tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21946620871006841882024-03-14T07:36:01.261-04:00Enhancing Your Christian WalkRobert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-80601728701411233642022-07-10T15:34:01.535-04:002022-07-24T17:03:17.879-04:00<h1 style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: center;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">WHO AM I?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hopefully, you have read the two
previous blogs concerning "Who is the Holy Spirit?" <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now let's consider this question
"Who Am I"? And why is it so <b>crucial</b> to ask such
questions concerning each of us?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tragically, so many members of the
human race generally think that when we leave this earth, we will <b>automatically</b> go
to heaven! Therein lies a serious problem. What is this "problem" you
might ask? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Praise God, many, many people have<i> indeed, </i>thankfully,
gone to heaven and are with our Triune God, but tragically, so many people
could care less, including many "church-goers" and they do not go to
heaven! Thus, where are you in this?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consider beginning with the critical
question: "Am I <b>truly</b> in love with the Triune God – Father,
Son and Holy Spirit? And how can I continually prove this in my loving
walk with the Triune God? Just “<i>declaring</i> <i>such</i>” will
not “<i>prove it</i>!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have been asked about the special
function of each member of the <b>Trinity</b>...the <i>executive</i> is
the Father (God), the <i>architect</i> is the Son (Jesus), and the<i> contractor </i>is
the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It has been said that "When one
is <u>truly</u> in love, it is not an exaggeration to just talk/act
in such a way! Also, it has been said that we need a "lightness from
darkness in our lives and just where does one get such a light?" From our
precious God - and do you have such a Light? (Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider
"Discovering the Jewish Jesus-- Host of TV/radio broadcast) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And where do we get darkness?
"...darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was
hovering over the face of the waters and then God said, let there be light; and
there was light. And God saw the light, that <i>it was</i> good; and
God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the
darkness He called Night. So, the evening and morning were the first
day..." (Genesis 1:3-5)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let's consider what Paul declared in the book of Matthew 20
"The mainspring of Paul's service is not the love for men, but the love of
Jesus Christ." And just how is that concerning us? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As is written in Oswald Chambers in the book "My Utmost
for His Highest (1935)” -</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> "If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> we shall soon be crushed and broken-hearted,<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> for we shall often meet more ingratitude from<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> from men than we would from a dog; but if<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> our motive is to </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">love</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> God,
no ingratitude can<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> hinder us from serving our fellow men. When<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> we realize that Jesus Christ has served to
the<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">end</u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> of our meanness, our
selfishness, and sin,<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> nothing that we meet with from others can<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> exhaust our determination to serve men for<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> His sake."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Considering "Who am I"? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- To what do I sense
owing <i>indebtedness</i> (owing gratitude) to my Lord Jesus<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Being aware I can only do as
the Lord Jesus works in me in my <i>indebtedness</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Am I a <i>bondslave</i> of
the Lord Jesus realizing I am not my own?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Am I free to be an
absolute <i>slave</i> of the Holy Spirit?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- And what is my
"foundation" made of ...? Slippery sand or solid rock of the Lord
Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- How do I start my day? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 31.7pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Worrying
about what is ahead of me or going to the Lord in prayer trusting Him to guide
me in peace and praising Him and <b>empowering </b>(to be talked
about later) me to accomplish?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: left; text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do I end my
day?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 31.7pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My
wife and I holding hands greeting the Lord God, and Jesus with the Holy
Spirit<i> literally</i> providing us immediately with real <i>peace</i> in
our very beings - we are truly blessed with such peace and then we
consider repentance and forgiveness of our sins (privately), then we begin
our prayer followed by our night's sleep! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0in 31.5pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">- Please remember a Christian must have been
"baptized and empowered with the Holy Spirit"! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 22.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> To be continued in Blog 4...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">BE GLORIFIED, ALMIGHTY GOD, BE
GLORIFIED</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p></h1>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-86797518426883324542022-05-01T17:55:00.000-04:002022-05-01T17:55:04.346-04:00<div class="WordSection1">
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">GOD THE FATHER, JESUS THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AND
WHO <i>IS</i> THE HOLY SPIRIT?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before continuing with the Holy
Spirit blog, it is a bit late in sharing this incredible topic regarding a very
crucial question: "<i>Easter - Christian or Pagan?</i>" However, I am
sorry that I was not able to have this ready for your reading prior to what
millions tragically have just "celebrated!"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Have you ever given thought to
such a question? This information comes from "Hope of Israel Ministries
(Ecclesia of YEHOVAH)." I would so encourage you to read "</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2194662087100684188/6653020661870581380"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">http://www.hope-of-israel.org/easterfr.htm</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">"</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> - that is, <i>if</i> you are willing to
read incredible <i>truths</i> concerning the "<i>question</i>"!
The "whole world"- <i>especially </i>those who declare
themselves Christians have been so <b>deceived</b> by the devil!
Consider what John the Apostle wrote: "And we know that we are of God, and
the WHOLE WORLD lieth in wickedness (John: 5:19)."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The English word "Easter and
the German Ostern come from a common origin (Eostur, Eastur, Ostara, Ostar)
which meant the rising or growing sun (Hope of Israel Ministries)." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">How many of us would get up on a
Sunday morning to attend the <u>sunrise service</u> - I, in my
ignorance, did so for many years and praise God, no more! And the Bible <i>condemns</i> holding
a sunrise service - "the temple at Jerusalem was oriented to the east; to
worship the sun one had to turn his back toward the temple (Ezekiel
8:16)."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I played the saxaphone in the
high school Easter parade to honor the "goddess of spring"... as
millions of others did through-out the country! Consider the "myriad of
customs" - such horrible errors as Easter customs: "Easter colored
eggs and bunny rabbits, Easter parades, new clothes, hot-cross buns, etc."
Keep in mind that "today's Easter has its roots deep in ancient paganism
-- centuries before the birth of the Messiah -- and its rites have scarcely
changed!" We will not find the word "Easter" in the Bible,
thankfully! I would recommend various encyclopedias be checked as well! The
word itself, in the context of a religious festival, as the encyclopedias
explain, comes from the name of a Pagan Goddess -- "the goddess of
Spring" (Ralph Woodrow in <b>Babylon Mystery Religion)</b>.<b> </b>There
is so much more to read concerning such ungodly and pagan traditions and
customs... for you will be so blessed with God's truths, and His only!
Tragically, how many millions of Christians and "man's" churches have
been deceived by the devil for centuries? Please keep in mind that a serious
Christian must not in any way, shape or knowledge consider what is so erroneous
regarding what Satan has "pulled" on mankind! Always remember
thankfully, it is <b>NOT</b> Easter for Christians, but <b>Resurrection
Sunday</b>! Praise God to be sure!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Continuing with the Holy Spirit
blog - Keep in mind that ''Jesus is the Baptizer of the Holy Spirit (Matt.
3:11)" who is the <u>third person of the Trinity</u>, our <b>Comforter</b> who
draws us to Christ, convicts us of sin, enables us to accept Christ as our
personal Savior, assures us of salvation, enables us to live victorious life,
understand the Bible, pray according to God's will, and share Christ with
others (NKJV Bible- <i>Word Wealth</i> 7:6)" Such a gift and
blessing to be sure, for those who truly desire to do so!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Such a blessing in that the <i>Holy
Spirit</i> is providing me these blogs which are being written for each of
you - praise God...and may they be such a blessing for you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Let's begin with the <i>flesh</i> (sin)! <i>Why</i> you
might ask! For the <i>value</i> of our lives will be determined
either by our sinful lives-provided by the Satanic world <u>or</u> that
which Almighty God (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit) has provided such a
fruitful and abundant godly life for us by the <i>sacrifice</i> of
our precious Jesus who died for us on the cross "and he (us) who does
not take <i>His</i> cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me --
the <b>cross</b> is an instrument of death, symbolizing here not the bearing
of any particular burden or distress, but a willingness to give one's life
sacrificially for the Master (Footnote-Matt.10:38 NKJV)" and three
days later, Jesus raised Himself to praise God and for 40 days to get the
disciples ready to do their "jobs!" Thankfully, we Christians can
live an incredible life provided to us by the Holy Spirit Who
baptizes and <b>empowers</b> His people! More about "the
Holy Spirit <i>empowers</i>" us as we go! My wife and I were baptized
and empowered by the Holy Spirit, thankfully! I became a spirit- filled pastor
with the Holy Spirit who <i>empowered</i> me last year declaring
"You have will have a ministry of 'setting the captives free.'" That
truly came quickly when I was in the hospital twice last year. The Holy Spirit
brought various hospital staff to me and incredibly they were brought to the
Lord or encouraged if they were already Christians! And I have had<b> </b>other<b> </b>incredible
opportunities since in doing so - thankfully, no <b><i>man's church</i></b> for
us anymore! We have our "church" at home with the Holy Spirit.
Keep in mind there are millions of "man's" churches throughout the
world tragically - with "pastors, ministers, popes, etc. doing their
"thing"! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Let's consider <i>God's
church</i> - I would encourage you to spend time reading 1 Corinthians,
especially chapter 14:26-40 (New Spirit-Filled Life Bible NKJV) I know there
will be readers who might well reject these scriptures - however, these
are <b>Godly</b> scriptures!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">“Order in Church Meetings”</span></p></div>
<p style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"How
is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, <i>each of you</i> has a
psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a
tongue, <i>let there be</i> two or at most three, <i>each </i>in
turn, and let one interpret<i>. </i>But if there<i> </i>is no
interpreter, let him be keep silent in the church, and let him speak to
himself and to God… For God is not <i>the author</i> of
confusion but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women (wife)
keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they
are to be submissive, as the law also says…Let all things be done decently and
in order."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>Keep in mind the footnote for verse 26 <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- </span>"<i>each
of you</i>...": The things of the Spirit are for <i>every member of
the body of Christ, not an elite few.</i>" The footnote for verse 35 – "<i>your
women</i>…" adds: "and not to embarrass her husband in public. The
Bible does not assign rigid social or church roles to men and women, but
it does place headship and authority in husbands as an abiding
principle for this age."<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now then, <i>what is it
going to be - </i>life with Satan or an incredible life with the Triune
God? An incredible life-long decision to be sure! What a blessing being
with the Triune God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Consider this -"<i>if<b> </b></i>we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us
from all unrightness (1 John 1:9).” It is written in Psalm 50:15, "Call on
Me in the days of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me (New
Spirit-Filled Life Bible (NKJV).” Thankfully...amen!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thus, be encouraged Saints, be
encouraged, praise God, for He will never leave nor forsake us! "And O
wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank
God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I serve the Law of
God, but with the flesh, the law of sin (Romans 7:24-25 NKJV Bible).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Consider this, saints:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 1.0in; margin-top: 5.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">"There
is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ as weak through the
flesh, God <i>did </i>by sending His own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that
the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk
according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the
flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh but those <i>who
live </i>according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be
carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to
the law of God, nor indeed can it be. So then, those who are in the flesh
cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if
indeed the Spirit of God in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of
Christ, he is not His. And if Christ <i>is</i> in you, the body is
dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if
the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who
raised from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His
Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors - not to the
flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the
flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are
sons of God (Romans 8:1-14) NKJV.</span>"<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>Saints, always be encouraged in using our lives
for our Triune God Almighty and finally, being so strong in our precious Lord
and in the power of His might! However, be so very aware and so very careful of
Satan for he is, as always, trying to destroy God's people! Amen! <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"> Be Glorified Lord God Almighty, Be Glorified for Our God Reigns</span> </p>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-26324501698919624252022-03-19T16:27:00.000-04:002022-03-19T16:27:25.913-04:00The question is "WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT"? <br /> GOD THE FATHER, JESUS THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,<div> AND WHO <i>IS</i> THE <b><i>HOLY SPIRIT</i></b>?</div><div> </div><div>It is most importent in the blogs to come, that you truly come to understand <u><b>why</b></u> it is so very crucial for us Christians to "glorify God in our very beings and in our <i>spirit,</i>" considering that you hopefully have at some point, given your life (born again) to the Lord God Almighty!</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank You, precious Lord God Almighty (God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit) for what a <i>blessing</i> it is to being able to share such incredible and most helpful Godly information from the Holy Spirit, for believers tragically during my writing of blogs for five years <u>8000</u> readers were cut off by the Satanic enemy using man in the year 2000!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Not long ago, I began asking the Holy Spirit: "Would You have me writing my blogs once again?" Finally, the Holy Spirit encouraged me, I believe, to do so - thankfully, and praise God! So here we go...what a blessing, and hopefully what you continue to learn, will so change your spiritual life and your very being like never before - it truly will...been there, done it, and will continue to as long as the Lord allows me! </div><div><br /></div><div>As we go, I will reveal such scriptural truths...count on it and be so very blessed, for you will be spiritually working as the Holy Spirit guides and directs you through your Godly life, as did the disciples of old!</div><div><br /></div><div>Talking about "spiritually working as the Holy Spirit guides us...", I must share with you an incredible experience of the Spirit<i> empowering</i> me! </div><div><br /></div><div>Several years ago, my wife and I were visiting our daughter and family in Kansas City. It was nearing supper time and we learned that there were five tornados headed our way!! Our son-in-law truly surprised me when he declared that he had ordered "take out for supper" and asked me "should we go pick up our supper?" Concerning what was happening with those five tornados, I was truly dumfounded as you can imagine! I thought for a moment and decided to "take a chance!" Off we went to the restaurant which was about 10 miles away...wondering if I had made such a dumb/dangerish decision! We were about half-way when I heard the Holy Spirit say: "pray this for your son-in-law: for you made the correct decision going and when you arrive, you will hear the word "<b>dissipate</b>" as you enter the restaurant, you will hear on the television, the weatherman declaring: "Folks, you will not believe this, for the five tornados approaching us are no more, for they have <b><i>dissipated</i></b>!" We got the food and headed home with no tornados! I could not have had that incredible experience had I not been <b>empowered</b> by the Holy Spirit! Praise God, to be sure!</div><div><br /></div><div>And just what was the powerful spiritual lesson concerning this incredible experience? The Holy Spirit at <i><u>work</u></i>! - the experience of the five<i> tornadoes</i> and Him <i>empowering </i>me, thankfully and how many times He has and continues to empower me...praise God, and He will empower you, <b>IF</b> you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit! Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit and the original 12 disciples were baptized by Jesus before He went to the Father after the 40 days, for they were born again and then filled with Holy Spirit and empowered to accomplish God's plans. </div><div><br /></div><div>I will share just how <i>critical </i>the blogs are for you who desire to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and not just read them but be so very <i>active</i> with them! I so wish you would have been able to read those from the beginning many years ago!</div><div><br /></div><div>I want to share something with you concerning my blog prior to its being shut down several years ago. There were many, many "unknown" <b>foreign </b>blog readers - 50 foreign countries known at that time! And at that time there were 20 <b>Ukrainian</b> Christian readers...tragically, now they are being destroyed - incredible! Obviously, we must pray for them, to be sure and certainly ask the Holy Spirit to rescue His people world-wide! </div><div><br /></div><div> I heard at that time from an unknown blog reader who wrote to me declaring: "<i>Well</i> <i>said, my brother.</i></div><div><i>Please pray for me that through the </i><b>strength</b> <i>of the </i><b style="font-style: italic;">Holy Spirit</b><i> I have received; I can better serve the Lord. Thank you for your prayers. May our Lord Jesus truly bless you and your family!" </i>And you, Godly reader, can be empowered with the same Holy Spirit's <b>strength IF</b>...!</div><div> </div><div>Now, let us concentrate on the crucial/critical aspects of our precious Holy Spirit Who has baptized us! One can actually begin to learn/live in Genesis in the Bible - <i>please</i> be so very careful as to the Bible from which you read/study...so crucial in that you could well being deceived, tragically! How so, you might ask? Keep in mind that Satan has his deceptive "bible" on the shelves in Christian Book stores world-wide...truly, for I had such an experience in my early Christian life and into the trash it went!</div><div><br /></div><div>Consider this...for just WHO is providing us with incredible wisdom, empowerment,<b> </b>gifts, fruit of the Spirit, of our sanctifier - the One who separates us "from the sinful setting for a secular purpose" (The New Unger's Bible Dictionary). Thankfully, our Lord God Almighty has for all those believers who SEEK (again with the incredible wisdom from the Holy Spirit) to be spirit-filled and this is what we will focus on! Hopefully, by now many, many of you have been baptized <i>in</i> the Holy Spirit and indeed, are beginning to benefit from all that which He is providing and <i><u>empowering</u></i> you in accomplishing the works of the Holy Spirit- thankfully and it began when Jesus was to leave the earth after the 40 days with the 12 disciples who were then baptized in the Holy Spirit. Tragically, the majority of Christians and their churches throughout the world have no idea of Who the Holy Spirit is and His powerful Godly significance...for tragically, they <i>stop </i>with Jesus. And just who is responsible for such? Satan! </div><div><br /></div><div>Consider Romans 8:14-17: "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors - not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For <i>if </i>you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God!" Consider just who are you, a believer who wishes to be those who live in the flesh or those who are sons of God?</div><div>I would, also, encourage you to read the "Spiritual Gifts" Romans 12:1-8.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Consider what is written in Ephesians 4:30: "...and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption! Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as the Holy Spirit forgave you." Praise God to be sure! In the flesh, we as humans give a large breath thinking that is impossible! Please keep in mind that we are NOT by ourselves in that the Holy Spirit is providing each of us who so desire, thankfully, and keep in mind what is written in Genesis 22:14 - Jehovah-Jireh "The Lord will provide!!" Always keep in mind He means what He declares!</div><div><br /></div><div>It is crucial for us go back again to <i>Genesis 1:1</i>...which is the "In the beginning," the Bible's opening verse (Kingdom Dynamics 1:1- New Spirit-Filled Life Bible NKJV). Many believers look at verse 1 as just "GOD" - wrong - for "God" is Himself, Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit - All in One!</div><div>
<br />In Zechariah chapter 4, we are told "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might<b> </b>nor by power,<b> </b>but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." This is in reference to the fact that Zerubbabel was the governor and responsible for building the temple project, not by the flesh, but by "My Spirit!"<b> </b>(New Spirit-Filled Life Bible) And<b> </b>thankfully,<b> </b>this truly applies to us...obviously, however, there are tasks that indeed we truly need to accomplish in the <i>flesh...</i>such as "brushing our teeth!" </div><div><br /></div><div>And how does a born-again Christian become Spirit-filled? All one must do is <i>ask</i> the Holy Spirit to baptize you! </div><div><br /></div><div>For example...years ago, I thankfully was given a book entitled <b>The Holy Spirit and You </b>written by Dennis and Rita Bennett. Dennis was an Episcopalian priest in Fairfax, Virginia and we had the blessing of hearing him teach. Both he and his wife were baptized with the Holy Spirit and the Episcopalian Church fired him for doing so! </div><div><br /></div><div>Back to my book experience, I must believe the Holy Spirit provided such an incredible experience for me truly! I finished reading the book and sat there to absorb what I had read! It wasn't long before I asked the Holy Spirit to baptize me, and He did so! Consider Acts 1:8: </div><div><br /></div><div> "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost (Spirit)</div><div> is come upon you; and ye shall be witnessed unto me both in</div><div> Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the </div><div> uttermost part of the earth."</div><div><br /></div><div>Consider this "The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the <i>outflow </i>of the power of God the Holy Spirit</div><div>from where He dwells within the believer - in the Spirit- to inundate, or baptize, the outer man, soul, and body. It is a release of the Spirit. When this takes place, then the Holy Spirit can pour from the believer</div><div>into the world like 'rivers of living water,' as Jesus promised" (John 7:38 and page 7 of <b>The Holy Spirit</b> <b>and You)</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>As I had done so, a new unknown language came to my mouth. This is called "speaking in tongues!" I took the book to my wife and shared what had happened and her reaction was "you now have the gift of speaking in tongues" and have been doing so since! She had been talking in her <b><i>tongue</i></b> for some time. The next morning, I was on the way to the elementary school where I was principal and suddenly, the Holy Spirit visited with me with such incredible peace, and I begin singing in my "tongue." I never sang in the car before...such a blessing! I could have "flown" to school! Praise God and thank You Holy Spirit. Talking about "peace" - for some time, as we prepare to pray in the evening, the Holy Spirit brings such peace to both of us just before we pray! Such a blessing, to be sure, for we sleep with such peace...keep in mind Exodus 14:14:</div><div><br /></div><div> "<i>The Lord will fight for you: you need only be still"!</i></div><div><br /></div><div> Are you ready to ask the Holy Spirit to baptize you - simple as that</div><div> and you will truly become an <i>empowered</i> child of the living God and </div><div> your life will be <b>blessed</b> like never before as will others. Truly!</div><div> </div><div> Be Glorified, Lord God Almighty, Be Glorified</div><div><br /></div><div>To be continued...</div></div>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-79105291145041623392020-02-17T17:33:00.000-05:002020-02-17T17:33:02.911-05:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">WHO AM I?<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">GOD THE FATHER, JESUS THE SON, AND
THE HOLY SPIRIT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />BLOG 6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />I am beginning
Blog 6 with these two critical questions – first, have you surrendered your life
to the Lord God Almighty, which brings you in the Kingdom of God (being born
again)? Second, and most important, have you asked the Holy Spirit to “fill/baptize”
you with Him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If this blog
is new to you, may I strongly recommend you read previous blogs concerning the
Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why is it essential
that I continue to focus on the Holy Spirit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is <i>imperative</i>
that we as believers give much emphasis to what is written:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">“See then that you walk circumspectly. Not as fools but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but
understand what the will of the Lord <i>is</i>. And be not drunk with wine, in
which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things in God the Father in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (Eph
5:15-21)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you have
not asked Him to <i>fill</i>/<i>baptize</i> you, you are, tragically powerless<b>
</b>in your walk with the Triune God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Powerless in that the Holy Spirit is the Lord Jesus working through Holy
Spirit not only to <u>hear</u>, <u>empower</u>, <u>guide</u> and <u>direct</u>
the Spirit-filled saint, but provide one with “workable” gifts and fruit of the
Spirit. If one is born again and has gone no further, I repeat, he/she is
indeed <b>powerless</b> in accomplishing that which the Holy Spirit has for
those who are indeed, Spirit-filled! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let’s visit Matthew
3:4 where we find Jesus coming from Galilee, to be baptized by John the Baptist.
