Waging war

 

We can't fight our spiritual battles the same way we do our physical ones. We need special weaponry, like the full armor of God described in Ephesians 6. Take a moment to read the commentary for 2 Corinthians 10 by clicking here.

     On a more personal note, when I feel overwhelmed in spiritual warfare, I pray about it, asking for guidance and endurance. I try to listen for God's direction and also research what the Bible says about what I'm going through. 

     So, if I'm having trouble not hating someone, I can google, "what does the bible say about hatred?" I usually end up clicking on the openbible link, and the first verse is usually the most relevant. In this example, it's 1 John 4:20 which says, "If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." This makes me realize that hate separates us from God.

     Whatever your spiritual battle, don't just endure it. Pray about it. Talk to someone whom you can trust. Delve into scripture. Trust in God. You will come out of the battle triumphant.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for those who are battling spiritual forces of evil. Let's pray that our Father gives them strength and encouragement to fight the fight. Pray that they persevere. Let's also pray that they come out victorious and conquer the demons who torment them.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

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The whole armor of God

 

Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand against 

the schemes of the devil.

Ephesians 6:11 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for those who are battling spiritual forces of evil. Let's pray that our Father gives them strength and encouragement to fight the fight. Pray that they persevere. Let's also pray that they come out victorious and conquer the demons who torment them.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #battle #spiritual #warfare #evil

This present darkness

 

It's Sunday night and I'm "preparing" for a colonoscopy (if you get my drift) Monday morning. I've also spent the last several hours researching the Bible for topics for this week that I wanted to do. Absolutely nothing was coming to me as far as who or what we would be praying for exactly, just these miscellaneous topics. 

     Finally, I gave in, relinquished command, and asked God what He wanted us to pray for and it all just came pouring in...the words are flowing, the bible verses make perfect sense; you'd think I'd learn by now to just check in with God first on all matters, all decisions, but no - I have to try to do things my way.

     Thankfully, He is a loving Father, full of goodness and grace and He waits for me to come around. This week we'll be praying for those who are overcome in spiritual warfare. It may be someone who's struggling with sin, a vice such as drinking, or it may be someone who's drowning in self-doubt about their salvation. It could be someone who's enduring a bad relationship because Satan has put a wedge between them and closed the lines of communication. Whatever it is, they need our prayers. If you can't think of anyone right now, pray for the ones going through this whom you don't know, and for the people in my three examples; they represent friends and acquaintances.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV 

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Please join me this week in praying for those who are battling spiritual forces of evil. Let's pray that our Father gives them strength and encouragement to fight the fight. Pray that they persevere. Let's also pray that they come out victorious and conquer the demons who torment them.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible #battle #spiritual #warfare #evil

Life of discontent

 

In yesterday's post, I want to clarify that it's understandable for someone who's poor to focus on money. In our society, it's extremely difficult to get by without it. What happened though, with my husband and me, was that inability to be satisfied with what we did have.
     I can't help but put a lot of the blame on him, my husband because he couldn't hold down a job, yet he loved to shop. My part in the blame was trying to make it so that he could have everything he wanted. I'm the one who allowed us to get buried in debt. If I hadn't been afraid to stand up to him, I would have shown him our income and our expenses and I should have left it to him to work out. If hindsight were foresight..., and woulda, shoulda, coulda...
     All of that is in the past and he's gone now so I hate to blame him, but I also want any who read this to know I understand the struggles of being poor. However, now I know that had I put forth as much effort in prayer as I put into finding ways to make more money, and had I paid tithes and helped those less fortunate than myself, that God would've helped me. He would have guided me, encouraged me, shown me the way. I never ever asked Him. I quit praying years before that and just basically tried to live my life without Him. That's exactly the same time that my life turned around for the worse.
     Because I was saved, He did help me, though; I didn't realize it was Him, at the time. God dug us out of debt several times and helped us get back on our feet, but since we didn't seek His direction, we just kept making the same mistakes over and over again.
     It wasn't until I reconnected with God and turned my focus on Him that my life turned around for the better.

Keep your life free from love of money, 

and be content with what you have, f

or he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for those who put the love of money above their love of Jesus. Let's pray that their eyes are opened to how it separates them from God. May they see that money cannot provide the peace and joy that knowing Christ can. Money doesn't fill that void inside of us. The Holy Spirit does.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible  #money #idols #evil #faith

Love of money

 

This verse was mentioned yesterday during Bible Study, and although I've heard it many, many times, it finally hit me that maybe part of the reason I didn't search for God during my first marriage is because I was always pursuing money.
     We didn't have much and so I was always trying to find the get-rich-quick scheme. I was kind of the female, real-life version of Ralph Kramden and Fred Flintstone. The next opportunity was just around the corner. Our credit cards were always maxed out and we could barely afford the minimum payment each month. It was a hopeless, no-win situation. Whenever something did happen that allowed us to pay off our debt, we would just start the whole process all over again. Part of that was wanting to live beyond our means. We coveted what others had, mostly vacations. Instead of being content with what we had, we always "needed" more.
     The energy and effort spent craving and pursuing money would be better spent on Jesus. He provides for our needs. When we put all of our faith in money, we are really worshipping an idol.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

1 Timothy 6:10 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for those who put the love of money above their love of Jesus. Let's pray that their eyes are opened to how it separates them from God. May they see that money cannot provide the peace and joy that knowing Christ can. Money doesn't fill that void inside of us. The Holy Spirit does.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #bible  #money #idols #evil #faith

Evildoers

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;

evil may not dwell with you.

