JULY 5

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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Romans 8:37-39

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ephesians 6:10-12

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (Amplified version for clarity)

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].  But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him],  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].”

Mark 16:15

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

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We are reading a book by Corrie ten Boom, with daily recordings she made to broadcast over Trans World Radio.  Her Dutch family  sheltered Jews during the Nazi invasion of Holland.  As a result, she, her sister Betsy and their father were taken to concentration camps in Germany. The Lord did many miracles to allow both Corrie and Betsy to bring the Gospel to the other women in their camp.   Their father was murdered in an extermination camp and Betsy was sick, dying just two weeks before Corrie and the rest were freed.  After her freedom, Corrie traveled the world, telling everyone even in remote areas, about salvation through Christ, besides radio and writing many books.  This one is entitled, “Not I, but Christ.”

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VICTORY IN BATTLE

Once a while ago, a boy in one of my clubs had to go into military service.  He and his father had a confectioner’s shop.  One night he was called, along with other soldiers, to leave immediately, “there is war,” they were told.  He did not believe it and thought:  Another of those stupid maneuvers.  Instead of bullets, he put chocolate bars into his pouch, thinking he would comfort his comrades with these, because they had to go out in the middle of the night.  But then he learned that war had really broken out. He was lucky his superiors never heard of what he had done.

A heavy battle is coming, and perhaps it has begun already; the battle between Jesus Christ and Antichrist.  Every child of God is or will be on the front line.  Do we intend to fight with chocolate or with bullets? 

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12).

Are we standing in the strength of the power of Jesus Christ?  Or do we intend fighting with the chocolate bars of idealism, philosophy, humanism, or religious piety,  which is our own endeavors and efforts?  In Acts 1:8 Jesus said:  “You shall receive power, after  the Holy Ghost has come upon you….”

The armor of Ephesians 6 has no cover for the back.  God cannot use deserters!  In  2 Timothy 2:5, Paul tells Timothy:

“And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

On Golgotha’s cross, when Jesus bore the sin of the world – your and my sins too – He conquered the devil.  There Satan went bankrupt.  Jesus had twelve disciples – eleven martyrs, one deserter, a traitor, “Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”  Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:3.

There is power because of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible tells us to be filled with God’s Spirit.  It is not only a matter of your having the Holy Spirit, but of the Holy Spirit having you!

The Bible is full of promises of power and victory:  “More than conquerors.”  And “the power of His might.”

Now we must also live and fight as richly and strongly as we are in Jesus Christ!  What do you benefit if you have a million dollars and live as a poor beggar?  We must live the life that suits our wealth!  A Christian’s life-style must be one of victory, of joy, of abundance – a life given to us by Jesus Christ from God’s fullness.  We must not draw from OUR possibilities, but from GOD’S possibilities, not hang on to OUR limited strength, but to HIS immeasurable strength.

The Bible speaks of putting on the new man.  Conversion and new birth are needed for that.  The Lord Jesus said:  “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3), and he cannot enter.  We must not remain weak children of God, needing help.  We must cash the checks written in the Bible to our names:  inexpressible riches, love passing all understanding!

The new man must begin to live in us and he has a path to travel.  Yes, but which way?  Jesus Christ is THE way.  Instead of a self-centered life, there will be a God-centered life.  Paul called this self-centered life the old nature.  It is necessary that we come to know our old nature.  That meeting is not always pleasant!  To patch up our old nature is like building a nice façade, with fresh paint and clean curtains, but the interior is a ramshackle.

But he or she who wants conversion must open the door and let the Lord Jesus enter, showing everything to Him, not hiding anything!  This is called being convicted of sin, and that is something different from knowing that at times we do something wrong.  He who has this meeting with Jesus and is willing to accept the consequences will find a new form of life!  He puts on the new nature; he is a new creature!

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You want to do it.  I cannot do it.  This old nature of mine is so tough, so strong.  But it is wonderful that You will make the new nature, that You are willing to live in us by the Holy Spirit and that, therefore, we stand on victory ground in our battle with the numerous powers of darkness.  Hallelujah!  Amen

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