A curse is a verbal invocation to bring harm, or evil to another. A curse is a proclamation invoking power to make desired harm.
To bless is to verbally prophecy or speak good things into a person’s life or situation.
Both blessing and cursing while invoked or uttered by people are carried out by either God or the demonic realm.
When God’s people are obedient to him he blesses them by releasing his favor and goodwill but when God’s people are in rebellion they come under a curse. It is not God who does the cursing because God does not commit evil. Disobedience simply puts man outside God’s hedge of protection and that removal of blessing will allow evil things to occur in one’s life. (Isaiah 1:19,20 Deuteronomy 11)
Jesus made it clear that his people were not to curse or in other words not to invoke ill will on another person because cursing is speaking evil on another and that means invoking demonic powers to be released into another person’s life. God’s people are not to use demonic powers to deal with our enemies.
On the other hand when we bless our enemies who are doing evil to us we are asking God through benediction or prayer to change them and give them opportunity to repent. If they do not repent then coals of fire will be upon them or in other words they are in danger of eternal damnation. ( Romans 12:20 Mathew 5:44)
When Jesus spoke to the fig tree and commanded that it bear no fruit what he was doing was prophesying not cursing. (Matthew 11:12-25)
Since the fig tree represented Israel, Jesus was prophesying the outcome of the result of Israel rejecting him. While the disciples thought he was pronouncing a curse he actually was prophesying. (Mark 11:12,25)
The prophets in the old testament prophesied judgments that were a result of Israel’s rebellion but the evil which occurred came about by evil people. God himself did not harm his people but because of Israel’s sin he turned them over to their enemies.
A Curse without a cause will always return to the sender the Bible says. David prophesied that the curses of his enemies would fall back on their own heads. He declared that those who set nets for him would fall into it themselves. Simply because this is a spiritual law. Evil returns to its perpetrator. Touching God’s anointed will result in evil befalling the attacker.
(Proverbs 26:2)
Negative words in actuality are curses. That is why God said that life and death are in the power of the tongue. When we speak evil of another person we are pronouncing a curse in their lives and bringing judgment on ourselves.
(Proverbs 18:21)
When someone does us wrong we do good to them and pray for them to repent because if they do not repent their actions or words will return to them. Since God wants all to repent we are called to pray for them to have opportunity to repent.
Now we most certainly can pray for an evil action to be thwarted. God’s people are called to stand up for justice and take authority over evil. We can bind or render powerless evil devices. We can command in Jesus name all evil plans and schemes to be stopped but we are not to invoke evil on the person directly. We pray for them to repent.
(Mathew 18:18, Luke 10:19)
However sometimes people will not repent even if we pray and the evil they do may return to them. If we witness this happen we are to pray that God’s chastisement leads them to repentance. (Hebrews 12:6-11)
In psalm 69 David cries out to God when he is attacked by his enemies. He says that his enemies have no cause to attack him and because he is innocent concerning them he declares that the evil done to him would return to them. This of course is a prophecy as well about the Lord’s suffering and the results which occur to those who reject him.
When Jesus said to the Jewish nation that he would bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel he was talking about a spiritual law. This same law applies to the Christian. Those who bless you will be blessed but those who do evil to you if they do not repent that evil will return to them. ( Genesis 12:3 Galatians 3:14-29)
That is why Jesus asks us to intercede for our enemies like he did to the Father. Unless our enemies repent they will end up being cursed which could result in eternal separation from God. (Luke 13:3-5)
Repentance means to have sincere regret and remorse for sin. It also means to turn from evil and do good. (Jeremiah 26:3, Mark 1:4)
The Bible teaches that salvation is bestowed upon the one who confesses trespassing against God’s law and putting trust in the salvation provided by God. Under the New Covenant that salvation is provided through faith in Jesus Christ. Unless there is repentance there is no salvation. (Luke 13:3-5)
Belief in Jesus as in intellectual assent is not faith. May I repeat this. Belief as in intellectual assent is not faith. At least not Biblical faith. It is not enough to believe something in order for it to apply to you.
I can believe that soap will clean my body but unless I apply that soap it will have no effect on me. The same is true for salvation. One must receive Jesus through both repentance and faith.
