Category Archives: Satan’s Schemes

When Prayers Go Up, Blessings Come Down

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This is a call for continuous prayer throughout this school year. Our children go to school every day and the parents wonder, are they going to be safe. Being safe was not a daily consideration earlier in the decade or in times past, but now it seems people are intent on harming and killing children in schools. We all need to pray for school safety this year.

Dear Lord,

We are praying that you keep all school children and schools under your protection this year. Don’t let any hurt, harm, or danger affect them. We know you are our refuge, our shield, and our strength and our ever-present help in times of trouble. We come to you know in prayer, asking for your blessings.

Please protect our children, and allow them to remain children with gleeful eyes, always questioning and believing the best about people. We know you can turn anything around, and we pray that if it is within your will, let no instances of school shootings occur this year. We praise you for who you are. We thank you for a violence free school year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (L. Blair)

God, thank you for being a mighty warrior and a strong protector. You call us to stand firm, not in our own strength and might, but in Yours. Your power has no end and your authority demands even the demons to obey Your will. Help us, O God, to rely on your matchless power to stand firm. Grant us victory rooted in Jesus. (Paraphrased, City Life Church, Standing Firm In The Faith, August 15, 2022)

Pandemics and Spiritual Warfare

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The COVID19 pandemic is both a natural occurrence and a spiritual attack.

~ Lisa Blair

Hello Brothers and Sisters,

God calls us to participate in corporate gatherings, but church, as usual, is not possible in many parts of the world, including the United States. The pandemic is changing the way we attend church. It is safe to say that the church is under attack, and the pandemic is a tool to diminish our walk and weaken our resolve as Christians. I am not saying the coronavirus does not have natural causation. I am saying that it is being used as a tool or weapon against believers.

Two things are simultaneously occurring:

1) churches, businesses, and other institutions are closing to slow the spread of the pandemic,

2) the virus is being used by the evil one to destroy its’ adversary, the church.

As Christians, we are well aware of the ongoing spiritual battle. Satan is using the pandemic to strip the church. The Lord is using it to strengthen us, make us wiser and more alert. Isaiah 54:17 says, no weapon formed against us shall prosper. The battle rages, but we are already victorious. The 91st Psalm says we must abide in the presence of the Lord, who gives us refuge and protects us from danger, specifically from plagues.

First Corinthians describes how God wants believers to live amid a corrupt culture and dark times. We not only live in a corrupt culture but are experiencing a pandemic, definitely dark times. Scripture instructs us to put our faith in Jesus. Our faith should not be in the wisdom of men but the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5). If we do so, when times get hard, those who do not have a relationship with God can take courage from those of us who are believers, if we maintain and display our trust in the Lord (Charles Stanley).

God not only provides refuge but also gave us armor to protect ourselves as we enter the battle before us. Paul writes in Ephesians 6, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. He further instructs us to put on the armor to withstand the evil day, which is happening now, and having done all, to stand. Stand as our church’s close, stand as our livelihood may be affected, stand if our health is attacked, stand when the days feel dark, and stand until we see the light of day.

The scriptures inform us that 1) ‘this is the day the Lord has made’; and 2) ‘we were created for such a time as this.’ During this season of our lives, we should hold fast to our faith and trust that God will bring us through. We must continue to stay in prayer at all costs. Our lives depend upon it. Our faith gives us the strength to trust in God’s peace, regardless of what is going on around us, and helps us endure whatever is ahead.

Mark 13 emphasizes that God wants his people to wake up and not be deceived or unaware of what is going on around us. All that we see through the visible eye is not what is happening on the invisible plane. The war is raging and we are the church. As the church, we are on the front line and must stay in prayer to effectively turn the tide of this natural disaster.

The Ugly Truth, Lies, and Exposure

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God’s Promise – I am the Truth

The ugly truth is being exposed every day, and the quick response from corporate owners is, we were there for you until we weren’t, we’ve made mistakes, and the consequence is that you no longer trust us. We want to earn your trust back.

Can we earn truth, or is it something given with the hope that it will be fulfilled? Our society is caught in a truth debacle. This is not a new phenomenon.  The difference now is that we are in a principality war that has been waged in cyberspace. The definitive nature of truth has become nothing more than exposing of what is deemed right and expedient to meet carnal (worldly) needs.

The arrival of the twenty-first century ushered us into a technology-based reality. The onset of fake news exposes the question of ‘truth.’ Is truth determined by the conveyor or the recipient of what has been shared? There are so many factors in determining the truth. But these factors only affect this plane, Satan’s home. Absolute truth is only available to followers of Christ. Those of us that have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, know that truth is revealed throughout the Bible. Truth is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. It begins with God who is the Word, and the Word which is (all) truth.

