The Bible says in Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
Your garments become dirty by sin.
Jude 1:23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. “
Therefore, we are to watch for Christ’s coming by being diligent to not sin and by quickly repenting wen we do sin.
The Consequences of not watching for Christ’s Return.
Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”
This mean that if we are committing a sin at Christ’s return, then Jesus will expose our sin to everyone and openly judge us for it. Everyone is going to know about it, we will lose rewards, and we will be ashamed.
Now, the Bible teaches that any sins we have repented of Jesus will not judge us for, nobody will ever know about them, and we will not be ashamed.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
The Bible says in 1 John 4:17 that we can have boldness in the day of judgment.
Boldness is the exact opposite of shame.
Moreover, A true Christian cannot fall into really bad sins like adultery, murder, theft, bearing false witness against someone, drunkeness, or drug addiction, because the Holy Spirit will not allow them to fall that bad. He puts God’s love into our hearts and makes it impossible for us to commit the worst sins. Someone who falls into those kinds of sins has never been saved.
However, A true Christian is capable of falling into sins like: impatience, crankiness, apathy, worry, gossip, pride unforgiveness, selfishness, leaving their first love (no longer seeing Jesus as their Dearest Friend. Meaning they are serving Him, but they see it as more of a Master/Servant Relationship instead of truly serving Him out of love like in a Dear Friendship. Revelation 2:4), etc.
For example, if Jesus comes back and you are arguing with your spouse over something that either does not matter or you are in the wrong, then you are not going to have time to repent before judgment. Jesus is going to openly expose that sin and judge you for it, everyone is going to know that you were arguing with your spouse, you are going to lose rewards, and you are going to be openly ashamed.
Therefore, we need to be watching for Christ’s return by being diligent to not sin and by quickly repenting when we do sin, so that we are not ashamed.
A Mature Christian is Not Envious of Other Christians.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with
meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye
able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas
there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal,
and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of
Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
I have seen stuff like this in churches my whole life! We
are supposed to worship God, not preachers!
Another type of envy I have seen a lot is where one
Christian will be envious against another Christian because of their talents,
or their calling.
We are supposed to humbly serve God in whatever calling He
gives us; with whatever talents He gives us.
1 Corinthians 12:14-31 “For the body is not one member,
but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the
body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am
not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the
whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing,
where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them
in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where
were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye
cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the
feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body,
which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body,
which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant
honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely
parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given
more abundant honour to that part which lacked. That there should be no
schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for
another.And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it;
or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.Now ye are
the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of
miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all
interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a
more excellent way.”
The More Excellent Way Is Charity.
A Mature Christian Has True Charity
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
True charity is not just giving to the poor. True charity is producing the fruits of the Spirit.
A Mature Christian Consistently Produces the Fruits of the Spirit.
If you compare charity with the fruits of the Spirit, you
will see they match.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.”
A Mature Christian Bears the Infirmities of the Weak.
Romans 15:1-5 “We then that are strong ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us
please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not
himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee
fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have
hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one
toward another according to Christ Jesus:”
1 Thessalonians 5:14 “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them
that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient
toward all men.”
Some
people are weak and feebleminded and struggle with things like depression, and
anxiety. A mature Christian will be patient with these people, listen to them
and comfort them.
A Mature Christian Views Trials as Training
James 1:2-7 “My brethren, count it
all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying
of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work,
that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.
For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
I have realized that most of the
trials in my life have been caused by my own ignorance. That is why the Bible
says to ask God for wisdom in the passage above, because wisdom will keep us
from falling into so many trials.
2 Perter 1:5-8 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
However, we are not to tempt God by
asking Him to send us trials.
Jesus showed us in the Lord’s prayer
that we are to ask God to have mercy on us and not lead us into trials.
Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
The word “temptation” in this verse means to try and roots back to a Greek word meaning to test (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries # 3986 and then #3985 both in the Greek.)
The word “evil” in this verse can mean bad, hurtful, or even “figuratively calamitous; also (passively) ill, that is, diseased.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries #4190 in the Greek.)
