The Understanding that Leads to Victory – Purity 1486
Purity 1486 10/25/2024 Purity 1486 Audio Podcast
Purity 1486 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, It’s Friday, thank God, and while we all like the idea of getting of “what we deserve” when it comes to the spiritual aspect of our lives, we have to remember that because of our sins, we deserve punishment in hell, so we shouldn’t be overly concerned with fighting for “our rights” and getting what’s coming to us, unless of course we are seeking a deeper relationship with God and receiving His precious promises.
While we shouldn’t look at the Lord as our genie in a bottle and demand his unmerited favor to meet our every desire, we should seek the Lord and His righteousness to receive the abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10.
John 10:10 (NKJV) says
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Of course, this verse presents the “precious promise of an abundant life” with the warning that the “thief”, Satan, wants to steal, kill, and destroy – us – and our efforts to know a life of peace, love, joy, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, patience and self-control that comes from walking in the Spirit.
So we have to understand how to fight – not for our rights – as much as how to take on and defeat Satan and his efforts to deceive us and lead us into sin, bondage, and condemnation.
The bad news is that Satan has been around a long time and knows our weaknesses and in our flesh we are doomed to failure against him.
But the good news is that Jesus has defeated Satan and if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive His authority and power, through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, to resist the devil and to experience our freedom in Christ.
The Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah devotional for today talks about Satan and how he is defeated already and I am sharing it on the blog today to remind us that even though we are weak in the flesh, we can be strong in the spirit when we know Jesus and fight our battles with God as our ally. David Jeremiah writes:
“The End of the Age
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations…and to gather them for battle.
Revelation 20:7-8, NIV.
The Coming Golden Age will end with one final rebellion against God. For reasons we don’t fully understand, Satan will be released from his prison and deceive many people once again. He will try to reenact the Battle of Armageddon, hoping for a better outcome. John said, “But fire came down from heaven and devoured them” (Revelation 20:9, NIV). At last the devil will be tossed into hell with the Beast and False Prophet, and we’ll be rid of him for good—forever!
As we engage in spiritual warfare now, let’s keep our eyes on the Victor. Jesus defeated Satan by His death and resurrection. The victory is already ours. John, the author of the book of Revelation, also said, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true” (1 John 5:19-20, NIV).
Rejoice today, for the Victor is near us!” – David Jeremiah
You are not fighting for victory, but from victory, for Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan! – Warren Wiersbe
The world has its own ideas about “the end times” but the Bible tells us the truth of Jesus’ return and 1,000 year reign before one final battle where Satan is thrown into hell!
Satan is NOT the king of Hell but will one day be its most notorious prisoner. While still influencing the world for evil, Satan and his demons are already defeated and will be judged and punished in the future. s
But Satan will try to take people to hell with him and will try to stop Christians from experiencing their freedom and realizing their purpose in Christ. The enemy lies, tempts, accuses, and condemns mankind to keep people enslaved to their sins and negative mind states (strongholds).
But God sent Jesus to set the captives free and if we submit to God and resist the devil, with the authority and power that Jesus gives us, we can live in freedom and be used by God to help others to know the love of God and the joy of salvation, eternal life, and victorious living.
Jesus gave us a new life, power, authority, and understanding but we must use it to overcome the schemes of the enemy.
So stand fast in the understanding of who you are in Christ and be bold to declare it as you overcome the darkness of the past and experience the light and power of your new life in Christ Jesus!
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verses come from the section on Friendships.
Proverbs 25:11-12 (NASB) 11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. 12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear.
Today’s verses are the first of two passages that fall under the sixth point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on Friendships.
6. A true friend is one who may hurt you at times for your good.
Today’s Bible verses express the truth that even a reproving word (a reprimanding or a rebuking word) can sound precious to us if it is told in the right circumstances and we are listening.
The truth hurts and we always hurt the ones we love and, if we truly love someone, we should be bold and courageous and speak the truth in love to them and seek to correct them when they are violating God’s law or living in opposition to His truth.
Some one living apart from God or living in a lifestyle of sin is suffering, even if they don’t feel it or realize it. We often are drawn to sinful actions as bad strategy to help cope with pain. While we may know of the negative consequences of drugs, alcohol, overeating, or lust, our desires can overrule our reason, and we really need someone to say something to wake us up to the compromised life we are living.
So follow the indicated instructions of today’s proverbs by seeking to reprove our sinful friends and neighbors by choosing the right time (when they are able to listen) to lovingly talk to them about how their attitudes and actions aren’t representing the person that God made them to be. Come with care, understanding, and love but go with the intention of helping others to find the light and to move out of the darkness of sin and death.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
MORNING READING: REVELATION 7
“They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat.”
– Revelation 7:16
This is going to be the enjoyed portion of all the God-fearing people who shall come out of the great tribulation (v. 14).
Actually, this will be the experience of all who dwell in the presence of Christ, for there is no such thing as hunger, thirst, or weariness in His presence. When here on earth Jesus said, “He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). He also said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28) – those laboring under the scorching heat of the sun and sin. And in a measure, all true believers experience the truth of the above verse even now.
O Lord, how much more so will we experience these
truths when we are in those bright realms of bliss![1]
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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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