We find John trying to prevent baptizing Jesus, declaring “I need to be
baptized by You and You are coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit
<i>it to be so </i>now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then John allowed Him. “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately
from the water and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice<i>
came</i> from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is in Chapter
4 that we see the Holy Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted
by the devil!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, the beginning of
Jesus’ <b>empowerment</b> by the Holy Spirit for forty days and forty nights
(fasting). During that time that the deceiver, Satan, tried his best to lure
Jesus into his “way of life” and worshipping him. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thankfully, Jesus declared “Away with you, Satan!
For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you
serve.” In verse 11, we read “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came
and ministered to Him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, the <i>ministry</i>
of Jesus began on earth for 3 years + until His death on the cross, with the declaration
of His last three words “<i>it is finished</i>”. Thankfully, He had
accomplished on <b>earth</b> what His Father had planned for Him, praise God! As
it is written, Jesus was resurrected and for the next 40 days He visited with
His disciples continuing to <i>teach and empower</i> them for the things to
come. However, it is crucial to declare that even though Satan left Jesus “for
a season”, he came back to harass Jesus until Jesus returned to the Father, as
he constantly harasses us believers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please keep
in mind, that we saints are <b>not</b> to be <b>fearful </b>of<b> </b>the devil,
for we as believers, <i>must</i> stand on the commands/promises of the Lord,
keeping in mind what is written, and therefore, how crucial it is for us to spend
<b>much much</b> time <i>reading</i>, <i>understanding </i>and<i> being obedient</i>
as to what God Almighty has written in His Word! For by not doing so, it truly
keeps us as believers, ignorant, and guess who “claps and smiles” when we are
not growing in what is written in the scriptures and as well not being obedient
as to what is written!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, it is
crucial to know just who the deceiver is – more on this in a future blog – for
it is mandatory for us to know just who we are fighting in the spirit world! Also,
keep in mind that Satan <b>never wins, </b>concerning God’s born-again children,
although there are times when we think he has!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember, he is the deceiver and destroyer<b>! </b>Appropriate to
comment – another powerful reason for believers to be baptized in the Holy
Spirit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is
appropriate at this point to encourage you to check out which Bible you are
reading and studying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly, there are
several Bibles which I trust, such as: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The New
Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Jack Y. Hayford- Executive Editor)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dakes Annointed
Reference Bible (Dake)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ESV STUDY
BIBLE (English Standard Version)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exegeses - The
Ready Research Bible – A Literal translation and Transliteration of Scripture
(Herb Jahn exegete)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .6in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">* The Amplified Bible (Zondervan Bible Publishers)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">* Messianic Jewish Family Bible – Tree
of Life Version (Jewish Voice Ministries)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: .6in; text-indent: -.2in;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">* NLT Bible (New Living Translation)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am sure
there are others, but I encourage you to <b>evaluate</b> the Bible(s) you read
and fervently study! I never thought I would declare that there are Bibles are not
worthy to have in one’s library! But, there is a “famous” well known Bible that
I would <i>not</i> encourage believers to purchase!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Years ago, when
I read the reliable research concerning this Bible, I was truly disheartened
for there are so many scriptures that are either mistranslated or omitted!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be on guard and alert, saints. I would label
this Bible as a weapon of the “deceiver”! I would strongly recommend asking the
Holy Spirit for His wisdom concerning this crucial item – for it is written “If
any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to
him.” (James 1:5)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lastly, I
would highly recommend The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, introduced in 1957 with the express purpose to educate/clarify
believers of the complexities of the Bible.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which
rises against you in judgment You shall condemn This is the heritage of the
servants of the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And their righteousness
<i>is</i> from ME.” Says the Lord. (Is. 54:17) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He is in him. And
by this we know that He abides in us, by the <b>Spirit</b> who He has given us.”
(1 John 3:24)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus, it behooves
us Christians to be so very aware of the powerful warnings for each of us:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether
they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By
this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the <i>spirit</i>
of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the
world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who
is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world.
Therefore, they speak of the world, and the world hears them. We <i>are</i> of
God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this
we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:1-6)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank You, our
loving and caring God Almighty for these critical warnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More to come
in Blog 7.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BE GLORIFIED LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, BE
GLORIFIED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-60108710373039702162019-12-13T20:29:00.003-05:002022-01-16T13:13:34.346-05:00WHO AM I (HOLY SPIRIT) Blog 5 <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOMm0IK6hJKS0r639c9BvF2kCEflqKdFmx-AdNoJWaMjzFpReMH656gjl0W7E-sMsxkznyH7GOVEtLOpDYQrYRVXaMpYrh1H5NsPhcx__Uy66BoqaLa0I8uPDgyNk-wVy3KuQXntKaphO/s1600/Blog5_HolySpiritImage.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOMm0IK6hJKS0r639c9BvF2kCEflqKdFmx-AdNoJWaMjzFpReMH656gjl0W7E-sMsxkznyH7GOVEtLOpDYQrYRVXaMpYrh1H5NsPhcx__Uy66BoqaLa0I8uPDgyNk-wVy3KuQXntKaphO/s320/Blog5_HolySpiritImage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">Please keep in mind dear Christian reader what the focus has
been concerning the Holy Spirit Blogs 2, 3 and 4. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">There are many “unknown” foreign blog readers whom I suspect
do not reveal their location because they do not want to put to themselves in
danger! Please pray for these “unknown” readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no idea of the dangers they, as
Christians, are living in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">Just recently, I heard from an “unknown” blog reader who
declared “Well said, my brother. Please pray for me that, through the strength
of the Holy Spirit, I have received; I can better serve the Lord. Thank you for
your prayers. May our Lord Jesus truly bless you and your family.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">It is such a blessing to know that there are believers who
are blog readers throughout the world, and you would be amazed as to just how
many there are in other countries. I am keeping a log each time a new country unknown
reader is added.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, as of now, there
are 50 known countries – the Ukraine thus far has 20 readers! Praise God for
such a blessing in reaching precious Spirit-filled believers world-wide!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">My constant prayer is “Lord, thank You for continuing to <i>enlarge
</i>my ‘tent pegs’ concerning new readers.” (Isaiah 54:2) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, He is indeed answering my prayers!
I would so appreciate your prayers as I create each blog in Godly <b>truth</b> under
the anointing of the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">I will continue discussing the awesome significance of the
Holy Spirit, His gifts and fruit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please
keep in mind that He is One of the three of the God head – God the Father,
Jesus the Son of God and the Holy Spirit – who provides comfort for us
believers who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit through Jesus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">It is crucial at this point to read what is declared in John
14:16-18 concerning Jesus’ relationship with the Holy Spirit and just what is
happening to His disciples,</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you <b>another</b>
Helper that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth whom the world
cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him,
for <i>He dwells with you and will be in you. I will never leave you orphans; I
will come to you.” </i></span><i><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus declared in verse 18 that He “Jesus” is coming in the person
of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:16 we learn:</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again,
a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">The believers, who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit have
been so blessed with incredible gifts/fruit (1 Cor 12-14 and to be discussed in
Blog 6) are tragically in such a <i>minority</i>! We <b><i>must</i> </b>always keep
in mind just who the Deceiver is blocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Deceiver is blocking millions of people from being born again and, as
well, blocking precious saints from accepting the Holy Spirit into their lives
and not being <b>empowered </b>to accomplish all that the Holy Spirit provides
for His children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is blocking them, as
just mentioned, from the “gifts and fruit” of the Holy Spirit, and to have our
sins forgiven when we <i>confess</i> them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This is an opportune moment to ask,
especially for new readers, “How is one who </span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">is</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> ‘born
again’ to be baptized in Holy Spirit?” Consider this, that one must first confess
his/her sins and </span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">ask</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> the Lord
to be “born again”. Then, a believer must </span><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">ask</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">the Holy Spirit to “fill/baptize him/her with His fullness”, and then establish
a relationship with Him, giving the Holy Spirit full reign of his/her life, focusing
on Him and being “still” so as to hear His “still small voice” saying “this is
the way, walk in it” (Isaiah 30:18-21) and seek to discover your Spirit-given “gifts
and fruit”, as we will discuss in Blog 6.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">When Jesus was preparing to ascend to the Father 40 days <i>after</i>
His resurrection, He gathered His disciples and shared with them just what was
to happen to them. As He shared with them what was to be, they were more than baffled,
perplexed and frightened at His leaving them to be with His heavenly Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In their minds, they truly believed that He
was going to establish a new Jewish Kingdom and wrest political control from Rome
and rule forever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you imagine what
their thoughts and discussions were as He revealed what was to happen to Him
shortly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, they were <i>thinking
in the flesh</i> but, thankfully were soon to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. May
I strongly recommend you re-read the first two chapters of the Book of Acts to
learn more concerning the Holy Spirit and as a result, thankfully,<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span>God’s church was born (which not
long after, tragically became “man’s church”)! That sequence of events is a
blog of its very own to be written about later.<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">Consider this, Jesus was sent to earth by His Heavenly Father
for a “season” (33 years thereabouts) (John 20:21) and as we know, tragically paid
an incredible horrific price to “set the willing” free, i.e. giving us <b>salvation</b>,
being set free (thankfully) from having to live in the flesh and its sin. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">The believer, who has been so blessed desiring to be baptized
in the Holy Spirit, has been given spiritual gifts/fruit in the Spirit – such
as the incredible supernatural gift of “<b>empowerment”</b>!<b> </b>What is the
meaning of empowerment? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“<i>Authorization, to give legal/moral power,
being able to declare/command a thing”</i> (American Dictionary of the English
Language – Noah Webster 1828)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">We are empowered in the flesh and by the Holy Spirit. For example,
in the flesh, we apply for a job, we go fishing/hunting, driving a car, work in
a hospital, etc. Let’s label these skilled people as those who are empowered in
the <i>flesh</i>. Obviously, God has gifted us to be able to do so, however
let’s begin by considering those who</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">are
spiritually</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">empowered” by the Holy Spirit to
accomplish the following as examples:</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“And I will give you the keys of
the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
an whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Mat. 16:19)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;">We who have been Spirit-filled are empowered (given
authority) to bind and loosen, without being Spirit-filled, sadly, one is not
able to bind and loosen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, we who have
been, are indeed, able to “<u>declare a thing</u>”! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;">For example, as Jesus declared in Mat 8:23-27:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed
Him. And suddenly a great tempest (a storm stirred up by the devil) arose on
the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves. But He was asleep. Then His
disciples came to <i>Him </i>and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are
perishing!’ But He said to them, <span style="color: red;">‘Why are you fearful,
O you of little faith?’</span> Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was great calm. So, the men marveled, saying ‘Who can this be, that
even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;">In a prior
blog concerning our empowerment for “declaring a thing”, I shared that since I
have been authorized to take my authority in that Jesus (Holy Spirit) lives
within me, I (and you) take my dominion rights as a child of the living God and
speak in the Name of Jesus to whatever storm is harassing me – whether it be a
storm coming my way (especially the 5 tornadoes that were coming our way when
we were visiting in Kansas years ago, and I took my authority and declared
“peace be still to them” and they ceased immediately with the meteorologist declaring
that he was dumbfounded, a dog barking constantly, or even sickness which needs
healing! For example, in healing, after I learned of my Holy Spirit empowerment
and was affected with arthritis in my hand, I declared “peace to the storm to
the foul ‘spirit’ of arthritis” and it immediately ceased, every time it tries
to return, I take my dominion rights, as each Spirit-filled believer has the
same authority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I strongly encourage
you, as a Spirit-filled believer to “<b>by faith</b>” take your <b>dominion
rights</b> and “declare a thing”. Please keep in mind that it must be declared in
that Name above all names – Jesus the Christ!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I learned years ago that arthritis is indeed a “spirit out of the pit of
hell”! In closing this blog, I will encourage you to begin learning about the
foul spirit world – remember, Satan is out to destroy God’s born-again
believers. We must remember the scripture “Greater is He that is in us, then he
(the devil) who is in the world” (1 John 4:4) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;">There will be a blog concerning this topic
as well as gifts/fruit of the Spirit in the days to come. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt;">Be Glorified Lord God Almighty, Be
Glorified</span></div>
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-18219799346201607712019-11-11T09:54:00.000-05:002020-01-25T08:08:01.426-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8c-cHjBrN918FIqsDEGSIWWWfQV-0yuaHtYT_8FmB96Owny8ej75eSlwHsjXocbvv2L2Zk3jrPaJIbm3e-RghzXufPuTYXnhSu1yOT_RLQyUq05chp9fYbcDT7bis_F_q0x1SrS68EL1/s1600/HolySpirit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="373" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8c-cHjBrN918FIqsDEGSIWWWfQV-0yuaHtYT_8FmB96Owny8ej75eSlwHsjXocbvv2L2Zk3jrPaJIbm3e-RghzXufPuTYXnhSu1yOT_RLQyUq05chp9fYbcDT7bis_F_q0x1SrS68EL1/s320/HolySpirit.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20.0pt;">WHO AM I? (GOD – HOLY SPIRIT)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20.0pt;">BLOG 4</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why spend so much time concerning the <i>Person</i> of the Holy Spirit? Keep in mind that He is of the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – thus, the triune God.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let me begin with what is written in John 15:5 “<i><span style="color: red;">I (Jesus) am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.</span></i>” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We must relate this to the “fruit of the Spirit” And consider that <i>without</i> us, He will do nothing! How does one “bear much fruit”? By being filled with the Holy Spirit. What “fruit” are we talking about? We find this fruit in Galatians 5:22,23:</span><span style="font-size: 20.0pt;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"></span></div>
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.”</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Consider that without the first “fruit” (the Holy Spirit’s) <b>love</b>, we cannot accomplish what He has for each of us as it relates to how we think of loving ourselves and others!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As has been discussed in Blog 3, Jesus was getting ready to ascend to the Father and He told the disciples to “go do the things He did while on the earth, but far greater things” . . . not in quality, but in quantity! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tragically, all too often, we find ourselves “doing” something in the <u>flesh</u> (our carnal state/our doing things on our own) and neglect the <u>guidance</u> of the Holy Spirit! Obviously, it does not mean we are to disregard doing necessary appropriate things in the <u>flesh</u>, for we have been given the ability and common sense to accomplish such things as shopping, keeping ourselves and the house clean, going to work, knowing just what to eat, getting enough sleep, playing a sport, driving, etc.! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Flesh, in this sense, is actually a “carnal state” and “the body as distinguished from the soul.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Consider a few of the scriptures concerning flesh:</span><span style="font-size: 20.0pt;"> </span></div>
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Genesis 6:3, “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he indeed is flesh . . .” </div>
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Galatians 5:16,17, “I say then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the spirit. For the flesh lusts against the spirit and spirit against the flesh and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish.”</div>
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Romans 8:8, “They that are in the flesh cannot please God”</div>
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1 Cor 15:50, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.”</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, there is that <u>aspect</u><i> </i>of the flesh that we must consider and avoid, which is labelled SIN! How are we to deal with sin? Obviously, the topic of sin could well be a blog in and of itself for another time. The scripture at 1 John 1:5-10 is critical to our understanding of sin. Verse 9 provides the most powerful <b>strategy</b> on how to deal with our sin(s).</span> </div>
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“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hopefully, you noted the impact of the <u>tiny</u> word “<u>IF</u>” in that verse. Further, I would add we should “<u>immediately</u>” confess our sin(s)! That is like God declaring (after our confession(s)) - “what sins?” For they are caste into the sea to be remembered NO MORE by Him and by us! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tragically in the body of Christ, there are far too many believers who have been carrying their sins for so many years and years. Could it be that the Satan is constantly reminding them of these <b>past </b>sins and could well declare “gotcha”? We call this “bondage”! Please keep in mind the promise of the Lord – the moment we confess our sin(s), we are cleansed of “all unrighteous” to be remembered no more. Give thanks for that tiny word “IF”!! Thank You, Lord God Almighty for “setting us free from all that besets us.” As is written in Romans 6:23, we must keep in mind “for the wages of sin <i>is</i> death, but the gift of God <i>is</i> eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen and amen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Praise God for such a blessing and a rescue from our precious Lord!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Therein lies our comfort, peace and realization that “all is right with my soul and with our Lord God Almighty!” Consider what is written in Galatians 5:24,25:</span><span style="font-size: 20.0pt;"> </span></div>
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“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thus, at all costs, avoid the “lust of the flesh” as we crucify the flesh!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Returning to John 15:5, what does “abides in Me” mean? The dictionary meaning is “to rest, dwell or to stand firm”. (American Dictionary of the English Language – Noah Webster 1828) Thus, it is so crucial that we examine ourselves daily to determine just where we are in “resting, dwelling and standing firm” for our walk with the triune God depends upon it. . . Amen?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Blog 5 will begin with the Jesus telling the disciples that because He is ready to ascend to the Father. He will leave them (us) with another Comforter, Teacher, Helper, Convictor of sins, a Sanctifier (making us into the image of Jesus), who will <b>empower</b> those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thus, what is the significance of “empowerment”? Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit, or do you need to ask Him to baptize you with His Spirit as Jesus was in the river Jordan? Jesus needed to be empowered in order to begin His 3-year ministry – Matthew 3:16,17; 4:1-11 – and thus His ministry of setting the captives free began! Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, you too have been <i>empowered</i> by the Holy Spirit to accomplish what the Holy Spirit has for you to accomplish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The question must be asked “What ‘fruit’ of the Spirit is at work and, as well, what are the ‘gifts’ of the Spirit that are active in your life?” The gifts of the Spirit will be discussed in Blog 5.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why would a born-again Christian not want to have “<b><u>all</u></b> that the triune God has for him/her?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit, all you have to do, as you did when you were born again, is <b>ask</b> the Holy Spirit to “fill” (baptize) you with His spirit, keeping in mind what the scripture declares in Matthew 21:21,22: </span></div>
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“So Jesus answered and said to them,<span style="color: red;"> ‘Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.’ And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.’</span>”<span style="color: red;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then be at peace and allow the Holy Spirit to do His incredible work in you for your life will be so changed for the rest of your life here on earth as you walk as a Spirit-filled child of the living God and less and less in the flesh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">BE GLORIFIED, O LORD, BE GLORIFIED</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Consider this request…if these blogs have blessed you over the years, would you share them with others? You might be interested in knowing that these blogs are now being read in 40 plus countries. Pray with me that other countries will be introduced to them as well. It is written in Isaiah 54 “’Enlarge’ the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inhabit the nations, and make the desolate cities inhabited.” Amen?</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-48644561607257280012019-10-11T21:57:00.000-04:002019-10-31T13:40:02.608-04:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">WHO AM I? (GOD)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">BLOG 3</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Concerning the Holy Spirit and fire image . . . the scripture declares “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Mat 3:11). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hopefully, you have read Blogs 1 and 2 concerning WHO AM I? (GOD). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blog 3 of this series contains crucial knowledge concerning the Holy Spirit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is imperative to reiterate that the Holy Spirit is One of the <i>Triune</i> God – Elohim, the <i>plural</i> God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is most crucial that when we see the word “God” we must also be aware of just Whom we are referring to – Our Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At this point, if you truly desire to be walking in the fullness of God’s Biblical truths, I highly encourage you to have as part of your library/study resources, the <i>Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – with Greek (New Testament) and Hebrew (Old Testament) Dictionary</i>, in order to truly understand what is being declared in the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use this reference as one would use an English dictionary to truly understand the significance of a word in English. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When are we first introduced to the Holy Spirit in the scriptures? That occurs in Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God (Elohim as described above) created the heavens and the earth!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also read in Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, ‘Let <b><i>us</i></b><i> </i>make man in our own image’”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please be aware that the <i>initial</i> role of the Holy Spirit was to produce then and now, “<i>life-sustaining breath</i> to man at creation”. (As provided in a footnote to Genesis 6:3, <i>New Spirit-Filled Bible</i>). To be very clear, that does <i>not</i> mean that man becomes Spirit-filled at birth or when born again for that matter! To reiterate, the process must be “man must request to be born again and then at some point, request to become Spirit-filled.” Note: some born again Christians are Spirit-filled immediately as Jesus was when John the Baptist baptized Him in water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As well, consider Cornelius, who was filled with the Holy Spirit immediately when he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It has been noted and you would be interested to know that it has been said that there are approximately “100 references to the Holy Spirit throughout the Old and New Testaments.” (<i>Gift of the Spirit – God’s Plan for You</i>, CBN)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is an incredibly vast difference concerning the Holy Spirit at work in the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit at work in the New Testament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was so very selective just whom He empowered for the task at hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider some whom the Holy Spirit empowered, for example - Adam, Noah, Abram (later renamed Abraham), Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, the prophet Joel, Isaiah and Israel itself in order to be protected from its enemies, Ruth, and Esther – to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could continue to name others, but, these are examples of the Holy Spirt being <i>selective</i> as needed, in contrast, thankfully, not so in the New Testament!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I must ask you this crucial question - “have you invited the Holy Spirit into your life?” If not, I beseech you not to let another day go by in so doing. In Blog 4, we will be discussing the “gifts and the fruit” of the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I addressed the process of being baptized with the Holy Spirit in Blog 1, but for those of you who have not had the opportunity to read “Who am I”, Blogs 1 and 2, I will reiterate the process for you who so desire to have your “surrendered heart set ablaze” – this is what the Book of Acts, which I so encourage you to not just read, but study and take to heart - the “Acts of Jesus/Holy Spirit”, for Your walk with the Triune God will never be the same again and you will be <i>empowered</i> to minister powerfully by the Holy Spirit as He leads you, using the gifts and fruit of the Spirit, praise God.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At this point, you could well ask, “Why are you spending so much time discussing the Holy Spirit?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a Christian believes that functioning just as a “born again believer” is “the entirety to the Christian life”, tragically, he/she is not able to accomplish <b>all</b> that the Holy Spirit has for each spirit-filled empowered believer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His/her ministry is so very lacking – the devil and his minions have so deceived millions of believers, unfortunately!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before one can be baptized with the Holy Spirit, he/she<b> must</b> be born again. Then, with a surrendered heart and sins confessed, simply ask the Holy Spirit “to be filled with His Spirit and by faith, declare out loud, that you have indeed been ‘baptized by the Holy Spirit’”, and watch the Holy Spirit over time empower you to accomplish the Lord God Almighty’s work on earth through you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Again, remember that as Jesus was getting ready to ascend to heaven, He told the disciples to “Go <b>do</b> the things I did while on this earth, but even far greater things”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><u>Things</u></i> being the operative word. (Mat 10:5-15; 28:16-20; Joh 14:12; 20:21) – not to produce <i>more</i> by ourselves, but with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, He promised them that He was going to leave them and us with “another Comforter, Helper, Teacher, the Sanctifier who convicts us of our sins.” (Joh 14-16; Heb 2:11). Thank You, Lord God Almighty!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This would be an appropriate time to also inquire “have you been water baptized?” This action is a public statement of repentance and union with the Triune God?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Remember Saints, we are at war<b>! </b>As I<b> </b>shared with you before, it is written in Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers <b>violence</b>, and the violent (us) take it by force.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t know who our enemy is, we cannot win the war, Amen? Which means that we must fight the battle empowered by the Holy Spirit. Keep in mind what is written that “without Him, the vine and we as the branches can do nothing” (Joh 15:4-8) and implied, without us He can do nothing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus, our enemies . . . </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk14932764;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">* The world</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* The flesh</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* Satan and</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* <i>Man’s</i> church </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Each of these will be discussed in Blog 4.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Again, why would I “choose” to focus on the Holy Spirit, you could well ask<b>? </b>It is crucial that I do so! Please<b> hear me</b>, for I believe it<b> </b>was not I<b> </b>who chose to do so, but it was the leading of the Holy Spirit. There would be times when He would awaken me in the early morning hours to “take up the pen”, for I am just the <i>writer</i> of this blog, the servant of the Lord, as were the writers of the Bible!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always, before I begin writing, I ask the Holy Spirit to provide and anoint the thoughts that He so wants His saints to hear and “go do”, for how will the saints know unless they are told?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the coming blogs, we will continue the study of the Holy Spirit and as well, deal with spiritual warfare, especially in Ephesians 6:10-18 focusing on the “Whole Armor of God”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must always keep in mind, that in order to win the battle which takes place in our Christian lives, again, we first must know just <i>who</i> are our enemy is . . . amen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Consider this in closing: </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Cor. 10:3-6) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Be Glorified, our precious triune God, the Father, Son,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and the Holy Spirit, be Glorified</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-73354122140478329392019-09-20T19:00:00.000-04:002019-09-28T12:26:28.235-04:00<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">WHO AM I (GOD) ???</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part 2</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just to give
you a quick summary of Part 1 concerning the “Who am I (God)?” blog, I focused
on the Holy Spirit and will continue to do so, and why would I, you could
rightly inquire? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully as I do so,
you will come to appreciate just who the Holy Spirit is and His place in each
of the lives of who surrender to Him and ask Him to! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After Jesus
ascended into heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit (as written in the Book of Acts) to
baptize (placing people into <i>His</i> church) those who <i>invite</i><b> </b>Him
into to their lives i.e., those who have a <i>desire</i> and seek to be baptized
in the Holy Spirit and where did this “desire” come from - the One whose desire
is for <i>all</i> His beloved to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tragically, too
many in and out of the church were/are infested by the Satanic “<i>spirit of
ignorance</i>” and consequently, people believed and continue to believe to
this day, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that they were and are
Christians – however, it is in <i>name only</i> because first of all, they
never invited Jesus into their lives i.e. being “born again” (John 3:3) and in addition,
are so very unaware of just <i>Who</i> <i>the</i> <i>triune</i> God is - Elohim
(Genesis 1:1 & 26), <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“in the
beginning”. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus, the
Trinity: “the <i>executive </i>is the Father, the<i> architect </i>is the Son,
and the <i>contractor </i>is the Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit Gifts and Power –
Paul Walker NKJV Bible). Jesus as He was preparing to ascend, told the disciples
that the Holy Spirit’s task here on earth is to be “another” Helper, Comforter,
Teacher, Wisdom and the One Who empowers those who are baptized in the Holy
Spirit in Jesus’ place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Spirit
is also our “Potter Who makes us and molds us”. It is crucial that we keep in
mind that “to baptize those who invite Him” is a <i>must</i> in order to be <i>spiritually
empowered</i> for the ministry which the Holy Spirit has ordained for His disciples
– then and now! The scripture in Matthew 9:37-38 fits nicely here: “Then He
said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers <i>are
few. </i>Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His
harvest.’” Thus, the question…. are <i>you</i> one of His laborers <i>empowered</i>
by the Holy Spirit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It behooves
us to consider just what is meant to be “empowered” by the Holy Spirit. Consider
this as written in American Dictionary of English Language, Noah Webster 1828 –
in our world a<i> legal</i> term - one who is “authorized and given power” to
do what and by whom?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy Spirit is
the One who guides us with His power and wisdom to “go do”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is crucial at this point to add “a spirit
- filled believer must operate under the ‘gift of discernment’, otherwise he
could well be operating and being deceived by the devil who so wants us to ‘go
do’”! The gifts/fruit of the Holy Spirit will be discussed in the next blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Keep in mind
that a Christian who is not Spirit-filled can indeed be a laborer, but sadly,
such labor is not very effective because it is of the <i>flesh</i> and not under
the empowerment of the Holy Spirit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Consider that
Jesus as man, was baptized in water by John the Baptist as recorded in Matthew 3:16;
and then baptized immediately afterward by the Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:17 in
order to begin His “empowered” (i.e. “authorized and given power”) ministry of
“setting the captives free” – those who will, that is! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus was 30
years old when this took place and the beginning of His ministry for 3-and
one-half years before He gave His life on the cross for “those who would accept
Him as their Lord and Savior.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After His resurrection,
He remained on earth for 40 days. Why? So, He could<i> prepare</i> His
disciples for their ministry. At the point in time when Jesus was confident
that the disciples understood just what their assignment was, he ascended into
the spirit-world. In so doing, He released them to fulfill His greater
assignment which was, for them, to “go do” to the ends of the earth as He had
commanded them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This assignment was not
only for those disciples of the past, but those who have been ever since including
present day disciples - “go do”! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was known
as the “Great Commission” which is found in Matthew 28:16-20:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain
which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but
some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘<span style="color: red;">All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth. Go
there and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching to observe all things
that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.</span>’”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To clarify…God
sent Jesus to earth to be the Sacrificial Lamb who would bring salvation (being
set free from) for “those who will”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
repeat, He lived for 30 years preparing Himself for the 3½ years of ministry
and training of the disciples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then He
was crucified and rose from the dead to spend 40 days with the disciples,
making sure they were spirit-filled (empowered) and understood the ministry for
which they were commissioned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus
shared with them as written in John 14:12, </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<span style="color: red;">Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes
in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater <i>works </i>than these
he will do, because I go to My Father.</span>”<span style="color: red;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Keep in mind
that the “greater works” meant in <i>quantity</i>, not quality. Just who is the
instigator of the multitude of people not understanding/ accepting being “born
again and filled with the Holy Spirit” as written in the Book of Acts (actually
the Acts of Jesus/Holy Spirit)? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The <i>Adversary/Accuser/Deceiver/Destroyer
(Satan)</i><b> </b>who fell because of his pride was created by the Triune God.