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;

you hate all evildoers.

You destroy those who speak lies;

the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Psalm 5:4-6 ESV

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Please join me this week in praying for ourselves and others that we may avoid the characteristics and actions that God hates. Pray for direction and strength to be more Christlike. Pray that we come closer to the Father by getting to know Him better, through Scripture and prayer. And finally, pray that by doing these things, non-believers will see Christ through us and our actions and want the peace and joy and hope that we have because of Him who first loved us.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

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Love God, hate evil

John Trapp wrote, "A natural man may be angry with his sin, as a man is sometimes with his wife or friend for some present vexation; but hate it he cannot; yea, he may leave it (for the ill consequents of sin), but not loathe it."

     We the church are His saints, and He carefully, lovingly guards our souls.

You who love the Lord, hate evil!

He preserves the souls of His saints;

He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97:10 NKJV

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Please join me this week in praying for ourselves and others that we may avoid the characteristics and actions that God hates. Pray for direction and strength to be more Christlike. Pray that we come closer to the Father by getting to know Him better, through Scripture and prayer. And finally, pray that by doing these things, non-believers will see Christ through us and our actions and want the peace and joy and hope that we have because of Him who first loved us.

 

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

#7thHourPrayerPower #BibleVerses #scripture #bible #evil #hate #love #prayer

Behave like a Christian

I think this verse says it all; I have allowed the evil in someone to overcome me. I've allowed it to affect me, how I feel, how I think.
     The bible that I copied this from has the heading for this section: Behave Like a Christian. You can't ask for a clearer sign that that. God is good!!

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.  Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

If he is thirsty, give him a drink;

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21 NKJV

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Please join me this week in praying for how we, as individuals of the Church, deal with the unsaved. Pray that the Spirit will guide us to portray the characteristics of Christ when our own human instincts are to act and react in a not-so-Christian way sometimes. Let’s also pray our hearts are softened toward those who test our love and patience.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

The evil ones

Bear with me on this one...there is a person who I feel just drips, even reeks of pure evil. What scares me or concerns me are the feelings just hearing his voice brings out in me. It teeters on hatred because, in my mind, not only is he evil, but he gets away with everything. I get angry that there doesn’t seem to be any justice; that evil sometimes does seem to win out over good, which fills me with resentment and even fear. I feel like others are blind to his evilness and even aide him instead of standing up to him. A large part of it is probably that he’s a bully, and I absolutely despise bullies.
     I couldn’t keep on living with these horrible feelings, so I started exploring scripture and have come up with a lot of good stuff! (Don’t you love God’s word???) Hopefully, some of you can relate to these feelings and don’t think I’m horrible for having them. If you don’t have any connection with what I’m talking about, then maybe you can pray for me to have a softened heart?
     So, the question I was seeking answers to was: how to deal with evil people? First, I wanted to define evil biblically, and I think I’ve found the most inclusive answer (let me know if you have a better one, please):

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. 

They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Romans 1:29-32 NIV

     Then, I looked for answers as to what to do. I’ll share the verses throughout the week, but you know it all comes down to the same thing: the only thing we can control or change is ourselves. I should’ve known. I can’t change another person, only how I react to that person (or that situation, place, event, etc ...) All of the verses helped me, but the one that really grabbed me was:

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Exodus 14:14 ESV

     I constantly have to be reminded to take everything to the Lord, and He will take care of it. I’m so thankful for that ability, and life is so much easier when I do that—feeling blessed.

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Please join me this week in praying for how we, as individuals of the Church, deal with the unsaved. Pray that the Spirit will guide us to portray the characteristics of Christ when our own human instincts are to act and react in a not-so-Christian way sometimes. Let’s also pray our hearts are softened toward those who test our love and patience.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

Instagram @archadia27
Pinterest Prayer Group #7thHourPrayerPower

Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Good vs evil

For God shows no partiality.

