God's Words When You Are....Under Attack

ATTACK back

Exodus 33:14
My presence goes with you and I will give you rest.

Psalm 143:12
The Lord destroys the enemies of my soul

1 John 4:4
I am of God, His little child, and have overcome all evil spirits because greater is Jesus Christ who is within me than he who is in the world.
¨
Zech. 4:6
...not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.

Romans 8:27
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

2 Cor. 2:14
But thanks be unto God who in Christ always leads us in victory.

Romans 8: 1,2
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained an introduction by faith to the grace in which we stand, and we exult in our hope of sharing in the glory of God.

Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

1 John 3:8
The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil

John 10:10
The thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy, but I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.

Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even unto death.

2 COR 10:4,5 Our weapons are mighty casting down every thought that exalts itself against God
verse 6: you will avenge disobedience when your obedience is complete

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
NIV

Romans 8:37 Version 1
In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37-39 Version 2
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God's Words For When You Are Depressed

Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God: what is good, acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Is. 55:8

Prov. 3: 5-8
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

He restores my soul. Ps 23: 3

Therefore if anyone be in Christ he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5: 17

For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Col 3: 2

He is the only wise God, our savior. 1 Tim 1:17

Phil 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might through His spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever, Amen.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:17

...my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. Ps. 57: 1

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Is. 26:3

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Ps. 94: 19

The Lord will protect you from all evil, the Lord will preserve your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this day forward. Ps. 121: 7

Phil 4: 6, 7
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace, which transcends all understanding, shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried out and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. Ps 34: 4, 6

6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written:


“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.1 Cor. 2: 2-16

I have the mind of Christ.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal. 2: 20

so Facebook

Really burned me. I posted at a group that I admin saying that Reagan proclaimed that only one generation needs to come along that can destroy America, and I said, this is that generation. And I said that Lincoln predicted America s enemies would be her own people, and that's what we see. Not anyone out there but our own. After that I got a weird notification, weird bc it didn't stay on my notifications, that threatened to remove political and religious posts and comments. They threatened everything on my account and said I could download material B4 they do this and set Dec 1st as demolition day. Well, it came and went. Yet I'm just fed up with them. What began as a FUN forum became so ugly as this!!

on good authority..

I know someone who is a retired ER, emergency room doctor, and b4 that, a family doctor. He has recall of many medical terms right at his behest. He says that doctors have not even been able to tell the difference between influenza (flu) and COVID.  So, cases of flu were mistaken for COVID. He also believes there is something sinister in the vaccine. Good Lord. 

Exodus

One night, while she could feel the demons in his place, Mare laid on his bed while he was in the living room and she could hear Jesus speak to her,

“Come away my beloved.”

She tried to obey that voice but her heart held back. She wanted Damien.

This is where it all began.

They spent the first two months, after meeting at their job, talking about work and about themselves and about everything. She let him know that she was a serious Christian.

He complained about getting lots of rejection from women. He said he couldn’t understand why, except that he was reaping the rejection he’d sown in his youth when he dumped lots of girls. He said he’d had temporary loves, about every three months.

Finally, he complained bitterly about Mare saying that she cannot be with an unbeliever. He said he cannot believe in God unless God gives him a “honey.”

They got closer and closer. Mare got steadily more attracted to him, despite the poor character shown in some of what has already been described. He drooled over women as they worked together – unabashedly.

Tom was at her house when she first met Damien – a voice of conscience in Mare’s life - a fellow Christian. She knew Damien wasn’t her type. He reeked of things she didn’t like, and told Tom so.

But Tom was patient with her. He liked Damien.

And when Damien came to see a movie one night, and showed great interest in the one she picked (they each picked one out) he showed her a side of himself that impressed her.

He kept watching the movie even when she wouldn’t have minded giving up on it, and that showed some depth in him that caused her to like him more and more.

One night they played “Wheel of Fortune” on his play station all night. It was truly fun for them. At about 4:00 AM he said he couldn’t see them as being lovers. He said,

“I’d like you for right now, but you’re too old for anything more.”

Mare was twenty years older.

Mare left knowing there would be a strain at work if they got involved, even though she felt they wanted each other.

