jerm 2:8  The priests said not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.

Deut 18:14For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].
What is prophecy? 

2 Pet 1:20,

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.

1 Cor 14: 3-5

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an [unknown]tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 1Co14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 1Co 14:6  Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

Difference between prophet who can prophesy and medium.

1 Cor 14:31

1Co 14:31  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 1Co 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 1Co 14:33  For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Discipline of prophet – Ex 24

Exo 24:1  And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. Exo 24:2  And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him. Exo 24:3  AndMoses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. Exo 24:4  And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.Exo 24:5  And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. Exo24:6  And Moses took half of the blood, and put [it] in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. Exo 24:7  And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient. Exo 24:8  And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled [it] on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.Exo 24:9  Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: Exo 24:10  And they saw the God of Israel: and [there was] under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in [his] clearness. Exo 24:11  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. Exo 24:12  And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. Exo24:13  And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. Exo 24:14  And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur [are] with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. Exo 24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. Exo24:16  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Exo 24:17  And the sight of the glory of the LORD [was]like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. Exo 24:18  And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Ex 33

Ex 34
Prophesy, prophetic and divination.

Lev 19:26

Lev 19:26  Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.

Operating in the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:16.

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Matt 15:18-20,

Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Mat 15:20 These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Matt 12:34-37

Mat 12:34  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Mat 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Role of the prophet in the church/nation. 
Source of prophecy.
Source of divination
The role of flesh, satan and God in prophecy discerning the spirit behind a prophet or prophecy - 1 Kings 22:1-28

1Ki 22:1  And they continued three years without war between Syria andIsrael. 1Ki 22:2  And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 1Ki 22:3  And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead [is] ours, and we [be] still, [and] take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? 1Ki 22:4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [am] as thou[art], my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 1Ki 22:5  AndJehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. 1Ki 22:6  Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king. 1Ki 22:7  And Jehoshaphat said,[Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 1Ki 22:8  And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 1Ki 22:9  Then the king of Israelcalled an officer, and said, Hasten [hither] Micaiah the son of Imlah.

1Ki 22:10  And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

1Ki 22:11  And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. 1Ki 22:12  And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it]into the king’s hand. 1Ki 22:13  And the messenger that was gone to callMicaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets[declare] good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak [that which is] good. 1Ki 22:14 And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. 1Ki 22:15  So he came to the king. And the king said unto him,Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king. 1Ki 22:16  And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but [that which is] true in the name of the LORD? 1Ki 22:17  And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. 1Ki 22:18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? 1Ki 22:19  And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 1Ki 22:20  And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade[him], and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1Ki 22:24  ButZedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? 1Ki 22:25  And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 1Ki 22:26  And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 1Ki 22:27  And say, Thus saith the king, Put this [fellow] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. 1Ki 22:28  And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

Means of Prophetic Reward of prophetic ministry –

Jer 26, 2 Kings 6:30-33, 1 Kings 19:1-3, 2 Kings 1:9-17, 2 Kings 3:11-14, Ex 17:1-3

 

SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE PROPHETS/ TEACHERS.

 

Memory Verse: Matt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Jerm 23:13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.  

Introduction:  Thomas Brooks served as an English Puritan minister during the seventeenth century (born 1608, died 1680).  He is known mostly through several books he wrote.  This article is taken from Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices, which was published in 1652, exactly 350 years ago as this introduction is being written.  The message of this article is still needed today. I hope you will read it.

The age of the writing can occasionally cause a bit of confusion.  Although, we have added section headings, changed the format in places and updated some spelling, the text has been left as originally given.  We take full responsibility for any mistakes.  One key word that needs to be noted is the word character, which Brooks uses in the way we presently use the wordcharacteristic.  Other words are defined in brackets. 

What follows is the false prophets or why Beware of false prophets.

Satan’s labourers might and main, are false prophets / teachers, which are his messengers and ambassadors, to deceive, delude, and for ever undo the precious souls of men Jerm 23:13: ‘I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.’ V: 14I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me asSodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.  (Micah 3. 5):  ‘The prophets make my people to err.’ 

They seduce them, and carry them out of the right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error, blasphemy, and wickedness, where they are lost forever.  ‘Beware of false prophets, for they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves’ (Matthew 7:15).  These lick and suck the blood of souls (Philippians 3:2), ‘Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.’ These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace till souls fall into everlasting flames (Prov. 7).

Now the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their colours, that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from them as from hell itself.