The devil believes in Jesus. He knows Jesus is God who came in the flesh to save mankind but that does not save him. Why? Because he has an unrepentant heart. He is still in his sins and can never be saved. (James 2:19)
This is the same for people who believe in Jesus as Savior but are still in their sins. Salvation means to be saved. Saved from what? Sin! If one still lives in sin then that person is not saved. Why? Because there is no repentance. ( Romans 6:2)
Some Christians battle over the faith and works argument because they leave out a major prerequisite for salvation to occur in the first place. Jesus specifically said that if you do not repent you will perish which means to be eternally lost. ( Luke 13:3)
If one is really saved according to the Bible they will produce godly fruit. (Matthew 3:8-10, )
Works in and of themselves don’t save but works revealing godly fruit is the evidence of having been saved. (James 2:18)
When repentance comes to the heart through conviction or convincing of sin by the Holy Spirit then salvation can occur. Sorrow for sin is a prerequisite for faith to come. How can you reach out to the Savior to save you unless you know you need saving? ( 2 Corinthians 7:10)
To mentally assent to Jesus Christ as the Savior is the first step towards salvation BUT does not constitute salvation in and of itself.
The salvation equation is as follows. GOD reaches out by grace which is undeserved mercy to those who believe in Jesus as the Saviour and repent of their sins. Then faith comes to the heart to trust in the Saviour for salvation.
Biblical faith is not a human quality. To have Faith in God cannot come by one’s own ability. You can reason to believe with the mind in Jesus Christ but you cannot fully trust, rely upon with confidence in Jesus Christ the Savior without the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 10:17 John 14:6 )
That is where the confusion doctrinally lies. Mental assent is mistaken for faith. The Greek word PISTIS for faith is based on relationship. It is not acknowledging something to be so.
This is why Jesus said in the Bible that MANY will say to him in that day. “Lord, Lord did we not do all these things in your name? Then Jesus will reply “I don’t know you.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
This is why James said. “I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:14-26)
A truly saved person will desire to live according to Biblical protocol. They will desire to be free from sin. They will not love the world or anything in the world. They will be constantly seeking God’s will for their life. (1 John 2:15-17)
If you are still living in your sins it’s best to be honest with God and ask him to bring you to the end of yourself where you hate your sin and want to give it up.
Perhaps, as Paul says, God will be merciful and grant you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. (2 Timothy 2:25)
Romans Chapter 7 is a chapter in which the struggle between the man under the law has with the sinful nature.
Paul who was a Pharisee under the law is revealing the battle a person under the law has with the carnal nature.
Right at the beginning of the chapter Paul makes it clear that he is speaking to those under the law. In other words those who are battling the carnal nature from a legalistic mindset.
Paul says that when we have received Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we are no longer bound to the law. Those under the law were and are constantly battling the nature of sin at work in the non saved person and the law of God.
While with the intellect a person can agree that the law is good they are if not saved powerless to perform it.
Paul points out that true Christians have been delivered from the law. Not from the truths set forth in the law but the law as a letter or theological theory abstract from the non redeemed nature.
While the law reveals sin it has no power to deliver from sin. The law is only a road map but cannot actually get us to our destination. What we need is a vehicle to get us there.
The law in and of itself is good Paul says but because the non redeemed have a carnal nature the no redeemed cannot obey the law in its entirety. That is why under the law God set up the sacrificial system of the blood covering of animals.
The person under the law is not quite the same as a full blown sinner. While the law keeper is a sinner the law keeper tries to obey the law of God in the non redeemed state.
Herein lies the problem. It is rather easy to detect a full blown sinner but not so easy to distinguish a person under the law from a true Christian.
A law keeper may even sometimes look to be more holy than the true Christian. This is because the law keeper is working relentlessly to serve the law while a Christian is looking to God’s grace and mercy for salvation.
There is according to scripture an intense struggle going on between the carnal nature of the law keeper and the law.
The law keeper actually hates the bondage that they are in. They want to serve God in their minds but cannot perform the law good enough to get God’s approval. It’s very tormenting to be a law keeper.
Is there deliverance for this struggle between the carnal nature and the law of God? Paul tells us that there is!
He tells us that through Jesus Christ we can have deliverance.
If we continue on to Romans Chapter 8 we find that those in Jesus Christ no longer have to be in torment battling the law of God and the sin nature. Paul says that there is now no condemnation of the law towards those who walk after the Holy Spirit.
In other words those born of God who are baptized into Jesus Christ and are in the Holy Spirit (because he is living in them) are now called to walk in the Holy Spirit.
Here is where some Christians get mixed up. Just because we are born again and have the Holy Spirit living in us does not mean we have achieved victory over sin. There is a part for us to play and it’s called walking after or yielding to the Holy Spirit. That is being obedient to the inner working of the Holy Spirit in us.
The difference between a law keeper and a true born again person is that the law keeper cannot perform the works of the law for justification while the born again person is justified by grace through faith and can be empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey God.
God’s righteous is fulfilled in those who walk after the Holy Spirit Paul says. To walk after is translated in the Greek as; to be occupied with, to live with and to follow after.
Paul goes on to say that those who live after the flesh or earthly minded things will produce death that is a non productive spiritual life but those who live after the Holy Spirit will produce life abundantly.