Therefore, in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus showed us that we should always
pray that the Father has mercy on us and does not test or try our faith by
sending us calamity or disease.
I have never heard this preached. God
showed my family and I this a few years ago, and we have seen God protect us
and deliver us from some situations that could have been very calamitous
financially and health-wise.
Now, God will still test your faith some, (He still tests us some at times with little problems), so trust Him to meet your needs.
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall
supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
The more you trust God the more apt
He will be to not try your faith, because you have already proven your faith to
Him.
God never took everything away from Job again.
A Mature Christian has a Strong Prayer Life.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings,
and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth.”
Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.”
Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Luke 10:2 “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is
great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Romans 10:1 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to
God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”
Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye
may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and
to stand before the Son of man.”
Luke 22:40 “And when he was at the place, he said unto them,
Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”
1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”
A Mature Christian Trusts God and Does Not Worry.
Matthew 6:24-34 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
A Mature Christian Knows the Bible Well Enough to Teach Others .
Hebrews 5:12-14 “For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles
of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are
of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.”
A Mature Christian Can Spot the Wolves.
Hebrews 5:12-14 “For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles
of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of
strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are
of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.”
A mature Christian knows the Bible well enough to be able to spot wolves who are preaching heresy, being deceptive in their preaching, and are not living right.
They will not be led astray to destruction by a wolf.
We are to trust in God for everything. Not in our own hearts or thoughts.
Pray about every decision.
Proverbs 3:5-6 ” Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
If we are always mindful to pray and seek God’s will in everything, then He will lead us in the right path and we will not make mistakes.
Why can’t we just trust in our own heart?
We are never to lean on our own understanding, and think that we can handle things ourselves, because our own hearts can deceive us and lead us the wrong way.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Our own understanding can lead us to death.
Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge.
Psalms 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
God wants us to ask Him for wisdom in everything. Nothing is too small or too big.
James 1:5-8 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
God’s wisdom will always lead you right.
James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Trust in God for all your answers and you will live a life without regrets.
The
Bible says in Romans 15:2 “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his
good to edification.”
To edify means to “build up” (see the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance with Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries #s 3619, 3624, and 1430 in the Greek dictionary).
We are not to hurt people’s feelings through joking.
The
Bible also says in Ephesians 5:1-7 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear
children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling
savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be
once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither
filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but
rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the
wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers
with them.”
Right
in the midst of a list of terrible sins in Ephesians 5:1-7, God deals with some
sins of the tongue, and right in the
midst of these sins of the tongue, God says that jesting (teasing, bullying,
joking, picking on people, etc) is a sin. And then God says later that His wrath falls on people for these
sins!
As Christians we are to love others, not tease them and hurt their feelings.
Some Christians have a wrong
belief that people must be thick skinned, and that it is immature for a
Christian to get their feelings hurt.
They get this by not understanding the proper definition of the word “offend” in Psalms 119:165 “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
This
verse does not mean that a strong Christian will not get their feelings hurt.
The word offend in this verse means
“cause to sin.” (see the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance with Greek and Hebrew
Dictionaries #s 4383, and 3782 in the Hebrew dictionary).
This verse simply means that a strong, mature Christian will never turn away from God for any reason.
The truth is, it is not
immature to get your feelings hurt, it is immature, and a sin, to tease and
bully someone and hurt their feelings. Even a child knows this!
Our speech should always be wrapped in thankfulness to God, and the purpose of everything we say is to be to edify the person we are speaking too.
Even if we have to correct someone, who is doing wrong, our goal should never be to hurt their feelings, but to build them up by pointing them to a higher relationship with God.
Although when you correct someone, their
feelings are usually hurt, because no one likes to be corrected.
The Bible says in Luke 17:3
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and
if he repent, forgive him.”
Sometimes this kind of speech is necessary, but our goal should still be to build them up to a higher relationship with God, not hurt their feelings.
As Ephesians 5:1-7 shows, God takes sins of the tongue very seriously, so we need to always think before we say anything.
God is judging the world right now, but For Christians,
who are right with God, Jesus is our shelter in the storm.