Satan was part of the heavenly council and whom God had to punish by sending him
and his demons to earth where their mission was to destroy man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satan’s mission was also to keep the world <i>in
the dark and thus ignorant</i> concerning the Triune God. Satan has been very successful
in deluding the Body of Christ into believing that being filled with the Holy
Spirit is not a necessity! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tragically, the
devil is very good at doing so – as I stated in the previous blog, consider
just how many churches over time, have been “divided/destroyed” because of the
battle in welcoming the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Holy Spirit is the One who <i>empowers, comforts, teaches, convicts Christians
of sin and empowers</i> the flock in serving the Lord God Almighty and His
desires to see mankind set free from the snares/bondages of the devil, especially
for those whose churches who are under the <i>power of man instead of the Holy Spirit
</i>(to be discussed in a later blog revealing just <i>who</i> Satan is)! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The questions
must be asked at this time, where are <i>you</i> in your <i>relationship</i>
concerning the Holy Spirit, and where is your church in this battle? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is your church ministerial staff under the <i>leadership</i>
of the Holy Spirit, or under the <i>leadership </i>of man?</span><br />
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<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“How will I know?”, you rightly ask.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Consider
this – </span><br />
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<div style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You <i>will</i><b> </b>know once you
have been born again, and baptized with the Holy Spirit – as were the 120 disciples
gathered together in the Upper Room in one accord awaiting the Holy Spirit to come
upon them so as to <i>empower them for the beginning of God’s Church</i> by “setting
surrendered hearts ablaze”. (Acts 2:1-4) </span></div>
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<div style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To repeat, Jesus received the Holy
Spirit when John the Baptist baptized Him in water in Matthew 3:13-17. Again, keep
in mind that Jesus as man, was baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to begin <i>His
Church</i> and to empower those who have surrendered to God’s TRUTHS.</span></div>
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<div style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ask the Holy Spirit for His wisdom
concerning your church….is it under the power of man or under the power of the
Holy Spirit?</span></div>
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<div style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“If any of you lacks
wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach,
and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5) Please ask, for your spiritual life,
your ministry and that of your church depends upon your answer…it truly does!</span></div>
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<div style="margin-left: 25.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are there spiritual gifts/fruit of
the Spirit at work in your church? These will be discussed in Blog 3.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Years ago, I
was driving past a church where I had served and looked over to it, remembering
those days and said to the Lord – “Your church is in trouble!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I got that out of my mouth…the
Holy Spirit spoke within, declaring….”MY CHURCH IS NOT IN TROUBLE” meaning,
there is God’s Church and there is man’s church!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My prayer has been and is “Lord God Almighty,
may Your Church <i>reign</i>.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Watch for
Blog 3 of “WHO AM I?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BE GLORIFIED, OH
LORD, BE GLORIFIED</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-23913390384593569692019-06-24T20:38:00.000-04:002019-06-24T20:38:20.088-04:00Who Am I???<br /><br /> <br />I would like to share a prophetic word which was revealed to my wife and me on Sunday morning of June 9, 2019 during our “worship” time. At one point during our quiet time, we found ourselves so lamenting the hurts (sorrows/griefs) that fellow Christians have/are experiencing by the millions throughout the world, tragically! <br /><br />I am still on the crucial topic of “Sorrow/Grief”, however, I am approaching it from a different slant for the time being!<br /><br />I felt led to ask the Holy Spirit (as I do often during our quiet time) if He had anything that He wanted to share with us. So often we are blessed when He does indeed speak to us not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (our innermost being) and this is what we heard that morning:<br /><br />“My children, you are experiencing My heart. It so grieves Me when My children have little or no concept of ‘Who I am’. I want you to pray for and encourage those that I bring to you – where there is so much hurt, lack of hope, lots of sorrow, despair, and loneliness among My people. I will equip you with an anointing that when I speak through you – you will be enabled to set My people (those who are being held captive) free.”<br /><br />You might well be declaring . . . ”Of course I know who God is, why would you even need to ask such a question?” Really? Let us continue. <br /><br />However, before we continue, it is crucial that we give attention to the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />How many of you have had the awesome experience/blessing of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to you in the Spirit – in other words, not through your physical ears, but deep within your innermost being – hearing His still small voice? Please keep in mind, He will not shout at us! That’s why He tells us to focus on Him and to “be quiet/still” in our very being so we can “hear” the Holy Spirit guide and direct us as we walk along each day. It is so easy to be distracted in the moments of the day and sadly miss what the Holy Spirit is saying to us! <br /><br />Please keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is of the Godhead – the Father, the Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit – the triune God – Elohim, the All In One God. <br /><div>
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How does one become “baptized” in the Holy Spirit? First and foremost, one must be “born again” as it is written in John 3:1-16. At this point, I would like to share my personal experience with you. </div>
<br />I was “born again” in 1975. My wife and I comment from time to time as we reflect on our “experience” that all along until 1975, we believed we were indeed (but sadly in name only) “Christians”, because we were not of another religion. Three years later, a friend gave me a book entitled “THE HOLY SPIRIT and YOU” written by an Episcopal Rector Dennis Bennett who was evicted from his church because he became spirit-filled. He, would you believe it, received the gift of speaking in tongues, as did the Apostle Paul who encouraged those (and us) to whom he ministered, especially in 1 Cor.! I was oblivious to just who the Holy Spirit was, since I grew up in New England, attending churches which tragically being “born again” was unheard of, let alone being baptized in the Holy Spirit! I learned over the years, sadly, that “one cannot give away that which one does not have”!<br /><br />When I began reading the book, I soon learned that my whole being was the Holy Spirit at work in my life like never before – such a blessing! Upon completion, I closed it and placed it on the couch beside me, and said “God, I have no idea what this I just finished reading is all about, You know where I grew up and basically was ignorant of You, tragically! However, IF this is of You, I want ALL that You have for me!” It wasn’t a few seconds until I “heard” a word come into my very inner most being which was unknown to me! I went to my wife and shared with her what had just taken place. She smiled and said, “I believe this is the beginning of the gift of speaking in tongues for you” (for she had received hers a year earlier but didn’t tell me – for she was afraid of what I would say). <br /><br />That was all that took place that evening. However, the next morning as I was driving to school where I was an elementary school principal, I no sooner got on the highway when I began singing in an unknown language (I had never sung while driving) and it was if my car was taken out from underneath me and I would have floated to school! <br /><br />Thankfully, my life was never the same. The Holy Spirit is at work in me! Praise God! All because I surrendered to Him and asked Him to “fill” me with His empowering Spirit! If this can happen to me as a born-again child of the living God, it can happen to you. All one must do is first of all, be “born again” as stated earlier. Then simply ask the Holy Spirit to “fill you with His Spirit” and by faith, trust that you were indeed “baptized” with the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was when He was baptized by John the Baptist in Matthew 1:16! Try it, you will like it and you will be so blessed – guaranteed!! <br /><br />Another experience concerning the Holy Spirit took place when I was offered a “swap” position in the school of education at a college not far away for one year. The professor wanted to return to a public-school teaching position in the county where I was an elementary school principal so as to “refurbish” her teaching skills. <br /><br />An incredible “God experience”: One day, one of my advisees came to my office at the college seeking advice concerning her classes. During our time together, I was “guided” by the Holy Spirit to ask her where she “was” with the Lord God Almighty. She began to cry. As she began to calm down, she shared a horrible experience she had one Sunday night about three years ago concerning a pastor who was about to teach those who desired to receive their “prayer language – speaking in an unknown tongue”. Tragically, he instructed them saying “all you have to do is to open your mouth and your new ‘language’ will come pouring out”! She opened her mouth as instructed and nothing came out of her mouth – obviously tragic advice, to say the least! Immediately she felt that God had “slapped her face” leaving her with the devil’s lie that she wasn’t “good enough” to receive her prayer language. As a result, she lived with that lie for those three years! <br /><br />I told her that we would address this and “fix” that which she had suffered at the church three years ago. We left my office and for privacy, we went to my car where I began to instruct her as to receiving the “gift of tongues” as spoken about in 1 Cor. 14:1-25 where the Apostle Paul provides the guidelines for “exercising” the gift of tongues. I would encourage you to spend time reading the words of Luke in Acts 2 concerning what took place with the “coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of God’s Church”.<br /><br />Back to the car – first, I instructed her to “ask the Holy Spirit to fill her with His spirit and to provide her especially with her gift of tongues” that she had so long desired. Then I shared with her that I, as a model for assisting her in receiving her “tongue”, would begin praying ever so softly, to encourage her to “step out”, with the precaution that she not try to copying my “language”! Next, I told her to begin using her tongue out loud in making sounds of all sorts, and not to be concerned as to the sounds she was experiencing. She began making sounds and it wasn’t long before she began to consistently express the same new words. I encouraged her to continue speaking and soon she indeed was speaking in her new “language”! Before I knew it, she opened the door and ran across the campus now knowing that the Holy Spirit revealed to her that she was indeed “good enough” to receive her prayer language! Such a blessing, and one each of you can experience – IF you so desire, truly!! Check out what the Bible declares in the scriptures I have shared. Praise God from Whom ALL BLESSINGS FLOW. Amen?<br /><br />As Jesus, Who was crucified and was getting ready to ascend to the Father 40 days after his resurrection, gathered His apostles (sent-forth ones) and said to them after showing them His hands and His side in John 20:20-22: So, Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And as was said in verse 22 “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” And in the Book of Acts 1:5, Jesus gathered the apostles and said to them “For John truly baptized, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Verse 8, describes the beginning of the empowerment of the church for ministry. The “not many days from now” comes to pass in the upper room where they were gathered in “one accord” – it was crucial that they were in one accord (agreement) or they could very well have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit! (Acts 1:12-26; 2:1-47). Could this be a warning to churches that if they so desire to “walk in the Holy Spirit”, that they must indeed be in “one accord”? “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1 Cor. 14:33) and thus could well be that the gifts and empowerment of the Holy Spirit as written about in 1 Cor. 12 could well be nullified, tragically! <br /><br />First of all, in order to be aware of His presence, or hear Him speak to our very inner most being (two different experiences), we must be “Spirit Filled” i.e. baptized by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus was in Matthew 3:13-17 which was the Holy Spirit anointing Jesus, thus beginning His ministry, and “led away by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…” (Matthew 4:1-11) Keep in mind that Satan “left Him” (v 11), guaranteeing that the devil would return, as he does with us – thus always keeping in mind that “we are at war in the heavenlies” with the devil and his demons! Keep in mind what is written in Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent (those of us who have been empowered by the Holy Spirit) take it by force”! Thankfully, Jesus overcame Satan with the help of the Holy Spirit, as we will as well, because it is written in Deuteronomy 31:8:<br /><br />“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed”<br /><br />Since He is God Almighty (Jehovah – “Self-Existent Eternal God” (Exodus 20:2) with one of His names (and He has 40 names) being El Shaddai – The All Powerful God, He could and has spoken to anyone…even through a donkey to Balaam in Numbers 22:28! And to the animals for going onto the Ark, is another example.<br /><br />Tragically, so many believers truly are unaware of Who the Holy Spirit is! It must be stated here that far too many churches become divided because part of the congregation wants no part of the Holy Spirit (Satan’s work in dividing the church body) and the other part believe in and so desires to “Be filled with the Holy Spirit” now (present tense), as it is declared in Eph. 5:18. <br /><br />You could very well ask, how does this that you are sharing concerning the Holy Spirit, relate to the question “Who Am I”? <br /><br />Hopefully, one must know that in Genesis 1:1, the scripture sets the critical foundation concerning the clarification of just “Who God is”! In this case, God is identified as “Elohim” which in the Hebrew, translates “God in the plural – the Triune God (the Three in One). Thus ’God the Father, God the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit’”. We also read in Genesis 1:26, further support as it is stated “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness….”.<br /><br />Thus, the Person of the Holy Spirit is of the Godhead and each has His own special function (attributes). <br /><br />Considering the Holy Spirit, it has been said “The Bible reveals that the Person of the Holy Spirit has been the primary agent in all of the ministry of the Word throughout the centuries and the triune Godhead operates coequally, coeternally, coexistently, as one unit. Also consider that each member of the Trinity has the special function: the executive is the Father, the architect is the Son and the contractor is the Holy Spirit.” (Holy Spirit Gifts and Power – The New Spirit Filled Life Bible page 1849)<br /><br />We will continue sharing further information concerning the Holy Spirit, such as gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit and then return to “Who Am I” blog.<br /><br /> BE GLORIFIED, ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-47430420860653263672019-05-28T19:10:00.000-04:002019-05-28T19:10:03.368-04:00<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Sorrow/Grief Blog 7 </div>
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Greetings, precious saints of the triune God . . . the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again, I find myself continuing to write about the peace stealer - “Sorrow/Grief”! One would expect non-Christians to be wallowing in sorrow and grief, in that tragically, they are living in the flesh and are standing on “sifting sands”, but surely <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">not</span></b> God’s children who are to be standing on the <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rock</span></b> of Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us, “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who build his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-27) In keeping this analogy, we must keep in mind what is written in James 1:22-25 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in the mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does,” <br />
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We, therefore, must first “hear” what the Holy Spirit is saying to us or we would not have any idea of that which we are to be “doers”! It is here that it is crucial that we keep in mind the first step in the importance of <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>hearing</b> </span></span>what the Holy Spirit is saying to us! It must be declared, however, that a believer, meaning born again, must also become “Spirit-filled” – i.e. asking the Holy Spirit to “fill” (baptizing) him/her. Please keep in mind just Who God is . . . the triune God . . . God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thus, the “Three in One”!<br />
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The Holy Spirit, obviously then, is found throughout the entire Bible . . . from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22-21. In the New Testament (Matthew 3:16-17), Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist then “the heavens were opened to Him and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alightening upon Him, and suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” <br />
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This then was the beginning of the availability of the Holy Spirit to believers as we read in Acts 1 verses 4 and 8<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
4 “And being assembled together with them (the Apostles), He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘<span style="color: red;">which</span>,’ He said, ‘<span style="color: red;">you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now</span>.’ . . . 8 ‘<span style="color: red;">But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth</span>.’”</blockquote>
In order to truly be “empowered by” the Holy Spirit and “Go <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">do</span></b> the things that I did while on the earth” as Jesus commanded His apostles, <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ask</span></b> the Holy Spirit to “fill” or baptize you. Your life will never be the same and you will truly be able to hear “His still small voice declaring ‘this is the way, walk ye in it.’” Tragically, too many Christians are not aware of such a blessing, and thus are not “empowered” to fulfill His desire for us to “witnesses” to the ends of the earth!<br />
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Thus, it is so very crucial that we exam just where our focus is in our daily living! Are we so caught up in the <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">flesh</span></b> (our own living with all that that entails) giving little attention to the need to be focusing on Biblical truths and God’s promises? <br />
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Let’s return to Exodus 14 and to Moses and the incredible experiences he was having dealing with the severe trials and tribulations concerning the children o<span style="font-size: large;"></span>f Israel. This is an excellent example of living in the <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">flesh</span></b>. <br />
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Remember the story where finally Pharaoh let the children of Israel go and they thought that finally they were free from slavery under Pharaoh. What happened next? Pharaoh and his finest six hundred chariots took off after them. Now the “lesson” begins . . . it did not take long for the people to “be very afraid” and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord and came against Moses most harshly. Obviously, they were walking in the flesh neglecting the promises of the Lord God Almighty concerning their freedom from Pharaoh! Consequently, the spirit of fear came over them. They were so focused on their “emotions<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">”, </a>i.e, the battle that furiously was going on in their minds - looking at things seen, not on things hoped for, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) This is the trap we Christians fall into all too often! We must also keep in mind that Satan who tragically is very often the instigator of tricking us believers into a “lack of faith” and as a result, we spiral into sorrow and grief, in that we continue to look at things seen, and not on things hoped for.<br />
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Considering the<b> <span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">necessity</span></b> of having faith, their focus certainly was on what they were experiencing, pure and simple! How many of us fall into such traps where we are walking according to the flesh, tragically forgetting God’s promises, especially concerning His “watch care over His children, spirit, soul, and body”.<br />
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We must keep in our minds that the deceiver, Satan, will trick us into “thinking” (focusing) so much on fretting, worry, fear, depression, the way we treat our bodies, despair, sorrow/grief, the “what if’s etc. It is imperative that we be so discerning as <b><span style="color: orange; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">who</span></b> is talking/influencing us! Our lives so depend on such discernment . . . in fact the ‘gift of discernment” has been made available to us by the Holy Spirit as are other “Gifts” of the Spirit, thankfully! There will more concerning the Holy Spirit in blogs to come.<br />
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Thus, the battle . . . it has been said “there is a battle between our feelings and God’s truths!” Which ones are we going to pay attention to – our feelings or God’s truths?<br />
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Blog 8 concerning sorrow/grief will consist of the four enemies we have as we walk through the “battle of life”!<br />
<ol>
<li>The flesh</li>
<li>The world</li>
<li>Satan</li>
<li>The church (man’s church as opposed to God’s Church)</li>
</ol>
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BE GLORIFIED, ALMIGHTY GOD, BE GLORIFIED</div>
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FOR YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED</div>
Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-50657442818975625612019-04-07T18:59:00.000-04:002019-04-07T19:01:50.023-04:00Enhancing Your Christian Walk - Sorrow/Grief Blog 6<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Before we begin
Blog 6, I wish to thank the thousands of readers wo have joined me in this experience
since I published my first blog in March 2015. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I wish to especially thank my international
readers from 39 different countries.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>As
I publish each blog, I pray that it is the Holy Spirit whom I believe is using
me as His instrument in sharing what He has for each of you...such a blessing,
indeed!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>In keeping with this statement,
may I ask each of you to pray that what you read is indeed God’s truths.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">In Blog 5,
we “unwrapped” 2 Cor. 10:3-6 which deals with where we are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">walking</i> - in the flesh or in the Spirit, putting on the full armor
as written in Ephesians 6:10-18, including the weapons of our warfare, taking
down strongholds, the carnal mind (such as controlling our thoughts/actions), and
sin which contribute to living with sorrow/grief! Additionally, there were strategies
for our focusing on peace, hope and the promises of the Lord God Almighty!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We must be so very thankful and praising our
Lord Jesus for His sacrifice on Calvary and the incredible gift of salvation
(being set free from. . .), amen? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">In beginning
this blog, let’s consider the critical question “Where is your focus – on your
sorrows/griefs or on the triune God and His truths?” Another way of attacking
your status is “do you live with an attitude of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">defeat </i>or one of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hope </i>that
only your loving Father can provide you?” Most importantly, where is your <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">faith</b> in the face of such hopeless
living? Paul, in Hebrews 11:1, states “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Let’s
consider the book of Lamentations which deals with Jeremiah living in sorrow
and grief because of his beloved Jerusalem being in such affliction, and as
well, God’s anger with Jerusalem! Thus, we see Jeremiah lamenting from chapter
1 through 3:18. Let’s listen in to what he is declaring in verses 18-26:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">18 “And I said, ‘My strength and my hope have perished from
the LORD.’ 19 Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall. 20
My soul still remembers and sinks within me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Then something
drastically changes in his thinking as for surely the Holy Spirit speaks to him
because then he exclaims </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">21 “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">He continues,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">22 “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Through</i> the LORD’S mercies we are not
consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They</i> are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A beautiful
hymn concerning this truth the follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I hope in
Him. 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. 26
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation (being set
free from. . .) of the LORD.” <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">In verse 21,
Jeremiah sees God’s mercy at work in his life. The question becomes “are you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">waiting quietly</i> for the salvation of the
LORD, i.e. being set free from whatever is causing you to lament (sorrowing and
grieving)?” Why is it so significant to “wait quietly”? Jeremiah was far from <u>waiting
quietly</u> in previous chapters!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">We see the children
of Israel fleeing from Pharaoh and his warriors in Exodus 14. They became most
sorrowful and filled with other emotions, such as fear, because they thought
they were on the way to freedom from the Egyptians, but soon learned that Pharaoh
and his chariots were after them! It is interesting that in verse 10, “they were
very afraid and cried out to the Lord.” Yet, in the very next verse they rose
against Moses because it was all his fault that they were under attack.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Initially “they went out with boldness” (Exo
14:8), but then the spirit of fear overcame them!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Consider
what Moses said to the people (as he was listening to the prompting of the Holy
Spirit), “Do not be afraid.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Stand still
and see the salvation (being set free from…) of the LORD, which He will
accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see
again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you and you shall hold your
peace.” (Exo 14:13-14) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">There is an
incredible lesson in all this, regardless of their previous <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">many </b>years of much sorrow and grief
because of their bondage in Egypt, the LORD rescued them . . .<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> His way and His</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">time</i>!!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It is crucial that we
focus on our LORD instead of what is going on around us causing us to live in
sorrow/grief!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>For those of you are
living in sorrow and grief, the scripture tells us “to wait quietly”.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Why? How can we hear the still small voice of
the LORD stating, “be still and know that I am God, and the plans that I have
for you are for good and not for evil”?<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>As I have shared before, I like to declare “I restfully and patiently
wait upon the LORD <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trusting</i> Him to
deal with that which is affecting me”!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Thus, we truly
have a choice as stated previously - focus on that which is stealing our peace
and our joy because of past, future, or present events in which we ourselves have
lost our hope, or “stand still and see the salvation of the LORD God Almighty.”
