Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Opponent: someone who competes against or fights another in a contest, game, or argument; a rival or adversary.
We have a continual opponent who day after day tries to convince us that God doesn't love us and that he's mad at us so to fuel a heart of unbelief and doubt that what God says will not happen in our lives.
His number one tactic is: fear.
But our number one weapon is: what does God's word say and believe that it is so.
In today's world, fear is growing, the love of many is waxing cold and people are more prone to speak pessimistically than optimistically. Our opponent constantly tries to convince us that the world's views(which are unbelief and doubt) are more real than what God's word says.
I wanted to share 6 temptations of fears that my opponent bombards me with and wanted to share the response notes giving to me from the Holy Spirit to combat these temptations. I pray that this will be a blessing to you!
#1 That I won't make it
#2 That things won't get better
#3 I'll never change
#4 People don't like me
#5 I'm getting older and time is running out
#6 My previous decisions messed my life up
So let's begin!
#1 That I won't make it
The fear of failure and defeat. That my business won't succeed. I won't be able to pay my bills. It's hopeless, your stuck and there's no way out.
Response:
Guilt brings condemnation, and the feeling of hopelessness and bondage, but since you're set free by Jesus, the only thing you need to say is God loves me and I received His love into my heart by Jesus.(John 3:16) If God be for me who can be against me. (Rom 8:31) The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.( Rom. 8:37) I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. (Psalms 13:5)
#2 That things won't get better
That I'll always have the same job, no promotion making the same amount of money. Never able to achieve goals or go beyond goals with increase.
Response notes:
Depends on what you are looking at and basing your standards of living off of. Are you looking at God's word more than your circumstance? Are you letting God's words of promise set the standards or are you living by the standards set by the world, or by what you think you ought to be? Hebrews 8:6 says But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.
Those better promises are based in grace and unearned favor.
See Romans 1:1-6 with emphasis on verse 5 which says It is through Him that we have received grace (God's unmerited favor) and our apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for his name's sake among all the nations.
(Response)So I say: I have received grace and that means I have the favor of God. Grace is working in my life opening doors of opportunity for me.
#3 I'll never change
That I can't help being who I am. Procrastinator, Irresponsible.
Response notes:
We are free willed people who make choices and decisions, that's the power we have!
James 1:5 says that He gives us wisdom when we ask. Ask the Lord for wisdom to change and the direction to follow. Prov. 3:5-6 says Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but acknowledge him in all your ways and he will direct your path.
Response: I trust the lord for wisdom and guidance to make good decisions for my future.
#4 People don't like me
They ridicule me, make me feel inferior, have no respect for me and my ideas, try to control or manipulate me.
Response notes: Who said you live by likes? Life is not Facebook! We live by faith in God's word, not by bread, money or resources alone. We don't live by what people can do or will do for you, but by what God has done and will do for you. (See Matt 4:4) Keep your eyes on Jesus, keep your heart set on grace. (See Hebrews 12:2-3 and Romans 1:17)
Response: I do not live by what people can do for me, but I live by the word of God.
#5 I'm getting older and time is running out
People say that as you age it's harder for women to have healthy pregnancies, some people believe that if you don't get married by the time you're 30 then it will never happen.
Response notes:
So if what people say is true, then that means we expect miracles. Since we don't live by what people say, but by what God says, then that means we already live by a system of grace that brings supernatural results. So what's supernatural is natural to those who believe God. Natural people believe in their ability which often results in failure and alot of naysayers. Supernatural people believe in God's ability which results in victory and triumph and alot of faith speakers aka testimonies.
So if a woman gets married at 45 and believes she can have a healthy pregnancy by God's ability, then there's no fear there but trust and dependency on God. Which brings me to several stories from the bible of ordinary women and grace that showed up.
We'll start with Manoah's wife aka Samson's mom - Judges 13:1-25, grace showed up and this barren couple had a son named Samson who was going to deliver the people of Israel out of the hands of the Philistines that they were in bondage to for 40 years.
Hannah- Samuel 1:2-9-18-20
Elkanah had two wives one named Peninnah and the other named Hannah, Peninnah had children and Hannah did not. This rivalry was torment to her, year after year Peninnah would make her miserable to where Hannah would cry and not eat. Her husband was sweet towards her and would say "don't I mean more to you than 10 sons?" One day she prayed to the Lord while she cried and made a vow asking for a boy. Eli saw her and thought she was drunk because he saw only her lips moved with no voice. She explained her situation and he said "Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant your request." With that being said Hannah left and ate and she was no longer sad. Afterwards Hannah got pregnant and gave birth to a son she named Samuel because she said "I asked the Lord for him."
Elizabeth- aka "John the baptists" mom Luke 1:5-7-18-25
Elizabeth was barren and by the time her husband, Zechariah, was visited by the angel Gabriel, they were advanced in years. Zechariah's first response to the news that Elizabeth was to have a son was unbelief because of their age and the angel Gabriel closed his mouth and said " everything will come true at the right time." When Elizabeth got pregnant she didn't go out in public for 5 months, she said" The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace."
Mary- the mother of Jesus- Luke 26-28-29-30-37-38
Mary a young lady, a virgin at that, only promised in marriage to Joseph when the angel Gabriel visited her. His greeting startled her and she didn't understand what that meant when he said "You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you." He told her not to be afraid and that she had found favor/grace with God. He told her she would become pregnant and give birth to a son named Jesus. When Mary asked how could this be done being that she had never had intercourse he told her that "the Holy Spirit will come on you and God's power will rest upon you." He also told her about Elizabeth," that it is said that she cannot have children, but she was now six months pregnant, even though she is very old." Then he said what applies to every believer, " For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." Then what Mary says next is what our response should be to God's word, "Let it be done to me according to what you have said."
There is no age limit or time limit with God, nothing is impossible to those who believe.
Response: For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. I trust in His word.
#6 My previous decisions have messed my life up
Bad decisions, or irresponsibilities of the past that seem to catch up to you later in life.
Response notes:
Whatever the case is, be confident in the fact that Jesus died for you and made grace available to you so that you could be saved. Salvation doesn't just mean eternal life, but wholeness. God wants us whole and made grace available to us to free us from guilt, shame, and condemnation that results from sin. Grace is not denying the existence of sin, but sets us free from the power of sin and it's condemnation to set us in a place of a clear conscience so that we can live a life that pleases God. It's not that we are perfect people or will ever be perfect and spotless, but it does mean that we have the grace to where we can be honest with the sin we have committed in our past with a clear conscience and pursue a life following God's spirit.
In summary,
If you continue in guilt things won't change, you'll probably accept all the evil done to you as what you deserve. But when you believe that God loves you so much that he gave his only son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life, wills you to live in grace and peace.
So with that you can say:
God loves me, I have the favor of God, I live by the word of God, Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith, The lord is my wisdom, all things are possible with God, I put my trust in him and rely on his constant love towards me, I am successful for the lord is with me, I am free from sin and condemnation to live a life that pleases God by the grace of God. Amen!