That was on a Saturday night. Eerily he said, “Maybe you’ll sleep with someone tomorrow.”

Somehow that came up in the conversation. And then, Mack called the next night, being cocky saying there would be no more than this one night, and then he’d disappear.

Mare was enthralled with Damien, and Mack’s approach was disturbing. He just blatantly came on that he wanted a one-night stand, like they’d already had. They’d just ended up in bed.

Mare had a short period of sexual permissiveness due to a manic episode – that wicked disease that can cause temporary lapses of reason.

Her episode had ended, but Mack had gotten there as a result of it.

But she certainly wanted more than what Mack was offering. She wanted more than what Damien was offering. But with Damien it felt like a relationship.

She told Mack “no.”

The next Tuesday morning there was a company meeting. She saw Damien and he was bugging her for some reason. Little did she know he had just had sex Sunday night.

Sunday afternoon he had been working in the mall. He met someone else working in the mall at Victoria’s Secret. That night he went out with her, drank and had sex.

Tuesday night he told Mare about it. He said it was great, and how he’d like to have something ‘nice like that in his bed every night.’ He thought Mare would think it was just fine. He had no idea it would upset her.

Mare’s feelings were dashed. She didn’t talk to him for days. Already she was getting attached. They had been talking 3 to 6 times per day at work, and now nothing.

Finally, she confessed how hurt she was and why.

She fought hatred and forgave him. This is an example of where forgiveness can go wrong.

She went beyond forgiving him and forgot to look at who he was. She forgot to guard her heart! Instead, she kept sinking into desire for him.

That’s when she found herself at his place that night, and the demonic was surely present. She heard the voice of Jesus crying out to her to leave, but she didn’t.

She didn’t sleep with him that night, but by the next time she was in his place, she asked Damien to kiss her. He did, and they lost control. She told him how much she had been wanting him.

Chapter 2

Damien had obviously been inspired by Mare’s relationship with her cat, because he went out and got a cat after holding her cat in his lap at her house. He also got an aquarium, passionately creating an underwater world at home.

He said he was losing a desire to make a relationship work, a cat and a fish tank were enough for him. Yet later he talked about buying a wife from the Orient because he couldn’t handle American women anymore.

Mare had to face just how selfish and immature he was. Here he had slept with someone else, and then later dated another woman, a new woman working under him at their job when he became manager, and he just expected Mare to figure it out. He had gone for her because of her body, he had admitted.

He then proposed to Mare and 2 days later was oogling another new employee with a small trim body right in front of Mare. So, he was being open about it at least.

After they had been in bed together, Mare worried about the impact it would have on work, but things went along fine. Mare met with him at his place and ‘went for it’ passionately – thinking of him as her best friend, which was far from the truth.

Probably because they had been talking a lot before anything physical had happened – but that was a poor reason. He said he’d never slept with a friend before, only strangers.

And he even started talking about Mare being the right one for him. But Mare told him she needed a Christian and Mare tried to break it off, tried to stop the physical relationship. He protested madly, saying he hated God. He stopped talking to her for a couple of days and Mare got sick with a bad cold. Mare was giving her heart over to him, convinced that he was showing he was in love.

They ended up at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. – a restaurant, where he proposed to her. He asked if she minded occasional marijuana use, and she said she didn’t. He said “great.”

Two days later, a 36-year-old female employee was working with them and he was drooling over her. Mare knew the engagement was a joke. She got very angry.

A week later they sat in Perkins together and Damien was denying the whole thing, again talking about buying a wife from the Orient. He told her she was too old for him. Mare realized she had gone through a complete cycle with him. He laughed at her new used car.

Mare told him she felt suicidal. He said, “you’re going to kill yourself unless I marry you?” Laughing. Mare told him that buying a wife was like the old slavery of the South. What kind of people buy people? What kind of people sell people? He said he’d just been kidding. Mare thought “enough is enough.” If only it had truly been enough!

The company had a meeting and Damien was the manager at that time. Mare thought how he had a veneer of maturity and of liking himself. He’s obviously immature and doesn’t like himself, but only lives for self. Now it was apparent that he only got sex for the time being and didn’t need Mare. He would just as soon move on.

He had used Mare like a yo-yo. Mare saw the need to forgive yet maintain boundaries this time.