Also, if we continue to allow the flesh to walk in sorrow/grief, it opens the
door wide to be “double minded” which gives Satan an invitation to harass us,
keeping in mind dear saints, there IS HOPE, as it is stated in James 4:7-10 </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 8px 38.4px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">7 “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee
from you.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>8 Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">purify </i>your hearts, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> double
minded. 9 Lament and morn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and
your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He will <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">lift</b> you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">up</b>”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">One of His Hebrew
Names is “Elohim Ozer Li, God My Helper.” (Ps. 54:4)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Please keep
in mind that which is written in James 1:2-8 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience
have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. 5 If
any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and
without <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reproach</b>, and it will be
given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts
is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man
suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; 8 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i> is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Is it fair to
say that if one is living with sorrow/grief day in and day out that he/she is
double-minded and unstable in all his/her ways? How so? Lack of faith!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">So be encouraged
and have hope as is stated in Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible
to please <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Him</i>, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A crucial question…are
you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">diligently</b> seeking Him?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>If not, why not?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Keep in mind,
it is most important as the scripture tells us, to “take every thought captive
to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4) and in doing so, with the Holy
Spirit’s help, we<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> will</i> walk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">victoriously</i> as never before. That is one
of God’s promises to us, and we know He never ever breaks His promises,
thankfully!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Be glorified, Almighty God,
be glorified</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">To be continued . . . <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-60611935417630438622019-03-21T19:44:00.000-04:002019-04-01T16:22:44.148-04:00ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 5<br />
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">I would sincerely encourage you to read blogs 1-4 concerning this topic, if you have not done so already.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">These scriptures must <i>not be taken lightly</i>! Before we continue, let’s “unwrap” what is being declared in 2 Cor. 10:3-6.</span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;">“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">obedience</b> of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled.”</span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">First</span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">, what is the definition of “flesh”? The following definition is found in the American Dictionary of English Language – Noah Webster 1828. Note: I find scriptural definitions in this dictionary to be much more meaningful/ reliable than current “modern” dictionaries which tragically omit scriptural references! It would be most interesting to learn just when dictionaries began to omit Biblical references!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">*<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Flesh – “The body, as distinguished from the soul”, men in general; mankind.” As declared in Genesis 6:3 “My spirit shall not always strive with man forever for he is indeed flesh. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">* The carnal mind – “For those who live to according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. A carnal mind is an enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>(Romans 8:5-14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">*<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Carnality – ‘The flesh lusts against the spirit.’” (Gal. 5:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">*<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Corrupt nature – ‘Flesh and blood cannot<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>inherit the kingdom of God’” (1 Cor. 15:5) and “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">* “Sin” and the scriptures are replete with the dangers of sin – for sure, a huge part and parcel of the corrupt nature and, definitely, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">humongous</i> cause of sorrow/grief! Is man’s behavior related to himself in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flesh</i>?<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>If so, obviously, he is not walking in the Spirit of the LORD! Thankfully, the LORD has provided His children with spiritual ways for dealing with sin in our lives, thankfully! Consider Psalm 32:5 which declares “I acknowledge my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” The footnote referencing this verse notes that “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Transgression</b> means rebellion”. (New Spirit Filled Bible)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">*<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Weapons/Warfare – Struggles with spiritual enemies”. Concerning spiritual warfare, I highly recommend a study of Ephesians 6:10-18 which discusses the putting on of the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Whole Armor of God</i>”. May I strongly recommend a book which deals with daily readings concerning spiritual warfare: THE CHRISTIAN IN COMPLETE ARMOUR by William Gurnall, a minister who wrote in the 1600s. (Moody Press).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Written in the publishers’ preface of Gurnall’s book was this “The stage whereon this war is fought is every man’s own soul. Here is no neuter in this war. The whole world is engaged in the quarrel, either for God against Satan, or for Satan against God.”</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">We are told by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18, that we are to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Always keeping in mind “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh and that the weapons of our warfare are not <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">carnal</b>, but mighty in the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3,4)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Please keep in mind that we are to “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">put on</i>” the full armor and keep it on, 24/7! Warriors do not take their armor off during warfare! We saints are in warfare 24/7! Some saints believe they can take it off when they go to bed and put it on when they wake up! It has been declared that we are to “maintain a battle stance against this satanic structure” (Kingdom Dynamics – New Spirit-Filled Life Bible)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">*<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Strongholds – “Anything opposing God’s will” </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">and resides where? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">In the mind</b>!<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>How so, you ask?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>As I have declared often, we are told in the scriptures that we are to “take every thought <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">captive</b> (my emphasis) to pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:5) and “. . . casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">thought</b> (again my emphasis) into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Cor. 4-6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Do we have control over our thoughts where the warfare begins?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We had better, or we are in serious trouble!! This could be an entirely new way to “thinking” for many believers!!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Consider this. . .” who is the author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">many</i> of our thoughts. . . the “deceiver”– Satan himself.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It is crucial that we seek the “gift of discernment” as just who is talking to us in our minds! (Hebrews 4:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;">“For the word of God<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is</i> living and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">powerful, </b>and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">As Christians, we must seriously consider such choices as:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Constantly focusing on our sorrows</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">and reaping the consequences </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">AND REAPING THE CONSEQUENCES </span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">as mentioned in the definition above. </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Focusing on the faith <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">of</b> God, not <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">in </b>God and His promises, by searching for the appropriate promises throughout the scriptures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Please consider coming before the Holy Spirit who <b><u>BATHES </u></b><u><span style="margin: 0px;">us with His <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect </i>peace – Jehovah Shalom for </span></u>the LORD is peace, and such a blessing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">"Bringing every thought captive to the pulling down of strongholds” as stated previously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">"Casting (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flinging</i> is the correct translation) all our cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Choosing to walk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> "According to the flesh, but according, to the <i>Spirit</i> ". (Romans 8:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Seeking out sincere Christians for comfort, support and wisdom.<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">This requires us to be “still and know the salvation (being set free) of the LORD who is with you. . .”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>(2 Chron. 20:17) If we are not “still” in His presence, we will not experience His peace . . . for He is also our comforter as well. Consider Jesus as He was getting ready to ascend to the Father, the disciples were so much in “sorrow” that He declared <span style="color: #ed7d31; margin: 0px;">"And I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper, (Holy Spirit) that He might abide with you forever."</span> (John 14:16) Jesus was also addressing “some of His disciples” concerning His ascending to the Father <span style="color: #ed7d31; margin: 0px;">"Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy." </span>(John 16:20)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">You must remember that this scripture is just one of many, many of His promises and He stands on His promises which do not return to Him void, and thus so must we stand on His promises!</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Note that when the Sorrow/grief blogs have been completed, there will be a follow up blog concerning Spiritual Warfare.</span><br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">To be continued in Blog 6.</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">Be abundantly blessed, O LORD God Almighty,</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">Be abundantly blessed<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></div>
Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-38927239911230477762019-02-25T18:29:00.000-05:002019-02-25T18:29:48.747-05:00
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><b>ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><b>IN OUR LIVES - PART 4</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Hopefully, you
have been able to read previous blogs (1-3) concerning “sorrow/grief”!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QmITn6PUI_6mkmMiVOpuB-Nv-FPP7piLzfRGt5Q1TJ6FRt2x5Vu_a3KjyOkX2FhXpfpcxOQIYemGwm_mHGZDgr9-jZAsJF8mSNxX0rFbUOMAUxiPuTFJ1XaQWJ4EMjNGKJLDhJSJqPfy/s1600/woman-consoling-crying-female-friend-bed_13339-101215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="626" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QmITn6PUI_6mkmMiVOpuB-Nv-FPP7piLzfRGt5Q1TJ6FRt2x5Vu_a3KjyOkX2FhXpfpcxOQIYemGwm_mHGZDgr9-jZAsJF8mSNxX0rFbUOMAUxiPuTFJ1XaQWJ4EMjNGKJLDhJSJqPfy/s200/woman-consoling-crying-female-friend-bed_13339-101215.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Let’s continue
and ask “Just how is one to deal with such bondage resulting from our many sorrows/griefs?
Again, these blogs are not dealing with those sorrows/griefs which happen to
each of us from time to time . . . these we label as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">inevitable</i>, i.e. death of a loved one, accidents, or other such
happenings.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">However, we must
be so very careful that we don’t let them <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">linger</i>
and become long lasting burdens which they can do, IF we continue to focus on
them and not on the solace of our precious LORD! Please be aware of the devil
who is <u>constantly</u> trying to keep us in sorrow/grief and steal our peace
and our joy! James 4:7,10 presents powerful strategies for making sure he is
not successful. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil
and he will flee from you.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>(we will
discuss just how to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">resist</i> the devil in
Blog 5) Verse 10 declares “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He
will <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">lift</b> you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">up</b>.” And please remember the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">assurance</i>
that we are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">more</b> than <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">conquerors</b> as declared in Romans
8:34,35,37: </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Centaur",serif; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">“34 <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It is</i></b>
Christ who died, and furthermore who is also risen, who is even at the right
hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shall </i></b>tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?” “37 Yet in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Again, as was stated in Blog 1, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> might not be burdened by
sorrows/griefs in your own life! But know that there are many many saints all
around us who are constantly beleaguered with sorrows/griefs of the past, of
the present, and considering what is to come, tragically!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Would it be that we could speak into the
lives of these burdened ones, God’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">truths/promises</b>
and set them free!</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Consider what is stated in 2 Cor. 10:3-6:
</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Centaur",serif; font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Centaur",serif; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are
not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”</span><span style="font-family: "Centaur",serif; font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;"></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Preparing for Blog 5, please seriously
meditate on these four crucial verses, for I will reveal the contents as to how
they will indeed “set you free”!! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">In closing, I
encourage you to keep in mind that which is declared in James 1:22-25:</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 28pt; margin: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">“22 but be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves. 23 for if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a
doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he
observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">therein and</i> is not a forgetful hearer
but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">A crucial question:
“Could you be carrying sorrow/grief of that which you are not aware?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I would encourage you to seek the wisdom of
the LORD concerning this question, for it is written “But even now I know that
whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” (John 11:22) and “. . . Yet you do
not have because you do not ask”. (James 4:2)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">In closing, be so very encouraged precious
saints, as you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">focus</b> on the
following scriptures - your “fodder” for the day: </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">Psalm 138:7,8 “Though I walk in the mist of
trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath
of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. Verse 8 “The Lord will <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">perfect</b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">which</i> concerns me; your
mercy O LORD, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">endures</i> forever; do not
forsake the works of Your hands.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">1 Peter 5:6,7 “Therefore
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time. Verse 7 “Flinging all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">Deuteronomy 32:6 “. . . He (God) will not
fail you or forsake you.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">(Amplified Bible)</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">As I like to declare: “I restfully and peacefully
trust the LORD in ALL matters that affect me.”</span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 20pt; margin: 0px;">Be
glorified Almighty God, be glorified</span></div>
<br />
<div align="right" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Centaur",serif; margin: 0px;">photo
courtesy of freepic.com</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-29712983856796380352019-01-26T16:58:00.000-05:002019-01-26T16:58:23.103-05:00ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 3
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<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">As I awakened one morning, the Holy Spirit spoke
to me saying “Take My hand, My precious child.” For in Psalm 85:8*, it is
stated “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to
His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly” (foolishness)</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Tragically we, as His
children, have such a tendency (propensity) all too often to go our own way - walking
in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">flesh</i> (our own minds) as
opposed to walking in the (Holy) Spirit! And in so doing, we separate ourselves
from focusing on the LORD God Almighty thus, allowing ourselves to open the
door for Satan to direct our paths for the moment/day/week, etc.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>And therein the great possibility for
sorrow/grief to hover over us in our utmost inner being.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">We cannot begin to
imagine the sorrow God experienced and experiences even now because people,
even Christians grieve/quench Him. . . let’s consider what the scriptures
declare concerning this. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">We must keep in
mind the sorrow that began early on as we read beginning in Isaiah 14:12-21 the
story of how Satan, once an angel called Lucifer, “son of the morning or Light
Bearer” surely grieved the LORD Who had to evict him and send him to earth.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">In Gen., chapter 3,
we see that it didn’t take Satan (the serpent) long to interfere in God’s plan
for His creation to live a bountiful and glorified life on earth. Satan truly
believed as he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, that he had the upper hand at
this point…little did he know what was and is ahead for him and his minions,
because it is written that there will come a time when “the devil will be cast
into lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> are. </i>And they will be tormented day and
night forever and ever”. (Rev. 20:10)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">In Gen. 3:16, we
read where the LORD is talking to Eve, “To the woman He said: I will greatly
multiply your sorrow….”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Another example
where we create our own sorrow!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">It is also written in
Gen. 6:5,6 “And the LORD was sorry that </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">the wickedness of man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> great in the earth, and<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
that</i> every intent of the thoughts of his heart <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> only evil continuously. And the LORD was sorry that He had made
man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">We read in Ephesians
4: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the
day of redemption.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I would refer you to
verses 25-32 relating as to all the ways we indeed grieve the Holy Spirit, and
in 1 Thess. 5:18 it is also declared “Do not quench the (Holy) Spirit.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Consider the 40
years the children of Israel spend in the “trial in the wilderness”. . .and the
LORD lamented in of Psalm 95:10 “For 40 years I was grieved with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> generation, .<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Questions which must be asked at this point
are:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.7pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">LORD, is there
anything in the past or the present where I am grieving You in that I haven’t
sought repentance?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I would ask You, Holy
Spirit, to please reveal that which has grieved or quenched my LORD.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 49.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">LORD, what am I
to learn from my sorrows?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.7pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Are there any unconfessed
sins or even confessed sins that I am still wrestling with that are allowing
sorrow into my life?</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 49.7pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">-<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">It is most
crucial to keep mind God’s faithful provisions/promises as we read in 1 John
1:7-10; 2:1-2 for our dealing with any and all sin in our lives:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -22.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Vs. 7: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">blood</b> of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -22.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Vs. 8 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.” and </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -22.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman"; margin: 0px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Vs. 9 is a powerful scripture for declaring <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">immediately</b> when a sin is committed “If
(a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HUGE </b>little word) we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i>
sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">This is an
appropriate time to share what was exclaimed in the powerful devotional <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">STREAMS IN THE DESERT</i> for January 18, concerning
sorrows.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sorrows come to stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.”</i> What an awesome
thought! Please keep in mind that we have the choice of continuing to walk in
the mind set of sorrow, which is in the flesh, or in the Spirit which is where
we find our joy, always remembering as it has been said, “the Word of God
transforms our minds”, thankfully! All this means is that we have choices of
where we focus – the flesh (mind/emotions) or the Spirit!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It has been said that the “Battle begins in
the mind”!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">In addition, there
is a constant battle between our feelings and God’s truths! The 64-dollar
question then must be “which are we going to pay attention to – fleshly feelings
or God’s truths?”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VSvTWKYJYfk8SD2HLBa6_c7_8QGv2k1D4HqTk5nnaHH0Bw-pz8QlmSUDd4yKfvciYHGtNqnt9L5mfG4AG4y1E8zaBdE4_nIq5lQ6tdkyPUx53ZvR6RFrpcLMDiaOSON0o71CQIi_HzPE/s1600/ManInJailImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="105" data-original-width="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VSvTWKYJYfk8SD2HLBa6_c7_8QGv2k1D4HqTk5nnaHH0Bw-pz8QlmSUDd4yKfvciYHGtNqnt9L5mfG4AG4y1E8zaBdE4_nIq5lQ6tdkyPUx53ZvR6RFrpcLMDiaOSON0o71CQIi_HzPE/s1600/ManInJailImage.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Tragically, too
many believers are their own worst enemies in that they <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">allow</b> sorrow to reign in their very being. </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">“How so, you ask?” We know through
scriptures, that the LORD forgives our sins as stated above in 1 John 1:9 “IF
we confess our sins”, but the huge question becomes “do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i> forgive our own sins?” Sadly, too many of us are in such <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>bondage</u></i> in our not forgiving
ourselves in that we believe the lies of Satan who persistently deceives us
into thinking we don’t deserve to forgive ourselves!!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It is imperative that we focus on the comforting
scripture which declares “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them,
(Satan who is the spirit of error and the world) because He who is in you is
greater than he who is in the world” (Satan who is the spirit of error) 1 John
4:4.</span></div>
</span><div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">And as is written
in Jer. 8:18, “I would comfort myself in sorrow.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I could hear many of you declare “that is the
most ridiculous comment I have ever heard”! Remember, it is scripture!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I challenge you to “think it through”!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We will deal with this in Blog 4.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Consider what is </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; margin: 0px;">stated</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"> in 2 Cor.
