Fight Back

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came
that they may have life and have it abundantly."!!!!

David and  his men lose their families while fighting and return to see
their town burned and their families captured.

All of them are devastated and morn their loss. Then their anger turns
on David and he is blamed.  David turns to God for help as the people
talk of killing him. David not only has lost his family, city and the
respect of his men. Now his own life is in danger. His life is at rock
bottom.

But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
Don't give up. Don't ever give up. Don't even think about giving up.
When you are on God's side you are more than a conquer. Nothing can
stop the power of God. Nothing can stop His love.

Then David asks if he should pursue the band? God said, "you will
overtake them and rescue all."

David goes after the band with his 600 men. 200 are too tired to continue
on to the fight. So 400 move into the attack. Remember they had been
marching to battle allied with the Philistines and then retreated back
to Ziglag, when they weren't trusted. Then they turn around and march
the other way.

By chance, but I don't believe in chance, God lets them find an Egyptian
wondering in the desert without food or water. They feed him and when
his strength returns attacked Ziglag. He agrees to lead David to the band.

David and his men find them spread all over the land in a wild party.
The attack is at twilight and the battle rages for 24 hours. All were
slaughtered but 400 that got away on camels.

God wants us to take back what we have lost to Satan. There is no power
that will stop us as we are led by God. The gates of hell can't prevail
against Godly people attacking. We can go into hell holes on earth and
take back what has been stolen.

God's ways are different now then they were in the Old Testament. But
battles rage none the less. We may conquer when we cooperate with the
Spirit of God. using His weapons.




Eph 6 weapons
Helmet of salvation - We have the mind of Christ. The Holy Spirit will
remind us whatever Christ has spoken to us. Be renewed in the spirit of
your mind. The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Let your mind
dwell on what is good. Meditate on the Word day nd night.

Girdle of truth. Jesus is the way the turth and the life. Jesus wrote the
Bible. The Bible is God's word. The Bible is anointed by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.

Breastplate of righteousness. We are saved, not on the basis of our
works, but the work of Christ on the Cross. We stand not on what we do,
but rely on the blood of Jesus.

Shield of Faith - We act according to Jesus has spoken to us. We accept
not the present circumstances but what God has promised.

Sword of the Spirit - Use the Bible as directed by the Holy Spirit.

Shoes - We are prepared to share the gospel as we are led by the Holy Spirit.

We pray - There is real power in prayer.

2 Cor 10:3-5 weapons

We don't fight just in a nice church building but to bring victory where:
lost souls
sickness
despair
doubt
hopeless
weakness
desperation
fear
hunger
weariness
poverty
are ruling and destroying lives.


There are 4 points to spiritual vitality
light - truth, the Bible correct doctrines
love  - action and care for the unlovable. Not ignoring the problem but
doing something to solve it.
prayer - communion with God both talking and listening
praise - having an attitude of thankfulness no matter what is happening.
attitude of looking at the promise and not the circumstance.

This video on youtube is a great illustration of fighting back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

Promise of Victory Psalm 125

Why would God give us a sword and shield if we were not in a fight?


Psalm 125 Those who trust in the Lord will not be moved. Ps 125:1 The scepter of wickedness will not rest on the land (promise) of the righteous. Ps 125:3


Here in Psalm 125 is a promise that we will not be moved from the promise of God.


Unfortunately Satan does play by the rules. If we know who we are in Christ and the power of Christ within us, we can dislodge Satan our enemy and gain the victory.


1 The force of faith of perseverance, expectation, speaking and acting on the word of God. Rom 16:19,20; Romans 10:9,10
2 The violence of the kingdom. Matt 11:12
3 The perseverance of the saints. Rev 14:11,12
3 The prayer of faith. James 5:15
4 Casting down strongholds. 2 Cor 10:3-5
5 Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor 10:3-5
6 Persistence of standing on the promises. Eph 6:13
7 Being led by love of God and others and the peace of God. Isaiah 55:12; 1 Peter 1:22
8. The blood of Jesus, our testimony of Christ and love Rev 12:11


Proverbs says that if a person steals from us we get 7 fold back Proverbs 6:30,31. Isaiah says that if we are under loss we will get a double portion. Isaiah 61:7 We can cast out the enemy and gain more than if he just left us alone. So in view of this, we can relish a fight, looking for the reward to come. God will crush Satan under our feet. Romans 16:19,20

Not that we would want to fight, but if a fight comes, we can know we will be rewarded for it.

Live ready. Luke 12:35

Charles Capps The Tongue A Creative Force - Notes

It's not christian science, it's Christian sense.

-don't deny the existence of the mountain, deny the right for it to exist in your way. Live by faith not by sight. You see the mountain but when you get there it will be gone.

-Jesus said you can have what you say, and you say its getting worse or its still there. You will have what you say.

-Plant the seed. Prayer without faith won't work.

-Grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of the word. 2 Pt. 1:2

-2 Cor 4:13 faith speaks.

-2 Pt 1:3 God has given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness.

