I believe I snagged this picture from Karen's blog.I love it. This is what I picture the guys on our side looking like. Glorious, magnificent creatures that carry the glory of God with them because they have been in His presence.
They fight with us every time we fight in God's name.
Ephesians 4:22-32
The Message (MSG)20-24But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26-27Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
29Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
31-32Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
(ME AGAIN)
As I was watching the program they were talking about the power we have been given to fight the forces of evil. But the one thing they stressed was that we must be walking on Gods side to be able to use this power.
If we are living in a way that glorifies Satan then why would God place His pure power in dirty hands? Wouldn't that be almost like He was placing His power into Satan's hands?This past weekend all this was heavy on my mind. If my words are not being used to build someone up-- If when I tell a story I add a little here and there for emphases---If someone aggravates me and I withdraw my attention from them--If I use my mouth for anything other than what is pure, lovely, kind...................then I am walking powerless. And like the scripture says--I grieve His heart.
So I could say, "Yes, I know this is not good. But you know I'm not perfect and that is just the way I am".
So why bother to try and do anything different?
Because, I will have to pay for my rebellion-- and so will others. How will others pay for my sin? When they come to me for prayer and I have sin in my life--God will not listen. I can get as loud as I want with my words telling the spiritual forces what the Bible says--but they will be just words, backed by nothing more than hot air.How many times has Satan laughed at me when I prayed--because he has been watching my life and he knows I have been acting like I was on his side????????
I don't know about you-- but I don't like the idea of Satan laughing at me. And I don't want to grieve God's heart. And when someone asks me to pray for them--I want my prayers to make the forces of the devil tremble.
Let's not give Satan a stronghold!
6 comments:
This is so right, and thanks for the reminder. I'm going to read Ephesians again. Thanks for that. My son woke up hideously early this morning and was thudding around and not being very considerate, he also decided if he was up he was going to barge into his little sisters room and wake her up too. Did I act well? No, as they would have said in a period drama "Badly done, badly done indeed", my words were harsh and I let anger have it's outlet. The Devil knows our weak spots and tries to shame us, but the Lord will convict and liberate us as we bring it all to him. Yay!
Here is a link of a post I did a while back about Eph 1-5
http://prayingkaren.blogspot.com/2006/05/ephs-chapters-1-to-5-are-underwear.html
A good reminder to get the underwear in place before putting on the armour.
One of the first Intercessory books I read that made me go -wow, I'm not strange, I'm not alone, was Cindy Jacobs "Possessing the Gates of the Enemy", this was in 1995. Have you ever read it?
Thanks for this great post Sharon.
I am going to have to come back and spend some time reading this. I can't rush through your posts and I am supposed to be cooking dinner right now. Thanks for finding me. I will have to jump around to my friend's sites and let them know how to find me. I messed up somehow!
I hear you Sharon, that isn't too easy. Be great to be able to tell, but as you say may cause bad feeling. I pray the Lord brings someone along to encourage too, and that of course that ultimately he talks and encourages and guides you. Will be praying too. I'd value your prayers if possible for wisdom with my son. He's being quite moody and provoking at the moment and I don't want to vent at him, I want to be wise and Godly.
you go girl....loved your post....is it the Spirit of Christ coming through us...His energy so powerfully at work or is it me trying to get people to like me or think I'm something...oh dear....great post Sharon!
What a great post. I often let me frustration and anger show in my words and actions. A great reminder- thanks!
And may we be ever so sensitive to the Holy Spirit's prompting, so that we may never align with the enemy of our souls.
A good Word, Sharon. May God use you in every single moment of your life and give you a sense of His Presence in everything.
Love in Him,
Holly
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