Now you may know them by these characters following:

 

I.                     False Teachers are Men-Pleasers

[1.] The first character.  False teachers are men-pleasers.  They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart (Isaiah 30:10): ‘Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things: speak to us smooth things; prophesy deceits.’ (Jeremiah 5:30-31):  ‘A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land:  the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so.  And what will you do in the end thereof?’ 

 They handle holy things rather with wit and dalliance than with fear and reverence.  False teachers are soul-undoers.  They are like evil chirurgeons[old spelling of surgeon] that skin over the wound, but never heal it.  Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander.  False teachers are hell’s greatest enrichers.  Not bitter, but flattering words do all the mischief, said Valerian, the Roman emperor.  Such smooth teachers are sweet soul-poisoners (Jeremiah 23:16-17). 

  II.                   False Teachers are Dirt-Casters

 [2.] The second character.  False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ’s most faithful ambassadors.  Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram charged Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon them, seeing the entire congregation was holy (Numbers 16:3).  You take too much state, too much power, too much honour, too much holiness upon you; for what are you more than others, that you take so much upon you? 

 And so Ahab’s false prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying of him with blows for want of better reasons (I Kings 22:10-26). Yea, Paul, that great apostle of the Gentiles, had his ministry undermined and his reputation blasted by false teachers; ‘For his letters,’ say they ‘weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible’ (2 Corinthians10:10).  They rather contemn him than admire him; they look upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. 

 And the same hard measure had our Lord Jesus from the scribes and Pharisees, who laboured as for life to build their own credit upon the ruins of his reputation.  And never did the devil drive a more full trade this way then he does in these days (Matthew 27:63).  Oh! The dirt, the filth, the scorn that is thrown upon those of whom the world is not worthy!  I suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Augustine: He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward. 

  III.                  False Teachers are Vision-Vendors

 [3.] The third character.  False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of their own heads and hearts.  (Jeremiah 14:14): ‘Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name:  I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them:  they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart’; chap. 23:16:  ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain:  they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.’ 

Are there not multitudes in this nation whose visions are but golden delusions, lying vanities, brainsick fantasies?  These are Satan’s great benefactors and such as divine justice will hang up in hell as the greatest malefactors, if the physicians of souls do not prevent it.

  IV.                False Teachers are Gnat-Strainers

 [4.] The fourth character.  False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the least moment and concernment to the souls of men. (1 Timothy 1:5-7):  ‘Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; from which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, and understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm.’  (Matthew 23:2-3): ’Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgments, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.’  

 False teachers are nice in the lesser things of the law, and as negligent in the greater. (1 Timothy 6:3-5):  ‘If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.’  If such teachers are not hypocrites in grain, I know nothing (Romans 2:22).  The earth groans to bear them, and hell is fitted for them (Matthew 24:32).

 V.                  False Teachers are Speech-Makers

 [5.] The fifth character.  False teachers cover and colour their dangerous principles and soul-impostures with very fair speeches and plausible pretences, with high notions and golden expressions.  Many in these days are bewitched and deceived by the magnificent words, lofty strains, and stately terms of deceivers, viz. illumination, revelation, deification, and fiery triplicity. 

 As strumpets paint their faces and deck and perfume their beds, the better to allure and deceive simple souls, so false teachers will put a great deal of paint and garnish upon their most dangerous principles and blasphemies, that they may the better deceive and delude poor ignorant souls.  They know sugared poison goes down sweetly; they wrap up their pernicious, soul-killing pills in gold. 

In the days of Hadrian, the emperor, there was one Ben-Cosbi gathered a multitude of Jews together, and called himself Ben-Cocuba, the son of a star, applying that promise to himself (Numbers 24:17), but he proved Bar-chosaba, the son of a lie.  And so will all false teachers, for all their flourishes prove at the last the sons of lies.

  VI.                False Teachers are Argument-Makers

 [6.] The sixth character.  False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their conversations.  (Matthew 23:15):  ‘Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.’ 

They busy themselves most about men’s heads.  Their work is not to better men’s hearts, and mend their lives; and in this they are very much like their father, the devil, who will spare no pains to gain proselytes.

 VII.               False Teachers are Merchandise-Makers

[7.] The seventh character.  False teachers make merchandise of their followers (2 Peter 2:1-3): ‘But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:  whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.’ 