10:3-6:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 31.7pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;">“For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;">God for pulling down strongholds, casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . .”</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Also, please keep in mind that I am not
minimizing<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> sorrow</b> in the least, but
again it is how we approach it either in the flesh or in the Spirit and that
makes all the difference in our lives! </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-top: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Blog 4 will contain
strategies that we can use to assist us in</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">overcoming sorrows. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Be glorified Almighty God, be glorified</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-top: .25in;">
<span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">* All scriptures are
from the NEW SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE BIBLE (NKJV) Jack W. Hayford Executive Editor</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-59894247591901602572018-11-05T18:23:00.001-05:002018-11-05T18:32:10.462-05:00ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES - PART 2<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E4z15qVgbjRBhQOJz9iSiKTyfim4fFyoU5AK4geVhf8X89b3dcxYrCXTRyxKdTIsrZtchZYuhLAadkrs-eJLAu5VfSU1MIfhxtwduSJZkpRc8zY-J32rw6yRcB1GtU0JDVc1lRVrC-ni/s1600/Sorrow-Grief_Part2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="250" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E4z15qVgbjRBhQOJz9iSiKTyfim4fFyoU5AK4geVhf8X89b3dcxYrCXTRyxKdTIsrZtchZYuhLAadkrs-eJLAu5VfSU1MIfhxtwduSJZkpRc8zY-J32rw6yRcB1GtU0JDVc1lRVrC-ni/s200/Sorrow-Grief_Part2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Hopefully, you remember the question I left you with in the SORROW Blog Part 1? “Could it be that<i> Sorrow/Grief </i>actually began when we were born?"</span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">How so, you might rightfully ask?</span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E4z15qVgbjRBhQOJz9iSiKTyfim4fFyoU5AK4geVhf8X89b3dcxYrCXTRyxKdTIsrZtchZYuhLAadkrs-eJLAu5VfSU1MIfhxtwduSJZkpRc8zY-J32rw6yRcB1GtU0JDVc1lRVrC-ni/s1600/Sorrow-Grief_Part2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Let's consider what took place in the Garden of Eden in Genesis, </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Chapter 3 - "The Temptation and the Fall of Man"!</span></span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; margin: 0px;"></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
</span> <span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Hopefully, you are very much aware of what took place concerning Adam and Eve and their rebellion against God.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">God said to Eve in Genesis 3:16: </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .3in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">"I will greatly multiply your SORROW and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband and he shall <i>rule </i>over you." </span></div>
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">And we know how the deceiver has used the "rule over you" declaration to create rebellion is so many women, tragically!</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Could we declare that we witness another powerful work of Satan? Then in verse 17, God said, "Because you heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat of it" and God continues with the "thou shall nots" from this time forth! Then in verses 23-24, God sent them out of the garden! Thus the battle between good and evil begins with the concept of <i>sorrow</i> being injected into the lives of mankind and tragically, we believers suffer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i> and will continue to until the Lord returns because of Adam and Eve's disobedience - for God says what He means and means what He says!</span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">We can well declare that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i> indeed steals our peace and our joy and consequently so keeps us from being <i>still</i> and hearing His still small voice declaring "this is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21). Question. . .is there anything whatsoever in your life, past/present or in the days to come, that is keeping you from hearing the Lover of your soul as He declares "this is the way, walk ye in it"? </span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">This blog might not find you in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i> at this moment but consider that you could well be friends with someone who is going through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i>, and hopefully there would be wisdom in this blog that would assist you in ministering to them.</span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Please keep in mind that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i> can also be the consequence(s) of our disobedience concerning the ways of God. Again, consider Genesis 3, for as just stated, this is the very beginning of sorrow/grief not only for mankind, but also for the Triune God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit because of Adam and Eve's disobedience! And as we well know, the Father had to send His only son Jesus to the cross to set man free - those who will <i>surrender</i> their lives to become the sheep in the pasture of the Lord our Shepherd.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Some time ago, I was found myself in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow/grief</i> and was sitting before the Lord and the Holy Spirt spoke to me "do you trust Me?", as related to that which I was dealing with, and then He said, "now you have an inkling of how I 'grieve' over My children." And the thus the question becomes "Am I grieving my Lord God Almighty"? I want</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">to close with the encouraging scripture in James 1:2-7:</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: .3in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without <b>reproach</b>, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let that man suppose that he will receive anything of the Lord." </span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Thus, I encourage you to inquire of the Lord regarding His wisdom concerning the question "Am I grieving You, Lord, and if so, how am I grieving You"? (Biblical quotes are courtesy of the "New Spirit-Filled Life Bible", NKJV.)</span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">To be continued in Blog 3</span></div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-size: 18pt; margin: 0px;">Be glorified, O Lord, be glorified!</span><span style="font-family: "&quot" , serif; margin: 0px;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #999999;"></span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-17929408439863272452018-09-29T08:16:00.000-04:002018-09-29T08:16:24.998-04:00Where Is Your Focus When You First Wake Up In The Morning?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHG6FlZEK74SNjYDbNXJc_iFtQTWfdEMUQQLeg3-OGuyReB75VYA_my6bscy9aRaj17YUWwK46yHXYj-G15J4_cmMagC3ES95I1kjkUPUe2OT6HbcUq-1TYA-PS0vb2NmqmLYJonC8fs0/s1600/Railyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHG6FlZEK74SNjYDbNXJc_iFtQTWfdEMUQQLeg3-OGuyReB75VYA_my6bscy9aRaj17YUWwK46yHXYj-G15J4_cmMagC3ES95I1kjkUPUe2OT6HbcUq-1TYA-PS0vb2NmqmLYJonC8fs0/s200/Railyard.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">As the photo illustrates, I am taking
a short “side rail” from Sorrow blog 2 in order to focus on extremely powerful
strategies related to one’s “focus” or more simply put, what comes to my mind (first
thoughts) as soon as I open my eyes in the morning?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Am I going to walk in the flesh or in the
Spirit of the Lord….we do have a choice! I truly felt prompted by the Holy
Spirit to share such crucial thoughts with you concerning this incredible
topic!</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">Obviously,
this ties nicely with the “Sorrow” blog, which is still in progress, for if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sorrow</i> is the first thought that comes
to mind as one awakens, his/her state of mind is indeed focused on sorrow,
grief, anger, revenge, unforgiveness, lack of confidence, despair, unconfessed
sin, and fear, etc. which can well set the stage for the day’s thinking and
action, and could well end in a day of defeat/discouragement resulting in
continued sorrow or the other negative thoughts/feelings.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Keep in mind what is written in 2 Cor. 6:10,12
in the Messianic Jewish Family Bible – Tree of Life Version “as grieving yet always
rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything”
and “you are restricted in your own feelings.”</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13.33px;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">Thus, how do
we overcome such negative and destructive thinking?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>First and foremost, we as believers MUST begin
the day focusing on our Triune God (the Father, Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit),
biblical scriptural <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">truths</b> and Godly
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">promises </b>such as<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>written in Psalm 34:4-6 “I sought the Lord, and He heard me….and
saved him out of all his troubles”. The Lord God Almighty promises His children
as written in Heb. 13:5,6 “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let your</i>
conduct<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> be</i> without covetousness; be
content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I will never leave you nor forsake you.</i> So,
we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to
me?”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>May I challenge you to purchase a
PROMISES book which lists God’s scriptural promises by subject…<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.66px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 22.66px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">“</span>Fear, despair, hopelessness,
encouragement”, etc.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">We are told
in Philippians 4:6,7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made to known to God; and
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">minds </b>through Christ Jesus.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">It is
crucial that we seriously consider that “the battle begins in the mind” which
means we are in spiritual warfare <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in</i>
our minds, and as the scripture declares, “For though we walk in the flesh, we
do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>not carnal but mighty in God for
bringing down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every <u>thought</u> into<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>captivity<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">obedience </b>of
Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Thus it is imperative especially, that we not allow
our minds to reminisce in the past. Always keep in mind that satan and his
cohorts are always looking for open doors in our lives for the sole purpose of
harassing/destroying God’s beloved…not only satan, but the world, our flesh, and
the church! I must qualify the “church” as that which is the “under the control
of men/women often described tragically as the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">dead</b> church” as opposed to God’s Church where the Holy Spirit is
most welcomed, and the Triune God is given<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
full</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reign</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">Always
remember that the mind is NOT BORN AGAIN…. again, therein lies the battle…flesh
against the Spirit of God!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Whom are you
going to let win?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">In closing,
please keep in mind what James, the brother of Jesus declared in chapter 1:22-25
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if
any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his
natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of
liberty and continues <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in it </i>and is
not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what
he does.”<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Amen?<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 120%; margin: 0px;">And when you
awaken each morning, begin with a positive declaration “This is the day the
Lord has made, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">rejoice and be glad in it</b>.
(Ps.118:24) Also a song.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-57326304447463823592018-08-01T19:49:00.001-04:002018-08-01T20:29:09.114-04:00ALMIGHTY GOD AND HIS USE OF "SORROW" IN OUR LIVES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkrzxcsIc8FfdW6BkMqZYM8tQYDcnJxg3w1ON_uc_wbNeXfAmP20RsxSyqG2Ta4F9pX9uAGUweQqhksyy5EOq1XS5KdNi6uDaPDlbIg9oFYz_LWfztf4hTU7JM_HF42c4vWjc8WXsmYI/s1600/portrait_of_sad_young_woman_bowing_her_head_to_cg1p92649357c_th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkrzxcsIc8FfdW6BkMqZYM8tQYDcnJxg3w1ON_uc_wbNeXfAmP20RsxSyqG2Ta4F9pX9uAGUweQqhksyy5EOq1XS5KdNi6uDaPDlbIg9oFYz_LWfztf4hTU7JM_HF42c4vWjc8WXsmYI/s1600/portrait_of_sad_young_woman_bowing_her_head_to_cg1p92649357c_th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkrzxcsIc8FfdW6BkMqZYM8tQYDcnJxg3w1ON_uc_wbNeXfAmP20RsxSyqG2Ta4F9pX9uAGUweQqhksyy5EOq1XS5KdNi6uDaPDlbIg9oFYz_LWfztf4hTU7JM_HF42c4vWjc8WXsmYI/s1600/portrait_of_sad_young_woman_bowing_her_head_to_cg1p92649357c_th.jpg" /></a></div><div><b>SORROW</b> - "A DEEP DISTRESS/SADNESS OR REGRET; A CAUSE OF GRIEF"*</div><div><br />
</div><div>SADLY, SORROW/GRIEF IS A REALITY. THERE ISN'T A PERSON ALIVE WHO HAS NOT SUFFERED SORROW/GRIEF OF ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER FROM TIME TO TIME. </div><div><br />
</div><div>IS IT POSSIBLE THE TRIUNE GOD (GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT) IS ABLE TO USE SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR</div><div>LIVES FOR OUR WELL BEING - SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY ULTIMATELY LEADING US TO VICTORIOUS LIVING? PLEASE KEEP IN MIND AS WE WALK THROUGH SUCH DIFFICULT/CHALLENGING TIMES, THE COMFORTING PRAISE SONG...."HE MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME, IN HIS TIME...."! I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU AS A START, TO CONSIDER THE POWERFUL SCRIPTURAL STRATEGIES IN 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, <i>IN EVERYTHING</i> (ITALICS MINE) GIVE</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> THANKS, FOR <b><u>THIS</u></b> (CORRECTLY TRANSLATED "<u>THAT WHICH I AM GOING THRU</u>") IS THE </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> WILL OF GOD FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS". DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">ALWAYS REMEMBER, THERE ARE NO<b> OOPS </b>IN GOD'S KINGDOM, FOR HE <i>ALLOWS</i>, (NOT <i>CAUSING</i>) "<b>THIS</b>" IN OUR LIVES, </span>".....</span>ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL" IN OUR LIVES (EPH. 1:5) AND THAT "NOTHING TOUCHES US THAT HASN'T TOUCHED HIM<b> FIRST</b>"! "BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE...." AS THE HYMN DECLARES!<br />
<br />
THUS, NO MATTER WHAT IS "SWIRLING AROUND OUR HEADS", HE HAS IT ALL UNDER CONTROL....THAT IS,<b> IF</b> <b>WE LET HIM</b>...AND JUST HOW CRUCIAL IS "LETTING HIM HAVE HIS WAY IN OUR LIVES" FOR HE WILL NEVER FORCE US, THUS OUR FREE WILL TOO OFTEN PLAYS AN INCREDIBLE GOOD OR BAD PLACE IN OUR LIVES!<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">HOW IS IT THAT THE </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">LORD GOD ALMIGHTY ALLOWS SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES AND THEN USES</span><b style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "quot"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> SORROW </b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">FOR OUR </span><i style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "quot"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OWN GOOD</i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">? HOW CAN SUCH A STATEMENT BE MADE, YOU ASK? I CAN HEAR READERS NOW EXCLAIMING "BUT...BUT....BUT... </span><i style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "quot"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">WHY</i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> WOULD A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUCH PAIN IN OUR LIVES....</span><i style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: "quot"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">WHY</i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">?"</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">A CRUCIAL QUESTION UPON WHICH TO DWELL..."WHERE IN THE MIDST OF SORROW/GRIEF IN OUR LIVES IS OUR HOPE, COMFORT, PEACE, JOY AND VICTORY?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">CONSIDER GALATIANS 5:22 "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE (HOLY) SPIRIT<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> IS LOVE, JOY, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>PEACE</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, LONG SUFFERING, KINDNESS,GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS,, SELF CONTROL." MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ AS WELL, VERSES 23-25. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">THIS COULD WELL BE THE TIME TO CONSIDER SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">AND ASK, "WHERE <b>AM</b> I CONCERNING THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THOSE OF THE FUTURE?" </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">THE SORROWS THAT ARE OF </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">THE PAST, ARE JUST THAT,<i> OF THE PAST</i> - NO LONGER! HOWEVER,<b style="font-style: normal;"> IF</b> WE LINGER/FOCUS ON THOSE OF THE PAST, AND AS WELL,THE SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE FUTURE, FOR WE ARE TOLD "TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW". (MATTHEW 6:34) LET ALONE FOCUS ON THE "<i style="font-style: normal;">WHAT IF" </i>TRAP, FOR WE CERTAINLY WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE IN THAT WE QUICKLY LOSE OUR ASSURANCE AND SOLACE OF FAITH, HOPE, PEACE, OUR JOY AND AS WELL, WE ARE UNABLE TO "BE<b style="font-style: normal;"> STILL</b> AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." (PSALM 46:10) AND IN ADDITION, HEARING THAT STILL</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i> SMALL</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT "DECLARING "THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT" AS THE SCRIPTURES TELL US (ISAIAH 30:21) ... INSTEAD, OUR "BATTER" INGREDIENTS OF WORRY, FRET, DISCOURAGEMENT, DREAD, AND DEPRESSION IN OUR LIVES MAKE UP <span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">THE PAST/PRESENT/FUTURE RECIPES IN OUR LIVES... </span>THAT LEAVES US WITH SORROWS/GRIEFS OF THE PRESENT. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">CRITICAL QUESTION - IS SORROW/GRIEF HOLDING YOU CAPTIVE AND TO WHAT EXTENT?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AS TO ACTIONS I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO <b>TAKE</b> <b>NOW</b>, <i><b>IF</b></i> YOU ARE INDEED BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY SORROW/GRIEF AND WANT TO BE SET FREE FROM SUCH BONDAGES:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">1. </span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">THE <b>BATTLE</b> <b>BEGINS IN THE</b> <b>MIND</b> WHICH IS<b> FLESH</b> AND NOT <b>BORN AGAIN</b>,<b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> FOR<b> </b>WE READ IN ROMANS 12:2 "AND </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE </span><i style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: small;">RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, </i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">(ITALICS MINE) </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">THAT GOOD </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> (THIS WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER IN THE NEXT SORROW/GRIEF BLOG.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">2. APPROPRIATE FOCUS - "YOU WILL KEEP</span><i style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: small;"> HIM </i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> IN PERFECT PEACE,WHOSE MIND</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> IS STAYED<i> ON YOU, BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU. </i>TRUST IN THE LORD FOREVER,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> FOR IN <i>YAH,</i> THE LORD, IS EVERLASTING STRENGTH".(ISAIAH 26:3,4)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 3. "AND BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE MIND..." (EPHESIANS 4:23)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 4. "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS IN CHRIST JESUS..." (PHILIPPIANS 2:5)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 5. "FOR THOUGH WE WALK IN THE FLESH, WE DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> FLESH. FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL BUT MIGHTY</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> IN GOD FOR PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS, CASTING DOWN ARGUMENTS</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> OF GOD, BRINGING <i>EVERY THOUGHT</i> (ITALICS MINE) INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE OBEDIENCE </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> OF CHRIST." (2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5...)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span>THE QUESTION MUST BE ADDRESSED - "HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY MIND IS INDEED<br />
KEEPING ME IN BONDAGE, AND JUST WHO/WHAT IN MY MIND, IS KEEPING ME IN SUCH BONDAGE...THE WORLD, MY FLESH, SATAN OR THE CHURCH (<span style="font-size: x-small;">THE</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">SMALL C WHICH IS THE CHURCH UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF MAN, NOT THE TRIUNE GOD)?"</span> THESE 4 POSSIBLE <i>AGENTS</i> WILL BE THE TOPIC OF ANOTHER BLOG. IN THE MEANTIME, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU SEEK THE <i><u>GIFT</u> <u><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OF </span>DISCERNMENT</u></i> AND INCLUDE IT AMONG THE OTHER GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO ACTION, AS FOUND IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11.<br />
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IF THERE ARE THOSE OF YOU CHRISTIANS READING THIS BLOG WHO HAVE NEVER ASKED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO "FILL/BAPTIZE" YOU, PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY THE FOLLOWING: "GRACIOUS TRIUNE GOD, AS I READ IN MATTHEW 4:16,17 WHERE JESUS WAS BAPTIZED IN WATER BY JOHN THE BAPTIST AND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BE EMPOWERED FOR BEGINNING HIS MINISTRY, I COME TO YOU NOW, HOLY SPIRIT AND ASK THAT YOU FILL/BAPTIZE ME WITH YOUR SPIRIT SO THAT I TOO WILL BE EMPOWERED TO BE THAT MAN OR WOMAN OF GOD THAT YOU SO DESIRE ALL YOUR SAINTS TO BE. I SO DESIRE TO BE "GIFTED" AS OFFERED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-11 AND IN ADDITION TO HAVE THE "FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT" IN GALATIANS 5:22-25 OPERATING IN MY LIFE. I THANK YOU, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, THAT I AM WELCOME TO ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO MY LIFE FROM THIS DAY FORTH! IT IS IN THAT NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST, THAT I BRING THIS PRAYER BEFORE YOU. AMEN AND AMEN."<br />