Paul also says that one is proven to be a true Christian with the indwelling Holy Spirit by their putting to death the deeds of the body through the power of the Holy Spirit that is indwelling them and walking after the Holy Spirit which is indwelling them.
In other words when the body which is still subject to earthly senses is put under subjection or control of the Holy Spirit then life and liberty in Jesus Christ is the fruit produced.
Paul also says that suffering in the flesh or not giving in to its dictates will produce a far better eternal weight of glory for us.
One day the Christian’s body will be redeemed and the earthly part will be gone but at this time rather that keeping the sin nature contained by the law, those born of God have the Holy Spirit to control sin and produce fruits of holiness.
Christians are more than conquerors in this life Paul says because we belong to Jesus Christ. A conqueror is not a defeated in bondage to sinful desires and lifestyles person nor is a conqueror a twisted tormented law keeper trying to keep the law in the sinful nature.
A conqueror lives victorious in the Holy Spirit. Nothing can separate the true Christian from the love of God if we really belong to God.
Sin has no more dominion over those who walk after the Holy Spirit because Jesus defeated the power of sin at the cross. Scripture tell us that “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteous of God in Christ Jesus the Lord.”
(2 cor. 5:21)
Therefore brethren we are under no obligation or compulsion to obey sinful desires for that leads to death but we are under grace and grace leads us through Holy Spirit power to live a life of holiness.
The greatest remedy for our sins, failures, bad choices, and mistakes is God’s unfailing love in which he demonstrated to us through the gift of the Savior Jesus Christ.
This love undeserved is called grace but did you know that grace and salvation stem from God’s heart of compassion in which he releases to the undeserved his mercy.
Mercy called chânan in the Hebrew means to bend in kindness to an inferior; to bestow favor upon. To have pity. Eleeō in the Greek means mercy is the divine grace of almighty God. Mercy is in effect the Lord’s compassion.
Mercy according to the Bible triumphs or is victorious over judgment. All sin is judged by God whose throne is established in justice and righteousness.
Legally speaking God’s laws when broken must be judged. That judgment always leads to death. Christians many times want to blame the devil for every thing but it is not the devil who activates God’s judgment upon us when we sin. It is in fact our own doing.
What the devil does is take advantage of a legal precedent. Sin is an open invitation for Satan to have access to a person’s life. That is why Paul said. Don’t give Satan any place!
Satan is always looking for some one to devour. He wants to kill, steal and destroy in any way he can. So what can we do against this formidable foe who is a merciless devourer that takes advantage of our weakness?
Scriptures give us the answer! Yes, it is God’s mercy! When we confess our sins and ask for help in our weakness the Lord has a legal precedent that triumphs over the law of judgment.
Symptoms of emotional and physical distress often stem from sin and are projected through Satanic attacks. When we suffer from these symptoms we need to look into our hearts and find out how we let Satan get an advantage of us. Then we need to repent.
Whether personal or generational sin has a penalty. That penalty is death. Not just eternal death but non life or dark consequences both material and spiritual. These consequences are manifest through various kinds of torments, afflictions and lack.
Mercy does not need a price for it to bring the remedy for our sins. Mercy is bestowed freely to the contrite and broken heart of repentance from a loving God. Mercy is not given to the proud or self righteous but to the humble who recognize their weakness and desire help from an all powerful God.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Mercy from the Lord comes also when we are persecuted, misunderstood, and attacked by unscrupulous people.
Let me show you from scriptures how the mercy of God can be applied to our lives.
In our distress or trouble we can call on the Lord for his mercy and he will hear us and deliver us.
When we are weak and suffering with affliction we can call on the Lord for his mercy. When we are hated and persecuted we can ask for God to pour out his mercy. When we are poor, depressed and alone we can also appeal to God for his mercy for God’s mercy endures forever.
God’s mercy will bring us forgiveness and deliverance. His mercy sent from the throne of Grace will gives us strength and empowers us to live a life that pleases him.
God’s mercy will protect us and defend us from our enemies. God’s mercy will preserve us from trouble and keep us from the power of the wicked one.
God’s mercy will make us stand and be strong in his mighty power.
God’s mercy will teach us Biblical truth and cause us to walk in his ways.
Are you in need of God’s mercy today? Call upon him in your brokenness for he will bend his ear down to hear your cry. He will come to your rescue and save you out of all your trouble for whoever calls on the name of the Lord in sincerity shall be saved!
Psalm 4:1 When I was in distress have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me in my weakness and suffering and heal me.