 They eye your goods more than your good; and mind more the serving of themselves, than the saving of your souls.  So they may have your substance, they care not though Satan has your souls (Revelation 18:11-13).  That they may the better pick your purse; they will hold forth such principles as are very indulgent to the flesh.  False teachers are the great worshippers of the golden calf (Jeremiah 6:13).

 Now, by these characters you may know them, and so shun them, and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares; which that you may, my prayers shall meet yours at the throne of grace.

 

WHERE IS YOUR HEART

 

In a sense this is the question Jesus puts to the rich young ruler in the book of Matthew chapter nineteen.  This question is also implied in; the parable of the wedding feast in; chapter 22 of the same book.

First example:

“Now behold, one came and said to Him “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?  So He said to him “Why do you call me good?  No one is good but one, that is God.   But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”  He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal You shall not bear false witness.  Honour your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbour as yourself.  The young man said to Him “All these things I have kept from my youth.  What do I still lack?  Jesus said to him,  “If you want to be perfect go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.”  But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The man in the story was fine with keeping the law.  He was prepared to fast, pray, go to church and observe all the religious rites but he was not willing to give up his material possession.  God was allowed access to every areas of his life except his finances.  By asking this fellow to sell everything and follow Him, Jesus was making the young man look inward and see what mattered most to him.  But God was also challenging him to transfer his life pursuit from his own agenda to that of the kingdom.  The fact that this man could not bring himself to obey the Lord but rather “went away sorrowful”,  was a pointer to where his heart was – in his fat bank account! He was materially rich but spiritually poor.

 

Second example:

“And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  Again, he sent out other servants, saying “Tell those who are invited, see I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatten cattle are killed and all things are ready.  Come to the wedding. But they made light to it and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business…”

 

The fellows that were invited to the marriage feast had time to attend to their personal concerns but they did not have time for God’s.  They were pre-occupied with other businesses and neglected the affairs of the kingdom ofGod.  The king’s invitation was an opportunity to; show what mattered most to them.  But it was also a call to them to respond to God’s need.  By trivialising the invitation to the king’s banquet and rather going about their own business, the invitees indicated what their priority in life was; they showed where their hearts were in their own agenda!  They were very busy but they were spiritually poor.

 

In both cases, it was a heart thing.  God was not as interested in their money or time as he was in their heart.  These incidents revealed the focus of the lives of these individuals.  Jesus said in the book of Matthew Chapter six that our heart follows our treasure.  I would like it to the way a love-smitten guy will follow the girl he loves.

 

Want to know where your heart is? Easy! Locate your treasure and you will find your heart.  And, by the way, what is one’s treasure? One’s treasure is that which is most important to him/her in life.  Time and money are two key priority-indicators.  Show me your chequebook and your diary and I will show you where your treasure (and therefore your heart) is.

 

Here is a little exercise that reveals where our treasure is. At the end of your day ask yourself “what have I done with the 24 hours entrusted to me?” likewise at the end of the month ask yourself “What have I done with my money?” Whatever takes the bulk of your time and your money is your priority in life.  Some of us will locate our treasure in our wardrobe, some in women or men , for others it may be in our work, or in our stock and shares, or our jewellery box, our image, our real estate, our fleet of cars etc, etc.

 

Here is what the Lord has to say to us about hearts and treasures.

 

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But lay up for yourselvestreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.” (Matt 6:19-21).

 

In effect, any effort or labour that is outside of God’s agenda (treasures on earth) is subject to earthly elements and therefore can encounter destruction, decay, vandalism, theft etc.  But that which is invested in the interest of God, (treasures in heaven) are immune to such.

 

How do we store treasures in heaven? By making a positive difference in the lives of others.  We achieve this when we give of our time and substance. The greatest treasures, we can store in heaven are souls.  Our life’s ambitions should therefore be to make it to heaven, with as many people as we can.

 

Since we can only give what we have, we must ensure our hearts are in the right place before we seek to help others.  The first step is to establish or strengthen our relationship with God through His son Jesus Christ.  When we are in right standing with God, He gives us a new heart, one that seeks to store treasures in; heaven.  We can; then help others direct their hearts away from their own concerns, to the kingdom of God.  That way we get to make a difference, of a temporal and eternal kind, in our lives and in the lives of others.  My dear reader, where is your heart?

 

Real Hope for Lasting Change, IF THEY WILL!

How can that sort of transformation take place today? Paul offers three answers.