<br />
IN ADDITION, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SPEND TIME READING ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTION AS REVEALED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WHICH WAS THE<br />
BEGINNING OF THE TRIUNE GOD'S CHURCH WHICH TRAGICALLY DID NOT TAKE LONG TO BECOME MAN'S CHURCH BEING CONTAMINATED BY THE DESTROYER SATAN!<br />
<br />
I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR HIS WISDOM CONCERNING WHO/WHAT IS HOLDING YOU IN BONDAGE, FOR IT IS WRITTEN:<br />
<br />
- "<span style="font-size: x-small;">IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, WHO GIVES TO</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ALL LIBERALLY AND WITHOUT REPROACH, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> HIM. (JAMES 1:5)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> " ....YET YOU HAVE NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK." (JAMES 4:2)</span><br />
- "<span style="font-size: x-small;">AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER; BELIEVING, YOU</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> WILL RECIEVE. (MATTHEW 21:22)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> - "</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;">SO I SAY UNTO YOU, ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU, SEEK AND</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"> YOU WILL FIND, KNOCK AND IT WILL BE OPENED TO YOU." </span><span style="color: white; font-size: x-small;"> (LUKE 11:9)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
</span>"THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS TO REVEAL THE INCREDIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF THE FLESH - INDUCED (I.E. ALLOWING THE FLESH TO CONTROL OUR THINKING AND OUR ACTIONS) WHICH OFTEN ARE THE TORMENTING WORKS OF SATAN AND HIS MINIONS! -WE MUST ALWAYS FOCUS ON THE PROMISE OF THE LORD, "<span style="color: white;">THERE IS<i> ALWAYS</i> <b>FAITH</b>/<b>HOPE/COMFORT"</b>, THANKFULLY, AND THE WAY OUT, AS WE ARE PROMISED IN HEBREWS 13:5 "I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU." IT IS PROCLAIMED IN ROMANS 8 BELOW..<b>IF</b> WE KEEP OUR <b>FOCUS</b> UPON THE TRIUNE GOD...…</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39Ku_2VqS2CzEUQocDo6fRr4F4HFg7c0uPF7gFYUe_zgdBe0rRcKg9SjRcYiuejG2tITVby1HSW3FE0JYtyUUH-1MiXAhOBkn7zeoKGWPNUlHhC3WS3DjFGF8nnSZd9yuw7cj97woM1Gc/s1600/2018-06-29.png" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: left; color: #0066cc; float: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><br />
</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">R</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">OMANS 8:34,37 </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "W</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">HO (CHRIST) IS EVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, WHO MAKES</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">INTERCESSION FOR US." VS. 37: "YET I</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">N</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"> ALL THESE THINGS, </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">WE ARE <b>MORE THAN </b></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b> </b></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>CONQUERORS</b> THROUGH HIM WHO LOVED US."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
OBVI<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">OUSLY, THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES OF SORROW/GRIEF:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">TEMPORARY OR LONG LASTING </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">IT IS THE <i>LONG LASTING </i>SORROW WE MUST CONFRONT, FOR SURELY THE LORD WILL GIVE US GRACE TO WITHSTAND THE <i>TEMPORARY</i> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">SORROW - NOT THAT HE DOESN'T GIVE US GRACE AT ALL TIMES! HOWEVER, LONG LASTING SORROWS/GRIEFS ARE SO MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND SO DESTRUCTIVE, BUT THANKFULLY, WE ARE OVER COMERS AS PROMISED IN ROMANS 8:38 AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SCRIPTURES. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE THE CHOICE TO CARRY THE HEAVY BURDENS OF OUR SORROWS/GRIEFS AND REAP THE CONSEQUENCES</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">! </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">AGAIN, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROMISES CONCERNING THE ABOVE STATEMENT....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">"CAST YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD, AND HE WILL<b> SUSTAIN</b> YOU; HE </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> SHALL NEVER PERMIT THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE MOVED" ( PS. 55:22)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> "COME UNTO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> FOR I AM GENTLE AND LOWLY IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> FOR YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS <b>EASY</b> AND MY BURDEN IS LIGHT." (MATTHEW 11: 28-30)</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">I WILL</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">CONCLUDE THIS BLOG WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"COULD IT BE THAT <i>SORROW/GRIEF</i> ACTUALLY BEGAN WHEN WE WERE BORN?" HOW SO, YOU MIGHT WELL ASK......?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> TO BE CONTINUED........</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "quot"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">BE GLORIFIED, O LORD</span>, BE GLORIFIED</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DISCLOSURE - THE REASON ALL CAPS ARE USED IS BECAUSE IT ENHANCES THE ABILITY TO READ THE BLOG WITHOUT STRAIN.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">SCRIPTURES IN THIS BLOG ARE FROM THE <u>NEW SPIRIT-FILLED BIBLE NKJV</u> - JACK HAYFORD, EDITOR</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* MERRIAM WEBSTER DESK DICTIONARY</span></span><br />
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<div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-6208869529034439392018-05-11T17:07:00.000-04:002018-05-11T17:07:26.114-04:00SEVEN COMMANDS REVEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLING CHRISTIANS TO WALK IN PEACEON APRIL 24, 2018, WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE SITTING QUITELY IN WORSHIP, THE HOLY SPIRIT, AS HE OFTEN DOES AND SUCH A BLESSING, SHARED <b>7</b> COMMANDS (<i>NOT SUGGESTIONS</i>) THAT<b> IF </b>WE WOULD FOLLOW ON A DAILY BASIS WOULD ENABLE US TO WALK IN HIS <b>PEACE</b> AT ALL TIMES! THERE IS A CONDITION, HOWEVER, AS THERE ARE IN GOD'S COMMANDS, AND THAT IS THE "HUGE LITTLE" WORD <b><u>IF</u></b>! FOR EXAMPLE, IN JOHN 15:<b>7</b> (WOULD YOU BELIEVE, NUMERAL <b>7 </b>AGAIN) "IF YOU WILL ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YOU WILL ASK WHAT YOU DESIRE, AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU."<br />
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NOTICE THERE ARE <b>7</b> COMMANDS....AND WHAT DOES THE NUMERAL <i><b>7</b></i> SIGNIFY IN SCRIPTURE? <span style="font-size: large;"> <b>COMPLETION!</b></span> CONSIDER GENESIS 2:2 "AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY GOD ENDED (COMPLETED) HIS WORK WHICH HE HAD DONE, AND HE RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL THE <b>WORK</b> WHICH HE HAD DONE."<br />
<b> </b> THIS IS AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND EXAMINE THE "CONFUSION" CONCEPT OF <b>WORK!</b> SOME OF YOU MIGHT DECLARE...."BUT THESE ARE <i>WORKS" </i>WHICH WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ARE <i>NO NOs!! </i>THANKFULLY HOWEVER, THESE ARE CRUCIAL WORKS, TO BE SURE. LET'S VISIT THIS CRITICAL AND TO SOME A MOST CONFUSING TOPIC....I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ WHAT IS WRITTEN IN JAMES 2:14-26 CONCERNING "WORKS". VERSE 14 IS THE BEGINNING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKS: "WHAT DOES IT PROFIT, MY BRETHERN, IF SOMEONE SAYS HE HAS FAITH BUT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?" ALSO IN JOHN 4:34 (JESUS TALKING) "...<span style="color: red;">.MY FOOD IS <b>DO</b> THE WILL </span><span style="color: red;">OF HIM WHO SENT ME, AND TO FINISH HIS WORK"</span>. IN JOHN 9:4, AGAIN JESUS SPEAKING: "<span style="color: red;">I MUST WORK THE <b>WORKS</b> OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS DAY; THE NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK." </span><br />
<span style="color: #005500;">AND "THE MIRACULOUS ACOMMOMPLISHMENTS AND DEEDS OF JESUS ARE WORKS OF GOD IMPLYING POWER AND MIGHT" (NEW SPIRIT FILLED NKJV WORD WEALTH 9:4) WORKS OF THE SPIRIT!</span><br />
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LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF "WORKS" - GALATIONS 2:16: "KNOWING THAT A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE <b>WORKS</b> OF THE LAW, BUT BY THE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST...FOR BY THE <b>WORKS </b>OF THE LAW, NO FLESH SHALL BE JUSTIFIED." PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE WORKS OF THE LAW (OLD TESTAMENT) HAVE BEEN SUPERCEDED BY THE COVENENT OF<b> GRACE</b> IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, THANKFULLY!<br />
ONE LAST COMMENT IS FOUND IN "TRUTH IN ACTION - (GALATIONS 3:1-11) AGAIN IN THE NEW SPIRIT FILLED NKJV BIBLE: "UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS JUST AS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH <i>W0RKS (ITALICS</i> BY THE AUTHOR) AS IT WAS TO EARN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE."<br />
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TO SUMMARIZE WORKS (OT) AND WORKS(NT)...IF A CHILD OF GOD IS PERFORMING WORKS IN THE<b> FLESH</b> THINKING HE IS EARNING "BROWNIE POINTS" IN GOD'S EYES, HE/SHE IS IN SERIOUS ERROR/DANGER. HOWEVER, IF HE/SHE IS PERFORMING WORKS ACCORDING TO GOD'S DIRECTIONS AS JESUS DID, HE/SHE IS FOUND IN GOD'S EYES AS OBEDIENT.."FOR THE SON OF MAN WILL COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND THEN HE WILL REWARD EACH ACCORDING TO HIS <b>WORKS.</b>" (MATT. 16:27) FLESH WORKS OR SPIRIT WORKS!<br />
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NOW TO THE PROPHETIC WORD THE HOLY SPIRIT SHARED WITH US CONCERNING EXPERIENCING GOD'S <i>PEACE</i> ON A DAILY BASIS:<br />
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1. "SURRENDER YOUR EARTHLY CARES TO ME<br />
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2. WORSHIP ME KNOWING THAT I CARE FOR YOU<br />
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3. EXALT MY NAME<br />
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4. RECOGNIZE MY POWER<br />
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5. RECEIVE MY LOVE<br />
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6. FOCUS ON ME, NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, ALLOWING ME TO TAKE CARE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND<br />
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7. REST IN MY PRESENCE AND IN MY CARE KNOWING THAT YOU ARE LOVED."<br />
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IF THERE ARE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS PART OF THE TRIUNE GOD (THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT, KNOWN AS THE TRIUNE GOD - ELOHIM), MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ MATTHEW 3:13-17; 4:1-11, THE BOOK OF ACTS, AND 1 CORINTHIANS 13,14. IN ORDER FOR A BELIEVER TO BE <b>EMPOWERED</b> TO TRULY FUNCTION IN THE FULLNESS OF THE <b>GIFTS/FRUIT</b> OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE/SHE MUST BE BAPTIZED "IN THE HOLY SPIRIT" AS JESUS WAS IN MATT. 3:16! KEEP IN MIND FOR "AS HE WAS, SO MUST WE BE"! OTHERWISE IF A BELIEVER HAS NOT BEEN BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE/SHE IS NOT <b>EMPOWERED</b> TO FULLY FUNCTION AS A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD. TAKE PETER FOR EXAMPLE IN ACTS 2:1-21. I HAVE HEARD SO MANY BELIEVERS TRAGICALLY DECLARE, "WELL, IF THE LORD GOD WANTS ME TO BE FILLED (BAPTIZED) IN/WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,<i> <b>HE </b>WILL HAVE TO DO IT!</i> SORRY SAINTS, THAT IS NOT WHAT THE SCRIPTURES DECLARE, AS WITH OUR BEING BORN AGAIN...WE MUST <b>ASK</b> TO BE BORN AGAIN AS IN JOHN 3:16 TO BEGIN WITH. THUS WE MUST <b>ASK</b> TO BE FILLED/BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLYSPIRIT! FOR AS THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES...."WE HAVE NOT BECAUSE WE ASK NOT."JAMES 4:2<br />
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BE GLORIFIED ALMIGHT GOD, BE GLORIFIED<br />
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<i><br /></i>Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-58889489065394006272017-09-05T13:30:00.000-04:002017-09-05T15:48:22.854-04:00SPIRITUAL WARFARE - EMERGENCY ACTION NEEDED TODAY REGARDING HURRICANE IRMA AS THE TITLE OF THIS BLOG STATES, THERE IS<b> IMMEDIATE</b><br />
<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fb/3c/45/fb3c458acae4d0cf6cbe0d0f6ec4d16d--biblical-art-jesus-pictures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" " border="0" height="200" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fb/3c/45/fb3c458acae4d0cf6cbe0d0f6ec4d16d--biblical-art-jesus-pictures.jpg" width="141" /></a>SPIRITUAL WARFARE NEEDED T0 BE TAKEN BY THE BODY OF CHRIST!<br />
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IT HAS BEEN DECLARED BY METEOROLOGISTS THAT THE POWERFUL AND DEADLY HURRICANE<b> 5 STATUS IRMA </b>IS FAST APPROACHING THE COAST OF FLORIDA AND ITS DIRECTION<br />
AT THIS MOMENT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED -<br />
REGARDLESS, IT HAS BEEN DECLARED <i>DEADLY! </i>INCREDIBLE THAT THIS NATION IS STILL IN THE MIDST OF THE ATTACK BY<br />
HURRICANE HARVEY, AND HERE COMES ANOTHER ATTACK!<br />
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REMEMBER, IT DECLARES IN EPHESIANS 6:12 "FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL<i> HOSTS </i>OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY <i>PLACES</i>."<br />
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WHAT ARE WE AS BELIEVERS TO DO IN ORDER TO DECIMATE THIS HORRIFIC HURRICANE IS THE THRUST OF THIS BLOG!<br />
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I REFER YOU TO MATTHEW 11:12 WHICH DECLARES "AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE" MEANING THAT SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY BY GOD ALMIGHTY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO THE "STORMS" IN OUR LIVES, VIOLENTLY, NOT WIMPISHLY!<br />
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FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN LOYAL FOLLOWERS OF MY BLOGS, YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT IN MAY OF 2015, I POSTED A BLOG DEALING WITH SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ESPECIALLY FOCUSING ON MARK 4:35-41WHICH DEALS WITH THE WIND AND THE WAVES <i>OBEYING</i> JESUS!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"ON THE SAME DAY, WHEN EVENING HAD COME, HE SAID </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> TO THEM, '<span style="color: #cc0000;">LET'S CROSS OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.' </span>NOW</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> WHEN THEY HAD LEFT THE MULTITUDE, THEY TOOK HIM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ALONG IN THE BOAT AS HE WAS. AND OTHER LITTLE BOATS</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> WERE ALSO WITH HIM. AND A GREAT WINDSTORM </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> AROSE AND THE WAVES BEAT INTO THE BOAT, SO THAT IT</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> WAS ALREADY FILLING. BUT HE WAS IN THE STERN,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ASLEEP ON A PILLOW. AND THEY AWOKE HIM AND SAID TO</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> HIM, 'TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERIS-</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ING'? THEN HE AROSE AND REBUKED THE WIND, AND</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> SAID TO THE SEA, '<span style="color: #cc0000;">PEACE BE STILL!' </span>AND THE WIND CEASED</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> AND THERE WAS A GREAT CALM. BUT HE SAID TO THEM, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;">'WHY ARE YOU SO FEARFUL? HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NO </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"> FAITH?' </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">AND THEY FEARED EXCEEDINGLY AND SAID TO </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ONE ANOTHER, 'WHO CAN THIS BE THAT EVEN THE WIND</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> AND THE SEA OBEY HIM!"</span><br />
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SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ME, YOU ASK? AGAIN, CONSIDER THE STATEMENT I MADE ABOVE, THAT WE SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVERS HAVE THE SAME AUTHORITY/POWER THAT JESUS AS MAN HAD IN THE BOAT!<br />
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WE MUST KEEP IN MIND WHAT IT DECLARES IN JAMES 1:22 " BUT BE <b>DOERS</b> OF THE WORD, NOT <b>HEARERS</b> ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES."<br />
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AGAIN, HOW DOES THIS AFFECT ME...I AM NOT JESUS! AH, BUT IF WE ARE BELIEVERS, JESUS ABIDES WITHIN US AND AS HE WAS EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO <i>SPEAK TO THE STORM</i>, WE TOO ARE EMPOWERED TO WIELD THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT AGAINST ANY/ALL ENEMIES AS FOUND IN EPHESIANS 6:16 WHICH STATES THAT WE ARE TO TAKE "THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE <i>WORD</i> OF GOD....". AND THE MEANING OF "WORD OF GOD" IN THIS SCRIPTURE IS THE "<i>RHEMA</i>" WORD OF GOD WHICH IS THE "SPOKEN (POWER) WORD OF GOD AND NOT THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, WHICH IS THE <i>LOGOS</i>.<br />
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DR. BOB, ARE YOU SERIOUS? INDEED, I AM! LET ME SHARE A PERSONAL EVENT CONCERNING TAKING MY AUTHORITY OVER<b> 5 TORNADOES! </b>SOME OF YOU MIGHT REMEMBER MY SHARING THIS IN AN EARLIER BLOG: SEVERAL YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I WERE VISITING OUR DAUGHTER AND FAMILY IN A KANSAS CITY, KANSAS SUBURB. IT WAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND IT BECAME UNUSUALLY DARK! ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A NEWS FLASH ON THE TELEVISION ANNOUNCING THAT <b>FIVE </b>TORNADOES WERE HEADING OUR WAY. OBVIOUSLY, THAT WAS AN ATTENTION GETTER, TO BE SURE! IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO DINNER TIME, AND OUR SON-IN-LAW HAD ORDERED "TAKE OUT" AND ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT OUR GOING TO PICK IT UP! I WAS TRULY DUMBFOUNDED BY HIS QUESTION, THINKING "THERE IS NO WAY WE NEED TO VENTURE OUT IN THE MIDST OF WHAT WAS HEADING OUR WAY!" THEN I HEARD MYSELF DECLARING "YES, LET'S GO FOR IT"!! OUT WE WENT AND NOT LONG AFTER WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, I SAID TO MY SON-IN-LAW, "THIS IS GOING TO SOUND VERY STRANGE TO YOU, BUT I AM GOING TO PRAY AGAINST THESE FIVE TORNADOES HEADING STRAIGHT FOR US AND I AM GOING TO USE A WORD IN MY PRAYER THAT IS NOT A WORD I USE VERY OFTEN, IF AT ALL, AND THE WORD IS "<b>DISSIPATE". </b>I RELATED TO HIM, THE STORY OF JESUS IN THE BOAT WITH HIS DISCIPLES AND HIS DECLARING TO THE STORM "<b>PEACE BE STILL</b>" AND THE STORM CEASED! I PRAYED OUT LOUD, TAKING MY AUTHORITY OVER THE STORM AND DECLARED "PEACE BE STILL" TO THE STORM! WE CONTINUED ON, ARRIVING AT THE RESTAURANT. WE HAD TO GO INTO THE BAR AREA WHERE THE "TAKE OUT" WAS LOCATED...AS WE WALKED IN, THERE WERE SEVERAL TELEVISION MONITORS ABOVE THE BAR AND WE SAW/HEARD A METEOROLOGIST DECLARING: "FOLKS, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT THE FIVE TORNADOES HAVE <b>DISSIPATED</b> AND ARE NO LONGER A DANGER!" ONE COULD HEAR SUCH A SIGH OF RELIEF FROM THOSE SEATED AT THE BAR. OBVIOUSLY, WE DROVE HOME MUCH RELIEVED, AND I WITNESSED THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING THROUGH ME, AS HE WILL WORK THROUGH YOU!<br />
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I AM COMING TO THE PART WHERE YOU BECOME A PARTICIPANT IN TAKING <i>AUTHOR</i><i>ITY</i> AS A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRAY AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA. KEEP IN MIND WHAT JESUS DECLARES IN MATTHEW 18:19 "AGAIN I SAY TO YOU THAT IF TWO OF YOU AGREE ON EARTH CONCERNING ANYTHING THAT THEY ASK, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM BY MY FATHER IN HEAVEN."<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span> EPHESIANS 6 IS OUR FOUNDATION FOR TAKING SUCH AUTHORITY AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA, AND IT IS WORTH REPEATING THAT WHICH IS FOUND IN VERSE 7 "...AND TAKE THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (OUR WEAPON WITH WHICH WE DO SPIRITUAL WARFARE) WHICH IS THE <b>WORD</b> OF GOD, AND IN THIS VERSE THE MEANING OF <b>WORD</b> IN THE GREEK IS <b>RHEMA</b>, I.E. THE <i>SPOKEN</i> /<i>ACTION</i> WORD OF GOD...JESUS <i>SPOKE</i> THE <b>RHEMA</b> WORD "PEACE BE STILL TO THE STORM"! THEN THERE IS THE <b>WORD</b> OR <i>LOGOS</i> WHICH IS THE WRITTEN WORD IN THE SCRIPTURES - FROM THE LOGOS, WE FIND THE RHEMA WORD...FOR WITHOUT THE LOGOS, THERE IS NO RHEMA WORD!<br />
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TO CONCLUDE, I AM WRITING OUT A PRAYER THAT I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US IN ONE ACCORD TO PRAY OUT LOUD AGAINST HURRICANE IRMA:<br />
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"HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU IN THAT POWERFUL<br />
NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST, THANKING<br />
YOU FOR THE AUTHORITY/POWER GIVEN TO US BY YOU HOLY SPIRIT IN TAKING OUR DOMINION RIGHTS IN COMING AGAINST<br />
HURRICANE IRMA. WE SPEAK '<b>PEACE BE STILL</b>' TO YOU, IRMA<br />
AND COMMAND YOU TO 'CEASE AND DESIST AND DISSIPATE AND<br />
BE OF NO ACCOUNT' IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR<br />
AND LORD. AMEN AND AMEN."<br />
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SAINTS, IN ADDITION, WE ARE TOLD IN SCRIPTURE THAT "IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE AND IT WILL MOVE AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU"...THUS WE ARE SPEAKING TO THAT MOUNTAIN 'HURRICANE IRMA' AND COMMAND IT TO BE CAST INTO THE SEA TO BE REMEMBERED NO MORE! MATTHEW 17:20<br />
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<br />Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-46551227748178215762017-08-29T16:47:00.002-04:002017-08-29T16:47:24.097-04:00HOUSTON, TEXAS - WHAT THE ENEMY MEANS FOR EVIL, GOD WILL TURN TO GOOD <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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AS WE WERE HAVING OUR MORNING PRAYER YESTERDAY (AUGUST 28, 2017) FOCUSING ON THE TRAGEDY TAKING PLACE IN THE HOUSTON, TEXAS AREA</div>
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CONCERNING THE NEWS DEALING WITH THE INCREDIBLE DANGEROUS STORMS RESULTING IN SEVERE DESTRUCTION, DISMAY, DEATHS, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY BLESSED WITH THE STRONG PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND WERE LED TO THE SCRIPTURE IN GENESIS 50:20 WHERE JOSEPH WAS TALKING WITH HIS BROTHERS CONCERNING HIS RESTORING THEM - "BUT AS FOR YOU, YOU MEANT EVIL AGAINST ME; BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, IN ORDER TO BRING IT ABOUT AS IT IS THIS DAY, TO SAVE MANY PEOPLE ALIVE." </div>
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CONSIDER THIS...THE MOST POWERFUL WEATHER DISASTER LIKE NEVER BEFORE <b>IS </b>HAPPENING IN TEXAS AS THIS IS BEING WRITTEN WHICH THE ENEMY (SATAN) MEANS FOR EVIL, BUT GOD CAN TURN TO <i>GOOD...</i>WE FOUND OURSELVES PRAYING FOR A POWERFUL HOLY SPIRIT-LED REVIVAL TO SWEEP ACROSS TEXAS AND THE NATION, "LIKE NEVER BEFORE"! </div>
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THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG IS THAT WE SO ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO JOIN US BEGINNING NOW AND THE DAYS AHEAD TO PRAY FOR SUCH A POWERFUL HOLY SPIRIT REVIVAL TO COME TO BE AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS AND THE COUNTRY WOULD WITNESS "LIKE NEVER BEFORE" SUCH A MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND AS A RESULT, MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THEIR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS AND BECOME FOLLOWERS OF HIM AND BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT! </div>