-If you say what God says until it gets into your spirit then you'll get it.

-James 1:21 the word of God grafted into your spirit will save you.

-2 Pt 1:4 we are partakers of the divine nature by the promises.

-The tongue can stop the course of nature.

-Everything can be tamed by the tongue.

-Man can't tame the tongue but we can speak by the spirit.

-Peter's tongue changed after Pentecost.

-Don't deny disease, deny the right of the disease to live in your body.

-We are free from the curse.

-I beg your pardon, the Word says you are healed.

-How you feel has nothing to do with God preforming His word.

-They prayed in faith, I know they prayed in faith and I believe God, I'm getting up in the name of Jesus. (While they don't feel any different)

If you have lack and you confess the word of God which says God supplies all your needs. Are you telling a lie or are you confessing the truth? God's word is truth.

There is a process of weeding out religious traditions from the truth.

And having done all to stand. Watch what you say and stand. Stand on the word and your confession.

-Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Watch your idle words.

-If you don't feel healed, go to the Word of God and get some feelings.

-Prov 4:22 God's word is healing to all our flesh. WOW

Romans 3:4 "that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings?  When people would disbelieve what we say in faith!

-!-! Matt 10:32 If we confess God before men Jesus will confess us to the Father. And if we are confessed before the Father we will have the answer. 1 Jn 5:14,15

-When the dry winds of doubt come just proclaim more boldly what God has said to your spirit.

-Speak what God says and not what you think.

-Putting the tongue to our faith ignites it to power. The word of His power. Hebrews 1:3

-Acts 1:8 we receive power by Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit causes us to be witnesses of the word of God.

-We overcome the world by our faith. Faith works from obedience. And obedience starts with our confession.

-Proverbs 6:2 You are ensnared by the words of your mouth.

-God releases His faith in words. Heb 1:3; 11:3 Gen 1:. We are to imitate God Eph 5:1 so talk and act like God.

-We are doing the binding, and God stands behind what we say in faith. Matt 16:19 Mark 11:22-24

-Words are containers they carry faith or fear and they produce after their kind.

-Prov 4:20-22 Ps 107:20 God's word is medicine to all our flesh.

Your faith can't rise beyond your confession.

Judge Ehud

Judges 3:9-30 After the first judge of Israel, Othniel, died,

Israel again turned away from the Lord and followed after other

gods.

We don't have idols in this day, but we do have things that we

put in front of God. How do we know if we put something in

front of God? It is when we are living for our time with God to

be over so we can do the things we want to do. It is when we

are praying but can't keep our mind on prayer because of our

desire to do other things. It is when we look at disdain at
spending time with the Lord.

v12 So the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab.

When we neglect the Lord, the things of this world will control

us and take over, and we will live in subject to them.

It is when the Israelites cried out to the Lord that a deliverer

was raised up. Don't neglect the Lord and when we find ourselves

under bondage we should cry to the Lord and He will raise up a

deliverance for us.

Isaiah 62:6,7 "On your walls O Jerusalem I have appointed

watchmen. All day and all night they will never keep silent.

You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves and give

Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in

the earth."

We live in the New covenant now. We don't have to beg God to

answer. But we do need to stand against Satan. And this is what

we should do. Eglon gathered other armies and defeated Israel
and possessed the city of the Palm trees.

The city of the Palm trees could have been Jericho. But that

city was torn down by Joshua at the beginning of the invasion

of the promised land. Deut 34:3 refers to Jericho as having

palm trees. It could be south of the city; there was a

settlement there.

Ehud was the deliverer for Israel. He made for himself a sword.

He did not go buy a sword. He made it himself. Now this might
have been the norm. But when you make something you understand
it better. When you make something you appreciate it more.
When you make something it means more to you. When you make
something it is special.

Now, he was not making something that would sit up on the shelf.

He was making something that was going to be used. So he made

it specifically for the job at hand. 

The two-edged sword is a type of the word of God. Heb 4:12 For

the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Isa 41:15

God has made for us a new sharp threshing sledge. With it we

will pulverize the mountains and make the hills like chaff.

God's word will destroy our enemies. The hills and mountains are

types of the trials that come our way. And the word of God will

make riddance of them. Jesus has a two-edged sword coming out of

His mouth in the book of Revelation.

The word of God is a weapon when we believe it and confess it

and use it to our advantage.

When we are in the word of God we are in the Spirit. For John

6:63 says the Words Jesus speaks to us are spirit and the are

life.

Ehud bound the sword on his right leg so he could reach it

easily with his left hand being left handed. In the same way we

can prepare the Word of God in our hearts to access it when we

need it. Study to show yourself approved unto God 2 Tim 2:15

There are areas in our life that need the attention of the

Scriptures. With this attention we can walk in faith and slay

the enemy by the use of the sword of God.

It is not just having the word of God, but we need to practice

using it. It is by this practice that we discern the will of God

and renew our minds to use the Word of God when life

throws trials at us. Rom 12:2

Eglon was a very fat man. Our enemy is not so strong that we

can't defeat Him as we walk in the authority God has given us.