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Rev.21:7-8

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit thekingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Rev.21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

The most important part of this text is the first phrase of verse 11: “And that is what some of you (us) were.” In those eight words we find the entire Christian faith. The effective power of all that we believe is summed up in those few words. Christianity is supremely a religion of conversion. Everything we say and everything we believe is built upon one fundamental and revolutionary premise: You don’t have to stay the way you are. Your life can be radically changed by God. Conversion is a miracle that happens when the life of God intersects with human personality. Once God enters the picture, your life will never be the same again. Until then, you may be religious and you may be a very good person and you may obey all the rules of the church, but you have not been converted.

Religion is one thing; conversion is something else entirely. It is the conviction that long-held prejudices can be overcome, lifetime habits can be broken, and deeply ingrained patterns of sin can be erased over time. Conversion is the certainty that what you were does not determine what you are, and what you are does not determine what you will be. You can be changed, you can be different, your life can move in an entirely new direction. If you take that truth away from Christianity, it ceases to be a supernatural religion. If the possibility of real change is gone, then we have nothing to offer but a set of rules. Can the leopard change his spots? In himself and by himself, the leopard can never change his spots, but with God all things are possible. This is the practical heart of our Christian faith.

There is another way to say it. Conversion is the miracle whereby God changes the tenses of your life:

This is what you were.
This is what you are.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ can do it, and we believe that only Jesus has the life-changing power to utterly transform your life from the inside out. That’s what happened to the first-century believers in the seaport town ofCorinth. It could happen to you today as you read these words.

Seven New Things

As I pondered the possibility of deep change in a person’s heart, I did a brief Bible study of the little word “new.” That’s an amazing study, by the way. Just take a concordance and see how many times in the Bible God promises to do something new or to make something new. As an example, here are seven new things God gives his children:

1) He gives us a new song (Psalm 40:3).
2) He gives us a new name (Isaiah 62:2).
3) He gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
4) He gives us a new life (Romans 6:4).
5) He gives us a new beginning (2 Corinthians 5:17).
6) He gives us a new self (Ephesians 4:24).
7) He gives us a new birth (1 Peter 1:3).

God specializes in making all things new. He loves to take old things, forgotten things, tattered things, soiled things, ruined things, despised things and make them new. He starts with the things the world casts away, and he makes them new and beautiful once again. Conversion is all about the total renovation of the human personality. Talk about an extreme makeover. Conversion is the ultimate extreme makeover.

If God is willing to change us like this, why do we stay the way we are?

There are many answers to that question, but the bottom-line answer is fear. We fear change because we have become comfortable (if not entirely happy) the way we are. And we fear failure because we have tried and failed to change in the past. This week a man called the church who had read about the “God Speaks Today” series and all that happened here last Sunday. He mentioned a particular sexual sin that he struggles with, and wanted to know if we could offer any help. Then he added, “I’ve tried to change in the past, and it hasn’t worked.” He speaks for many people when he confesses failure in trying to change his life. No wonder he was doubtful and refused to leave his name. Failure makes us think that real change is impossible. Often we fear change because of what our family or friends might say. Perhaps they’ve grown used to thinking of us in a certain way, and they would be bothered and even threatened if we suddenly became someone new.

Why They Picketed Stephen Bennett “

You’ve never seen a former black man, but I stand before you tonight, by the grace of God, as a former homosexual.

If you go deeper, we sometimes fear change because it poses an enormous threat to our entire worldview. We’ve become accustomed to thinking of ourselves in a certain way, and we’ve even convinced ourselves that this is the way things should be, and therefore they can never change. And anyone who says anything different threatens our entire self-image. That’s why the picketers showed up to protest Stephen Bennett last Sunday night. I know we had a “silent protest” by an Oak Park group last Sunday morning, but the real action happened on Sunday night when Stephen Bennett shared how Jesus Christ delivered him from a homosexual lifestyle. That’s when the pickets showed up with the bullhorns and the signs, and that’s when the TV cameras showed up also. Why did they picket Stephen Bennett and not me? The answer is simple. People on the other side can ignore my sermons, or if they care to, they can find a way around what I say. But there is no answer to a truly changed life. Stephen Bennett unquestionably lived in the homosexual lifestyle for 11 years, and now he is heterosexual, with a wife and two children, happily married, and happily heterosexual. And he even goes around the country talking about what happened to him. Last Sunday night he spoke with great grace and gentleness. He did not speak a single hateful word. Near the end of his presentation, he summed up the change in his life this way: “You’ve never seen a former black man, but I stand before you tonight, by the grace of God, as a former homosexual.” That’s the sort of statement that drives some people up the wall because it’s a direct assault on their worldview that says homosexuals can never change. And because they fear that message, they attack the messenger wherever he goes. Let me say it once again. The world has no answer for a man or woman whose life has been radically changed by Jesus Christ.