The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was God. John 1:1 NLV

My followers do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Make them holy for Yourself by the truth. Your Word is truth. 18 “As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world also. 19 I set Myself apart to be holy for them. Then they may be made holy by the truth. John 17:16-19 NLV

Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. James 1:18 NKJV

He chose to give us birth through the Word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:18 ESV

God is the Word, the Word is truth, and he created us to share the truth. Why you may ask? God created us to replicate Him on earth and to share the truth. The Armor of God speaks to wearing the belt of truth as part of our daily armor to protect ourselves from false truth known today as fake news, to expose the fake truth and to share the Word which is (all) truth, also known as the ‘Good News.’

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth. Ephesians 6:14 KJV

Stand then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. Ephesians 6:14 ESV

Earlier posts focused on the fact that as Christians we cannot be careless about who we are. We cannot allow carnal truths affect what we know to be the real truth, and we cannot become fearful of chaos created by fake news. We are to stand fast, not waver, and rest in the Word.

We have been commanded to reflect the qualities of Christ, to choose to emulate Him, allow his righteousness to flow through us and share the truth by exposing the (fake) carnal truth. We must share that God is the truth.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Chaos is of Satan, the truth is of God. Our salvation is through the acceptance of Christ which not only sets us free but sets us apart from the carnal lies and deceit of man.

Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:15-18

And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they also do the rest of the Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.2 Peter 3:15-18 NKJV

Apologies are not a form of repentance. The world apologizes, makes visual changes and continues down its path of deception. Christians understand God’s truth and repent for committing sin. Christians seek redemption and renewal.

Do not be trapped in the lies perpetrated by the world. Do not be led away with the error of the wicked. Know our Lord is truth, and whether we suffer the world’s attacks here on earth, we are living our lives to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your master’s happiness.” Matthew 25: 23

 

 

Images – Free Google Images

Scriptures – BibleGateway.com

Thank you for spending time on my sites, if you like what you are reading, follow me, lisasdailyinspirations.wordpress.com and receive the daily inspirations in your inbox, or visit my other site, youngchristianwarriors.com and subscribe.

 

 

Is God Holding Out on Us?

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Who has your ear? Who do you trust snd believe?

Study from: BibleStudyTools.com

Mark Altrogge

Friday, March 9, 2018

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)

Satan can’t force us to sin. So he tries the next best thing – to get us to doubt God’s word and character.

Photo Courtesy: Lightstock

He tempted Eve to doubt God’s word.

God had warned Adam and Eve that if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they’d die. Satan said, “You will not surely die.” He says to us, “Go ahead and sin, nothing will happen to you.” “You can sin just this once and it will be okay.” “Only one more time and you can quit tomorrow”  “God will forgive you.” “You’re saved, you won’t go to hell.” “No one will see you.”  “Everybody else does it, and nothing happens to them.”

Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

He tempted Eve to doubt God’s character.

“God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” In other words, “God’s holding out on you. Lying to you. He’s not good. He knows if you eat you’ll become like him and he doesn’t want that.”

God’s word is filled with promises which reflect his character. Promises to never cease doing good to us. To never leave nor forsake us. To be with us in trials, to be near us and hear us. To protect and deliver us from evil. To sustain, provide for, counsel and guide us.

But life throws things at us that seem to contradict God’s word and character. We lose a job or a loved one. We feel incredibly weak and helpless. We can’t see any possible solution to our dilemma.

“God doesn’t love you,” Satan whispers. “A loving God wouldn’t do this to you.” “If he were good he could have prevented this.” “God doesn’t answer prayer. After all, how many times have you asked and he hasn’t come through?”

Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

A Few Truths…

We don’t have to be going through tough times for the enemy to attack God’s word and character.

After all, Eve was in paradise. Satan will tempt us when things are going great. Perhaps he’ll tell us to ignore one of God’s warnings or commands to flee evil.

The devil doesn’t announce himself with a bullhorn.

“Satan here, feeding you lies to destroy you!” No – he presents these thoughts as our own. They are the “fiery darts” we must put out with the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:1-23). If they aren’t directly from Satan, they arise from our own unbelief. Either way, these thoughts challenge God’s character.

Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

A Charge for You…

Will we believe Satan’s lies or God’s word?

Will we believe God’s promises or our own interpretation of things? Eve looked at the fruit, and it appeared to be good for wisdom. So she believed her senses instead of God’s word.

Cling to God’s promises, no matter what fiery darts the enemy shoots at you.

Believe God’s promises even if all creation seems to contradict it. Believe God’s word over your strongest feelings. Of course to believe God’s promises, you must regularly take them in, for “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17).

So what are you believing about God today?

Mark Altrogge has been senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, Pennsylvania, since 1982. He has written hundreds of songs for worship, including “I Stand in Awe” and “I’m Forever Grateful.” Mark and his wife, Kristi, have four sons and one daughter. Find out more on his blog, The Blazing Center.

Editor’s note: This article has been adapted from “Is God Holding out on You,” found here.

Photo Courtesy: Unsplash