The Devil Is Real
Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:9-11.
Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan. 1 Timothy 5:15.
Faith is used not only to obtain good and marvelous things from God but to keep our adversary, Satan, when he comes in like a flood and tries to overwhelm us by his onslaughts, at bay. As a result through faith we can not only have great victories over Satan but great victories from God from standing on His promises and quoting His word. Our feelings and inadequacies have nothing to do with God. He doesn’t look at or consider them but only at our faith. Even though there are many hindrances to faith, but when we are tempted, or a delay has come, we and still and wait upon God who is faithful and true and has promised to deliver us and answer our prayers. His word is true:
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:15-19
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1Corinthians 10:13
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Hebrews 11:31-34
God has more than enough for anything we need - be it salvation healing, salvation, baptism with the Holy Ghost, deliverance from bondage, miracle ministries, or anything else. And through faith kingdoms are subdued, righteousness worked, promises obtained, the mouths of lions stopped, the violence of fire quenched, the edge of the sword escaped, strength comes to weakness, become valiant in battle, and turn to flight the armies of the aliens. So we are not to take our faith or the use of our faith lightly as prayer and faith accomplish things which are impossible with men but not impossible with God. And Satan knows all this and he does everything to try to prevent God’s miracles and answers from becoming a reality from using sin, discouragement, persecution, oppression, sickness, diseases and other negative things to stop the Christian from believing and trusting God. Secret sins can and do destroy faith and hinder a person from receiving healing and other deliverance as well.
The devil also knows that if a person becomes self righteous or hurts other people that will prevent God from keeping His promises to him. Many people are quick to see the faults of others, but are blind to any faults of their own. With this spirit, one cannot have faith for healing, for deliverance of any kind --- God will not give faith to a self-righteous person. Many people pass through many healing lines and are not healed not because of lack of faith, but because they have not confessed their faults to God. They have not been honest to find out what was the root cause of their sickness even though God’s word tells them:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:21-26
For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:30-32
Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:17-20
Yes, people, fools, get sick because of their transgression and because of their iniquities and when they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, He saves them out of their distresses. He sent His word and heals them, and delivers them from their destructions. Hence the Word of God states:
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:14-16
Those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof (1 Timothy 3:5) are wonderful ground for the doctrines of men and demons to take root in their lives and for the devil to bring all kinds of negative things in their lives and pretend that it is the will of God when it’s all from the pit of hell including poverty, loss, sickness, diseases, sorrow and grief. Those who do not believe in the miracle-working power of God and deny that there is any such power cannot be true sons and daughters of God because He always was and is a miracle working God. Such unbelievers who are full of erroneous teaching and do not possess the power of God in their own lives, make excuses for themselves by adjusting the teaching of the scriptures to their own thinking. Peter tells us these kind of wicked people wrest the scriptures to their own destruction. God’s word is unchanging:
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:15-18.
He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"-' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, "making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:6-13
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5
Sickness, destruction, and dearth ARE NOT the will of God for His people. IT IS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL. Not once in all His earthly ministry did Jesus ever command any person be to sick, although He commanded many to be well, and healed them with His Word. Not once did a sick person come to Him asking to be healed and received the answer, “It is God’s will for you to remain sick for His glory.” There is no place in the Word of God where sickness is declared to be an evidence of God’s favor.
The God who healed and delivered Job and restored all his real losses has not and doesn’t change. And He will do the same for all those who trust Him for it. The reward of obedience and faith is health and healing for God’s word is unchanging:
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." Exodus 15:24-26
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2
A note on healing:
"All things are possible to him that believes."
We aren't waiting for God, God is waiting for us. (God never has 'doubt' )
What would it take for you to believe that God would heal you ?
For some,... just knowing that God is NOT the author of pain is a big enough step.
If Jesus ALWAYS did the will of his Father - then why did Jesus heal ANYONE ? (Unless, of course, it IS the will of God ).
You see,... if 'god' made people sick, then Jesus was 'undoing' God's work.
And still,... why didn't Jesus make ANYONE forcibly ill - and say stuff like "... oh, you need to be more humble, so I will make you ill - and somehow, you will come back to God."
JESUS NEVER DID THAT.
In fact, this is what scripture says repeatedly,...
"He went about healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil" ( not 'oppressed of God', but the devil
It also says "He healed ALL manner of sickness and disease."
The only places in scripture where people did not get healed, was because 'they' did not believe. And it is the ONLY thing required to receive from God.
Make no mistake about it,... it is the absolute will of God that you be healed of ALL manner of sickness and ALL manner of disease.
Now, the real question is,... do you BELIEVE that, or not?
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians 2:9-11.
Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some have already turned aside after Satan. 1 Timothy 5:15.
