Struggle: Every day we accept and exercise authority in most area's of our lives. In fact, most new reports are filled with people exercising their authority or their rights. So... Why is it so hard to exercise our right when it comes to living the Christian life?
Scripture Truth:
“Submit to Christ, resist
the Devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Truth Encounter:
The crowds witnessed as Jesus exercised his authority throughout his ministry, healing the sick, raising the dead, calming storms, walking on water, and casting out demons. It must have been confusing as the crowds watched Jesus take a beating that should have
killed him. It must have been confusing as they watched his followers walk away. It seemed that Jesus had given up all authority as he spoke his last words,
“It is finished,” and took his last breath.
It appeared Jesus was defeated, as Jesus was taken from the cross and buried. But we know the rest of the story. Jesus' work on the cross was finished. But what seemed to be the end was only the beginning. For the work of the cross was still yet to be seen. However, three days later Jesus raised himself from the grave and completed the work that he came to do.
It appeared Jesus was defeated, as Jesus was taken from the cross and buried. But we know the rest of the story. Jesus' work on the cross was finished. But what seemed to be the end was only the beginning. For the work of the cross was still yet to be seen. However, three days later Jesus raised himself from the grave and completed the work that he came to do.
Jesus came to give us eternal life. No where does the scripture say, "Believe on Jesus so you can go to heaven." Some say, "All you have to do to be saved is to believe that Jesus died, was buried, and was raised from the dead," and you will be saved. This is true but acknowledging this truth does not result in a transformed life. Satan also believed this and he is still filled with lies and deceit. So what are we to believe? The Son of God had defeated Satan (1 John 1:8). Christ died to destroy the
power of sin in the lives of God’s people.
Because Adam and Eve sinned, we were born with Adam's sin nature. We cannot live the fullest if we are captive to sin in our lives. But Jesus came to defeat the power of sin in our lives. Jesus came to defeat sins said that He must go so that he could send the Holy Spirit which would live in the lives of believers.
Because Adam and Eve sinned, we were born with Adam's sin nature. We cannot live the fullest if we are captive to sin in our lives. But Jesus came to defeat the power of sin in our lives. Jesus came to defeat sins said that He must go so that he could send the Holy Spirit which would live in the lives of believers.
How do we stand in victory? How are we
able to exercise the authority given to us? James 4:7 tells us, “Submit to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Did you get that?
- Submit to God. Before we can exercise spiritual authority we must be under the authority of God, submitting to His Lordship in our lives.We must receive the truth, believe the truth, and act upon our authority in Christ. As long as you allow Satan to deceive you into giving up, or moving out from under your authority of God through temptation, accusation, or deception, you will NOT be able to resist him. How do we act upon our authority?
- Resist the Devil. We must exercise our authority in Jesus Christ over Satan. If we know God's Word then we know we must obey God. If you are being disobedient to God you are inadvertently submitting to Satan.
- And he will Flee from You. Spiritual warfare is not a power encounter, it is a truth encounter. A man cannot serve two masters. When we resist Satan's temptations by submitting to God in obedience to His Word. As we deny Satan's authority over our lives, and choose to live for Christ, Satan will flee.
Have you tried to resist the devil but were unsuccessful? What are you struggling with: pride,
rebellion, bitterness, jealously, anger, un-forgiveness? Each time you are tempted, say "yes" to God, and "no" to Satan's authority over your life, and be obedient to His Word and Satan will flee. Keep in mind this is not a one time event. We will always be confronted with sin and as we deny Satan he will up the auntie. But as we practice obedience to God it becomes easier to detect Satan's attempts to trick or deceive us.
How have you exercised authority in your life to remain obedient to Christ? My next post will be a personal story. I hope you will share one of your personal stories.
How have you exercised authority in your life to remain obedient to Christ? My next post will be a personal story. I hope you will share one of your personal stories.
Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for the gift of
eternal life. Help me to exercise my faith by receiving and believing your
truth, by submitting to you, and by acting upon the authority of Christ within me to resist the devil. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Patsy, you bring out some great points! It must have been very confusing to the witnesses of the cross; and sure it likely looked like Jesus had lost. But that was only a trick of satan! Often, things are not the way they seem!
ReplyDeleteEarlier this year, I lost a job that I loved. I loved my boss, she would always go with us on the tough calls and she never left us alone late at night when we were handling hard calls and she was pretty laid back, we all joked around an laughed alot. I loved my co-workers and we would go into the field with eachother for support. I was devastated when that was all taken from me. I tireid to figure out what was wrong so I could fix it and thats when an odd thing happened - someone blocked me from speaking to my boss or co workers. Guess why? I only found out recently! Because that was the person who was supposed to tell me to fix my school loans and the more I protested and probed the more obivious it became that I was never informed of what I needed to fix!! That person, isnt around anymore. Im starting to think maybe God is working on the impossible for me!
I was fired and it is clear that some people knew well before me that I was going to be fired; but I didnt know! I was fired because I was not making payments on my school loans!! Such a simple thing that was to fix!! I am now eligible to return to that job!!! Problem is, there was a curve ball thrown in there! Another employee in another building told me some truly crazy stuff! I believed her at the time, but I now realize that she knew I was going to be fired, and she was just trying to scare me into quitting before I was fired; to live to fight another day down the road when things were some how better there.
I cannot be angry at her because I believe she meant well.
I cannot understand why noone told me to just get a payment plan set up with my school loans but I am certain that my supervisor and my co-workers did not know why I was being let go!
I have been praying non-stop and have had many churches helping me to pray this up to God; that I be restored. I do not feel like me and my supervisor had a fair chance to be what we could be because I feel like the devil stepped between us.
When Jesus spilled His blood, He brought forth the Holy Spirit to live inside of every believer, making us all Temples. We are the Holy of Holys and satan cannot defeat us.
God gave a wild card to King Solomon. Anything Solomon wanted. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. There is a reason that the prayers of the righteous will help alot and I believe in my heart that God will restore me because I was where He wanted me and doing what He wants me to do. Sure I made some mistakes, but I believe I was working for the best supervisor, and doing the job I am called to and God does impossible every day.
Mary W