I've heard it said that prayer is never a waste of time. However, I would dare to say that prayer can be ineffectual if: (1) you have no purpose because it is only a religious habit, or (2) you don't know the principles governing prayer. Some of the sermons I have heard on prayer would lead you to believe that all prayer is something you do to please God, or something you do for God. Jesus taught us that there are many kinds of prayer. Prayer or "talking with God" is for our benefit and for fellowship with our Creator.
In this world of spiritual darkness, you are the light that shines! I know sometimes it feels as if the darkness is so great that everyone will be engulfed in it, but this is not true. This is only a lie and a deception, because those born of the Spirit have the light of life and nothing can put that light out. A few nights ago, we had severe thunderstorms and tornados here in Oklahoma. When I woke up to the weather sirens it was pitch black, but the minute I turned on my little flashlight, the darkness in the room receded and I could make my way to the LIGHT SWITCH and all the darkness in the room FLED. Where did it go?
It would be difficult to deny the importance of love in the Christian walk. We talk about love, and we can rejoice in the love of God that motivated God to send His only Son to redeem us from the powers of darkness, save us from sin and heal us from sickness. And, according to Jesus, the world will know we follow Christ by our love. It is love that draws people to repent. It is love that is missing in their lives, not theology and doctrine. Paul said in Romans 5:5 that the love of God has been shed abroad (poured into our hearts) through the Holy Spirit.
How do you combat fear? Do you try to fight it off? Do you just give in to it and hide? As you know, neither of these is effective. Trying to fight fear in your mind only seems to magnify the fear, because what you are FOCUSED on is the FEAR. Giving in to fear or anxiety and hiding from it sort of guarantees that this cycle will happen again and again. I have found that the most effective action in getting free from fear is to memorize and say out loud (even if it is a whisper in the night) Psalm 91 and Psalm 23.
Most of us find forgiveness a difficult subject. After all, when someone "does you wrong," YOU are the victim of injustice! But forgiveness is a broad subject – there is for-giving other people, forgiving groups, forgiving corporations, and governments who have failed you. Then, there is forgiving yourself. Peter, the fisherman who left all to follow Jesus, swore his allegiance and undying love for the Master. So much so that when Jesus announced at the last supper that "one of you will betray me," Peter boldly declared: "Though they all are offended and stumble and fall away because of you and distrust and desert you, I will never do so." (Matthew 26:33 AMPC)
"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Romans 8:33-34 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16
"I was just kidding." "I was only joking." How many times have you heard that or said it yourself? What better way for Satan to deceive people into speaking words they don't mean than to disguise it in a joke, or laughing matter? The Holy Spirit recently pointed out to me that sarcasm, or using words in a joking, hostile manner carries not only "crooked speech," but also looses an energy of hostility. After all, when someone teases or berates you, do you leave feeling blessed, edified, or built up? I don't! I ask myself if that really was a joke or is that person speaking what they truly think and covering it up with a laugh.
When we talk about strongholds, we usually think about the "pulling down of strongholds" as Paul described in 2 Corinthians 10:4. But there are two different areas of strongholds. The strongholds of the enemy keep people bound, but the stronghold of the Lord keeps people safe and secure. There is a stronghold of safety and protection in the secret place of the Most High. We all know about the stronghold of the enemy and have personally experienced his assault on our minds, our bodies, our homes, and our finances.
Emotional wounds strike at the very heart of a person. Even strong and confident people who experience emotional upheaval can find themselves depressed and down in spirit. If you are like most people, you have had a "broken heart" at some time because of grief from the death of a loved one, loss of a pet, or divorce. Betrayal also can attempt to crush and break your spirit. Long before medical science discovered that stress, trauma, and emotional pain affect the physical body, the Bible revealed the connection between the spirit or what we call the "heart" of a person. "A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones." (Proverbs 14:30)
The word "agent" is defined as "a person who acts on behalf of another person or group" and "a person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect" (such as an agent of change). There are agents representing two different kingdoms at work in this world. Whether we realize it or not, there is constant conflict between the kingdom of God and Satan's kingdom, and we are caught in the middle. We may not see the actual spiritual forces battling and competing for the lives of people, but we can see the results. And it is becoming more and more apparent that the forces of evil are controlling more and more people who are yielding to darkness.