Have mercy when I suffer from those who hate me. Lift me up out of death. Psalm 9: 13
Through the mercy of the Lord I shall not be moved. Psalm 21:7
For your mercy’s sake don’t remember my sins Psalm 25:7
Remember mercy because I am desolate. Left alone. Forsaken. And afflicted. Depressed, needy and poor. Psalm 25:16
Have mercy. Be my helper. Psalm 30:10
Have mercy for I am in trouble and sorrowful. Psalm 31:9
Those who trust the Lord will have mercy. Psalm 32:10
Send forth your mercy to me from heaven. Psalm 36:5 psalm 57:3
Gods mercy has been my defense and refuge in trouble. Psalm 59:16
Your mercy and truth preserve me. Psalm 61:7
Show mercy and bring deliverence psalm 85:7
In your mercy give me strength and save me Psalm 86 :16
Let your mercy keep me and your covenant stand for me Psalm 89:28
Extend your mercy to my children psalm 103:17
Let your mercy deliver me because you are good. Psalm 109:21
According to your mercy teach me your word. Psalm 119:24
Deliver me from my enemies in your mercy. Psalm 136:26
In 1 Sam. 15:23 God told Saul that obedience to him is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of lambs.
The Lord made it clear to Saul that he wanted him to hear his voice and obey his commands and that was the way he was to worship.
The Lord made a command to Saul to slay every inhabitant of Amalek including their animals. Saul leaned on his own reasoning in the situation. Rather than do what he was told, Saul spared the king of Amalek and took the best of the spoil for himself.
The Lord took Saul’s disobedience as a rebellious act against his Lordship.
Saul said that he was going to sacrifice the sheep and oxen he had taken to the Lord but the Lord wouldn’t accept it.
Saul it seemed wanted to serve God Saul’s way. He knew better than God on how to serve God.
Saul even justified his action by saying he did everything that he was told to do but he took the best of the animals to make a big sacrifice to God. Plus Saul let the king or head of the Lord’s enemy live.
Amalek was a descendant of Esau. This lineage had no respect to God’s covenant. They were disrespectful of God’s holy ways.
By letting Amalek’s king live Saul was compromising with evil.
God’s view was that Saul by taking matters into his own hand was therefore in rebellion and operating in a witchcraft spirit. He in effect was denying God.
This story is really a parallel to the religious spirit that decides how God should be worshiped. The religious spirit comprises with things that disrespect God’s word.
Religion wants to make all kinds of obligations and ritualistic observations in preference to what God’s word has to say.
The religious spirit wants to perform feats that guise as worshiping God but in reality only exalt man’s ego.
God requires obedience to please him. Romans 6:16 tells us that obedience to the faith moves into righteousness or justification.
Obedience means attentive hearkening, complying with a command or request. Submitting to the authority and moral conviction of the religious truth of reliance on Jesus Christ for salvation. This is obedience to the faith.
God’s way of worship is by faith in Jesus Christ! Not rituals and all kinds of humanistic effort.
2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to demolish high minded reasoning that oppose knowing God and bringing captive the intellect to obey Jesus Christ.
In other words cast down any form of worship that is against what God’s word defines as worship.
What is obedient worship acceptable to God?
1 Peter 1:2 says that God the Father has chosen those who by his foreknowledge through sanctification (purified and made holy) of the Holy Spirit unto ( toward) obedience (hearkening to command ) and sprinkling of the blood atonement of Jesus Christ.
The only form of worship pleasing to God is through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and obedience to the gospel.
Those who hearken to this command will be received by God the Father and are well pleasing in his sight.
Anything added to that or taken from that is considered disobedience to God.
Romans Chapter 6:14 tells us that sin shall not have any dominion over us.
To have dominion over means to exercise Lordship, ownership, to be ruled by.
If in fact scriptures tell us that sin shall not have dominion over us then why does sin have dominion over some Christians?
Why are some Christians living very much like they are not much different than the unsaved?
Let’s take a look at what scriptures tell us about the matter.
We find out in the next verse that sin has no dominion over Christians because we are not under law but under grace.
In other words Christians now have a new Lord. The Bible tells us that prior to salvation sin was our master. We were under the control of the devil through the sin nature. Sin is the devil’s nature. That is why Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees who were under the law that they had the devil’s nature.
Continuing on in the chapter we can find the remedy for the sin nature. Verse 15 makes it clear that just because we are under grace or favor from God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ that does not mean we are free to continue to sin.
Verse 16 tells us that whoever we yield ourselves to obey is whose servant we are to whom we obey. If we yield to sin it is because we have sin as our master. If we yield to the Holy Spirit it is evident that God is our master.
Yielding to sin produces death. That means our fruit will be rotten, leading to decay and death. In other words our lives will produce defeat, sickness, poverty, and all kinds of ailments which may lead even to eternal death.