And that’s precisely Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. His whole point is that the Corinthians themselves had been changed by Jesus Christ. That’s the meaning of the first phrase of verse 11: “And that is what some of you were.” This is the question we must face: How can that sort of transformation take place today? Paul offers three answers.

I. We Must Accept God’s Judgment. Vv. 9-10

Verse 9 begins with a blanket statement regarding who goes to heaven: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?” If we don’t know this, we should. God and sin are fundamentally incompatible. If you show up at the gates of heaven bringing your own sins with you, you won’t get in. The term “wicked” doesn’t refer to a particularly evil class of sinners. It refers to anyone whose sin has not been forgiven by the blood of Jesus. Sinners don’t belong in heaven, and if they went there, they would not be happy. Heaven is for those who have been made righteous through Jesus Christ. Lest we misunderstand his point:

Paul goes on to list ten different groups of sinners that will be excluded from heaven. This list is not illustrative, not exhaustive.

1) The Sexually Immoral. A broad term that covers all forms of sexual sin.

2) Idolaters. Those who worship false gods and get involved in false religious systems.

3) Adulterers. Those who break the marriage vow. Unfaithfulness in marriage. The Old Testament required the death penalty for adultery.

4) & 5) Male Prostitutes, Homosexual offenders. Both terms refers to those who participate in homosexual acts. William Barclay called homosexuality a cancer that spread across the Roman Empire. History tells us that 14 out of the first 15 Roman emperors were homosexual.

6) Thieves. Taking what is not yours. Stealing from others. Cheating others.Defrauding those who trusted you.

7) The Greedy. Making money and the things money can buy the center of your life.

Drunkards. Being controlled by alcohol or any other artificial stimulant.

9) Slanderers. The Greek term refers to those who abuse others, especially through abusive speech. It applies to spouses who use verbal, emotional or physical abuse in their marriage. Includes gossips and rumormongers.

10) Swindlers. Those who commit extortion and blackmail. Those who use their position to take unfair advantage of others. Applies particularly to business people who use their expertise to cheat others.

Note four things about this list:

1) These sins were typical of ancient Corinth. The Corinthians believers would read this list and say, “Yes, that’s exactly what we used to be.”Corinth had a reputation for extreme immorality even among the pagans who coined the verb “to corinthianize” to describe a particularly evil situation. It could not have been easy to be a Christian in Corinth in the first century.

2) These sins are common today. I dare say you can find all of them inIreland, in the world and in all the suburbs of human race. Human nature has not changed at all. Sin still reigns in the human heart, and apart from God’s grace, there is no sin we might not commit.

3) These sins are mostly social sins. These sins are not private or personal matters. All them touch and hurt those around us, some directly and some indirectly.

4) These are sins of self-gratification and self-indulgence. We steal because we think we should have what someone else has. We swindle to get what we cannot fairly earn. We violate God’s standards for sexual behavior because we are “sexually starved” or because we think we were made a certain way or just because we want to.

God’s judgment on people who live like this is clear. They will not inherit the kingdom of God. They won’t go to heaven. Simple, clear and direct. It’s easy in our present situation to apply this only to homosexuals, but Paul’s concern is much broader.

Swindlers will not go to heaven.
Abusers will not go to heaven.
Adulterers will not go to heaven.
Thieves will not go to heaven.
Drunkards will not go to heaven.
Immoral people will not go to heaven.

And why should they? Heaven is not for people who live in their sins. Heaven is for people who have been forgiven for their sins. That’s the real difference here. Paul does not mean to suggest that a Christian cannot commit one of these sins. Christians can be guilty of any of these sins, and sometimes repeatedly. But a Christian cannot and must not choose to live in these sins as a way of life. If these sins (all of them or any of them) characterize the core of who you are as a person, then you cannot go to heaven. That’s the plain meaning of the text.

The first step to being healed is accepting God’s righteous judgment on your sin. God says you are a sinner, deserving of hell, under condemnation, facing eternal death, and without hope in the world. Do you agree with God’s judgment or do you wish to argue with it? As long as you argue with God, you cannot be saved and you will not be changed.

