Daily Devotional

INTERNAL INTERFERENCE

We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6)

People who know they are having spiritual problems usually have severe perceptual problems too. Satan seems to be more present, real and powerful to them. These types of people usually hear opposing arguments in their head. They are constantly confronted with lies, told to get out of the counselling setting, or threatened with harm or embarrassment.

SEATED WITH CHRIST

God made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6)

A BLAMELESS CONSCIENCE

I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men (Acts 24:16).

HOPE FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:2,3).

THE OPERATING PRINCIPLE OF LIFE

And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22).

The sun is perhaps the most credible object of faith for the world. It appears to be immutable. It has always been there, 24 hours of every day, 365 days a year. Without the sun, people couldn't live. If the sun didn't rise tomorrow morning, what would happen to the world's faith? All of humanity would be thrown into confusion.

IGNORING THE ENEMY

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him (Colossians 2:6)

There are three ways of responding to the demonic taunts and barbs being thrown at you during your daily walk with Christ, and two of these ways are wrong.

RENEWING YOUR MIND

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2)

If the strongholds in your mind are the result of conditioning, then you can be reconditioned by the renewing of your mind. Anything that has been learned can be unlearned. Certainly this is the major path of renewal in the New Testament. Through the preaching of God's Word, Bible study and personal discipleship, you stop being conformed to this world and experience the transformation of the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).

RECOGNIZING YOUR STRONGHOLD

I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Hostility is a stronghold. Plan A from God develops the character and the knowledge to love your enemy, pray for him, and turn the other cheek. If you cannot help being pugnacious or argumentative in a threatening situation, it's because you have learned to cope that way and your Plan B response has become entrenched as a stronghold.

WHEN STRONGHOLDS BECOME ENTRENCHED

No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:4)

AT THE THRESHOLD OF TEMPTATION

The grace of God has appeared instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age (Titus 2:11,12)