That is why Jesus said to test the fruit to see if someone really belongs to Jesus. If our lives are producing bad fruit then it is because of one or two things. Either there is no real salvation experience or their is ignorance of God’s word.
Vrs. 17 tells us that if we obeyed the teaching we received about salvation then we are free from the dominion of sin and are now become servants of righteousness.
Righteousness in this verse is translated as justification. Made in right standing with God. Now some Christians will stop there BUT it does in fact not end there.
This verse goes on to say that if we have been made righteous then our fruit will be unto holiness. In other words the fruit of our lives will be producing a sanctified purified life.
Now what is the key here to going from the righteous of God in Christ Jesus to holiness or godly living?
The key is in this word. YIELD. If indeed we have received Jesus Christ and are justified by his blood then we will be servants of that righteousness producing holy living.
Under the sin nature we yielded to sin. It was our master. But now we belong to another, born of his Spirit and are become servants of righteousness. If we are servants then we are not free to live any way the old flesh or earthy senses try to dictate.
We are now called to yield to God. That is to the Holy Spirit given to us at the new birth which makes his will know to us by revelation of the word of God. To yield means to give way to, adhere to. Submit to.
Verse 23 declares that the wages or earnings of obeying the sin nature will produce death but the gift of God which is salvation through Jesus Christ freely given to us produces eternal life.
Those under the dominion of sin are the slaves to sin but those under the dominion of the Holy Spirit are now become servants of righteousness unto holiness.
Yield or give way your vessel to the Holy Spirit and he will empower you to live a life that pleases God!
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew chapter 12 that everyone will have to give account for every idle word that they speak on the day of judgment.
The word idle is argos in the Greek which means to be lazy, inactive, barren, non productive or slow.
Jesus spoke this after having encounters with the religious people of his day. What words were these religious leaders speaking to Jesus that caused him to say this? Let’s take a look at Matthew Chapter 12.
The religious leaders in this chapter’s account were accusing and condemning Jesus. They were also using scriptures to try to entrap him. Then when Jesus answered with wisdom this really irked the religious leaders and so they conspired to stop Jesus from performing his ministry. They wanted to destroy him.
On top of all that the religious leaders began to call his miraculous works of the devil. Jesus told them that they were committing blasphemy by attributing his miracles from a demonic source. He also told them that by speaking against the Holy Spirit when they saw the miracles that they were in danger of hell fire.
Jesus explained to his disciples that what the mouth speaks is what is in the heart. Words spoken reveals the spiritual condition.
If the words spoke are negative, non productive, ungodly then that’s because of the condition of the heart.
An angry bitter person speaks negative critical words. An unbelieving heart speaks doubt and unbelief.
A faith filled heart speaks uplifting encouraging words.
Jesus said that the words we speak from our mouths reveal our heart condition. In other words we are what we say.
This is why we will be judged by our words. If we breath out cruelty, meanness and criticism then we will eat the fruit of our words. Jesus did say that we will have what we say. We become in our actions the condition of our hearts verified by the words we speak.
If however as Jesus said, we have good things in our heart then we will produce good things. The word of God living in our hearts will bring forth much fruit.
This means that when situations arise in our lives we will automatically draw from the word of God we have put in our heart.
For example, if we loose a job we can say, “My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory through Jesus Christ.”
If we have someone oppose us we can say, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue rising up against me shall be condemned.”
We speak what’s in our heart when situations arise. Faith filled hearts speak faith filled words but hearts filled with dark things speak dark words.
This is what the Lord means by “A pure heart will see God.” A heart filled with the word of God will see God’s hand at work in every situation. (Matthew 5:8)
Idle words are non productive words in the Kingdom of God. Words of no spiritual good. Words that speak contrary to sound doctrine and have no faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:1 Mathew 21:22, 23)
God’s word is like a fire in the heart’s of his people. These hearts bring life and liberty in Jesus Christ through their words. A pure heart sees God’s divine intervention in every situation and declares God’s word into the situation.
God’s words spoken are words seasoned with salt bringing grace to the hearers. (Jeremiah 20:29, Colossians 4:6)
So put God’s word in your heart and speak God’s word in every situation. Then you will find the Lord bringing his miracle working power into all your situations.
God commands his people not to fear or be dismayed. Rather he says to be strong and of good courage. (Joshua 1:9 )
What exactly is fear and why is it important not to be afraid?
The definition of fear is believing that something or some one is dangerous, likely to cause pain or is a threat.
Dismayed means to be distressed or filled with anxiety and worry. A form of fear.
Simply put, fear is Satan’s weapon. His whole kingdom of darkness is run by fear. To fear is to agree with the devil. To side with his kingdom and agenda. To believe in his power in the circumstance.