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THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT ASKED TO BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, PLEASE GIVE MUCH THOUGHT TO THE SCRIPTURE - (PAUL TALKING) "HE SAID TO THEM, 'DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN YOU BELIEVED?'" SO THEY SAID TO HIM, 'WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD WHETHER THERE IS A HOLY SPIRIT'.....AND WHEN PAUL LAID HANDS ON THEM, THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM, AND THEY SPOKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED.'" (ACTS 19:2,6)</div>
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A QUICK HISTORY OF REVIVALS IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE WAS THE WELCH REVIVAL (1904-05) AT BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. THEN CAME THE AZUSA STREET REVIVAL IN LOS ANGELES, CA WHICH BEGAN ON APRIL 9, 1906-1915. THEN THERE WAS THE REVIVAL IN 1975. MY WIFE AND I BECAME CHRISTIANS DURING THIS REVIVAL, PRAISE GOD!</div>
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PLEASE KEEP IN MIND JOHN 15:1,4,5 "I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER; 4: ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME; 5: I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR <i>WITHOUT ME</i> YOU CAN DO NOTHING." IT IS CRITICAL TO ADD FOR <i>WITHOUT YOU</i> I WILL DO<b> NOTHING</b>.</div>
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AS RELATES TO THE REQUEST TO PRAY FOR A MIGHTY MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ACROSS TEXAS AND THE NATION, CONSIDER GOD'S PROMISE IN JAMES 5:16B "THE <b>EFFECTIVE FERVENT PRAYERS </b>OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH". PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN MADE <i>RIGHTEOUS</i> BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, THUS WE QUALIFY, THANKFULLY! ALSO, THE WORD "EFFECTIVE" RELATES TO THE "ACTIVE OPERATION OR WORKING OF POWER AND ITS EFFECTUAL RESULTS". (WORD WEALTH - THE NKJV SPIRIT-FILLED BIBLE). THUS LET OUR PRAYERS <b>BE</b> EFFECTIVE BECAUSE OF OUR FERVENCY...AMEN? </div>
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LASTLY, CONSIDER THE SCRIPTURES WHICH DECLARE:</div>
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- "AND WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK IN PRAYER, BELIEVING, YOU WILL RECEIVE." (MATTHEW 21:22)</div>
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- "SO I SAY TO YOU, ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT WILL BE OPENED FOR YOU;.....FOR EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES AND HE WHO SEEKS FINDS, AND TO HIM WHO KNOCKS IT WILL BE OPENED." (LUKE 11: 9,10)</div>
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- "BUT EVEN NOW I KNOW THAT WHATEVER YOU ASK OF GOD, GOD WILL GIVE YOU." (JOHN 11:22)</div>
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- "IF YOU ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME, I WILL DO IT" (JOHN 14:14)</div>
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IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE TO CLOSE WITH PSALM 5:1-3 "GIVE EAR TO MY WORDS, O LORD, CONSIDER MY MEDITATION. GIVE HEED TO THE VOICE OF MY CRY, MY KING AND MY GOD, FOR TO YOU I WILL PRAY. MY VOICE YOU WILL HEAR IN THE MORNING, O LORD; IN THE MORNING I WILL DIRECT <i>IT</i> TO YOU, AND I WILL LOOK UP."</div>
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THUS LET'S PRAY AND BELIEVE JEHOVAH JIREH (GOD OUR PROVIDER) TO HEAR AND ANSWER THE FERVENT PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE CONCERNING A MIGHTY MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ACROSS TEXAS AND AMERICA...AMEN?</div>
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-9459143836543699412017-07-25T16:49:00.000-04:002017-07-25T16:49:01.396-04:00"SPEAK TO YOUR MOUNTAIN" - A CRITICAL SPIRITUAL WARFARE STRATEGY <br />
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THEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED JESUS WHY THEY COULDN'T CAST OUT THE DEMON HARASSING THE BOY. THIS BRINGS US TO THE VERY CRUX OF THE LESSON JESUS WAS TRYING TO TEACH THEM AND THANKFULLY, US ..... "SO JESUS SAID TO THEM,<span style="color: red;"> 'BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF; FOR ASSUREDLY I SAY TO YOU, IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, 'MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE,' AND IT WILL MOVE' AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU. </span><span style="color: red;">(VERSE 20) </span><span style="color: red;">THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES "AND IT WILL MOVE"... FOR GOD'S WORD DOES NOT RETURN TO HIM VOID...WE CAN STAND ON</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">THIS PRO</span><span style="color: red;">MISE</span><span style="color: red;">.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "SO SHALL MY WORD BE THAT WHICH GOES FORTH FROM MY MOUTH; IT SHALL NOT RETURN TO ME VOID, BUT IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH WHAT I PLEASE, AND IT SHALL PROSPER IN THE THINGS FOR WHICH I SENT IT." (ISAIAH 55:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN "FAITH AS A MUSTARD SEED"! AND AS WE <i>MATURE</i> AS CHRISTIANS, THANKFULLY OUR FAITH MATURES AS WELL. </div>
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MANY YEARS AGO, I HEARD PROCLAIMED, WHICH COULD WELL BE WHERE JESUS CAME UP WITH HIS ANALOGY IN MATTHEW 17, CONCERNING "SPEAKING TO THE MOUNTAIN"....IN THE DAYS OF KING HEROD, IT HAS BEEN TOLD THAT HE WAS OFTEN "MOVING MOUNTAINS" WITH JEWISH SLAVE LABOR IN ORDER TO RAISE, LOWER, OR REMOVE A MOUNTAIN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER! COULD IT BE THAT ONE DAY, JESUS WAS LOOKING OUT OVER THE HORIZON, AND OBSERVED THE JEWISH SLAVES "MOVING" A MOUNTAIN? CONSIDER THIS...IF MAN COULD MOVE A MOUNTAIN, WHY CAN'T OUR POWERFUL HEAVENLY FATHER MOVE WHATEVER MOUNTAIN(S) THAT EXIST IN OUR LIVES? THANKFULLY, HE CAN AND WILL FOR US, HIS CHILDREN, AS WE READ IN MATTHEW 17:20! BUT WE MUST CONSIDER THAT CRITICAL WORD "<b>IF" </b>WE HAVE <i>FAITH</i> AS A MUSTARD SEED <i>AND</i> <i><u>ACT</u> </i>ON THAT MUSTARD SEED FAITH!</div>
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IT MUST BE CONSIDERED AT THIS JUNCTURE THAT "ONE <i>MUST TRULY <b>DESIRE</b> TO SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN</i>!!" AND NOT ONLY DESIRE TO <b>SPEAK </b>TO THE MOUNTAIN<br />
BUT AS IS STATED IN MATTHEW 11:12 "....AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE" MEANING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN! IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST BE FORCEFUL AND ADAMANT AS WE SPEAK/DECLARE TO THE MOUNTAIN BELIEVING THAT IT <b>WILL MOVE</b>,<br />
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CONSIDER THE MOUNTAIN IMAGE ABOVE.... I CAME ACROSS THE EXCEPTIONAL PHOTO SHOWN ABOVE. IT MUST BE CONSIDERED THAT THERE ARE UNSEEN MOUNTAIN RANGES IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS PHOTO, THUS THE MESSAGE HERE IS THAT EACH OF US HAS A MOUNTAIN(S) (STRUGGLES/SUFFERINGS) IN OUR LIVES, AND IT IS MOST WISE THAT WE <i>TACKLE</i> <b>ONE</b> MOUNTAIN AT A TIME, IF POSSIBLE! THANKFULLY THE LORD GOD <i>DOESN'T</i> CAUSE, BUT <i>ALLOWS </i>SUCH CHALLENGES (MOUNTAINS) IN OUR LIVES FOR OUR SPIRITUAL BENEFIT/GROWTH, THANKFULLY! I CAN HEAR MANY DECLARING AT THIS POINT "BUT, BUT, BUT...WHY WOULD A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUCH SUFFERINGS/STRUGGLES (MOUNTAINS) TO COME INTO MY LIFE"? KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS <b>SUFFERED/STRUGGLED</b> WHILE ON THIS EARTH! THUS AS HE DID, SO SHALL WE WHO ARE HIS CHILDREN! AND THROUGH ALL THE SUFFERINGS/STRUGGLES WE HAVE AND WILL EXPERIENCE, IT CRUCIAL THAT WE KEEP BEFORE US THE TRUTH "<i>HE HAS GIVEN US HIS VERY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES"! </i>(2 PETER 1:1-4) AND WE CAN REST ASSURED THAT HE NEVER EVER BREAKS HIS PROMISES, PRAISE GOD "FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW", AMEN?<br />
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REMEMBER, SATAN CAN DO <i>NOTHING</i> TO US (KEEPING IN MIND JOB'S CHALLENGES IN JOB1: 6-8) WITHOUT <b>GOD ALLOWING IT,</b> "FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE" (PHILIPPIANS 2:13), PERFECTING/MATURING US! REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE NO <b class="">OOPS </b><span class="">IN HIS KINGDOM! </span>AGAIN, IF WE TRIED TO ADDRESS ALL THESE MOUNTAINS AT ONE TIME, WE WOULD BECOME A "BASKET CASE", WOULD WE NOT? JESUS DID NOT TELL US TO SPEAK TO THE "MOUNTAINS BUT TO A PENDING MOUNTAIN", THUS...ONE MOUNTAIN AT A TIME, AGAIN, <i>ONE MOUNTAIN AT A TIME </i> BELIEVING THAT THE MOUNTAIN <b>WILL MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE! </b>THIS IS A PROMISE FROM THE LORD!<br />
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IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF <i>FAITH, </i>FOR THIS CONCEPT IS SO FOUNDATIONAL/CRUCIAL FOR US CHRISTIANS AND FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT JESUS IS DECLARING IN MATTHEW 17:20. I AM SURE YOU HAVE HEARD MANY PULPIT MESSAGES CONCERNING "FAITH"! KEEP IN MIND WHAT HEBREWS 11:6 DECLARES: "BUT <b>WITHOUT FAITH</b> IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE <i>HIM</i>, FOR HE WHO COMES TO GOD MUST<b> BELIEVE</b> THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A<b> REWARDER</b> OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM." OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY DEALT TO EACH ONE A MEASURE OF FAITH". (ROMANS 12:3) AGAIN, ANOTHER PROMISE!<br />
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LET'S CONSIDER HEBREWS 11 (THE FAITH CHAPTER), WHICH DEALS WITH FAITH TESTIMONIES. VERSE 1 IS ONE OF MY FOUNDATIONAL SCRIPTURES WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL "PEG ON WHICH I HANG MY HAT " - "NOW<u> FAITH</u> IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS <i>HOPED FOR</i>, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS <i>NOT SEEN</i>". IF WE LOOK AT THINGS <b>SEEN</b>, WE CAN BE SO DEFEATED IMMEDIATELY AND TRAGICALLY, OUR LOOKING AT THINGS <i>SEEN </i>PLAYS RIGHT INTO SATAN'S HANDS! PRAISE GOD FOR HIS REASSURING INSTRUCTIONAL AND COMFORTING WORDS IN THE SCRIPTURES.<br />
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PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THAT AS WE SPEAK TO OUR MOUNTAIN(S), THEY ARE <b>NOT</b> <b>MOVED IN A DAY</b>! HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT TOOK THE JEWISH SLAVES TO MOVE A MOUNTAIN AND BY HAND? SUCH AS IT IS WITH OUR MOUNTAIN(S) THAT WE "SPEAK TO"...WE CANNOT AND MUST NOT EXPECT OUR "MOUNTAIN(S)" TO MOVE IMMEDIATELY, ALTHOUGH, ".....<b>NOTHING </b>IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU"(GOD), AS IT IS DECLARED IN JEREMIAH 32:17 AMEN?<br />
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WITH ALL THIS BEING SAID, WHAT IS/ARE THE MOUNTAIN(S) (STRUGGLES/SUFFERINGS) IN YOUR LIFE? LET ME RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAKE A LIST <i>EXPECTING</i> BY FAITH, AND CROSS OFF EACH MOUNTAIN AS YOU EXPERIENCE VICTORY! THEN <u>THANK HIM</u> FOR DOING SO... FOR IT IS FOR HIS HONOR, GLORY, AND PRAISE! AMEN?<br />
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BE ENCOURAGED, SAINTS AND BE LIKE THE BEREANS "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE WERE SO". (ACTS 17:11) KEEPING IN MIND JAMES 1:22-25." BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES...."AMEN?<br />
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AS ALWAYS, YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY MUCH WELCOMED.<br />
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-6463924472818928672017-05-15T12:33:00.001-04:002017-05-15T12:33:44.588-04:00SPIRITUAL WARFARE - SATANIC FIREBREAK TO STOP THE GODLY FIRE WITHIN CHRISTIANS<br />
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<b>FIREBREAK</b> - "A STRIP/BARRIER OF PLOWED OR CLEARED LAND MADE TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE PROGRESS OF A BRUSH OR FOREST FIRE - OR IN OTHER WORDS, FOR PURPOSES OF <b>CONTAINING</b> THE FIRE."<br />
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"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SPIRITUAL WARFARE?", YOU MIGHT WELL ASK...<br />
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RECENTLY, I WAS LISTENING TO A PASTOR DISCUSS THE STRATEGIES SATAN USES TO <i>CONTAIN/INTERFERE</i> IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS WHO ARE PASSIONATE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS MINISTERY TO THE LOST AND AS WELL, THE BODY OF CHRIST...ONE SUCH STRATEGY BEING THE "<i>FIREBREAK</i>" AS YOU WILL OBSERVE IN THE ABOVE PHOTO.<br />
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THE MORE I CONSIDERED SUCH A STRATEGY OF THE EVIL ONE - SATAN, THE MORE I WAS INTRIGUED CONCERNING ITS "ALL OUT" DESTRUCTION REGARDING THE <i>BODY</i> <i>OF CHRIST.</i><br />
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REGARDING THE DEFINITION GIVEN ABOVE, CONSIDER IT MOVING FROM THE NATURAL WORLD TO THE SUPERNATURAL WORLD AS AN ANALOGY REGARDING SATAN BUILDING A "<b>FIREBREAK</b>" IN THE LIVES OF "<i>ONFIRE</i>" CHRISTIANS. WHY DO I FOCUS SOLELY ON "ONFIRE" CHRISTIANS, BECAUSE SUCH COMMITTED SPIRIT-FILLED CHRISTIANS ARE <i>PASSIONATE</i>, AND <i>SERIOUS</i> IN THEIR COMMITMENT FOR SERVING THE TRIUNE GOD (THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT), OR AS DECLARED IN THE WELL KNOWN POWERFUL DEVOTIONAL AUTHORED BY OSWALD CHAMBERS IN THE EARLY 1900'S, <i>MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. </i> THUS SUCH CHRISTIANS ARE SATAN'S <i>ENEMIES</i> WHO ARE IMPEDING HIS DESTRUCTIVE MISSION<br />
FOR DESTROYING THE LORD'S "ON FIRE" DISCIPLES ON THIS EARTH, AND THEREFORE, MUST BE "CONTAINED" BEFORE THEY CAN GET IN THE WAY OF HIS WILES, OR BETTER STILL, LET'S PLACE A "<b>FIREBREAK"</b> ON HIS DESTRUCTIVE WORKS AGAINST CHRISTIANS!<br />
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AND JUST HOW WOULD WE <i>CONTAIN</i> SATAN...IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE? CONSIDER THIS GODLY ASSURANCE "YOU ARE OF GOD, LITTLE CHILDREN, AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE HE (ALMIGHTY GOD) WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE (SATAN) WHO IS IN THE WORLD." (1 JOHN 4:4) AND PLEASE REFER TO ALL <i>THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT</i> BLOGS POSTED EARLIER!<br />
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WITH THIS BEING SAID, THE QUESTION BECOMES "DO YOU HAVE A HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCED '<i>FIRE'</i> WITHIN YOUR VERY BEING THAT IS A THREAT TO THE FOUL SPIRIT WORLD? THINK ABOUT....IF NOT, WHY NOT? MAY I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU CRY OUT TO THE LORD AND ASK HIM TO BUILD/STOKE SUCH A "FIRE" WITHIN YOU. IT IS DECLARED IN JAMES 4:2 "YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT"!<br />
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THUS, MAY I ENCOURAGE YOU, DEAR SAINT, TO SEEK THE WISDOM OF LORD (JAMES 1:5) AS YOU EXAMINE YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD SO AS TO DETERMINE IF, IN FACT, SATAN HAS OR IS PLACING A "<i>FIREBREAK</i>" IN YOUR LIFE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SLOWING YOU DOWN OR<u> <b>CONTAINING</b></u> YOU IN ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU ARE "ONFIRE" FOR YOUR LORD, AND SO DESIRE TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT YOUR LORD HAS DESTINED FOR YOU WHILE ON THIS EARTH.<br />
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WHAT MIGHT SATAN'S "FIREBREAK" LOOK LIKE IN YOUR LIFE? IN OTHER WORDS, AND AGAIN, WHAT MIGHT HE HAVE IN HIS TORRID TOOLBOX FOR SLOWING YOU DOWN OR <b>CONTAINING</b> YOU IN YOUR SERVICE OF THE LORD? COULD HE BE:<br />
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- MINIMIZING THE "WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD" IN YOUR LIFE AS DESCRIBED IN EPHESIANS 6:10-18?<br />
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- STEALING YOUR PEACE/JOY BY CREATING DISTRACTIONS IN YOUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OF YOUR LOVED ONES?<br />
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- HEAPING MORE TASKS UPON YOU THAT INCREASE YOUR BUSYNESS?<br />
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- PLACING MORE TEMPTATIONS IN YOUR LIFE?<br />
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- BRINGING PEOPLE/SPIRITS INTO YOUR LIFE FOR PURPOSES OF CONSTANTLY HARASSING YOU?<br />
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- STEALING YOUR QUIET TIME FOR DEVOTIONS/PRAYER AND SEEKING THE LORD?<br />
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- CREATING CONFUSION IN YOUR LIFE?<br />
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- INTERFERING IN YOUR "MINISTRY" ACTIVITIES/OPPORTUNITIES CAUSING THEM TO DIMINISH?<br />
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- DRAINING YOUR "GET UP AND GO" ENERGY AND PASSION?<br />
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- PELTING YOU WITH WORRIES/ANXIETIES THUS DISCOURAGING YOU IN YOUR CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORS?<br />
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- PLAGUING YOU WITH INFIRMITIES?<br />
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I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHER "FIREBREAKS" THE ENEMY CAN/DOES USE TO SLOW, STOP OR DISCOURAGE YOU FROM ACCOMPLISHING ALL THAT THE LORD HAS FOR YOU IN THE DAYS TO COME! THUS, MAY I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE SO DISCERNING CONCERNING ANY/ALL <b>FIREBREAKS</b> THE ENEMY IS TRYING TO USE FOR PUTTING OUT YOUR "FIRE"?<br />
<span class=""><br /></span> <span class="">I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH A PRAYER FOR YOU TO PRAY OUT LOUD: "LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, MY SHEPHERD, AND LOVER OF MY SOUL, YOU ARE FULLY AWARE OF ALL THE STRATEGIES SATAN HAS IN HIS TREACHEROUS TOOL BOX FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLACING A 'FIREBREAK' IN MY LIFE. IF I AM NOT FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, I ASK YOU TO BAPTIZE ME IN THE HOLY SPIRIT SO THAT I AM FULLY 'EMPOWERED' FOR BECOMING AN OVERCOMER IN ANY AND ALL SPIRITUAL BATTLES, AS WAS MY SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS SO EMPOWERED. HELP ME BE SO DISCERNING AND BOLD CONCERNING SUCH STRATEGIES THE ENEMY USES AGAINST ME FOR THE PURPOSE OF <i>CONTAINING</i> ME IN MY SERVICE TO YOU, FOR I WANT THIS TO BE FOR YOUR GLORY, HONOR, AND PRAISE. IT IS IN THAT POWERFUL NAME ABOVE <b>ALL </b>NAMES, JESUS THE CHRIST, THAT I BRING THIS PRAYER BEFORE YOU...AMEN AND AMEN."</span><br />
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<br />Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-39110291063750641582017-04-25T18:57:00.000-04:002017-04-25T18:57:15.501-04:00SPIRITUAL WARFARE - THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - PART 5 <br />
<b style="font-size: xx-large;"> </b><b style="font-size: xx-large;">WE ARE AT WAR </b><b style="font-size: x-large;">THANKFULLY</b><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbnSTJLRZFo49zFsAReX4wMIBUxwUmHSyQ_BlHSh-YLBdbAfvT" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for heavenly battle images" border="0" height="239" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbnSTJLRZFo49zFsAReX4wMIBUxwUmHSyQ_BlHSh-YLBdbAfvT" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> HOWEVER....WE <u>MUST</u> DO OUR PART</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> AS THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS US</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbnSTJLRZFo49zFsAReX4wMIBUxwUmHSyQ_BlHSh-YLBdbAfvT" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WHICH HAS BEEN SHARED IN BLOG 4, AND EPHESIANS 6:12 "FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE <i>HEAVENLY</i> <i>PLACES." </i>IN SO DOING, IT WILL CHANGE OUR VERY WAY OF THINKING/ACTING CONCERNING THE BATTLES WE FACE EACH DAY..."WRESTLING IN THE <i>FLESH</i> RESULTS IN <b>DEFEAT</b> WHERE AS WIELDING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT RESULTS IN <b>VICTORY</b>!" THE LORD LEAVES THE CHOICE UP TO US....WE ARE TOLD IN JOSHUA 24:15 "CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE.....BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."<br />
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A VERY CRITICAL POINT MUST BE REITERATED HERE BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, AND IT IS THIS...FOR BELIEVERS TO BE <b>VICTORIOUS</b> IN WIELDING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT REGARDING SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ONE <b>MUST</b> BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND IN ADDITION, ALLOWS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT TO FLOW! I REFER YOU TO GALATIANS 5:18 AND I CORINTHIANS 12-14<br />
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WE READ IN MATTHEW 3:16 AND 4:1-11 THAT JESUS AS MAN, HAD TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER TO BE EMPOWERED IN DEFEATING SATAN INITIALLY ON EARTH WHILE IN THE WILDERNESS ! IF IT WAS MANDATORY FOR JESUS, THEN WHY IS IT NOT MANDATORY FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST TO FOLLOW SUIT? THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION BECOMES "HAVE YOU BEEN FILLED/BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT? IF NOT, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME UPON YOU, AS YOU HAD TO ASK TO BE BORN AGAIN! THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES "YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT..."! I WOULD REFER YOU TO ACTS 1:8 "BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE <b>POWER </b>WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU....", AND ACTS 2 WHERE THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT CONCERNING THE DISCIPLES AND RESULTING IN THE BIRTH OF THE NEW COVENANT (COVENANT OF GRACE) CHURCH IS SO EVIDENT! ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!<br />
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TRAGICALLY, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THE BODY OF CHRIST IS BASICALLY IMPOTENT, IS BECAUSE CHRISTIANS TRY TO WALK OUT THEIR CHRISTIAN WALK IN THE FLESH! WHAT BETTER WAY FOR SATAN TO DEFEAT CHRISTIANDOM THAN TO CONVINCE CHRISTIANS THAT THE NEED FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT NECESSARY! CONSIDER JUST HOW MANY CHURCHES HAVE SPLIT BECAUSE OF SATAN'S LIES?<br />
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AS STATED IN 1 SAMUAL 17:47 "...THE LORD DOES NOT SAVE WITH THE SWORD<br />
AND SPEAR (BY CARNAL MEANS); FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU (GOLIATH) INTO OUR HANDS." THIS RELATES TO THE BATTLE UNDERTAKEN BY DAVID, AS YOU REMEMBER, WHO USED JUST ONE STONE TO KILL GOLIATH, WHO BY THE WAY STOOD 9'9" TALL. SURELY THIS SHOULD COMFORT US WHEN WE FACE OUR "GOLIATHS" THAT GOD IS THE GOD OF THE "IMPOSSIBLE", WITH "NOTHING BEING TOO DIFFICULT FOR HIM"? AMEN?<br />
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YOU MIGHT WELL ASK, IF THE "BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD", WHY THEN MUST I ENTER IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE? WHY CAN'T I JUST <i>SIT BACK</i> AND LET THE LORD FIGHT THE BATTLE? ALSO, YOU COULD DECLARE: "WELL, DAVID FOUGHT 'AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD' WITH THE STONE <i>AND</i> THE SWORD (CUT OFF HIS HEAD)!" HOW DOES ALL THIS FIT TOGETHER? OBVIOUSLY, THIS ENTIRE EPISODE WAS ORCHESTRATED BY GOD ALMIGHTY FOR HIS GLORY THUS USING DAVID AS HIS '<b>BRANCH</b>' (INSTRUMENT) TO DESTROY GOLIATH. GOD COULD HAVE DESTROYED GOLIATH ON THE SPOT WITHOUT DAVID...BUT HE CHOSE TO USE THE "HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERED" DAVID, AS HE CHOOSES TO USE THOSE OF US WHO ARE EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, THANKFULLY...CONSIDER THIS AS WRITTEN IN JOHN 15:5 ....<br />