II. We Must Believe in God’s Power v. 11a

In some ways this is harder then the first step. As difficult as it is to accept that you are a sinner deserving of judgment, it’s much harder (for many people) to truly believe in God’s power to change them. That’s why the first phrase of verse 11 is so crucial. Paul reminds the Corinthians that God had radically changed their tenses:

Once some of them were drunkards . . . but not anymore.
Once some of them were adulterers . . . but not anymore.
Once some of them were abusers . . . …but not anymore.
Once some of them were swindlers . . . . but not anymore. 
Once some of them were homosexuals . .  but not anymore.

Here is truth that is both liberating and sobering:

Not everyone will be changed, 
But everyone could be changed.

Some will choose to live in their sins. Others will rebel at the thought of change. Others simply will not believe they can be changed, and so they will stay the way they are. The reasons why people don’t change are as varied as humanity itself. But it is finally true that not everyone will come to Jesus for salvation. Not everyone will be converted. But everyone could be saved. The blood of Jesus has more than enough power to save the whole world. No one who comes to him will ever be turned away. There is no sinner beyond the reach of God’s grace, and there is no sin so heinous that God will not forgive it. This is our great hope, the reason we send missionaries to India, Japan,Nigeria, Costa Rica, France, and to every nation on earth. Everyone could be saved, and everyone needs to be saved. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, with no exceptions (Romans 1:16). God is able to saved completely and forever those who come to him through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25).

III. We Must Claim God’s Promise vv. 11b

Paul now clearly explains how the great change takes place: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” In the Greek, the word “but” actually occurs three times:

But you were washed, 
But you were sanctified, 
But you were justified.

It’s Paul’s way of emphasizing the remarkable change that happens to the Corinthians. Let’s look at each of those phrases:

1) You were washed. When your clothes are dirty, you put them in a washing machine, add some detergent, turn the machine on, and come back 40 minutes later. When you take your clothes out, the dirt is gone and the clothes are clean. Now transfer that image to the blood of Jesus. Before you came to Christ, your life was dirty and unclean. When an unclean life is washed in the blood of Jesus, it comes out clean and pure.

An old hymn by William Cowper says it this way:

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains; 
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

That’s the power of the blood of Jesus. It washes all our sins away.

2) You were sanctified. The word “sanctified” means to be made holy. It describes a person or an object that has been “set apart” for God’s use. Applied to the believer, it means that we have been called out of the world and into God’s family. We are now “set apart” for God’s use.

Once we lived for ourselves. Now we serve the Lord.
Once we followed the world’s rules. Now we follow the Lord’s leading.
Once we played on the world’s team. Now we play for the Lord’s team.
Once we wore the world’s uniform. Now we wear the Lord’s uniform.
Once we were unholy. Now we are holy.

That is the great difference that Jesus makes.

3) You were justified. The term “justified” comes from the courtroom of the first century. It describes that moment at the end of a trial when a judge, having heard all the evidence, pronounces the defendant Not Guilty. He is thus cleared of all charges and is free to go. That’s what happens the moment we trust Christ. God justifies us (he declares us righteous in his eyes) on the basis of the death and resurrection of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus took our sin and punishment, we are now free from guilt and condemnation in the eyes of God. Jesus paid the price so that we might be justified by God. It is a declarative judgment by the God of the universe, a free gift from God (Romans 5:17) to those who trust his Son.

Let’s put it all together:

Once we were dirty. Now we are clean.
Once we were unholy. Now we are holy.
Once we were guilty. Now we are justified.

This is what God can do for anyone who comes to him in Jesus’ name. This is the life-transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And how does this great miracle happen? The end of verse 11 gives us the answer: “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” It is the mighty name of Jesus that does the work, and it is the Spirit of God that applies the truth of Jesus to the human heart. Here is the promise of God for every person who feels like there is no hope: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Three Final Statements

Let’s wrap this message up with three final statements about real change:

1) Real change is possible. Do you want it?

2) Real change is available. Will you reach out and take it?

3) Real change is radical. Are you ready for it?

As you read this message, take a moment and ponder those three statements, and the three questions. Think about how they apply to your life.

I now end where I began. Christianity is supremely a religion of conversion. Everything we say and everything we believe is built upon one fundamental and revolutionary premise: You don’t have to stay the way you are. Your life can be radically changed by God. Your past does not determine your present or your future. If the gospel is true, then your life can change. And if the gospel cannot change your life, then it is really no gospel at all.