Satan uses intimidation, lies, deception in order to control. He is the ultimate rebel and sorcerer. He bewitches people to believe his lies.
When we fear we are believing in Satan’s deception. We are putting our feelings and trust in Satan’s power and ability.
Faith is the opposite of fear. Faith is the key principle on which the kingdom of God operates. Faith trusts God in the face of difficulties and unsavory circumstance. Faith in God releases the power of the Holy Spirit and the angelic realm to work on our behalf.
Faith believes in God’s remedy even though fear says the opposite.
To exercise faith is to choose to agree with what God says in his word and not in the devil’s projection of facts. The devil’s facts can change and be removed when faith in God is exercised.
Faith is not feelings and emotions. Faith is a choice. Faith refuses to side with the devil’s facts and chooses to agree with God’s word.
Let’s look at God’s remedy for fear.
Scriptures tell us not to fear because God is with us. He is on our side! God says he will give us strength in our situation. He promises to uphold us with his victory. (Isaiah 41: 10)
Jesus gave us his victory! He won the battle and his victory is our victory. The new covenant of promise is ours if we believe it to be so. Remember Jesus said “according to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29)
God commands us to be strong. That is not an option but an order. Scriptures tell us that we are strong in the Lord through HIS mighty power! (Ephesians 6:10)
God also commands us to be encouraged. How do we do that? Just like David did and the children of Israel did! They encouraged themselves in the Lord. They sang songs declaring the victory YHWY brought to them. They declared his word and all his mighty deeds.
Encouraging ourselves in the Lord brings faith to our heart. We stop looking at the devil’s puny power and look at the greatness of our God and his power to heal, set free and deliver. Remember that scriptures tell us that those who put their trust in the Lord will NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED. (Isaiah 49:23)
In fact the Lord says that those who put their trust in him WILL BE BLESSED! (Jeremiah 17:17)
Never is never! We don’t give up! We know who we believe! We know who sits on the throne!
God’s remedy for our circumstance is also to pray and bring our needs before his throne. To praise him until the answer comes! He has promised deliverance if we trust in him and surrender our hearts to him! (Philippians 4:6)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24:
If God is for us then no one can be against us! God will defeat every demonic power set against us if we chose to trust him and reject Satan’s lies.
Satan says….”there is no way out. No deliverance for you. No healing, no provision, no peace.”
God says… Fear Not! I will help you! I will deliver you! I will show myself strong on your behalf! I am on your side! Psalm 118:6
God loves us and his love for us casts out all fear! (1 John 4:18)
The scriptures tell us that fear is not from God. Fear is debilitating. Fear brings bondage. Fear brings sickness, depression and even physical problems. Fear is the devil’s power.
Faith or trust in the Lord is the nemesis of fear. Faith in God is to have his power, his love and his soundness. Faith in God is the healing balm of Gilead. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Fear not says the Lord! It is your Father’s pleasure to give you his kingdom! God is our salvation! He is our light in the darkness! He is our fortress and deliverer! (Psalm 27:1, Psalms 34:4, Luke 12:32)
I will not fear because he is with me through every darkness. His authority is over me! I will fear no evil!( Psalm 23:4)
Be not afraid, only believe ! Mark 5:36
Trust in the Lord and be saved! (Acts 18:31)
Trust in the Lord and be healed! “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.” Jeremiah 17:14
Trust in the Lord whose promises are Yes and Amen! (Roman’s 8:15, )
“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me?” (Hebrews 13:6)
Faith in God is the answer to every difficulty. No exception. When we exercise faith in God then fear must flee! Fear has no power over God’s love for us! His perfect love for us will cast off every fear!
The scriptures tell us to Love the Lord with all our heart but also with all our mind.
Mind in the Greek is dianoia which means the imagination, deep thought, and the understanding.
Christians that live according to the dictates of the carnal nature do so because they have not submitted their minds to the Lord. As long as the mind does not love God completely then the bodily appetites and earthly concerns will dominate the person rather than the Holy Spirit.
Those of the flesh or those walking after the carnal nature have their mind (entertain opinions and interests and have affections and cares) on the concerns of this life. (Romans 8)
But those Christians that pursue after the Spirit of God set their affections on the things of God’s kingdom or pertaining to and exceeding to the Spirit of God.
The carnal or worldly mind which is basically the human nature is in enmity with or hostile to God the Bible tells us.
The carnal mind is not in subjection to the law or principles of God nor is it possible to be. To be carnal minded according to the Bible produces death. That means produces things that have no spiritual and eternal value.
To be spiritually minded produces life and peace. Gods’s life will live in and through us.