Chapter 3

The joy of the Lord flooded her room that morning after that meeting at Perkins. God so mercifully came to Mare as she repented, and suicidal feelings dissipated.

Now because of all that happened, she recognized that he couldn’t be honest with her, that she had no idea if he was dating anyone else at work. She told him that he had treated the engagement like a joke. He replied that his whole life had been a joke. So, he treated Mare like he treated himself.

He openly admitted to his second thoughts about getting married. He said his friends ridiculed him for being with a woman old enough to be his mom.

He said he doubts Mare is his soulmate. He asked Mare to write a prayer to say to God about his dilemma of finding a wife. She wrote a prayer in Jesus name in which he asks to be shown any unforgiveness, also asking to find his soulmate.

Mare prayed it would open doors for him spiritually, and then she prayed to surrender him to God.

After that he tried to deny that the incident with the Victoria’s Secret lady happened and then got Mare to go to bed with him again. Mare said “no more! Absolutely no more!”

Mare moved on to being able to abstain from a sexual relationship, but not from feelings for him. Even her Christian friend Tom would rather see them together and would be disappointed when they were “on the fritz” again.

Mare took a road trip across Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota. She saw the badlands, Mount Rushmore and wild horses. When she returned, she was able to see the damage that had been done by the relationship with Damien – soul hurts and wounds. It had a lot to do with the effects of sexual sin. She knew she had to let this go into God’s hands.

Damien went to another company – the competition. Mare suspected that he had been fired for sexual harassment even though he didn’t tell her.

Still, Mare ended up in bed with Damien, seemingly powerless to stop it. Damien stunk up the apartment with cigarettes and Mare hated breathing in the second hand smoke, but endured it.

It was obvious that Damien was not in love but just wanted the convenient sex. He couldn’t love because God is love. Mare knew it but couldn’t act on what she knew.

Damien said negative things about her appearance – he was not positive or supportive. His young friend at work said that their being together was gross.

Damien reminded Mare of a boyfriend of years ago – who was good in sales, a little small in stature, who loves to sit around, never exercise, smoke pot, eat, have sex, sleep, and have no outreach to other people. Total self gratification. Mare asked, “is he being used by the devil? Is it a curse that he wants to be with me?” A friend from her Christian college said that it’s devilish.

He was crazy though. On one hand he called her his “pooh bear” and said “don’t I make a nice boyfriend?” and on the other hand he said “you’re not my girlfriend.” There was no rhyme or reason.

He consumed her time, she didn’t even get her laundry done. She felt loved by him until sex happened, and then that revealed the truth. It showed he was merely getting sex from her.

Mare thought of how friendship would have been so much better. He would deny all forms of commitment. Mare prayed to remember this about sex, what happens. And prayed to stop spending time in his apartment alone with him.

She tried to convey that they would have to sacrifice their friendship if they didn’t stop having sex. She would tell herself not to listen to him, because he’s not in love. She tried to remember that he needs Jesus.

She shared the gospel with him – shared the scriptures on salvation with him.

She tried to tell herself that the right man will call you beautiful and sexy, and not just to deceive you in the beginning.

She had to admit she wasn’t in love either.

The struggle ensued. Damien said all sorts of negative things about her. She had to admit she was not in love and that he was not her soulmate. She was baby-sitting. She was loving a lost soul. She was allowing him to corrupt her standards on sexuality and waste time better spent on future goals.

She realized she had better pray that God would redeem her testimony at work – what did her co-workers think of her after knowing about her and Damien?

She realized that she had gone ahead with Damien even though she had seen the bondage in his soul from the very beginning. She prayed “God help me!”

Things progressed to where Damien showed that he was mentally ill – schizophrenic and started threatening to use a gun on people who he thought were after him. He talked of using an Ak47.

As Mare kept falling into having sex with Damien, she kept getting back up on her feet, repenting, and she would take communion, privately, praying for God’s grace to come and give her power over the sin that she had not had power to overcome. She got prayer from ministers and hands laid on her to overcome the sin. She listened to messages by people of God on this. She read and confessed the word of God.