We have the victory in Christ. Greater is He that is in us than

he that is in the world 1 Jn. 4:4 This fat man could not

defend himself against the word of God. When you look at

Scripture there is nothing that can withstand the word of God.

Rom 1:16 the word of God is the power of salvation. Even when

people reject it they can't stop its work. Some of the most

unlikely people get saved. Why? Because of the working of the

Word of God.

v28 After God has given us the victory in prayer we need to

walk it out. Walk it out with faith that as God has answered

your prayer He will support you as you accomplish the work He

has for you to do. Live in expectation. Live in joy of the

victory. Expect God to work with you with signs.

How Long?

Psalm 13 How long? How Long? How long? How long?
How long, O Lord?
Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul?
Having sorrow in my heart all the day.

How long will my enemies be exaulted over me?

4 how longs. This is a psalm of David and he expresses exasperation of a lack of an answer to prayer.

Forgot me forever - No answer and the sky seems like brass. His prayers are to nothing no answer no consolation.

Without an answer there does not seem to be a God up there. God hides his face.
When David asks God hides. Why?

Take counsel in my soul. To consider why this trial has come. All the day. The pain beings up the problem David is not able to forget.

How long will his enemy be exaulted over him? David does not have the answer. He is wondering why not. He is oppressed by the enemy.

B U T

This new word will do a wonderful work in our heart. The complaint should not end, with a complaint.
But
1. I have trustred.
But
2. My heart shall rejoice.
But
I will sing.
Why this turn of events?
David is a man after God's own heart. 1 Sam 13:14 Acts 13:22 And what does God's heart delight in? He delights in faith. Faith to obey. Faith to trust.
Hebrews 11:6

David trusts in God's lovingkindness.
David's heart shall rejoice in God's salvation.
He expresses his trust and heart rejoicing with singing.

And why does David respond to the seemingly forgetfulness of God. The removal of God's presence from him. The enemies exaulting over him.

David confesses that God has dealt bountifully with him in the midst of God seemingly to forget him. David sings to God in the face of God seemingly being far from him. David rejoices in the midst of his enemies being exaulted over him.

Why because David believes God. He expresses his belief in the midst of turmoil and trial and seemingly defeat by rejoicing, singing and trusting. He confesses that God has delt bountifuly with him. Not a woe is me but God will come through. BUT He trusts and rejoices in God in the very midst of trial, forgetfulness and opression.

He expresses faith in the midst of adversity by trusting singing rejoicing and confessing God's provision.

This is how we stand in the midst of trial explained in Eph 6:11 2 Cor 10:3-5

Stand against the schemes of the devil.
How by trusting, rejoicing, singing and stating God's provision.

And what is God's provision? The promises in the Bible. 2 Peter 1; 2 Cor 1:20

For in Him we live and move and have our being. It's not we live when things are going our way. It's we live becasue we have Jesus. It doesn't make any difference what Satan throws at us. We live when we have Jesus.

Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
⁴ And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵ But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Preach the Gospel to the Blind and Lost

I was thinking about salvation and how God works with us to bring people to repentance and enter into His kingdom. When I read Acts 26:16-18 this gave me an answer of how we can preach to the lost when the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the unbelieving. 2 Corinthians 4:3,4

Paul is able to open their eyes Acts 26:16-18 to make a choice for Jesus. All that was given to Paul is given to us for we are asked to follow his example. Philippians 3:17 If we were not given what Paul was given then we would not be able to do what we are asked to do! We can also ask for grace and mercy to accomplish what is needed. Hebrews 4:16 There is no limit to what God will give. Ephesians 3:20 All of God's resources are available to those who believe according to the purpose of God. John 14:14 And it is God's will that all come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 So the ball is in our court. Are we going to live for the purpose of God or just please ourselves?

How can they believe with out a preacher? Romans 10:14 As we go and preach we are opening their eyes. People have the choice of accepting the gospel or rejecting it. Romans 10:16

Unfortunately Satan understands the power of the Word of God. He waits to snatch the word immediately after it is heard. Luke 8:12 This can be counteracted by our prayer in spiritual warfare.Psalm 24:7-10

We can reason with the lost about their sin and the consequences of ignoring the offer of salvation. Isaiah 1:18-20 Explaining God's love for them may open the eyes of their heart to receive and believe. John 1:12 I think reasoning with people instead of just saying they are lost and condemned would be more effective.

Since Satan is a defeated foe Luke 10:18,19 as we walk in the light we can express our victory and bind the enemy in prayer. Matthew 18:18, Psalm 2:8,9

Reaching out to the lost is not my natural choice. But it's God choice. I want to follow God not my flesh and I want to walk in the Spirit. Romans 8:6 So I continue to pray that I will follow God's leading and lead the lost to salvation. I want to reject my comfort zone and embrace the leading of the Spirit. But there is a time to stop praying and go. Exodus 14:15