Enemy Exposed!

Philipians 1:2-6 — Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, …Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;Have you ever found yourself wandering aimlessly going through the motions? Knowing something was amiss? I have found my mind wandering lately. I began to wander about this and wander about that with the current events taking place. Then I realized it is when I think in my own carnal mind that I began to get troubled in my spirit. My eyes were being diverted off of heavenly things. It doesn’t matter what I (the flesh) think, but what matters is what God says:\tMatthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Suddenly the lights went on! It dawned on me that because I was searching diligently for “God’s will” in my life, the enemy of my soul was stepping up to the plate with venom spewing. You see, I believe what Hebrews 11:6 says,But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.In Matthew 4:23 Jesus went about all Galilee, 1. Teaching in their synagogues\tRomans 10:17 states that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God2. Preaching the gospel of the kingdomMatthew 4:17 states, From that time Jesus began to preach, and say, REPENT; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.3. Healing all manner of sickness Matthew 8 – the leper, the centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother in law stating a few examples4. All manner of disease among the peopleDisease defined: —Webster’s Universal Dict. & Thes. Page 169: an unhealthy condition in an organism caused by infection, poisoning, etc. sickness; a harmful condition or situation.—Stong’s concordance: Greek 3119 from 3120: softness; i.e. enervation - to lessen the strength or vigor of; to enfeeble in mind and body.The enemy of our souls wants us to be unhealthy in our thinking and unhealthy in our bodies because then he can lull us to sleep when we are in this weak and enfeebled state. We know that, Satan will use whatever he can to try to snare us! Scripture tells us in 1 Pet 5:8: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:We must fall in love with the TRUTH, which is the WORD OF GOD if we are to stand fast in these evil days. We tend to let too much in (by what we watch, hear and see) that gives ground to the enemy. Jesus Christ never let anything inside that would give Satan a chance to entice Him to sin. He gave us an example to follow by keeping His soul pure. Heed the Proverbs 7:1-3 warning: My son, keep my words, lay up my commandments with thee (in our hearts). Keep my commandments, and live and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers (our deeds, actions), write them upon the table of thine heart.Proverbs 7: 4-5 Say unto wisdom, Thou are my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman (denotes close, intimate relationship); that they may keep thee from the strange woman (the harlot, the pretender), from the stranger which flattereth with her words.#1\tOne of the enemy’s first steps to seduction of a believer: dullness of spirit. When one who is void in understanding lacking sense, having no direction, he/she is an easy victim. Proverbs 1:7 — The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.Proverbs 3:5-7 — Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.#2\tWhen things get difficult, they (anyone not grounded in the Word) will tend to compromise issues (mixing darkness with light). Sounds like Eve in the Garden of Eden. It takes two to bring sin to birth. James 1: 13-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err (be deceived, misled), my beloved brethren. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 —Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart (fall away) from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and the doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;Romans 6: 16-17 — Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine (gospel) which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.When we wander from wisdom and truth, we will encounter the enemy! Satan is seductive with the religious deception — religious talk with a devilish walk. If we read Proverbs 7 about the seductress we shall see the progression the enemy will use against us. We are not to judge others, but we are to discern the fruits.We need to be sure we are clean before the Lord, keep a repentant heart and stay in His Word! We need to be ever mindful that we are in a war and our enemy never sleeps.Ephesians 6:12 — For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.When we decide to really live “giving our all for JESUS” we become marked men and women. Now the enemy now wants to get down and dirty, pulling out all stops to get us off track or side tracked and we face the calling of EGYPT (our former lives) and all its trappings. Satan wants us to return to our old life but to become even worse than we were before. He will bring up memories to our minds, people into our path to tempt us. I have recently learned for myself, that when this happens and I stand on the Word, Praise God, I have held fast to the profession of my faith in Jesus! Not going to the right or the left. The enemy must leave when resisted with the Word of God. But each time he returns, as we hold up our sword, which is the Word of God, he must go! Saints, Put on the whole armor of God and always be ready!The Word of God tells us in James 4:6-7: …God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.We know he has a counterfeit for every Truth. He wants us to take ours eyes off of Jesus.He will come as close to the truth as he can with just a little bit of error. This way the gullible will swallow his lies. Think about how many sit in churches today and take every word the pastor/teacher states as gospel not searching the Word of God for themselves? They are being led astray as if to the slaughter. Those who are lukewarm will always come against those whose hearts are turned wholly toward the Lord!2 Corinthians 11:14 states And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.#3\t Come on, you can get away with it – no one will ever know! He will try to convince you that you can indulge in some secret sin. How many times do we hear this in our minds? We must make a commitment to the Lord to remain in His Word and stay in the Light of Jesus. We can overcome by remaining accountable to God, ourselves and to others.Satan has to get permission for every temptation or trial he brings to us. He is looking to see if we will disobey. God is looking for our obedience. We can remain thankful and rejoice when the trials and tribulations come our way, looking to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith and remain on course. Knowing that Jesus suffered and we shall also suffer if we are following him. I used scriptures, as I wrote this because it is the Word of God, which will stand not my words or any man’s words. I remind myself and others to, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing (handling accurately) the word of Truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.2 Timothy 2:15-161 Timothy 4:15-16 Meditate upon these things: give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting (progress) may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.Proverbs 3:26 — For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.We stand strong on His promises: \tProverbs 14:26 — In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. May this continue to be our prayer: Philipians 3:8-14Ref.: “Exposing the Seductive Lies of the Enemy” on http://www.newwineonline.com/nwo/online/publications.asp I, Am_Lovin_HIM

