Demolition

"'Is not My Word

like FIRE,'

declares the LORD,

'and like a hammer

that breaks a

rock in pieces?'"

Jeremiah 23:29

The secret to demolishing strongholds:  God's Word used in tandem with prayer.

This is what I'm learning by listening to Beth Moore's new series on Life Today in which she reteaches principles from Praying God's Word.

The main Scripture passage she uses is from 2Corinthians 10:4-5, which says:  ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

So what weapons is this passage talking about?

 

Scripture married to Prayer! 

As usual, WONDERFUL and EMPOWERING teaching!

Gleanings - John 5:1-17

When I started reading John 5 this week, I could see it was going to have TOO MUCH to process in 1 week.  So I decided to read only through verse 17 each day.  I will get to the other half next week.  That ½ is Jesus directly speaking so...

The 1st ½ of the chapter is about the man who had been ill for 38 years and is lying at the pool where healing is known to happen.  He was not seeking Jesus out.  He was sick and hopeless.  When Jesus came to ask him if he wanted to be well, his answer reflected his hopelessness.

Again I say, the man had been ill 

38 YEARS.  

Uggghhh!!!  

 

 

But Jesus saw him.

There were a multitude of hurting people there that day, 

But Jesus chose him.

Why?  I don’t know.

But He saw this man’s need; He sought this man out; He initiated the conversation; He healed the man without the man asking.  

Wow!  

Mercy in action.

(38 years–It is NEVER too late for God Almighty to work in a seemingly impossible situation!)

“Do you want to be healed?” v6
A good ? for all of us.

When Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be well, and the man gave his hopeless answer, Jesus didn’t wait until the man ‘got it’.  He didn’t even tell the man who He was.  He gave him a gift of physical healing.  Anyone would think this was just what that poor man needed. 

Jesus then left without revealing anything else about Himself.

Later, Jesus again SOUGHT the man out.  The man wasn’t looking for Him.  Jesus knew right where he was and found him again.  Then He told the man his TRUE NEED, his need for spiritual healing, for freedom from sin.

Jesus left the man alone long enough for the man to really enjoy his new found health.  Then He came back and said, “See, you are well again.  Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”  Jesus knew all about him and just what he needed.

The man now had a choice to make.  Would he live in victory or wallow in sin?

(We all have this choice to make.)

Some day, I will find out the ‘rest of the story’. 
And oh how I hope it is a GOOD one!

“Jesus said to them,
‘My Father is 

ALWAYS 

at His work
to this very day, and

I, too, am working.’” v17

My Comfort

"'Because he loves Me,' says the LORD,

'I will rescue him; I will protect him,

for he acknowledges My Name.

He will call upon Me, and 

I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him

and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him My salvation."

Psalm 91:14-16

Thanks MB!

Did you notice that the LORD

NEVER says 'I might'?

He ALWAYS says,

'I WILL'!

Gleanings - John - Chapter 4

In chapter 3, verse 33, it says, "God is True."

In chapter 4, verse 24, it says, "God is Spirit."

These 2 statements started my brain on yet another trek I plan to take.

In tandem with reading John, I am re-reading Beth Moore's Believing God (for probably the 4th time).  In this book, she lays out 5 statements of belief one is supposed to memorize.  The 1st statement is the one the others hang on.  It is:  "God is Who He says He is."  So, in addition to my other studies, I plan to investigate everything God Himself says He is. 

A.W. Tozer says, "...faith is confidence in God's character.  And because we are not aware of what kind of God God is, or what God is like, we cannot have faith.  And so we struggle and wait and hope against hope.  But faith doesn't come, because we do not know the character of God.  'They that know what Thou art like will put their trust in Thee.'  It's automatic--it comes naturally when we know what kind of God God is....Ignorance and unbelief drag faith down, but a restored knowledge of God will bring faith up.  I don't supposed there is ever a time in the history of the world when we needed a restored knowledge of God more than we need it now (p.5, The Attributes of God, Vol. 2)."


Chapter 4 begins with story of the woman at the well.

Verse 21  "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me..."  THIS is what He is saying to me as well.

Verse 22 fits right into the Tozer thoughts.  "You worship what you do not know..."  I think this is true in every person's life to some extent.  We are NEVER going to totally know Someone Who is UNFATHOMABLE.  But there are so many things we can know about Him because He has taken the time to reveal them to us.  He has given me a way to get to know Him.  His Word.  And it is my job to ferret out all that I can.