This week I read that today’s evangelical Christians no longer believe in instantaneous conversion. We tend to talk about salvation as a process and a spiritual journey. We’re much more comfortable with salvation coming a little at a time. The author noted that our spiritual ancestors had no problem with the concept of instantaneous conversion. They believed that a life could be radically changed in a moment. Certainly the Bible presents many examples of people whose lives were changed immediately. Perhaps in our reaction against certain emotional excesses, we have gone too far. While it’s true that long-held patterns of behavior may not change overnight, and while we all need time for spiritual growth, it’s also true that your sins can be forgiven immediately. I like to tell people, “You may have come to church without Jesus, but you don’t have leave here without him. You may have come guilty, but you can go home forgiven. You may have come dirty, but you can go home clean.” That’s the true power of the gospel to meet us at any moment in time, and create a miracle of conversion inside the human heart.

So let me ask a couple of closing questions:

What tense is your life? Are you still in the “were” or has Jesus brought you into the “are”? As you still living in what you used to be, or have you experienced the “extreme makeover” of a truly converted life? Could Paul say about you what he said about the Corinthians?

If the answer is “No” or “I’m not certain,” do not despair. God has more grace in his heart than you have sin in your life. God is a better Savior than you are a sinner. You don’t have to be a prisoner of your past. In Christ you can rise above your past to live a life that gives great glory to God. The gospel song “To God Be the Glory,” contains this encouraging line:

The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

All I have been trying to say is wrapped up in that sentence. If we understand our sin as an offense against Almighty God, then we are all equally qualified as “the vilest offender.” And when we believe in Jesus, that very moment (instantaneous conversion!) our sins are pardoned.

We are washed.
We are sanctified.
We are justified.

Is there real hope for lasting change? Yes, but you’ll never know until you reach out and trust Jesus. Don’t take my word for it. Go back and read the Bible for yourself.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He will abundantly pardon.
He will not turn you away.

Your life can change right now. May God help you to believe in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? Amen.

 

**************************************

Real Hope for Lasting Change, IF THEY WILL!

How can that sort of transformation take place today? Paul offers three answers.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Rev 21:7-8

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Rev 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

The most important part of this text is the first phrase of verse 11: “And that is what some of you (us, are) were.” In those eight words we find the entire Christian faith. The effective power of all that we believe is summed up in those few words. Christianity is supremely a religion of conversion. Everything we say and everything we believe is built upon one fundamental and revolutionary premise: You don’t have to stay the way you are. Your life can be radically changed by God. Conversion is a miracle that happens when the life of God intersects with human personality. Once God enters the picture, your life will never be the same again. Until then, you may be religious and you may be a very good person and you may obey all the rules of the church, but you have not been converted.

Religion is one thing; conversion is something else entirely.

Seven New Things

As I pondered the possibility of deep change in a person’s heart, I did a brief Bible study of the little word “new.” That’s an amazing study, by the way. Just take a concordance and see how many times in the Bible God promises to do something new or to make something new. As an example, here are seven new things God gives his children:

1) He gives us a new song (Psalm 40:3).
2) He gives us a new name (Isaiah 62:2).
3) He gives us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
4) He gives us a new life (Romans 6:4).
5) He gives us a new beginning (2 Corinthians 5:17).
6) He gives us a new self (Ephesians 4:24).
7) He gives us a new birth (1 Peter 1:3).

Prayer Points:

1.                   God, heal my spiritual deafness, dumbness and blindness, in the name of Jesus.

2.                   Every spirit of dullness, I curse you to die in my life.

3.                   I silence every strange voice speaking to my ears, in the name of Jesus.

4.                   Lord my Father, let Your refining fire purge my heart tonight, in the name of Jesus.

5.                   Lord, remove from my life anything that scares You away.

6.                   Lord, open my spiritual eyes and ears, in the name of Jesus

7.                   Lord, Thou art my lamb, lighten my darkness today.

8.                   Every spiritual cataract in my eye die in the name of Jesus.

9.                   Holy Spirit, open my ears and make them instruments of your divine revelations, in the name of Jesus.

10.               Anointing of God, break every yoke of deafness in my ears, in the name of Jesus.

11.               Every spiritual pollution in my ears, hindering me from hearing from the Lord, Holy Ghost, cleanse them with Your fire, in the name of Jesus.

