The Opposition We Face - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 31, 2024

What does it mean to suffer as a Christian? The members of the early church had no confusion on this issue. They'd watched their fellow believers be stoned, whipped, and killed for following the teachings of Jesus. Several walked away from the practices of their forefathers to accept Jesus as their Messiah and this caused friction in their relationships with loved ones.

Today, many of us have had the blessing of growing up in families that believe in Christ. The level of commitment to His teachings may vary, but Christianity is not so foreign a concept that we've had to go into hiding and worry about attacks from individuals or officials.

Yet, many live in fear because they have chosen to go the way of Christ and His Father, Almighty God. Their choice has brought them problems in both the physical and spiritual realms.

In the physical, their friends may have given them space because they no longer have shared interests. Some family members may have lost patience with their newfound zeal for Bible study and teachings. Coworkers may avoid their desk for fear of being reminded to give Jesus a try.

The attacks in the spiritual realm are more intense. Confusing dreams that create terror upon waking, or incessant nagging fears and anxieties that make no sense. All could be indicators that the devil is fighting a person for turning to God and away from a lukewarm life that was once easily controlled by feelings and sin.

Nobody enjoys being attacked even if it is because they chose to believe in Jesus. And the Bible speaks to this issue. Jesus warned in Matthew 10:22 - You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. The reality is that we should anticipate opposition simply because we chose to be on God's side.

We are also told in 1 Peter 4:16 - However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. And we are not to be ashamed or saddened for suffering because we belong to Christ. Indeed, it is somewhat of a backhanded compliment. The opposition you face for opting to become God's child is an indicator that you made the right choice. It reveals that you are a threat to satan's kingdom and it is terrified.

Again, the issue here is that you face opposition from hell because you started to live for the Lord, not because your behavior has opened the door for the devil's harassment and persecution. The latter can happen when a Christian's life is filled with repeated sin habits, no repentance, and no intentional changes to their lifestyle so they can rule over sinful desires.

The wonderful thing is that despite all of this, God has grace & salvation available to rescue anyone out of satan's clutches. Whichever way the devil is opposing you and no matter how tough it seems, God has created the pathway to overcome hell's opposition. Call on the name of Jesus. His is the name above all names (Philippians 2:9). And at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Philippians 2:10). Just as was the case when Jairus called on Him, He's walking with you to bring you to the point of victory.

God has given you all you need for godly living (2 Peter 1:3). You just need to tap into the specific Kingdom Keys that will destroy the opposition you face. And remember, this opposition will work out for your good (Romans 8:28). Christ's disciples encouraged themselves in the face of opposition, saying, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

As a believer in this age and dispensation, you are no different. Stand firm in the face of opposition and watch God bring the Jericho walls down. Watch Him walk you through the seas and the fires, bringing you out unharmed (Isaiah 43:2). Watch God put the devil to shame so it loses all because it troubled you. The Lord God Almighty is faithful. He is fully responsible for all who enter harm's way because of Him. He's got you!

Topic: Jesus Christ

1. The Name of Jesus Pt 1

2. The Name of Jesus Pt 2

3. Drink Jesus

4. The Well

5. Appreciate Jesus

6. The Accuser vs The Advocate

7. Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

8. Don't Break Faith with God: Jesus

9. When Jesus Gets in the Boat

10. Consequences of Rejecting Jesus

11. Give Your Life To Christ

12. Be Rooted in Christ

13. On Godly Friendships: Jesus & the Disciples

14. Take Jesus At His Word

15. Do You Love Jesus?

16. Precursors to Jesus

17. The Mockers of Jesus

Sinful Desires - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 28, 2024

Sinful desires. They are the bane of the Christian's existence. Apostle Paul explained it perfectly in Romans 7:15 - I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Like him, many of us aspire to live for the Lord yet somehow end up doing the opposite sometimes. It's a conundrum.

But what exactly are sinful desires? Some of us think we know the answer. However, in a world filled with chaos and confusion, where "alternative facts" are not considered lies but clever communication, we must sit with this issue and remind ourselves what God says.

The Lord has called us to obey His commandments. We are to study His word to learn what His expectations and instructions are so we can comply with them. He has made it clear that those who obey will be well rewarded here on earth and after death when they will live with Him for eternity.

When we look at the Old Testament, we see there are a lot of instructions given to the Israelites. It might seem difficult to keep track of them all so God sent Jesus who taught believers two main things. First, "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). Second, he also taught believers the Royal Law, which is to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Mark 12:31).

Our sinful desires are those emotions that send us into actions and thoughts that contradict Christ's instructions. They spring up from our flesh and not the Spirit of God that has been given to everyone who submitted themselves to Christ the Son and God the Father.​

Consider what God told Cain in Genesis 4:7 - If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

This is the war we wage - if we do what is right then we will conquer sinful desires. If not, sin will overcome us and create distance in our relationship with God and His Son. This is why Apostle Peter taught in 1 Peter 2:11 - Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. He warned us to keep our eyes on heaven so we don't think Earth is our home and succumb to the things of this world. God has provided what we need to overcome sinful desires and satan itself (2 Peter 1:3).

Fortunately for those who have given their lives to Christ, He has promised to protect them so sin (i.e. satan) will never overcome them (1 John 5:18b). This is also why the Bible teaches that those who are led by the Spirit of the Lord are the children of God in Daniel 11:32. These individuals can rely upon God's Spirit to steer them through life so that their sinful desires don't control them. This requires the genuine cooperation of the individual because God will not force His people to live right. He will, nevertheless, help them when they submit to that assistance.

So the question becomes are we going to be the ones who rely on God to overcome our sinful desires so we are not overcome by them? Or are we going to be the people who, in hubris, think we've got it all figured out and can rely on our own strength? With God's grace and mercy, we will rule over sinful desires, living free from continuous sin through Christ who died to liberate us. IJMN, Amen.​