Verse 23 (Message)  "It's who you are and the way you live that count before God.  Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of Truth.  That's the kind of people the Father is looking out for:  those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him as they worship."

Verse 26 says, " I Who speak to you am He."  In the original text, it says, "I Who speak to you AM (p.1486, William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary)."  That is so powerful to me.  I wish the translators would always translate where Jesus says, "I AM" in just that manner.  I know the 'He' is implied, but I'd rather just leave it implied and let the power of "I AM" ring forth!


In verse 34, Jesus says, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work."

I'd like this to be my fuel as well.

Verse 42 says, "They said to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.'"  Every person must get to this place.  Most of us start out believing because someone took the time to tell us about Jesus and to help us see our need for a Savior.  But we cannot rest on their faith.  We have to get and to grow our own.  Someone else's faith will not support you when life throws you a hard ball.



In vv46-54, a royal official approaches Jesus to get healing for his son. 

In v50 Jesus says to him, 'You may go.  Your son will live.'  And I LOVE the next part!  It says, "The man took Jesus at His Word and departed."

O to have faith like that!  That is my GOAL!  To trust Jesus and take EVERY one of His Words as truth and TO ACT ON IT!

Verse 53 shows us that the official's active faith truly was rewarded.  Before he could even get all the way home, his servants were running out to tell him that his son was well!  Woohoo!!!

Faith as small as a mustardseed--

The initial step taken toward

OBEDIENCE!

GOD speaks; I obey.

I may not 'feel' belief, BUT

I can step out and act on

my belief and say

through my actions

that what GOD says

is more believable than

my feelings.

THAT'S FAITH!!!

Gleanings - John - Chapter 3

v2 Your miracles proved Your veracity.  (v33 “God IS True.”)

vv3,5,11 “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the Truth...’”  79 times in the NIV Bible.
    ...must be born again. ...must be born of water and Spirit.  He speaks of what He knows and sees.

    Then He says, “But you do not RECEIVE our testimony.”  (ESV)

    Even as a believer, I find myself guilty of this.  He states many things clearly in His Word that I do not believe enough to step out in faith on.  Still I am guilty of worry which is the opposite of true God-honoring faith.  Every time I do not believe Him UTTERLY, I am not truly RECEIVING His testimony.

    receive–to take or acquire something offered; to meet with, experience; to take in, hold, or contain; to perceive or acquire mentally; to regard with approval; to be a recipient.
        acquire–to gain possession of; to get by one’s own efforts.
            possess–to own or master something; to have as a quality, characteristic, or other attribute; to gain or seize; to be controlled by another force or Spirit.

v8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases.  You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.  So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (NIV)
   

v11 “I tell you the Truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen...” (NIV)
    Jesus knows what He is saying because He makes up all the rules.  He came to reveal Himself to men and every Word He speaks is True.

    He gives us something to believe in because He knows people believe what they see.  He works in our lives and gives us evidence of His guidance.  We have to be looking for it.

v12 “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things.”  (ESV)

    I don’t, even yet, take His Word as complete truth.  I seem to choose some things as things that I can camp on.  And other things, my spirit is still wobbly and unsure on.  NUTS!  That makes COMPLETELY NO SENSE.  Either He is 100% True or 0% trustworthy.  I KNOW that the first is right.  Yet I do not act like it.  Grrr!  Romans 7 in action here.  And I say, along with Paul, “What a wretched [wo]man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?”  And having been increasingly encouraged by my study,  I, too, rejoice in Paul’s hope that Jesus can and WILL do it!

    Also, Jesus seems to be saying that He desires to reveal more and more to people as they believe, and I surely want that as well!

v22 Jesus took time to be with the disciples alone.

    Message “After this conversation, Jesus went on with His disciples into the Judean countryside and relaxed with them there.”

v27 “To this John replied, ‘A man can receive only what is given from heaven.’”
    Message “It’s not possible for a person to succeed–I’m talking about eternal success–without Heaven’s help.”