Mare had a revelation. Satan tries to cause sin, then shame. He appeals to our pride. If we have shame, he appeals to that shame – “look how bad you are.” Instead of humbly accepting he fact of our sinful nature and that God has totally accepted us in that state, we deny the sin in us and feel horrible about that shame.

Then Satan appeals to our flesh to strive, to make an effort to repair and to fix ourselves. The answer is to fall apart and fall into the downy bed of God’s perfect grace and mercy – allowing those to creep into us and bring strength from above. God revealed to Mare how much false righteousness had been within her.

Mare went full circle again. She maintained friendship with Damien and didn’t mean to get involved physically, but did. After this, more negative words, and then – Damien revealed that he was in the hospital for mental health issues in the past. He spewed out hatred towards those who put him there, and expounded on view of the world as a dark place, including negative views of God.

Mare realized that she was in a trap with a person who jeopardized her well-being in many ways, but she didn’t know how to get out. She continued with the communion, believing for a breakthrough.

Damien revealed that he listened to music like Judas Priest. Mare realized this was serious. She needed to get out!

Why does it say that where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds more? Paul says we cannot sin that grace may abound, but that refers to “license to sin” mentality. But it’s true that when we find ourselves falling into sin, helpless because our self controls aren’t working, then His grace abounds as He meets us right where we are weak. If we insist on “self-control” – relying on it, we will block grace. So, we don’t try to sin to receive grace, but we do let go of controls.

Why do people who have sinned so blatantly end up so powerful in God? It is because they lost control. Satan took over, then God came in and swept him aside and that person knows how to be “taken over” so they get taken over by God.

Mare continued taking communion and waiting on God for power to overcome the temptation. Eventually, she broke free of sexual sin, which was followed by a long period of having just a friendship with Damien which eventually had to be broken off too.

Damien revealed that he was an out and out schizophrenic with delusions about being monitored through the walls of his apartment and he believed Mare was a part of the ‘conspiracy.’ He got violently angry at times and it was scary. He got increasingly more bizarre.

Today Mare prays for Damien and has his number on her cell phone in case he tries to call her so she can identify the call.

Mare got free of involvement physically with Damien, and it was the end of sexual sin in her life. She has been free of sexual sin for over seven years, and all the glory goes to Jesus Christ! Exodus!

Prayer For Losing Weight

Dear Jesus, I pray for this excess fat to go, in your name. You said that the work of God is to believe, so although dieting and exercise are good, letting go and trusting You is best. Help me to trust You for loss of weight, and not to be obsessed with what I eat, or with exercise.

Help me to use wisdom in what I eat, and to exercise healthfully, but let my trust be in You and in Your power and not in eating certain foods or in exercise.

You said that we could drink poison and it will not hurt us, so we are not to worry about ingesting bad things. You have given us power over all the power of the enemy, and the enemy cannot hurt me through anything that enters my mouth.

I acknowledge that I have judged myself and others according to appearance and that this is not pleasing to You. Forgive me and cleanse me. I acknowledge that idolizing a slim body is idolatry and that looking down on people who are overweight is pride. Forgive me and cleanse me of these sins.

I acknowledge that I have tried to fix my body in an attempt to make myself feel better about my life, when You want me to feel better about my life from the inside, not the outside.

Jesus, I acknowledge that I have allowed others to measure me by my appearance, and not by my heart, and that I have followed the fear of man. Forgive me, cleanse me, and give me courage to resist the fear of man and walk in confidence in Your love and affirmation of me.

Jesus, I acknowledge that I have eaten food to fill a void that only You can fill. Help me to turn to You instead of food to fill my emotional and spiritual needs.

Jesus, I need to lose weight to ward off certain diseases. Help me not to fear these diseases. I come against the fear of disease in Your name and by Your blood. By Your power, help me to lose weight and the potential for these diseases. I rest in Your power.

I come against the fear of being fat, in Jesus’ name. Jesus, I acknowledge that I have given in to this fear. Forgive me, and cleanse me.

Please help me to set these priorities straight, and then, having set them straight, to find Your will for me in losing weight. Let me lose weight as You cleanse me.

Jesus, I loose this excess weight, in Your name and by Your blood.

The work of God is to believe, so I let go of striving, and worrying, and enter into rest. I rest in Your power to work in my metabolism and burn away this excess weight.