My, what is in the water over there? :-D We have heard from a number of brethren in your state (a quick search confirmed my suspicion) and can't help but wonder...Which seques nicely into: Have you ever found yourself wandering aimlessly going through the motions? Knowing something was amiss? I have found my mind wandering lately. I began to wander about this and wander about that with the current events taking place. Then I realized it is when I think in my own carnal mind that I began to get troubled in my spirit. My eyes were being diverted off of heavenly things. It doesn’t matter what I (the flesh) think, but what matters is what God says: Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Turning wandering into wondering. If everything get's filtered through God's point of view it prevents the former and often produces the latter.Am often amazed at how much is absorbed in contrast to 'applied'. We don't 'see' the results of nourshiment as they are going in, but we certainly can see the results as well as the effects of lack. One of those absorbed thoughts was picked up from Ravi Zacharaias on how we have lost a sense of wonder. Here is a rather long but thought provoking chapter from him: Recapture the Wonder Didn't mean to go to far off track with this, but there is much more than somekind of religious platitude to 'being in the word of God' and as Ravenhill said "Do you know the word of God or the God of the Word"?Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. :-D This verse has been my desktop wallpaper for a long, long time. whose mind is stayed on TheeThe enemy of our souls wants us to be unhealthy in our thinking and unhealthy in our bodies because then he can lull us to sleep when we are in this weak and enfeebled state.It's the subtle things no?, that creeping erosion that undermines and does the most long lasting damage. It's happening all around us. Look at the compromising in the church. Did it happen all at once? Or little by little? Even the ways of the world, the envelope being pushed an increment at a time. An explosion will always gather attention but a slow leak can avoid detection for a long time before it get's to that point.#3 Come on, you can get away with it – no one will ever know! He will try to convince you that you can indulge in some secret sin. How many times do we hear this in our minds?If it wasn't so sadly true it would be laughable. 2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. And yet how is it possible to do an end around:Heb 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.?For us, it's over now. You get away with zip. Not that anyway does, the difference is we are concious of it, fully. Besides, the bigger question is, if we truly love the Lord, do we want to? Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Again some Barnes commentary:"and the meaning here is, “do not pursue such a course as is “suited” in its own nature, to pain the benevolent heart of a holy being. Do not act toward the Holy Spirit in a manner which would produce pain in the bosom of a friend who loves you. There is a course of conduct which will drive that Spirit from the mind as if he were grieved and pained - as a course of ingratitude and sin would pain the heart of an earthly friend, and cause him to leave you.” If asked what that conduct is, we may reply:(1) Open and gross sins. They are particularly referred to here; and the meaning of Paul is. that theft, falsehood, anger, and kindred vices, would grieve the Holy Spirit and cause him to depart.(2) anger, in all its forms. Nothing is more suited to drive away all serious and tender impressions from the mind, than the indulgence of anger.(3) Licentious thoughts and desires. The Spirit of God is pure, and he dwells not in a soul that is filled with corrupt imaginings.(4) Ingratitude. “We” feel ingratitude more than almost anything else; and why should we suppose that the Holy Spirit would not feel it also?(5) neglect. The Spirit of God is grieved by that. Often he prompts us to pray; he disposes the mind to seriousness, to the perusal of the Bible, to tenderness and penitence. We neglect those favored moments of our piety, and lose those happy seasons for becoming like God.(6) Resistance. Christians often resist the Holy Spirit. He would lead them to be dead to the world; yet they drive on their plans Of gain. He would teach them the folly of fashion and vanity; yet they deck themselves in the most frivolous apparel. He would keep them from the splendid party, the theater, and the ballroom; yet they go there. A l that is needful for a Christian to do in order to be eminent in piety, is to yield to the gentle influences which would draw him to prayer and to heaven."Will come full circle here to where you started;Philipians 1:2-6 — Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, …Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;Thanks sister!

