Tag: Devil

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It Is Your Life

DECEMBER 12

MATTHEW 7:25_and beat upon that house…

Rains, floods, and winds cause destruction on their own, combined they cause catastrophe. Jesus says they beat upon the house. Jesus, the Stonemason, is in the process of building you a house—it is your life. 

What are the rains, floods, and winds which beat upon your house? They are the hurts and struggles you experience in life. The struggles which draw you closer to your rock, Jesus, or closer to your captor the devil.

Remember the parable of the persistent widow who did not give up making appeals to the judge? The parable begins in Luke 18:1, ‘And he spake a parable unto them [disciples] to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.’ The purpose of the parable is to teach persistent prayer. Prayer is an essential rock. The word faint in this verse can mean lack courage or lose heart. During the days when life beats you up do not lose heart. Do not forsake prayer. It is an overcomer. 

When Job’s life was beat upon, his so-called friend said to him, Job 4:4:5 (KJV), “Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.”

Struggles will beat on you—be rock ready.

PRAYER

Savior, Help me be rock-solid to face the struggles of life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Christ is the Rock of prayer and courage—I want that!

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The Mysterious Keeper

DECEMBER 5

MATTHEW 7:24_Therefore, whosoever…

Remember, the word therefore has an important purpose. Go back to Jesus’ previous principle. He is about to give more clarification and new insight. In this verse, He returns to the beginning of the sermon. He will apply this final teaching to the entire sermon.

My sister in Jesus, Joan Morris, sent me an email. In it she made a statement which fits so well the therefore and the whosoever. She said, “The mind is a mysterious keeper of our past, both good and bad.” I really like that and fully agree. God created the mysterious keeper. Like everything, He wants it to be used for your good. If God created something for good, the devil will do all he can to use it for destruction. He knows the bad of the past in your keeper. He whispers the bad into your mind for as long as you allow yourself to listen. 

Therefore, Jesus has given you the greatest sermon ever preached by anyone at any time in history. He preached it for everyone—whosoever. He wants this sermon seared into your mysterious keeper. He wants it to be available throughout your life. One time through this sermon will not get it.

Commit to reading these devotionals next year.

PRAYER

Almighty God, Praise You for teaching me so much truth! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ’s sermon teaches the truths of life—I will study!

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Point of No Return

DECEMBER 3

MATTHEW 7:23_will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me…

I can think of nothing sadder than to have the ultimate source of love and compassion, Jesus, say He does not know me. The One who has loved me from my birth. And now I stand before Him at my death and my name is not recorded in His Book of Life!

I may face a lot of hardships, pain, and struggles in life, but glory to God, I will never hear those words spoken to me! And neither will any of you who completed the August 29th Salvation Post in this blog. Don’t for a minute let the devil deceive you into believing otherwise. This verse is not for you.

There comes a time when rescue is no longer an option—a point of no return. That day comes when Jesus opens the Book of Life and does not find your name. The names in the Book of Life are the names of the saved—whose hearts were opened to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

I wish Jesus had not used the word many in this teaching—but He did. There are going to be some surprises on Judgment Day because Jesus sees through sheep’s clothing.

You don’t have to be one who is surprised.

Get your name in the Book!   

PRAYER

Messiah, Praise You that Your blood wrote my name in the Book! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ writes my name in the Book—With His blood!

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Beneath the Sheep Clothing

DECEMBER 1

MATTHEW 7:22_and in thy name done many wonderful works.

The devil has power. He uses it for evil.  As we have learned, he can also disguise himself as an angel of light to use his powers in ways which appear to be good. 

The word wonderful in this verse can be translated powers. The devil empowers those he enslaves. His goal is to destroy as many Christians as he can before he comes to the time of his doom. Revelation 20 (KJV),“1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. ‘10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

The devil knows his end is coming. He blames Jesus and any who are Jesus’ disciples. In the meantime, he enslaves any who do not recognize him beneath the sheep clothing.

He even deceives them into believing they will enter the kingdom of heaven.  

PRAYER

Powerful God, I know Your power overpowers the devil and his demons. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                                                                                                                             

Christ empowers me – The devil will not enslave me!

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Rulers in the Darkness

NOVEMBER 30

MATTHEW 7:22_and in Thy name cast out devils…

Ephesians 6:12 (KJV), “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.”

This verse says there are rulers in the darkness and they have powers. It is good to have a healthy fear of these powers. It helps you live in the reality that the devil is powerful and you are no match for him.

That’s as far as your fear needs to go. When you chose to accept Jesus as your Savior you defeated the devil. He knows he no longer has power over your eternity. Beware that he will come after you in this life with his deception and lies about your unworthiness. 

Colossians 1:12-14 (KJV), “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [worthy] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

That’s why the devil is defeated.

Be knowledgeable about the spirits of darkness, but do not pursue experiencing first hand any kind of occult practices. Don’t go there, even if you think you are learning something for the good of helping a friend.

Grow strong in Jesus and know your Bible—that’s how you help friends!

PRAYER

Jesus Savior, Praise You for defeating the devil for me! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. 

Christ has defeated the devil and his demons—For me!