Thank you Jesus for Your awesome and miraculous power.

Amen.

Assurance of Salvation

John 14: 1-4

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

John 17: 1-2, 12

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Romans 8: 1-2, 29-32

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these

He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Salvation Scriptures

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

Romans 6: 23 …for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our lord.

John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said to him,, “most assuredly I say to you, unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 14: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

2 Cor 5: 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Romans 10: 9 - 11 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Revelation 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.

Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”[Jesus Christ]

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

In these scriptures you have met Jesus If your heart was open, and if you repented of your sin, you asked Him to come in. The work of saving you is now His.

All You Need To Know To Get Saved....

is found right here on this page.


Read these out loud. If they don’t make sense at first, read them again.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

Romans 6: 23 …for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our lord.
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

Please notice the word sin instead of sins. That means that for one sin God could send me to hell. Death means hell. Jesus gave us the way out of hell.

John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said to him,, “most assuredly I say to you, unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Can you answer the question: why did Jesus come to die?

My answer to you is that Jesus came to die for the sin mentioned in the last verse. But until we repent of our sin – turn away - and receive Jesus and what He has done for us, we cannot have friendship with God or go to heaven. Will you do that – now?

John 14: 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

2 Cor 5: 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

Romans 10: 9 - 11 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

Revelation 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.
Please write the answer to the question: what does this mean to you?

Now answer the following questions:

1. Are you a sinner?

2. Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?

3. Are you willing to surrender your life to Christ?

4. Are you ready to invite Jesus into your life and into your heart?

(from Bill Fay’s “Share Jesus Without Fear”)

Inheritance

We freely inherit all things

Ps 49:10

So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 20:32

To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.
Acts 26:18
(Paul remembering what Jesus said to him)

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together.
Romans 8: 16,17
I like to say: “I’m a joint heir with Jesus Christ – the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords”

In Him we were made God’s heritage and obtained an inheritance because we had been chosen and appointed beforehand according to His will. This is so that we who first hoped in Christ would live to the praise of His glory. In Him you trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the *guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession - to the praise of His glory!
Ephesians 1: 11-14
*The Holy Spirit is the down-payment

For if the inheritance is of the law it is no longer of promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise….and if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
Gal 3:18, 29

That the gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.
Ephesians 3:6

In my father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so I would not have told you I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them.
Heb 11:16

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 25:34

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
1 Peter 1:3,4

But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, not ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
1 Cor 2:9

And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ.
Col 3:23, 24

Wait on the Lord and keep His way and He shall exalt you to inherit the land.
Psalm 37:34

This is the work of God - that you believe.
John 6:29

Isaiah 45:5
I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no God besides me. I gird you, though you have not known me.

***We are already in the heavenly places; heaven is now as well as later.

God's Words When You Are Tempted or Have Trials

1 Cor 10: 12, 13
No temptation is too great because God will provide a way of escape and all your brothers and sisters around the world have the same exact temptations.

Hebrews 4: 14-16
Jesus our high priest was tempted in all areas the same as we, though without sinning, and can sympathize with our weaknesses. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help us in time of need.

Hebrews 2:18
Because He Himself has been tempted, He is able to nurture those who are tempted.

2nd Peter 2: 9
The Lord knows just how to get you out of trouble when you’re tempted.

Romans 6:14
Sin has no more power over you, because you are no longer under the law but under grace.

Psalm 119:11
I have hidden Your word in my heart so that I will not sin against You.

James 1:13,14
God doesn’t tempt us. We are lured and tempted by our own desires.

Proverbs 28:13
You cannot progress or prosper by being in denial about your sin. If you face them, confess and forsake them, God will show mercy.

1 John 1:9
What has the power to cleanse us from sin? Confessing our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Peter 5: 8,9
Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking what he may devour. Resist him firm in your faith knowing that the same experience of suffering belongs to your brethren throughout the world.

Ephesians 6
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Stand therefore, having the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and above all, take the shield of faith. With this you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

James 4: 7
Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 John 4: 4
Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
(Jesus said, be of good cheer – I have overcome the world)

James 1: 2,3,12
Be happy when you encounter various temptations and trials. The trying of your faith develops patience. The man who endures trials will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Jude 24, 25
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you blameless before His presence with great joy, to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty.

Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, by his blood, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Peter 1: 6,7
You are full of joy even though it may be necessary for a season that you are weighed down with many trials and temptations, because the trying of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is an element in the earth that does not last forever, will bring you to praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ appears.

God's Words for when you are afraid....

PSALM 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,
And though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea.

Though its waters rage and foam and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, what awesome things He has done on the earth.

It is He who makes wars to cease in all the world. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire.

Be still then and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

PS 27:1 Version 1
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

Ps 27:1-6, Version 2
The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh [or to devour my mind], my adversaries and enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear. Though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident.

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He will hide me in His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me. Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle. I will sing, yes I will sing praises to the Lord.

2 Tim 1:17
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.

Is. 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Ps 34: 4, 6,
I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, ( I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust. I will not fear. What can man do to me? What can the devil do to me? (Ps. 56: 3,4) In God I have put my trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
vs. 11

...my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. Ps. 57: 1

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4: 18

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Ps. 94: 19

Phil 4: 6, 7
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace, which transcends all understanding, shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Ps. 121: 7
The Lord will protect you from all evil, the Lord will preserve your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this day forward.

Isaiah 54:11, 14, 17
O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest and not comforted, behold I will set your stones with colorful gems and lay your foundations with sapphires.
In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near you.

Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the spoiler to destroy.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from me, says the Lord.

Strong's definition:
No apparatus, armor, or any weapon formed against me shall prosper, advance, break out, make progress, or be caused to succeed. Every tongue - whether it be man or beast, fire to burn, water to drown, any evil gossip or wedge that would arise - come on the scene, trying to establish itself, impose itself, erect, arouse or stir up against me, I condemn, cause and declare it guilty and wrong and it is departed from me. This is my heritage, portion and possession as a servant and child of the King - belonging to the kingdom of my heavenly Father. And my God says, "This righteousness and justice is of me - you are vindicated and you will prosper."

Joshua 1:9 NASB
Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

PS 91
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper, and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge. His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day, of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you.

IS. 41: 10

Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced. They shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them-those who contended with you, those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.

For I, the Lord Your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, fear not, I will help you.

Adventure, part 2.....

On that initial visit to Montana, when I was in crisis, when I got to one particular town, I bound the principalities and powers that hovered over it. It was a nice town. It just had those characteristics of some small towns in Montana – immobilized, afraid, no change for a long time, lack of resources.

I had this enormous peace entering it, knowing that I had dealt with the enemy, and I was still in crisis. I hung out at a bar to get to know the locals (well, Jesus did it!)

Later, when I embarked on my real adventure, and with no mania, I passed through that town. It was Sunday and a pastor invited me to his church that morning. I was visiting with the pastor after the service and he confided in me: “I have just started seeing God really move in this town, since the end of 2003.” That was when I had come and bound the principalities.

I’m not saying anything, but I’m just sayin’ – you never know…..

I didn’t say anything to the pastor.

That was when I was on my way to camp out in western Montana. I had put my house on interest only, had put it up for sale and was living off the equity. Don’t try this at home. I knew that I would get my house sold in time to pay it off, and I did. I got it sold before housing prices plummeted. I got a good price and just in time. They had just told me I couldn’t live off my credit anymore.

I trusted God every step of the way.

In western Montana, I found an area west of Bozeman that was spiritually “light” and naturally beautiful and just camped out there for most of the summer, enjoying the locals.

I was off medication.

I kept returning home to take care of the house, sometimes having to do more repairs and decorating to improve it for selling, then set out again, heading for another part of the United States, traveling everywhere with my two cats.

We went to the Grand Canyon, where my one cat, Tubby attracted so much attention as I walked him on a leash that people were oogling him instead of looking at the Grand Canyon!

At one point we went to Mexico, briefly, where I got lost coming back. God helped me find my way back without knowing Spanish.

I visited family and friends I hadn’t seen in twenty years!

In Arizona I was camping out alone, because it was January, and discovered at 3:00 AM that I had accidentally pitched my tent over a sprinkler that went off. God wanted me to have a cold shower!

The desert winds also blew everything so my tent and my belongings practically blew away!

