Tag: Satan

Bible, Christian

Love Is Strong Spiritual Warfare

Cindy Dawson

It really hurt my feelings. It was like stopping by your best friend’s house only to discover she was having a big party and you hadn’t been invited! I felt so left out and hurt. I felt like crying.

That morning, I had walked in to the Women’s Bible Study and there were all my friends having a pot luck that no one had told me about! Maybe I was being overly sensitive, and maybe this was an area of vulnerability for me, but I was very offended.

The Bible study teacher recognized that I was upset, and the next time I saw her she gave me an index card with some Scripture references on it. She probably had no idea that it was going to change my life. As I opened my heart to God’s Word, something wonderful happened! The Truth set me free! These are the Scriptures:

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to OVERLOOK AN OFFENSE.” Proverbs 19:11

“He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9

“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 12:16

This happened to me over 30 years ago, but the devil has used the same tactics since the beginning of time to battle against God’s people. He has used it on me. He will use it on you. He used it in the past.

Read about David in I Samuel, chapters 16 and 17. Count the number of times David overlooked an offense before he slew the giant. Satan tried to stop God’s plan for David, but he couldn’t do it because David overlooked the offense.

Over the years, God has continued to reveal to me how powerful it is to walk in love, and that means overlooking offenses.

“(Love) is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.” I Corinthians 13:5 AMP

The devil will send offenses our way, but when we choose God’s way and walk in love, Satan’s attack will not prevail.

“Be of sober mind, be watchful. Your adversary who is a slanderer, namely the devil, as a lion roaring in fierce hunger, is constantly walking about, always seeking someone to be devouring.” 1 Peter 5:8 (Wuest)

Has anyone ever offended you? Insulted you? Put you down? If so, consider this: Love is strong spiritual warfare!

You may be thinking, “How is this spiritual warfare?”

Consider the evil attack on Jesus when he was crucified.

“… Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:21-23

It is following Him and walking in his steps that empowers us for spiritual battle.

The Bible says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Proverbs 25:28

It is only as we recognize that anger, resentment, self-pity, and unforgiveness are nothing but the attack launched against us by the devil, that we can refuse to be offended. This is spiritual warfare: Love vs. Evil. We can not allow our emotions to govern our life or we will be like a city without walls (defenseless).

The Apostle Paul said, “And I  pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ … Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory…” Ephesians 3:18-20

With Love, 

Cindy

Do you know Jesus?

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, you can do it now. He loves you more than you can comprehend, and it will change your life forever.

“IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART THAT YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED. AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.”   ROMANS 10:9-11

realchristianwomen.blog

Christian

The Devil is Still Around!

Cindy Dawson

“… that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world … ” Revelation 20:2

Have you ever wondered how the devil attacks Christians? The Bible says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) I think Peter used the roaring lion illustration for a reason! 

I Peter 4:1 says to “…arm yourselves with the same attitude (that is in Christ)…”  It doesn’t say to have the same attitude as Christ. It says to ARM yourselves with it!

I haven’t been able to get those words out of my mind for days. To arm yourself means to equip yourself with weapons.  The mind of Christ, or having the same attitude as Christ, is our weapon against the devil!

I knew I needed to learn more about the attitude that equips me for battle with the devil. After all, a “roaring lion” is prowling around, looking for someone that is unprotected and unarmed! To prowl means to search stealthily, implying he is difficult to detect. He is sneaky.

What is the mind of Christ? What is His attitude? First of all, the mind of Christ is completely unselfish. He gave His life for us. He loves us. He put us above His own needs and desires. He sought the will of the Father, not His own. He had no time for sin. He sought the glory of God the Father. He was willing to suffer. Early in the morning, He prayed. In humility, He became a servant.

When we obey God and allow Him to transform us into a new creation, we begin to think like Jesus. We become less self-centered and begin to care for others more than ourselves.

I realize that there have been times when the devil tried to “devour” me. He attacked me with the purpose of dragging me away from God and what God called me to do. Because I was not thinking with the mind of Christ, the devil was able to get a foothold. I was focused on what I wanted (what I thought I needed.)  I clung to my selfish desires because, well, I needed to! (It was a big mistake!)

But when we think like Jesus, we are well armed against the devil’s schemes. I see it now. I wish I had seen it earlier. 

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11)  The Bible tells us how to protect ourselves against the devil. He tells us how to arm ourselves. 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6: 10-18)

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ” Philippians 2:5-11

I pray that my blog will inspire you to search God’s Word and learn more about the mind of Christ, the attitude that was in Christ. His Word is filled with precious promises and leads us faithfully to Jesus. 

With Love, Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you know Jesus?

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, you can do it now. He loves you more than you can comprehend, and it will change your life forever.

“IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART THAT YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED. AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.”   ROMANS 10:9-11

realchristianwomen.blog