Greetings Mike :-)you stated:Turning wandering into wondering. If everything get's filtered through God's point of view it prevents the former and often produces the latter.Am often amazed at how much is absorbed in contrast to 'applied'. We don't 'see' the results of nourshiment as they are going in, but we certainly can see the results as well as the effects of lack. You see this is why this thread was posted. To state how the wandering turns into wonder at the application of the Word. Sometimes we just need a jolt in the right direction :-P The enemy can not have a hold once exposed by the Word of God, nor can he stand in God's presence.Quoting again:...and as Ravenhill said "Do you know the word of God or the God of the Word"? It is indeed the knowing the God of the Word which makes the difference in lives! When the Word of God makes the transition to the hearts of man a yearning and hunger takes place to know more of the God of the Word. He alone is our refuge! Our Provider! Our Protector! Our Source! #3 Come on, you can get away with it – no one will ever know! Satan will try to convince you that you can indulge in some secret sin. How many times do we hear this in our minds?Quote:For us, it's over now. You get away with zip. Not that anyway does, the difference is we are concious of it, fully. Besides, the bigger question is, if we truly love the Lord, do we want to? My point exactly! If we truly love the Lord, do we want to? My answer, an emphatic NO! I take rest in Psalm 139. verse 7 states: Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? He knows all our thoughts, words and deeds. There is nothing hidden from His eyes.May we all be reminded of this : Quote:All that is needful for a Christian to do in order to be eminent in piety, is to yield to the gentle influences which would draw him to prayer and to heaven.May He continue to open our blind eyes and draw us into that wonderful communion with Him!As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!Blessings brother :-)

It doesn’t matter what I (the flesh) think, but what matters is what God says: Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.My prayer of late has been, "God, teach me to think like you think. Teach me to see every situation through your eyes." But...here is my dilemma and I need some help here. I have a situation in my marriage. I stay angry about it most all the time. I am being wronged. My anger is making me physically ill. I'm trying to see this situation through God's eyes, but I can't seem to do it. I just keep seeing it through my own eyes and feeling angry. What are we supposed to do when something is wrong, even in God's eyes, yet the person that we are in close relationship with doesn't even want to talk about it. He just acts like I'm the one with the problem for being angry. And I guess he's right, cause being angry all the time is constantly throwing a wrench in my spokes, spiritually. I need to stop being angry, and I do for a little while, then, it starts all over again. I'm really upset about this much of the time. I wish I knew how to make it stop. It's making me miserable. I can't figure out how to suffer in this situation without being really unhappy. I'm scared I'm going to be miserable for the rest of my life. Maybe you all have a better vantage point? Suggestions? Love, Dian.

I just finished reading this today and I believe this is in line with this thread in exposing the enemy! I wanted to share. My question is, how many of our problems are because of this, stubborn pride? I know I have and do deal with this issue at times in my life. The following is quoted from Beth Moore's book, Breaking free from Spiritual Strongholds, Praying God's Word.My name is PRIDE. I am a cheater.I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because you demand your own way.I cheat you of contentment...because you "deserve better than this."I cheat you of knowledge... because you alreadyknow it all.I cheat you of healing...becaues you're too full of me to forgive.I cheat you of holiness...because yu refuse toadmit when you're wrong.I cheat you of vision...because you'd rather lookin the mirror than out of a window.I cheat you of genuine friendship...becausenobody's going to know the real you.I cheat you of love...because real romance demands sacrifice.I cheat you of greatness in heaven...because yourefuse to wash another's feet on earth.I cheat you of God's glory...because I convinceyou to seek your own .My name is PRIDE. I am a cheater.You like me because you think I'm always lookingout for you. Untrue.I'm looking to make a fool of you.God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...If you stick with meYou'll never know.Let us continue to expose the enemy and break the lying strongholds in our lives. I choose to believe my Heaven Father and in His Word. He says it is possible to be free because He came to set the captives free!! AMEN!Let's continue to speak freedom and encouragement to one another as brother's and sisters in Christ Jesus.Blessings to all, I Am_Lovin_HIM

I just listened to an awesome sermon by Keith Daniel today called, Husbands Love Your Wives. I believe God directed me to listen to it. It is really a sermon about abandoning yourself to Jesus Christ. Awesome! Here is a quote by Keith, "When does a Christian lose joy? Why do so many have continual heaviness of heart and deep depression though they are saved? God's joy doesn't go if people oppose us or wrong us or if they fail us. Our greatest joy is found when they do." We are blessed when others wrong us. That's what it says in Matthew 5. The purpose of opposition is to reveal Christ in us. In the past, I have always looked for a way to stop the painfulness of the opposition in life. My New Year's resolution was to remember everyday that the way to know God is to embrace suffering. When the pain starts, I need to remember that God is answering my prayer. I told him to do whatever it takes. I don't care what it costs me. I want to know him. This week, God has been gently reminding me to embrace my suffering with humility. He says don't seek a way out of it, just rest in me and I will bring you into life. This is a narrow road. Let's continue to speak freedom and encouragement to one another as brother's and sisters in Christ Jesus.Indeed! I appreciate you all. Love, Dian.