Romans 2:11 ESV

Paul is saying that God cares about whether a person does evil or good, BUT it doesn't matter if they are Jew or Greek; God shows no partiality in that respect. As a stand-alone verse, though, it also works as a reminder for us to not judge people based on superficial aspects, like race, gender, etc., but rather to look at what matters in a person. Do they do evil or do they do good? Verse 7 (ESV) describes good work:  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  and contrasts that with those who do evil (verse 8 ESV):  but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
I might as well finish that section with verses 9-11 (ESV):

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

The Pastor reminded us last Sunday to question everything we do with, "Does this honor God?" That is really tough to live up to. I've been praying like crazy for the past two weeks because my thoughts and emotions have not been where they should be. My heart and mind have been taken hostage in a spiritual battle that can only be won by unceasing prayer, staying in the word, and praising God the Father for all of His glorious blessings.

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Please join me this week in praying for an accepting and understanding heart. Pray that we focus on why we're here and not get caught up in the things of man. Pray for harmony and a united front as members of the Church.

I'll post daily reminders on:

twitter @7DegreesOfMe

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Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

Angry words

A soft answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

David Jeremiah tweeted this and I thought it was perfect as we close our week of prayer for the healing of an angry heart:
 "Our world is filled with angry words, and if we're not careful, it's angry spirit can seep into our marriages, homes, and churches. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can remain calm in angry situations and end up solving much more than an argument is capable of."

Pressing anger

For pressing milk produces curds, 

pressing the nose produces blood, and 

pressing anger produces strife.

Proverbs 30:33 ESV

Talk it over

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, 

but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, 

lest you incur sin because of him. 

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge 

against the sons of your own people, 

but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: 

I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:17-18 ESV

     I get very frustrated with people who get angry or hold a grudge when they never attempt to talk it over with the person. We conjure up situations in our minds that are twice as bad as what would really happen if we just were open and honest with the person causing us grief. If that doesn't work, though, talk it over with a friend. Sometimes, just getting the situation out in the open helps to unburden our hearts. And, of course, pray about it. Ask God for guidance, strength, patience, a softened heart. He hears you and will help you always.

Slow to anger

Know this, my beloved brothers: 

let every person be quick to hear, 

slow to speak, 

slow to anger;

James 1:19 ESV

I think the world would be such a better place if everyone followed this advice.

Put off anger

     I found this slide as a part of an online power point presentation by Dr. Chloe, May 27, 2009, "Those Ugly Emotions, Responding to them in a Biblical way."
     Each situation is different, but I've found that the best remedy for anything that has me upset or angry is to talk to someone about it; better yet, to talk to the person who's made me angry. Resolution is the best medicine. However, if you've tried to reach out only to be shut down, it becomes more difficult to deal with and may even make it more difficult to deal with a similar situation with a completely different person. Trust in the Lord. Give all of your troubles up to Him. Let Him guide you through life.

Don't go to bed angry

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Ephesians 4:26 ESV

This is the advice my first husband and I received during our pre-marriage counseling. We adhered to it for 25 years, so I believe it was the best advice we ever received. It works well for other relationships, too. Have you ever gone to bed angry, had angry dreams and thoughts that kept you from sleeping well, and then, woke up even more angry than when you went to bed? I have. If I go to bed angry, not only is that anger multiplied by the next morning, but I usually have additional negative feelings as well. My heart is heavier. I've gotten so worked up that I'm frustrated, emotional, obsessed (replaying the problem over and over again in my mind), and the anger can turn into hatred. I believe the best remedy is communication. Try to talk to the person and try to work out the situation. If that doesn't work, as with my specific problem, about all you can do is try to let it go. Forgive. No matter what the outcome, give it all up to God. He will help you through it like He's helping me through my anger.

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Please join us this week as we pray for the healing of an angry heart. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

An angry heart

     Yesterday morning, the anger I was feeling toward someone woke me up. I have struggled with my emotions for this person for over 25 years and most of the time am able to subdue extreme feelings but over the past several months it's become more difficult. For some reason, yesterday seemed to be the peak of that anger and I could feel it in my heart ... it had turned into pure hatred. I thought that going to church would help, that the music would soften my heart and the message would speak to me, but what happened was the evil feeling overwhelmed me. I felt especially guilty feeling like that in church. So I sought out a dear friend right then and there. We went in the prayer room and talked and prayed and I could feel the anger and hatred leave my heart. It's so easy to let a bad feeling sit and fester and grow into something dark that takes over. As Christians, we can take these evil thoughts and emotions to God in prayer. Give them up to Him as you would any burden and He will take care of it. Seek out help from someone in your church family, too. Don't keep everything internal. Don't walk alone.
     When I woke up yesterday morning with those negative feelings, I prayed right then and there. When I turned on my computer, I opened Twitter first for some reason, and at the top of my feed was a post by David Jeremiah:
"Have you ever noticed that your anger isn't contained in your circumstances but is contained in your heart? When dealing with anger, let God use His words to bring healing to your angry thoughts. Ecclesiastes 7:9 and James 1:20 are great places to start."

Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NKJV)

for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:20 (NKJV)

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Please join us this week as we pray for the healing of an angry heart. I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
instagram @archadia27
facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power