12.               Every internal enemy, magnetizing me to hearing words that do not edify, die, in the name of Jesus

 

THREE BATTLES YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE.

Text:  Joshua 11:16-23

Topic:  Following Through

Theme:  Reasons for Following Through

Introduction:  There are three battles that you cannot afford to lose.  If you lose these battles you will fail in the Christian life. 

If you have ever tried to master any athletic skill, then you know that follow-through is crucial.  Follow through is extremely crucial in basketball, baseball, football, tennis, racquetball, golf, bowling, and in other sports.    As a matter of fact, you cannot be successful in sports until you have mastered follow through.

The principle is also important in business.  You have no doubt heard it said, “It is a numbers game.”  However, every successful businessperson knows that in order to win in business you must continue to follow through on your commitments. 

The principle of follow-through is particularly important in sports and business.  But, it is profoundly imperative in spiritual matters.  In any endeavour, experience, or enterprise concerning spiritual things, follow through is of utmost importance.

It is one thing to begin to apply the principles for victory in the Christian life; but another to follow through to complete victory.

This is illustrated in the life of the Israelites.  Joshua failed to follow through in his leading of the Israelites into full victory.  As a result of this, disastrous events happened in the coming days for the Israelites.

And, the same principles are true for us.  If we don’t learn to follow through by correcting those areas in our lives, we will experience defeat in the future.  As you may recall, when Joshua succeeded Moses as the lead ofIsrael; Moses had led the people out Egypt, through the wilderness, up to the brink of the Jordan.  God would not permit him to enter in because of his disobedience.  However, God allowed him to stand on Mount Nebo to look over.

It was now Joshua’s responsibility to take Israel through the Jordan Riverand into Canaan.  When God commissioned Joshua, He gave him a two-fold plan for the possession of the land (Josh. Chap. 1).

            1) God gave him a promise (vv. 2-4)

            2) God gave him the power (v. 5)

God was emphasizing that Joshua should take every inch of the land because he had the power to do so.  Then Joshua went into battle after battle, defeating the enemies.  Joshua chapters 5-11 are the record of the battles ofIsrael.  Almost all of his enemies were defeated.

Our text seems to give a glowing account of full victory.  It seems as if the Israelites lived happily ever after.  But, that is not the end of the story ~ because Joshua failed to follow through. 

That is the problem with many Christians. 

They almost obtain total victory. 

They almost get victory over all those strongholds in their life.

We are going to look at Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod.  Some terrible events happened in these cities because Joshua did not follow through on his commitment to God’s plan for his life.  These three cities represent three battles that we must not lose in the Christian life.

I.                   The Place of Defeat ~ Gaza (Judges 14-16) (The Pleasures of the World)

Samson is undoubtedly the strongest man who ever lived.  Entire armies would tremble at his sight.  One time he picked up a bleached jawbone and slew 1,000 Philistines.  Another time he was walking in a field and a lion attacked him.  He ripped the lion to pieces.  On another occasion, he caught 300 foxes and set the field on fire.

Also, in Gaza, Samson ripped the gates of this walled city down.   He took the post and iron bars and carried the gates 20 miles away ~ into a mountain. However, it was in Gaza that Samson went from victor to victim.  He went from being an overcomer to being overcomed.  It was in Gaza that he fell in love with Delilah.

There are three warnings about the sin of Gaza:

A.        Sin will blind you (16:21)

            7 green vines v-7

            7 new ropes v-11

            7 locks of hair with web v-13

B.        Sin will bind you (16:21)

            “And brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass)

C.        Sin will bury you (16:21-31)

            “And he did grind in the prison house”

            1.  in disgrace

            2.  in death

II. The Place of Defiance (1 Sam. 17) ~ (Gath: The Measures Of The World)

A.        The men who engaged in battle

            1.  Their size

            2.  Their strength

            3.  Their successes

B.        The methods employed in battle

Goliath                                                                        David

1.  Man’s weapons                                            1.  Total dependence

2.  Man’s words                                                             2.  Total determination

3.  Man’s wisdom                                              3.  Total deliverance

C.        The meaning explained for battle

            1.  The world tries to discourage God’s people (Goliath’s words)

            2.  The world tries to defeat God’s people (Goliath’s works)

III.  The Place of Defilement (1 Sam. 4-5:2) ~ (Ashdod: The Treasures Of the World)

A.        The false assumption (vv. 3-9)