    God allows my circumstances to orchestrate the change necessary in me to become more like Jesus.  Romans 8:28-29   He began this good work in me and will complete it.  (Philippians 1:6) I know He is orchestrating this study and leading me through it.  And hope and trust are building in me that He WILL do the transforming work in me to believe Him FULLY!

v29-30 “That’s why my cup is running over.  This is the assigned moment for Him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.”  (Message)

    John was overjoyed to give glory to Jesus instead of himself.  This should be my attitude as well.  Like John, it is my continual job to point people to Jesus and to, then, step out from between them and let Jesus become their everything, just as He is mine.  No Savior-complex for me anymore!  I KNOW that I am NOT the One Whom they need.  They need the One Who can actually effectively transform them!

v30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  (ESV)
    His Spirit must take over dominion in me, and my flesh must give up the control!

v33 “The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.”
   
    Amplified: “Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of approval to this: God is True. [That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared one and for all, & is himself assured that it is Divine Truth that God cannot lie.]”
        seal–to grant, certify, or designate under seal or authority; to establish or determine IRREVOCABLY.

    Message: “anyone who examines this evidence will come to stake his life on this: that God himself is the truth.”

    When I come to the place where I trust every Word You say, worry will have no place in me because I will be believing You will provide through every circumstance!  Trust will mend the chink in my armor that has been allowing the fiery darts to get through and pierce me.

    Titus 1:2 (Amplified) “Resting in the hope of eternal life, life which the ever-truthful God Who cannot deceive (‘Who does not lie’ NIV), promised before the world or the ages of time began.

    God alone provides for me.  “For your Maker is your Husband–the Lord Almighty is His Name.”  Isaiah 54:5

v34     “For He Whom God has sent utters the words of God...”  (ESV)
    I’m glad to know He gives me the words I need to help others when I need them as well. 

    “...God gives the Spirit without limit.”    without bounds!


v35 “The Father loves the Son extravagantly...”  (Message)
    I love this translation of that statement!  It reminds me of 1John 3:1, which says, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on US that we should be called children of God!”  (NIV)

    And Jesus says that it is the same kind of love.  John 17:23 “I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me.” (NIV)  (This FLOORS me every time I read it.  Think of it!)

v36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the truth will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.’  (NIV)
    ESV/NASB    ‘does not obey’
    KJV        ‘believeth not’
    AMP        ‘disobeys–is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to’


    Now, I believe and am saved; but, as I already said, I have times where I am unbelieving toward something God has said.  My GOAL is to grow to the point where, in Christ’s strength,  I have complete and utter trust in every Word out of the mouth of God, just as He deserves.

This means War!!!

2Corinthians 10:3-6

NIV
³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶ And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.


The Message
^3-6The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

There's victory to be had!  Let's learn how to wage battle and win!

Beth Moore is talking about this very thing on

Wednesdays with Beth Moore.

Yesterday was her 1st lesson.

She is going through the material

in her book, Praying God's Word.

SO GOOD!!!

Here is where you can go to watch.

I'm going to try to catch it each week.

God is True

John 3:33 (amplified)  "Whoever receives His testimony has set his seal of approval to this:  God is True.  [That man has definitely certified, acknowledged, declared once and for all, and is himself assured that it is Divine Truth that God CANNOT lie.]

  This verse started me on a journey today.  I began looking up verses that refer to the impossibility of God lying.  After all, Chapter 3 of John, Jesus says thrice, "I tell you the truth"  (vv 3, 5, 11).

The first Scripture that popped into my head was John 17:17:  "Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word IS Truth!"  Then John 14:6:  " I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life..."

After that I went to the concordance and looked up lying in reference to God and found:

Numbers 23:19(amp.)  "God is not a man that He should tell or act a lie..."

1Samuel 15:29(amp.)  "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie or repent..."

Titus 1:2(NIV)  "a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, Who DOES NOT LIE, promised before the beginning of time"

Hebrews 6:18(amp.)  "This was so that, by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God ever to prove false or deceive us (i.e. LIE), we who have fled [to Him] for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before [us]."


His COMPLETE truthfulness means EVERY Word He has spoken is true.  NOT just the ones that are easy to believe.  ALL OF THEM!!! WOOHOO!!!

The next verse in the Hebrews passage is the challenge in light of KNOWING that God will not lie and will keep His promises (every last one - 2Corinthians 1:20).

Hebrews 6:19 (amp.)  "[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it--a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil..."

My paraphrase of this is:  "So STEP OUT in faith Woman!  The ice is 4 billion feet thick and entirely safe.  BELIEVE!!!"