Month: January 2017

Of Many Names (6 of 6)

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As we move through scripture we should take notice of the names given to the deceiver. We must look into his purpose and realize that our battle is not with the flesh but with the spirit. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) The deceiver uses the fallenness of people to do his bidding and cover his involvement. We get so focused on the person we see, we forget the spiritual battle that is at work. Know your enemy! Know your Savior! Focus on God and His promises. Be the victor in the battle for your spirit!

Also see:

The Accuser, The Enemy, The Tempter, The Evil one, The Murderer from the beginning, The Father of lies, The Prince of this world, The Serpent

Of Many Names (5 of 6)

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Devil- “accuser”

The deceiver looks to accuse us. Not only to God but between ourselves. The worse we feel about ourselves the further redemption seems. When sin clouds redemption among brothers they attach that characteristic to God. Accusations taken to The Father are met with forgiveness and cleansing if partnered with repentance. Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. (Zechariah 3:1-5) The Lord stands by waiting for His children to return. The saddest thing for us, and pleasurable for the devil is when we feel unworthy. We forget out identity and turn away, again to the pleasure of the deceiver. Do not let accusation take you away from God or His purpose in you. The devil will seek to destroy your reputation, but God will always seek to establish your character which cannot be changed by anyone but you.

Of Many Names (4 of 6)

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Beelzebub-”lord of the house”

It’s clear that the deceiver is the ruler of this fallen world. It falls further into chaos every day. This is also translated as the “lord of dung” or “lord of flies”. We need to realize that this house called earth is outside of Heaven, it is fallen. Sin has taken what God created and made it a shadow of its original design. We were meant to be in fellowship with God as Adam and Eve were. That was God’s desire and original intention. Then the lord of this earth, banished from Heaven and adversary of God, stepped in to darken the hearts of man. He wanted to taint this world with idols that suit man’s fallen sense of satisfaction. He allows people to prosper so that they have no physical need for God. He blankets their hearts with lesser things and causes them to grow hard. He lets other people see what prospering in his house looks like and they miss that we are meant for so much more. They become blind to what is on God’s table, and settle for the scraps left to the deceiver. Choose to be a child of the God of Heaven and not a servant to the lord of this fallen, ugly world.

 

Of Many Names (3 of 6)

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Satan- “adversary”

Upon expulsion from Heaven God gave him the name satan. In his retaliation against God he became the adversary and was given a name to identify him. This quality is the easiest way to identify his work on earth. If something it is not of God, it is contradictory to His word and character. It is the work of the adversary. God created all things for His glory. He created us to be in loving relationship with Him. Anything that takes us away from focusing or relying on God is the work of the one who looks to destroy God’s design. Namely SIN. Examine your life and see what it is that takes precedence over God’s Lordship. What holes in your heart are filled with things that aren’t Jesus? God is the God of Heaven, satan is the ruler of this world. Satan being the adversary means that worldly things seek to satisfy a longing in your heart, designed for God, and draw you way. Focusing on pleasure that falls short of God’s eternal fulfillment puts you on a path away from God, which is toward His adversary.

 

Of Many Names (2 of 6)

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Lucifer- “morning star”

This was his name when he was in Heaven. He was the highest of all angels. People think of him as ugly/with horns/long tail. That’s one of his deceptions. The truth is that he is physically beautiful, tempting, falsely fulfilling. He will be the most beautiful thing anyone gets to know unless they seek the Creator. His fall came when his pride separated him from God. He became jealous over God’s most prized creation. Now that he is banished from Heaven he seeks to destroy the relationship God created us to have with Him. The deceiver looks to discredit God and take away His glory, which is the entire reason we are here. There is a battle for your heart that originated in Heaven. This fallen angel is a roaring lion that prowls seeking to devour the objects of his envy. (1 Peter 5:8)

 

Of Many Names (1 of 6)

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                The Bible refers to God using many names. It does this so that we can see the many characteristics of an unimaginable God.