Faith is used not only to obtain good and marvelous things from God but to keep our adversary, Satan, when he comes in like a flood and tries to overwhelm us by his onslaughts, at bay. As a result through faith we can not only have great victories over Satan but great victories from God from standing on His promises and quoting His word. Our feelings and inadequacies have nothing to do with God. He doesn’t look at or consider them but only at our faith. Even though there are many hindrances to faith, but when we are tempted, or a delay has come, we and still and wait upon God who is faithful and true and has promised to deliver us and answer our prayers. His word is true:
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:15-19
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1Corinthians 10:13
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Hebrews 11:31-34
God has more than enough for anything we need - be it salvation healing, salvation, baptism with the Holy Ghost, deliverance from bondage, miracle ministries, or anything else. And through faith kingdoms are subdued, righteousness worked, promises obtained, the mouths of lions stopped, the violence of fire quenched, the edge of the sword escaped, strength comes to weakness, become valiant in battle, and turn to flight the armies of the aliens. So we are not to take our faith or the use of our faith lightly as prayer and faith accomplish things which are impossible with men but not impossible with God. And Satan knows all this and he does everything to try to prevent God’s miracles and answers from becoming a reality from using sin, discouragement, persecution, oppression, sickness, diseases and other negative things to stop the Christian from believing and trusting God. Secret sins can and do destroy faith and hinder a person from receiving healing and other deliverance as well.
The devil also knows that if a person becomes self righteous or hurts other people that will prevent God from keeping His promises to him. Many people are quick to see the faults of others, but are blind to any faults of their own. With this spirit, one cannot have faith for healing, for deliverance of any kind --- God will not give faith to a self-righteous person. Many people pass through many healing lines and are not healed not because of lack of faith, but because they have not confessed their faults to God. They have not been honest to find out what was the root cause of their sickness even though God’s word tells them:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.
"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Matthew 5:21-26
For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:30-32
Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:17-20
Yes, people, fools, get sick because of their transgression and because of their iniquities and when they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, He saves them out of their distresses. He sent His word and heals them, and delivers them from their destructions. Hence the Word of God states:
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:14-16
Those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof (1 Timothy 3:5) are wonderful ground for the doctrines of men and demons to take root in their lives and for the devil to bring all kinds of negative things in their lives and pretend that it is the will of God when it’s all from the pit of hell including poverty, loss, sickness, diseases, sorrow and grief. Those who do not believe in the miracle-working power of God and deny that there is any such power cannot be true sons and daughters of God because He always was and is a miracle working God. Such unbelievers who are full of erroneous teaching and do not possess the power of God in their own lives, make excuses for themselves by adjusting the teaching of the scriptures to their own thinking. Peter tells us these kind of wicked people wrest the scriptures to their own destruction. God’s word is unchanging:
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:15-18.
He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men-the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do." He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban"-' (that is, a gift to God), "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, "making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." Mark 7:6-13
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 1:5
Sickness, destruction, and dearth ARE NOT the will of God for His people. IT IS THE WORK OF THE DEVIL. Not once in all His earthly ministry did Jesus ever command any person be to sick, although He commanded many to be well, and healed them with His Word. Not once did a sick person come to Him asking to be healed and received the answer, “It is God’s will for you to remain sick for His glory.” There is no place in the Word of God where sickness is declared to be an evidence of God’s favor.
The God who healed and delivered Job and restored all his real losses has not and doesn’t change. And He will do the same for all those who trust Him for it. The reward of obedience and faith is health and healing for God’s word is unchanging:
So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them. And there He tested them, and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you." Exodus 15:24-26
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14-15.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2
A note on healing:
"All things are possible to him that believes."
We aren't waiting for God, God is waiting for us. (God never has 'doubt' )
What would it take for you to believe that God would heal you ?
For some,... just knowing that God is NOT the author of pain is a big enough step.
If Jesus ALWAYS did the will of his Father - then why did Jesus heal ANYONE ? (Unless, of course, it IS the will of God ).
You see,... if 'god' made people sick, then Jesus was 'undoing' God's work.
And still,... why didn't Jesus make ANYONE forcibly ill - and say stuff like "... oh, you need to be more humble, so I will make you ill - and somehow, you will come back to God."
JESUS NEVER DID THAT.
In fact, this is what scripture says repeatedly,...
"He went about healing ALL that were oppressed of the devil" ( not 'oppressed of God', but the devil
It also says "He healed ALL manner of sickness and disease."
The only places in scripture where people did not get healed, was because 'they' did not believe. And it is the ONLY thing required to receive from God.
Make no mistake about it,... it is the absolute will of God that you be healed of ALL manner of sickness and ALL manner of disease.
Now, the real question is,... do you BELIEVE that, or not?
Free Christian Ebooks http://walthope.tripod.com
http://walthope.wordpress.com
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