A carnal or human thinking mind cannot please God. (1 Corinthians 2:13)
All God’s ways are foreign to the human mind. God’s ways many times go against human reasoning. Faith is to believe what is not evident. Faith trusts in supernatural provision. Supernatural ability and supernatural intervention.
God says in his word that if you want financial success then you need to give some money away. That does not register to a carnal mind. A carnal mind will beg,borrow,steal, or whatever to get a financial need met when God says, give and then I will give back to you. (2 Corinthians 9:7, Proverbs 3:9, Luke 6:30-38 Mark 12:41-44, )
The Bible says that if you want wisdom then ask God and he will give it to you. The world says to study philosophy and use secular reasoning to be wise. Use your street smarts. Use common sense.
Those in the Spirit setting their mind on things above are led of the Spirit according to Romans 8 and they have put to death or refused to let operate their flesh or earthly understanding.
God is no respecter of persons. The person who obeys God’s word will produce abundant life and the person who lives by the world’s understanding will produce that which has not spiritual value.
Carnal desires come through minding carnal things. That is from thinking from a human perspective. Thinking on things contrary to the Bible will produce, things such as fear, anxiety, unbelief, sensuality. In the end that kind of thinking will be destructive both mentally and physically and may even produce spiritual death .
Romans 12:2 says not to be conformed or patterned after the world but be transformed or changed by renewing the mind.
How can we renew our mind? By thinking according to the Bible!
Human intellect, feelings and will that are submitted to the will of God will produce life. The word of God is the will of God.
Ephesians 4:2,3 says to put off the former conversation or speach of the old person. The person you were before salvation. God tells us to let no corrupt communication or speach come out of our mouth.
Whatever comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart and whatever is in the heart comes through the mind. The mind is the filter for the heart. (Mathew 15:18)
Putting destructive ungodly things into the mind will result in becoming worldly or carnal. God tells us in his word to be renewed in the soul or spirit of the mind which is the intellect, thoughts, emotional feelings, the understanding and the will.
We are called to put on the new born again person which has been created to be righteous and Holy. (Philllipians 4:8)
Scriptures tell us openly what to think on. “Whatever is true, honest, pure , lovely, good, virtuous and praise worthy.” (Philllipians 4:8)
These are values that are God’s way of thinking as set out in scriptures.
The Bible tells us that God’s word is the remedy for the carnal mind. If we think on the word of God we will be renewed in our minds.
Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord when you don’t do what I say? ” (Luke 6:46)
Jesus is the word incarnate. The Bible is God’s word. When we put our mind on what God says then we start acting like God says to act. We become not only a hearer of the word but a doer of the word. (James 1:22)
According to Proverbs 23:7 Whatever we think in the mind we will become.
If we think God’s word then it will go into the heart. Then we will act according to God’s word. (Proverbs 4:23)
Loving The Lord with all our mind is the key to living a life that pleases God. A life that pleases God is a life that is blessed.
So let us line up our mind to God’s way of thinking by having it renewed by his word!
1 Corinthians 2:16
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
The greatest remedy for our sins, failures, bad choices, and mistakes is God’s unfailing love in which he demonstrated to us through the gift of the Savior Jesus Christ.
This love undeserved is called grace but did you know that grace and salvation stem from God’s heart of compassion in which he releases to the undeserved his mercy.
Mercy called chânan in the Hebrew means to bend in kindness to an inferior; to bestow favor upon. To have pity. Eleeō in the Greek means mercy is the divine grace of almighty God. Mercy is in effect the Lord’s compassion.
Mercy according to the Bible triumphs or is victorious over judgment. All sin is judged by God whose throne is established in justice and righteousness.
Legally speaking God’s laws when broken must be judged. That judgment always leads to death. Christians many times want to blame the devil for every thing but it is not the devil who activates God’s judgment upon us when we sin. It is in fact our own doing.
What the devil does is take advantage of a legal precedent. Sin is an open invitation for Satan to have access to a person’s life. That is why Paul said. Don’t give Satan any place!
Satan is always looking for some one to devour. He wants to kill, steal and destroy in any way he can. So what can we do against this formidable foe who is a merciless devourer that takes advantage of our weakness?
Scriptures give us the answer! Yes, it is God’s mercy! When we confess our sins and ask for help in our weakness the Lord has a legal precedent that triumphs over the law of judgment.
Symptoms of emotional and physical distress often stem from sin and are projected through Satanic attacks. When we suffer from these symptoms we need to look into our hearts and find out how we let Satan get an advantage of us. Then we need to repent.
Whether personal or generational sin has a penalty. That penalty is death. Not just eternal death but non life or dark consequences both material and spiritual. These consequences are manifest through various kinds of torments, afflictions and lack.
