While we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10)
After I had driven home the point that nobody or nothing can keep us from being what God wants us to be, one of my students gave me this nugget of truth from an unknown author.
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centred.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritualist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations (Deuteronomy 18:9)
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth (Ephesians 6:14)
Persons in bondage are not liberated by what I do as the pastor/counsellor, but what they do with my help. It's not what I believe that breaks the bonds; it's what they believe, confess, renounce and forgive. Notice the progressive logic of Scripture:
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil (Hebrews 5:14)
I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you (2 Corinthians 7:16)
When I was 14 years old my family moved off the farm in Minnesota where I was born. But I never adjusted to our new home in Arizona. When I was only 15 my parents let me take a bus back to Minnesota to work on the farm for the summer. The following summer I drove an old car back to Minnesota by myself. The family I stayed with asked if I would like to live with them and finish high school in Minnesota. To my great joy my parents said it was okay.
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
The one who practises righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous; the one who practises sin is of the devil (1 John 3:7,8).
All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted (Mark 11:24).
If God wants it done, can it be done? Yes! "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). If God wants me to do it, can I do it? Of course! 'I can do all things through Him who strengthens me' (Philippians 4:13).
The devil does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature for he is a liar, and the father of lies (John 8:44).
Satan's power is in the lie. He has no power over you except what you given him when you believe his lies. You break his power when you expose the lie. Scripture says, 'We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one' (1 John 5:19).