Proverbs 3:25-26 “Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of
the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the LORD shall be thy
confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
Psalms 91:
1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress:
my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings
shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for
the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for
the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy
right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward
of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even
the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague
come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash
thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion
and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I
deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be
with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my
salvation.”
Isaiah 43:1b-2 “…Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
God is always with us, and nothing can separate us from
His love.
Hebrews 13:5b “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee.”
Matthew 28:20b “…I am with you alway, even unto the end of
the world. Amen.”
Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
We must watch, and pray always that we may be accounted
worthy to escape all the bad things that God will send on the earth.
Luke 21:36 “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may
be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man.”
We must judge ourselves so that we are not judged by God
with the world. (We must keep prayed up and repented up.)
Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be
zealous therefore, and repent.”
1 Corinthians 11:32 “But when we are judged, we are
chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we
should not be judged.”
In addition, Jesus showed in the Lord’s prayer that we
should pray that God the Father does not test us.
Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen.”
The word “temptation” in this verse means to try and roots back to a Greek word meaning to test (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Greek and Hrebrew Dictionaries # 3986 and then #3985 both in the Greek.)
The word “evil” in this verse can mean bad, hurtful, or even “figuratively calamitous; also (passively) ill, that is, diseased.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Greek and Hrebrew Dictionaries #4190 in the Greek.)
Therefore, in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus showed us that we should always pray that the Father has mercy on us and does not test or try our faith by sending us calamity or disease.
I have never heard this preached. God showed my family and I
this a few years ago, and we have seen God protect us and deliver us from some situations
that could have been very calamitous financially and health-wise.
Now, God may still
test your faith some, (He still tests us some at times with little problems), so
trust Him to meet your needs.
Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
The more you trust God the more apt He will be to not try
your faith, because you have already proven your faith to Him.
God never took everything away from Job again.
Do not worry or complain, just trust Him, and He will
work everything out for your good.
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth
for you.”
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.”
Now, that “good” primarily means that you will end up being more like Christ, not necessarily that you will have everything you want.
Be thankful for and Content with what you have.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this
is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness;
and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
I pray this encourages you and helps you through this storm.
May God bless you and protect you, as you seek to please Him in all things.
God has a prescription of healing and restoration for America, and the rest of the world. God does not want to destroy people, He wants to save people. God has a beautiful plan for everyone, if they would just turn to Him in faith and obedience.
God’s Prescription
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
A lot of people are talking about praying, but God does not just require us to pray. He also requires us to humble ourselves, repent of our sins, and seek Him. Only then will He hear our prayers and heal our land!
God’s will
It is God’s perfect will that our Country continues and is prosperous until Christ’s return. However, God cannot tolerate sin, and if America refuses to turn back to Him then we are at risk of losing everything.
We are under God’s judgment.
Right now, a deadly virus is sweeping throughout our nation
and the world. There are also severe storms sweeping through America right now.
God is angry, folks! Because His people refuse to obey Him, and the lost people hate Him and mock His Name!
We are living on the brink of destruction, and it is only by
God’s mercy that we have not already been consumed!
Things will only get worse until people repent and turn to obeying Him.
We can stop God’s judgment.
God’s judgment can end, and revival can break out all over the world, if God’s people would repent, obey Him, and pray for revival and healing.
What you need to do if you are a Christian, but not completely right with God.
If you are a backslidden Christian, you need to repent now and start praying that God has mercy and sends revival and heals America and the rest of the world. God will make your problems keep getting worse until you turn back to Him!
What you need to do if you have never trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior.
If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you need to do it now so that you do not go to Hell. Many people are dying right now, even some young and healthy people are dying from the Corona virus. You never know when you will die. God does not promise you another minute.
Please go to the page How to get to Heaven to learn how you can trust in Jesus now. It is not just saying a prayer. It requires a lot more that just that.
What you need to do if you are a Christian and are right with God.
Lastly, if you are a Christian and are right with God, pray for revival, warn people of God’s judgment, and tell them how to get saved or get right with God. Be sure to trust God to meet your needs, and try your best to not complain, but praise God and thank Him for everything that you have. Ask Him to give you wisdom on how to live during these times, and then do what He says.