-EL, ELOAH [el, el-oh-ah]: God “mighty, strong, prominent” (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 139:19)

–ELOHIM [el-oh-heem]: God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33)

-EL SHADDAI [el-shah-dahy]: “God Almighty” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5)

-ADONAI [ˌædɒˈnaɪ; ah-daw-nahy]: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15)

-YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH [yah-way / ji-hoh-veh]: “LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, “Lord.”

 

            The Old Testament does the same. Names have meaning. When we read the word of God, and look into when a particular name is used to refer to a person, the richness of their character adds to the meaning God looks in convey in His word. This holds especially true for the people who are so complex that they have more than one name. I sought to convey this using God as an example above, but my focus is on the deceiver. His many names are important because they show a believer the character of their biggest enemy. I want to stick to the big four, but research will give us so many more.

 

First Sin Gave Away Our Power

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Adam Gave It Away

                I was considering the fallenness of the earth and the fact that the earth is under the control of satan. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. (2 Corinthians 4:4) The world falls deeper into the chaos of sin every day. People think of sin as the big things (murder, assault, rape, etc.), but in fact the world is covered in sin when you compare us to the holiness of God. The world God gave us was covered in His glory, and it was very good! And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31) The world has fallen into darkness (away from God’s light) and its sinfulness is so prevalent that people don’t recognize it anymore. Sin has become normal and everyone is desensitized to it.

                I began working through Genesis today for a group study and had a thought in regards to all of this. God gave the world to Adam and Eve. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion… (Genesis 1:28) Adam and Eve were given dominion over all of the earth and its creatures! But above we see that satan is the god of this world. We have to realize that Adam gave satan this world in original sin. In God’s light Adam ruled over all of God’s creation, but in sinful darkness, satan is lord. I say this to illustrate how sin gives the deceiver power. Sin gives him a foot hold in the lives of all people. When hearts are turned back to God and made pure in the blood of Jesus, satan is defeated. God’s light drives out darkness. The same goes for your mind, heart, and life. Give God control of everything and walk in His light. Satan doesn’t have dominion over you if you refuse to give it to him, in sin. Don’t make the same mistakes we see in Adam. Let him be our example and let Jesus be our way out. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can you escape the darkness. The Spirit of God is yours in Jesus. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:17-19)

Fallibilty of FEAR (Conclusion/10 of 10)

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Conclusion

When emotions run high and fear creeps in: stop in the silence/stillness of God. (1)Identify what is real, (2) what this can teach us, (3) how God can act through this, and (4) how we can show God to others in that moment.

  • (1) Ask God to speak truth to your heart. Know that you are prone to sin and the temptation to react without guidance. Be honest and show humility when you examine your own heart. Seek to discover what is real so proper action can be taken.
  • (2) After we know the real emotion, find its purpose in your situation. What can it teach us about ourselves? What can it teach us about others? What can it teach us about our role in this situation (are we to learn or be an example to teach others)? Every situation is a chance to learn!
  • (3) Can you identify how God is acting through the situation? Who is He spurring toward growth or realization? What defenses are being broken down or weakened? Is He drawing people closer to Him? Is He providing provision that might be missed in the presence of high emotion?
  • (4) How can you be His example? Maybe God has brought you a difficult situation so that you might show others the power of the Spirit in your life, what reliance of God really looks like. Being an example of God creates more change than being a person of words. God let Lazarus die, which brought Jesus to tears. He did this so that He might be glorified when Jesus brought Him back to life! 

Fallibility of FEAR (Anxiety/9 of 10)

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Fear as Anxiety

Anxiety is the fear that letting go of control will somehow cause things to fall into chaos. We must always remember that God in always in control. That’s a great thing considering that His will for us is always better than what we can imagine for ourselves. The fear of letting control leave our hands causes so much undo stress. Most of the time the anxiety starts with one subject and then spreads to many. Eventually we end up in a constant state of anxiousness which effects our daily function both internally and in regards to the people around us. People falsely assume that others can’t do what they can or do it as completely. They must choose to trust others and embrace the opportunity to help that person if a mistake is made. More importantly they must trust God and His provision, just as He trusts His chosen to carry out His work on earth.