Mercy does not need a price for it to bring the remedy for our sins. Mercy is bestowed freely to the contrite and broken heart of repentance from a loving God. Mercy is not given to the proud or self righteous but to the humble who recognize their weakness and desire help from an all powerful God.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Mercy from the Lord comes also when we are persecuted, misunderstood, and attacked by unscrupulous people.
Let me show you from scriptures how the mercy of God can be applied to our lives.
In our distress or trouble we can call on the Lord for his mercy and he will hear us and deliver us.
When we are weak and suffering with affliction we can call on the Lord for his mercy. When we are hated and persecuted we can ask for God to pour out his mercy. When we are poor, depressed and alone we can also appeal to God for his mercy for God’s mercy endures forever.
God’s mercy will bring us forgiveness and deliverance. His mercy sent from the throne of Grace will gives us strength and empowers us to live a life that pleases him.
God’s mercy will protect us and defend us from our enemies. God’s mercy will preserve us from trouble and keep us from the power of the wicked one.
God’s mercy will make us stand and be strong in his mighty power.
God’s mercy will teach us Biblical truth and cause us to walk in his ways.
Are you in need of God’s mercy today? Call upon him in your brokenness for he will bend his ear down to hear your cry. He will come to your rescue and save you out of all your trouble for whoever calls on the name of the Lord in sincerity shall be saved!
Psalm 4:1 When I was in distress have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me in my weakness and suffering and heal me.
Have mercy when I suffer from those who hate me. Lift me up out of death. Psalm 9: 13
Through the mercy of the Lord I shall not be moved. Psalm 21:7
For your mercy’s sake don’t remember my sins Psalm 25:7
Remember mercy because I am desolate. Left alone. Forsaken. And afflicted. Depressed, needy and poor. Psalm 25:16
Have mercy. Be my helper. Psalm 30:10
Have mercy for I am in trouble and sorrowful. Psalm 31:9
Those who trust the Lord will have mercy. Psalm 32:10
Send forth your mercy to me from heaven. Psalm 36:5 psalm 57:3
Gods mercy has been my defense and refuge in trouble. Psalm 59:16
Your mercy and truth preserve me. Psalm 61:7
Show mercy and bring deliverence psalm 85:7
In your mercy give me strength and save me Psalm 86 :16
Let your mercy keep me and your covenant stand for me Psalm 89:28
Extend your mercy to my children psalm 103:17
Let your mercy deliver me because you are good. Psalm 109:21
According to your mercy teach me your word. Psalm 119:24
Deliver me from my enemies in your mercy. Psalm 136:26
Hope in his mercy.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Psalm 147:11
This humility comes by having the pride in our heart crushed and bruised.
( Proverbs 18:12 Proverbs 29: 23)
Many times we are put in a humble position for our good because the Lord is working his humility into our heart.
Humility is the essence of gentleness and meekness. It is having a lowly heart like a servant. It is being in a constant state of putting the needs of others above our own. (Acts 20: 19)
When we think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think then pride has a hold of us. In other words when we value our gifts, our way of doing things, our ideas above others then we are putting ourselves in a position to be humbled by the Lord.
Satan’s heart was lifted up in pride because he valued himself above his station. Satan wanted to be like God. He wanted to be the boss. The one in control of his life. Satan desired to be over others and to be recognized and adored. The pride in Satan’s heart however was revealed and he was cast out of the kingdom of God. He was humbled or brought low.
Jesus on the other hand even though he was God he did not boast about it. Jesus didn’t use flash and flare to get recognition. Rather he humbled himself and became a man laying down his divine attributes. He made himself of no reputation and clothed himself as a servant in humility.
Jesus even put up with naysayers, mockery and ridicule. He remained lowly even in the midst of persecution and affliction.
Scriptures tell us to be clothed with humility. That means we are to wear humility like a mantel. (Galatians 3:12, 1 Peter 5:5)
Humility brings God’s blessings into our lives. (Proverbs 22:4)
God’s presence dwells with the humble person. He revives them with his abundant life. (Isaiah 57:15)
God hears our prayers as we walk in humility before him and towards others. (Psalm 10:17).
Jesus said the greatest in the kingdom of God has the humility of a child. The humble serves others with lowlyness of mind esteeming the other person of greater importance than himself. (Matthew 18:4)
Greatest is translated as mature. To be an elder in God’s kingdom means walking in humility. A sure sign that one is a mature Christian is that humility has been fashioned in the heart.
Are you in a humble situation? Feel rejected and humiliated? Not promoted yet? Getting the short end of the stick? If you are then remain humble in your situation because God is hearing your prayers!
You just might be in for a promotion in the future! The Lord honors those who honor him. He promotes those who walk in humility of mind before him so keep your eyes on Jesus, serve others in love and put their needs before your own and the Lord will bless you!
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