There was a sign at an Arizona rest area that warned against “Serpents and Scorpions” and I thought about that verse that says “nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

In Arizona I also met a lady who invited me to stay at her place in Phoenix, which was beautiful! It was next to an orange orchard and had a pool. She was nice and an opportunity to share my faith.

Whenever I returned to Minneapolis, the heavy principalities over it were so evident, and I would brace myself. But I began to see it as a challenge to embrace.

My adventure came to an abrupt end when I had another manic episode! I was completely off medication and not using wisdom. I wasn’t having a solid quiet time with God every day, getting into the Word. I wasn’t in a constant fellowship with believers. Duh!

Those are the Basic Maintenance 101 for every Christian. I was relying on prophetic “knowing” and not on other ways of knowing. Besides, that kind of prophetic knowing may just as well be shut off.

When I got manic, I was promptly sent back home, to Minneapolis. Since then, I’ve been operating just fine without thinking much about the powers that be, and that’s just fine with me!

When God Let Me Go On An Adventure!

I finally let loose and went on an adventure after asking God if it was OK. I hemmed and hawed and tried to argue against it, but really argued for it, until I finally just went for it. I finally realized that God put the desires I had within me, and that my desires were good.

I realize now that the truth that was inspiring me is actually found in the bible. I have to admit that I went wild with it and that it got out of hand. I lost balanced wisdom and my adventure ended up in tragedy. But between the pain that preceded embarking on my adventure, and the not so happy end was a lot of fun! Here is the story….

I took off for Montana when things got intense in Minneapolis, a rather large city. I was aware that the city was heavy with demonic forces within, and as I got closer to God and dealt with the roots of the mental illness that plagued me, the city grew more and more oppressive.

As soon as I had a problem with mental illness, the police in Minneapolis would promptly hand me over to a hospital, where the atmosphere was unbearably intense, with other sick people to contend with. The "care" was sometimes not so careful.

When I didn't want to take extra sleep medication one night, but chose to sing and pray, the night nurse called the guards, who came and pinned me down, and stabbed me in the butt with a needle.

The next time I had trouble with my mind, it seemed like a good idea to avoid doctors and hospitals, so I took off in a car into the country west of Minnesota. I went all the way to Montana and there encountered the people of small towns – some small towns, not the freaky ones. I found that they dealt with me in a crisis mode much more patiently. Some police sat down and talked with me, and listened. They didn’t take me to a hospital.

They recommended I talk to some health care workers, who sat and talked with me rationally, and then sent me on my way.

The treatment I received in small towns was so compassionate. Also, the atmosphere in the small towns was so much better. There I felt released from the oppression of the city, and I started to feel better mentally and emotionally. I didn’t need to go to a hospital. I overcame fear and got over my bout with mania.

This taught me that there are spiritual forces over a city, especially certain cities, because of the type of people living in them. These forces can be heavy and demonic. This exists because the people in those cities collectively choose death. Some cities are more life oriented because the people have collectively moved more toward the light.

A certain Samaritan town that Jesus visited was collectively given over to unbelief. His disciples’ idea was that he should rain fire and brimstone on the city like Sodom and Gomorrah, after they tried to perform miracles there, and Jesus rebuked them and said He had come to bring life and not death. It shows how a whole town or city can be taken over by either good or evil. (See Luke 9: 51-56)

Notice also that Jesus pronounced judgment on whole cities – Chorazin and Bethsaida, because of their unbelief, in Luke 10: 13-15.

I became aware of this phenomenon (not the passages at that time) as I took off and went traveling, out of desperation, away from my city. I noticed how some towns had a certain peace about them, and there was light there, and others had a feeling of oppression.

After this initial experience, I was dying to go traveling and find the places in America where people were living in the light. I was more interested in the small towns, not the cities, after that good experience in Montana.

There are many things I observed in my travels: how just driving through a town late at night, there would be a light fragrance blanketing a city that was living in the light; how as I left my city, the spiritual forces lifted off me as I drove away, like mosquitoes lifting off a body.

Positive Cities:

Chicago (surprisingly enough!)
Dallas
Kansas City

Negative:

Lincoln, Nebraska
Fargo

To be continued….