Every Christian needs to know how to properly resist the Devil, so they can be most effective for God, and so they do not fall into sin and bring disgrace upon Christ.
The Bible says how we get rid of the Devil is too:
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Now, this does not mean that the Devil only fights people who are not submitted to God already.
Job was right with God and the Devil viciously attacked him. (See Job chapter 1)
Moreover, the Bible also says that we must put on the whole armour of God in order to properly resist the Devil.
Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Here are some practical things you can do to put on the armour of God, and make the Devil flee from you:
Pray a lot, keep God in all your thoughts (stay in an attitude of prayer constantly with thanksgiving).
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Psalms 10:4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (If God is not in all the thoughts of the wicked, then He should be in all the thoughts of a Christian.)
Philippians 4:6-9 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Read the Bible a lot (especially John and Psalms).
Psalms 119:50 “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”
Psalms 119:52 “I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.”
John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”
John 14:18 “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”
Listen to a lot of comforting and soothing Christian music, like Hymns, not Christian Rock.
Christian Rock will excite your emotions too much. You need to listen to calming Christian music, like hymns, so you can truly be still and know that God is God. (see Psalm 46:10)
You can find a lot of these kinds of videos on you tube, especially ones that are just instrumental.
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:17-20 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Also, continually do things that you know pleases God, and don’t do anything that you know would displease Him.
Titus 3:8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”
2 Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”
Now, the word perfect there does not mean that you can be completely sinless, but rather that you be submitted to Go by not intentionally sinning.
This is how you resist the Devil. If you keep doing these things the Devil will flee from you, and you will have peace.
However, as long as you are in this life, the Devil will probably come back and bother you again in time, but every time, just resist him like this, and he will leave.
Many Christians take Romans 8:28 out of context, and tell people to just hang in there and their circumstances will improve. I believe that sometimes this does more harm than good, because sometimes a person’s circumstances just do not improve.
I am going to explain the true meaning of Romans 8:28 in context, and I pray it will be a comfort to you, as it has been to me.
I have written it so you can see each individual verse in order to make my point better.
Romans 8:
26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
What is that “good” in verse 28?
Most Christians interpret this to mean that in time our circumstances will get better, as Job’s did in the Old Testament.
This is not what that “good” means.
The Bible always interprets itself and usually within the same passage.
Now look at verse 29 again.
Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
It shows that after we get saved, God then predestines us to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
Therefore, “All things work together for good” means that all things work together to make us be more like Jesus. This is the “good,” not that our circumstances will improve.
The more like Jesus we are, the more rewards we receive in the next life in heaven.
Being a Christian is not about receiving material prosperity in this life, but about laying up treasures in heaven.
Jesus commands that we must forsake all to follow Him.
Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
But He promises that if we do, then we will receive a hundred fold in heaven, not in this life.
Matthew 19:29 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
In addition, in Romans 8:26-27 the Bible says:
26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
How the Holy Spirit helps us pray:
This shows that we do not know how to pray for what we truly need, so the Holy Spirit helps us by asking God to give us what we truly need according to His will.
Therefore, sometimes when we are praying for God to change our circumstances, like praying for healing of a health problem, the Holy Spirit is actually praying something like:
“God what they really need is for You to show them Your will, teach them what You want them to learn from this, use this to make them more like Christ, help them to accept Your will, and learn how to have peace and joy and faithfully serve You, in spite of their circumstances.”
Seek God’s will.
Therefore, seek God’s will in your circumstances, and pray for understanding. If God shows you that your circumstances are His will, then accept it, and ask Him to show you how He wants you to serve Him, in spit of your circumstances.
Your circumstances may not change any, but your perception of those circumstances will.
Your circumstances will become a blessing.
You will no longer see your circumstances as a hindrance, but as a blessing and a tool to serve God.
The example of Paul:
The Apostle Paul struggled with many hard circumstances including health problems, and he said:
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
And remember:
Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
I pray this comforts you, and encourages you to stay faithful to God, no matter your circumstances.