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"<span style="font-size: x-small;">I AM THE VINE, AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR <i>WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING</i>."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> HOWEVER, IT MUST ALSO BE STRESSED..."WITHOUT US BELIEVERS, HE WILL <b>DO</b> <b>NOTHING.</b>" </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> IN OTHER WORDS, WE ARE HIS "BRANCHES" (INSTRUMENTS) AND WITH HIS HELP, WE ARE<i> TO DO OUR PART </i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">AS DID DAVID AND COUNTLESS OTHERS (INCLUDING US) THROUGHOUT HISTORY! PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THAT JESUS AS MAN WAS HIS "BRANCH", FOR WITHOUT JESUS <i>DOING</i> HIS PART, WHERE WOULD MAN BE?</span><br />
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IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT "COOPERATION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS <b>ESSENTIAL</b> TO <b>VICTORY</b>" (NEW SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE BIBLE NKJV INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA-PAGE 278) THAT IS ONE DECLARATION THAT ONE CAN "TAKE TO THE BANK FOR DEPOSIT"!<br />
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BE ENCOURAGED, SAINTS AND BE LIKE THE BEREANS "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE WERE SO" (ACTS 17:11)<br />
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(I APOLOGIZE FOR THE IRREGULAR LINE UP ON THE JOHN 15:5 QUOTES)<br />
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*TO GOD BE THE HONOR AND GLORY*<br />
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TO BE CONTINUED IN THE "SPIRITUAL WARFARE BLOG 6"<br />
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<br />Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-71460314890262511782017-02-18T16:54:00.001-05:002017-02-27T12:31:40.988-05:00SPIRITUAL WARFARE - THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT PART 4<br />
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I CHOSE THIS PHOTO TO MAKE A POINT (NO PUN INTENDED)...WHAT IS SHOWN HERE IS TRUE IN SO FAR AS IT GOES! LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE PHOTO AND SEE IF YOU CAN DISCOVER THE "POINT" I AM TRYING TO MAKE. IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME READING THESE BLOGS CONCERNING THE "SWORD OF THE SPIRIT", THEN YOU ARE EXCUSED FROM THIS QUIZ! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ BLOGS 1-3 CONCERNING THIS TOPIC, HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION CONCERNING THE "POINT" I AM TRYING TO MAKE? I WOULD SO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND THE ROOM IF THIS WERE A CLASSROOM AND HEAR YOUR RESPONSES.<br />
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IT IS SO EXTREMELY CRUCIAL THAT SOME KEY SCRIPTURAL <i>LIFE-SAVING</i> STRATEGIES BE ESTABLISHED HERE AND NOW:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (EPHESIANS 6: 10,11). PLEASE NOTE - FOR IT IS MEANT TO BE <b>KEPT ON 24/7</b>...NOT TO BE TAKEN </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> OFF!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH WITH WHICH YOU WILL BE ABLE TO QUENCH ALL THE FIERY </span><b style="font-size: small;">DARTS</b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> (CORRECTLY TRANSLATED '</span><b style="font-size: small;">MISSILES</b><span style="font-size: x-small;">') OF THE WICKED ONE." (EPHESIANS 6:16)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"THEREFORE, SUBMIT TO GOD. 'RESIST THE DEVIL' AND <i>HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.</i>" (</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">JAMES 4:7)</span><br />
"<span style="font-size: x-small;">FOR THOUGH WE WALK IN THE FLESH, WE DO NOT WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH FOR THE</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL BUT MIGHTY IN GOD FOR PULLING </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> DOWN STRONGHOLDS, CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS AND EVERY HIGH THING THAT EXALTS</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> ITSELF AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, BRINGING EVERY THOUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY TO</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST." (2 COR. 10:3-5)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER....." (ISAIAH 54:17)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF GOD SUFFERS </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> VIOLENCE AND THE VIOLENT (THOSE WHO ARE SO EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> SPIRIT) TAKE HEAVEN". (MATTHEW 11:12)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "I AM THE VINE, AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING." (JOHN 15:5) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>THEN IN EPHESIANS 17 "......INDEED, THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT <b>IS</b> THE <i>WORD</i> OF<i> GOD....". </i>IT IS CRUCIAL TO REITERATE THAT THERE ARE <i>TWO</i> ASPECTS OF THE '<i>WORD'</i> OF GOD...ONE BEING THE <i>WRITTEN</i> WORD WHICH IS THE <i>LOGOS</i> AND THE OTHER BEING THE <i>SPOKEN (<b>ACTION</b>) </i>WORD WHICH IS THE <i>RHEMA</i>. THEY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN BLOGS - "SWORD OF THE SPIRIT 1-3" AND CAN'T BE STRESSED ENOUGH BECAUSE OF THE THEIR POWERFUL SIGNIFICANCE - HOPEFULLY YOU AS A CHRISTIAN KNOWS <b>WE ARE AT WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES!</b><br />
<b><br /></b> <a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNcHVX3O_3eP6iJ9vSgWsesMUHM3n6WiCioX7FuQ2cSNkOgn4rlw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for spiritual warfare in the heavens images" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRNcHVX3O_3eP6iJ9vSgWsesMUHM3n6WiCioX7FuQ2cSNkOgn4rlw" /></a><br />
TOO OFEN, EACH OF US AS CHRISTIANS IS UNDER SPIRITUAL ATTACK ON A DAILY BASIS, WITH THE WAR BEGINNING IN OUR MINDS, SUCH AS BESETTING SIN, INAPPROPRIATE THOUGHTS, ANGER, UNFORGIVENESS, BITTERNESS, NEGATIVE THINKING, FEAR, ANXIETY, ETC. THEN THERE IS THE WORLD, SATAN, OR DO I EVEN DECLARE...THE CHURCH! MORE ON THESE "FOUR FIELDS OF BATTLE" IN A LATER BLOG. KEEP IN MIND AS JUST STATED, OUR "<b>BATTLE BEGINS IN THE MIND</b>" WHICH SO OFTEN TRAGICALLY, AFFECTS OUR BEHAVIOR IN SUCH A DISASTROUS NEGATIVE WAY RESULTING IN <b>FLESHLY CARNAL BEHAVIOR </b>I.E. WALKING IN THE FLESH, NOT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT (HOLY SPIRIT) AS IS STATED IN ROMANS 8:1-17.<br />
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AND HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE BATTLES WHICH TAKE PLACE IN OUR MINDS? ISAIAH 26:3 HAS THE PERFECT SOLUTION...."YOU WILL KEEP <i>HIM</i><br />
IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON YOU BECAUSE HE TRUSTS IN YOU".<br />
AND IN ROMANS 7:25 "SO THEN, WITH THE MIND I MYSELF SERVE THE LAW OF GOD, BUT WITH THE FLESH THE LAW OF SIN." WE ARE ALSO COMMANDED IN ROMANS 12:2 "AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD".<br />
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YEARS AGO I HEARD DECLARED THIS POWERFUL ACTION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN EMBEDDED IN MY VERY BEING EVER SINCE - "RUN TO THE <i>ROAR</i> OF THE LION"! PICTURE THIS SCENE...IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE LION'S DEN, THE ELDEST LION IS PLACED IN FRONT OF THE DEN'S OPENING. WHY THE ELDEST LION? HE HAS NO TEETH NOW, BUT HE IS STILL USEFUL IN THAT HIS <b>ROAR </b>KEEPS THE ENEMY AWAY! ARE <b>YOU</b> "<b>ROARING"</b> ("THE VIOLENT TAKE HEAVEN) TO KEEP YOUR ENEMY AWAY? AND JUST HOW DOES ONE "<b>ROAR</b>"? TO BEGIN WITH, KEEP IN MIND THE LION DID NOT "WHISPER"....HE <b>ROARED, </b>AS MUST WE! ARE YOU AFRAID OF SATAN AND HIS WAYS OR DO YOU TAKE YOUR "DOMINION RIGHTS" AS A CHILD OF ALMIGHTY GOD AND <b>CONFRONT HIM WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT?</b><br />
<b><br /></b> SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I HEARD A POWERFUL STORY WHICH SUPPORTS THAT WHICH<br />
I AM TRYING TO DECLARE:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> "A LADY WOULD LEAVE HOME EACH MORNING TO CATCH THE BUS FOR WORK. RIGHT BEHIND </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">WAS HER LITTLE POODLE BARKING AND NIPPING AT HER HEALS. ALONG THE WAY, SHE WOULD TURN AND <i>GENTLY</i> SAY TO HER DOG ' PLEASE, OH PLEASE, PRECIOUS DOG, GO HOME' - SADLY TO NO</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">AVAIL! THIS WENT ON AND ON AND ON, UNTIL ONE MORNING, HAVING HAD ENOUGH, SHE TURNED</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">TO THE POODLE, STOMPED HER FOOT, GOT DOWN AT THE EYE LEVEL OF THE DOG AND SHOUTED </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> '<b>DOG, YOU GET HOME AND YOU GET HOME NOW! </b>IMMEDIATELY, THE DOG TURNED AND RAN</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> AS FAST AS HIS LITTLE LEGS WOULD TAKE HIM." SHE HAD TO BECOME<b> VERBALLY VIOLENT</b> BEFORE</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> </b>HER DOG WOULD HEED HER WORDS! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span> AGAIN, <i>THE</i><i> SWORD OF THE SPIRIT</i> <b>IS</b> THE <i>RHEMA</i> WORD! THUS THE RHEMA (FIGHTING ACTION) WORD IS THE <i>SWORD</i> - THE WEAPON WE WIELD AGAINST OUR ENEMIES AS LISTED ABOVE! KEEP IN MIND THAT WE MUST<br />
FIGHT THE ENEMY BY<b> </b>CONFIDENTLY <b>VERBALIZING</b> WITH AUTHORITY, THE RHEMA (SPOKEN WORD) AS IS DECLARED IN MATTHEW 11:12 " AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE <i>VIOLENT TAKE</i> <i>IT BY FORCE</i>"! WHO ARE THE "VIOLENT"? WE AS GOD'S CHILDREN....HIS SOLDIERS WIELDING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!<br />
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TO BE CONTINUED IN BLOG 5<br />
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IT IS SUCH A BLESSING TO RECOGNIZE COUNTRIES (IN ADDITION TO THE UNITED STATES) WHICH HAVE THOSE WHO FOLLOW THESE BLOGS: FRANCE, LATVIA, UKRAINE, THAILAND, GERMANY, RUSSIA, NICARAGUA, ALBANIA, POLAND, AND PORTUGAL. I AM "RESTFULLY AND PATIENTLY" TRUSTING THE LORD TO ADD OTHER COUNTRIES.<br />
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I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMING ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NAME DELETED FROM THE EMAIL LIST.<br />
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ALSO, DEAR READER, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS: "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO" (ACTS 17:11) AS ALWAYS, YOUR FEEDBACK IS<br />
SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.<br />
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2194662087100684188.post-83214973737022117942016-10-17T15:09:00.000-04:002016-10-17T15:09:16.009-04:00SPIRITUAL WAREFARE - SWORD OF THE SPIRIT PART 3<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4hVi1gyc2eEfmjXsXi9r1ICjtAkCZ1CAgBZk0r7lef-80NFE3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for images of sword of the spirit" border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4hVi1gyc2eEfmjXsXi9r1ICjtAkCZ1CAgBZk0r7lef-80NFE3" /></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">HOPEFULLY, YOU HAVE READ PART 1 AND 2 BEFORE READING THIS...AND YOU MIGHT WELL ASK "</span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">WHY </i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SPEND SO MUCH TIME CONSIDERING THIS TOPIC?" SURELY YOU MUST KNOW WE </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">ARE AT</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">WAR</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> IN THE HEAVENLIES, FOR THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES, "WE DON'T FIGHT AGAINST </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">FLESH</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> AND </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">BLOOD</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, BUT AGAINST </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">PRINCIPALITIES</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> (SATANIC FORCES) IN THE HEAVENLIES! (EPHESIANS 6:12) IF WE DON'T KNOW WHO OUR ENEMIES ARE, HOW WILL WE BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY ENTER INTO WARFARE, AND BE <i>VICTORIOUS</i> IN SUCH BATTLES? </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">TRAGICALLY, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THIS VERY DAY! THEY REFUSE TO IDENTIFY THE ENEMY BY NAME AND THUS WE ARE EXPERIENCING WORLD-WIDE THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES THAT EXIST!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">WE ARE TOLD IN 1 SAMUAL 17:47 "...THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S...". KEEP IN MIND WE CAN DO </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">NOTHING WITHOUT HIM AND HE WILL DO NOTHING WITHOUT US! </b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(JOHN 15:5) OUR VERY LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS COULD WELL DEPEND ON OUR PUTTING INTO ACTION THESE TRUTHS AS FOUND IN SCRIPTURE, FOR WE ARE TOLD IN JOHN 14:12 THAT WE WILL "</span><b style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>DO GREATER WORKS...</i></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">", NOT IN QUALITY, BUT IN QUANTITY, AS JESUS WAS EMPOWERED TO </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">DO</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ORDER TO FULFILL HIS MINISTRY WHILE HE WAS ON EARTH. THUS, SO ARE WE CALLED TO <i>GO DO</i> BEING <b>EMPOWERED</b> BY THE HOLY SPIRIT! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">IT IS IMPERATIVE, THAT IN ORDER TO TRULY FULFILL GOD'S PLAN WHICH ALL TOO OFTEN INVOLVES SPIRITUAL WARFARE CONCERNING EACH OF US, WE <b>MUST</b> <b>BE EQUIPPED/EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT</b> SO AS TO ENTER INTO BATTLE AND BE VICTORIOUS AS WE FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT! KEEP IN MIND, <i>WE ARE HIS SOLDIERS</i> AS THE CLASSIC HYMN DECLARES "ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS, MARCHING AS TO WAR...WITH THE CROSS OF JESUS GOING ON BEFORE..."! THE CRITICAL QUESTION IS "ARE <b>YOU</b> EQUIPPED TO GO INTO BATTLE IN THE HEAVENLIES" AND WIN?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">WE ARE TOLD TO "THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD. <i>RESIST</i> THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU." (JAMES 4:7) EPHESIANS 6:10-18 CLEARLY ADDRESSES TAKING A BATTLE-STANCE AGAINST SATAN AND HIS MINIONS THAT WE "MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY". (VERSE 13) KEY QUESTION..."ARE YOU <i>RESISTING</i> THE DEVIL AND WHAT STRATEGIES ARE YOU USING TO DO SO?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">IT IS DECLARED IN MATTHEW 11:12 "AND FROM THE DAYS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL NOW, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT (SPIRIT- FILLED CHRISTIANS) TAKE IT BY <b>FORCE </b>IN USING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT...AGAIN THE RHEMA <u>SPOKEN</u> WORD OF THE <u>WRITTEN</u> WORD (LOGOS).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AS WE READ IN CHAPTER 4 OF MATTHEW, IN ORDER FOR JESUS TO BE EMPOWERED TO BE THE <i>VICTOR </i>IN THE BATTLE AGAINST SATAN ON EARTH, AS I DECLARED EARLIER, IT WAS IMPERATIVE FOR HIM TO BE <i>BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT </i>WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE RIVER JORDAN BEING BAPTIZED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> IT IS WRITTEN THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT LED JESUS INTO THE WILDERNESS TO HAVE A </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">SHOWDOWN</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WITH SATAN WHO WENT THERE TO TEMPT JESUS AS HE BEGAN HIS MINISTRY, FOR THIS WAS THE INITIAL BATTLE THAT HAD TO BE FOUGHT BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN SO AS TO ESTABLISH WHO JESUS ACTUALLY WAS AND IS! JESUS DIDN'T FIGHT THIS BATTLE ALL BY HIMSELF, FOR HE WAS EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, JUST AS WE ARE FIGHTING, NOT BY OURSELVES, BUT EMPOWERED AS WELL BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">I AM FULLY AWARE THAT I AM BEING REDUNDANT IN SOME OF MY COMMENTS....BUT AGAIN, THESE TRUTHS MUST BE SHARED OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN ORDER FOR US TO IMMERSED IN SUCH <u>ACTION</u> TRUTHS!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHERE THE “SWORD OF THE SPIRIT” I.E. THE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">RHEMA</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, WHICH IS THE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">SPOKEN</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WORD (SCRIPTURE) OF GOD, NOT THE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">LOGOS</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WHICH IS THE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">WRITTEN</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WORD OF GOD, WAS SEEN IN </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">ACTION</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WITH JESUS TAKING HIS AUTHORITY AGAINST SATAN IN VERSES 4,7,10 OF MATTHEW, FOR HERE WE SEE JESUS </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">WIELDING</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT AT SATAN…I.E., HE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">SPOKE</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> , OR "</span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">DECLARED A THING</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">..." AS DID GOD WHEN HE DECLARED (COMMANDED) "LET THERE BE LIGHT, AND THERE WAS LIGHT AS WELL AS OTHER COMMANDS IN GENESIS 1:3-31.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">JESUS, NOW WITH HIS AUTHORITY AND EMPOWERMENT, <b>SPOKE BOLDLY </b>TO WHATEVER THE ATTACK HAPPENED TO BE AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, HE HAD MANY DURING HIS 3 YEARS OF MINISTRY AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN <u>EMPOWERED</u> BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, HAVE THAT SAME AUTHORITY/EMPOWERMENT OVER THE ENEMY'S ATTACKS UPON US AS JESUS DID. PRAISE GOD...HAVE YOU EVER CONTEMPLATED WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE FOR US <b>IF</b> THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD NOT BEEN LEFT WITH US WHEN JESUS ASCENDED TO THE FATHER? WHAT A BLESSING AND AN ALL PROVIDING ALMIGHTY GOD IS FOR HIS CHILDREN! THANK YOU, OUR MOST CARING AND LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">FOR IT IS WRITTEN IN ACTS 1:8 (WHICH IS THE KEY VERSE IN ACTS) "<span style="color: #c00000;">BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE <b>POWER</b> WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU AND YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM, AND ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH."</span> THIS IS A POWERFUL SPIRITUAL WARFARE STRATEGY WITH WHICH WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN TRULY BLESSED...KEEP IN MIND - <b>POWER IS OURS TO USE!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THUS, THE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED..."DO WE TRULY <u>UNDERSTAND</u> WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE SCRIPTURES AND N THESE BLOGS, AND ARE WE PUTTING THESE TRUTHS INTO ACTION"? AGAIN, PLEASE REMEMBER JESUS' DECLARATION IN JOHN 14:12 <span style="color: #cc0000;">"<span style="color: #c00000;">MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO HE </span><span style="color: #c00000;">(WE)</span><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span><span style="color: #c00000;">WILL DO ALSO; AND GREATER <i>WORKS </i>THAN THESE HE </span><span style="color: #c00000;">(WE) </span><span style="color: #c00000;">WILL DO BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER</span>."</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> A</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">GAIN, BACK TO THE WARFARE IN MATTHEW 4:4, JESUS BRANDISHED THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (THE </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">RHEMA</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WORD) AGAINST SATAN: “</span><span style="color: #984806; font-size: 14pt;">IT IS WRITTEN, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD</span><span style="color: #984806; font-size: 14pt;"> THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">AND VERSE 7 "JESUS SAID TO HIM, <span style="color: red;">'</span><span style="color: #cc0000;">IT IS WRITTEN AGAIN, YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD.'"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">THEN JESUS AGAIN USING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, SAID TO SATAN </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">BOLDLY IN VERSE 10, </b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">"</span><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14pt;">AWAY WITH YOU SATAN! FOR IT IS WRITTEN, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE,'</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> SATAN HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FLEE BECAUSE HE COULD NOT ARGUE WITH JESUS WIELDING THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, DECLARING THE </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">RHEMA</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> WORD, WHICH AGAIN, IS THE SPOKEN WORD (SCRIPTURES) OF GOD ALMIGHTY! "THEN THE DEVIL LEFT HIM" (VERSES 10,11) FOR A </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">SEASON</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">FOR HE</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">WOULD BE BACK</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">...AND WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL MANY TIMES HE RETURNED, TRYING HIS BEST TO DESTROY JESUS, AS HE DOES WITH US! AND WE KNOW THE CROSS WAS THE FINAL </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">ATTEMPT</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> BY SATAN, TO DESTROY JESUS. PRAISE GOD, HE FAILED, THANKFULLY! NOW SATAN MOVES ON TO DESTROY US...THOSE OF US WHO HAVE DECLARED, "YES, LORD, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAME TO EARTH TO SET ME FREE."</span><span style="color: #943634; font-size: 14pt;">THEREFORE IF THE SON MAKES YOU</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14pt;">FREE, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED."</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> (JOHN 8:36) PRAISE GOD!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><u>NOTE</u>...IT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT SATAN HAS <i>NO AUTHORITY</i> OVER US - NONE WHATSOEVER, <u>EXCEPT</u> THAT WHICH WE <i>LET HIM HAVE</i> IN OUR REBELLION/SIN! THUS, WHENEVER WE ARE UNDER ATTACK FROM SATAN, WE <i>MUST </i>FIRST CONSIDER, IS THIS ATTACK UPON ME AS A RESULT OF SIN IN MY LIFE? IF IT IS, IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR US TO <b>RUN</b> TO 1 JOHN 1:9 "IF WE CONFESS OUR SIN, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE OUR SIN AND CLEANSE US FROM <i>ALL</i> UNRIGHTEOUSNESS". I REFER YOU TO MICAH 4:18,19 FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT CONCERNING THIS TOPIC. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>IF</i> YOU HAVE WIPED THE SLATE CLEAN FROM ALL SIN, AND YOU ARE STILL UNDER ATTACK, THEN IT IS TIME TO COME </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">BOLDLY</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> AGAINST SATAN, WIELDING THE</span><i style="font-size: 14pt;"> SWORD OF THE SPIRIT</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, FOR IT IS WRITTEN AND AS WELL A PROMISE..."YOU ARE OF GOD, LITTLE CHILDREN, AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE HE (JESUS) WHO IS IN YOU IS </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">GREATER</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD" (1 JOHN 4:4) AMEN? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">TO BE CONTINUED IN BLOG 4</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: 14pt;">AS I CONTINUE TO DECLARE, DEAR READERS OF THE UNITED STATES, UKRAINE, LATIVA, RUSSIA, THAILAND, TO NAME A FEW, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE LIKE THE BEREANS: "TO FIND OUT WHETHER THESE THINGS WERE SO." (ACTS 17:11)</span><br />
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Robert B. Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01405353461388282057noreply@blogger.com0