Motives ... and more

Typically I don't begin with the end of the discussion... choosing different in this conversation.

   "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others

    growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a

    clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction]. And if I have the gift of

    prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand

    all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so

    that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I

    am nothing. If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my

    body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all." 

    [1 Corinthians 1: 1-3]

We tend to focus on the next verses... about what love is. But this 'introduction' is also important. What do you think? Is Love your motivation? Do you see the results of your 'noble' acts when it isn't from the foundation of Love? The rest of the verses in chapter 13 define what love is and does but the first 3 verses show the results when our actions aren't based in love.

 

What are your motives? It is an 's'. If you're anything like me, some are quite good and may even merge into noble. However... there are those times that they are less than 'good' ones. Quite honestly, and somewhat disturbingly... Me-ism does get in the way still. Most irritating but often unaware until later - that's worse. I never want to act 'unintentionally' and yet I do and when I look at the core of those acts, somehow Me-ism is the reason. You do realize that 'good' and 'bad' motives do not co-exist. So 'I meant...' or 'that wasn't what I intended' have little support. It's quicker to do a self-exam and place the 'blame' precisely where it belongs. Then you can discover when these attitudes emerge, what you can do to change, and IF you are willing to do so. 

Let's look at the word for a minute. I suspect we all know the definition [ Egotism; a focus on, or obsession with, oneself.] but we all don't display this 'disease' in the same way. Results - yes, expression - not necessarily. While I could list some of our manifestations, the point is - do you know yours? There's no way to make a change without an understanding. This one though will require a lot more than we expect because it is so entrenched. Not impossible... just painful.

The reason I believe we can accomplish this is found in Ephesians 4:22-25 

   "... and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh,

    untarnished mental and spiritual attitude]. and put on the new self [the

    regenerated and renewed nature]. created in God's image, [godlike] in the

    righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God

    your gratitude for your salvation]. Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether

    lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these].

    speak truth, each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another

    ]and we are all parts of the body of Christ]."

Never forget that we are never asked to do something we can't and that we will always have the Lord and what He brings so that we can succeed. Never try to do this on your own... why should you? But it IS our choice, decision to put on the new self. Give yourself some grace... you may not get it 'right' the first time. Keep on learning, growing, becoming.
 

Even for just one

Do you remember Jesus' parable about the Shepherd leaving the 99 and going after the lost 1?

   "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost,

    will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one

    that is lost? And if it turns out that he finds it, I assure you and most solemnly

    say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that did not get

    lost. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little

    ones be lost." [Matthew 18: 12-14]

There are a number of lessons in this parable though we tend to focus only on the fact that the Shepherd went after and found the lost one.

Let's look at what's being said and done a tad closer. First, back up a verse to 11:

   "[For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]"

In those 13 words, Jesus summed up Who He is, Why He came, What He does, and How He goes about it. And it isn't the first time that He tried to explain all that. Point being that even if YOU were the only lost sheep, or strayed away sheep, He still would have searched for you. Do you even comprehend just how important you are? Jesus, gave His life for YOU (and all who believe on Him)... willingly, knowing from the beginning what the end would be.

I have heard 'others' say... so what happened to the 99 - He left them defenseless! Does it say that? NO! Why would anyone do that... then they would have to seek out the rest of the 99 now lost sheep - would that make sense? Of course not. The Shepherd secured the 99 until He could return. He would have done what needed to be done for them before proceeding after the lost.  Now put that into the context that the Shepherd always goes after the 1.

Would He go back on His Word that tells us that He would never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)? Has He EVER gone back on His Word? No (Numbers 23:19). And He doesn't lie (Hebrews 6:18). And I have never believed that the 1 is more valuable or precious to Him than the 99 - it's that the 1 was in need while the 99 weren't. God does not show partiality... period (Deuteronomy 10:17, Romans 2:11)!!

  "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world

   [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be

   saved through Him. Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as

   personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no

   rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has

   decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one

   has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in

   the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly

   unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]." 

   [John 3: 17-18]

The Lord always takes care of His own and goes to great lengths to keep them safe. But ultimately it is always OUR decision. I wonder how much, how far we would go to save the 1? And for us all, once you are saved you have the Bible available for you to learn who You are becoming, what's available to assist You, who You have been made to be, and the glorious future awaiting you. While the 99 are important... so is the 1. And remember... once you were a 1.

Wah... Wah.... Wah

Do you have wah, wah, wah times? There sometimes are 'legitimate' reasons for this and... but most of the time - not. The biggest mistake I've found (at least for myself) is to ignore this. Ignoring rarely makes a wah time leave. If it isn't attended to it will make itself known, typically to your own embarrassment.

I've probably written on this 'state' before but guess where I am right now. So... I decided to write about it. I am not a great person to be around when in this state... I would avoid me! Just a word to the wise - wide berth, wide berth. The real problem that it typically is triggered by something unrelated and totally trivial, But that doesn't make any difference. I have learned that when I am in such a place that I should: 

  1. steer clear of unsuspecting people (it is both embarrassing and frustrating to have to apologize - explanations rarely are understood - others look at you like a deer in headlights, 

  2. give some time for the pity party, to let it express it self, and 

  3. get it together.

Is there a scripture to turn to. Isn't there always? Of course. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  jumps to mind as well as Philippians 4: 6-7. Galatians 6:9 and those begins the number of verses that talk about what we should be doing and thinking and praying about. But there are also the 'who' you are's: Romans 8: 31-39, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, John 16:33, John 15: 4-11 and again, this only begins the litany of who we are as a result of making Jesus our Lord. Nowhere is it even suggested that we should wallow... basically in self-pity. So unattractive.

If you keep this post and/or write down the scriptures, and read them when you're in a similar mood - trust me, you realllly will feel embarrassed and more than just a little silly. The reason(s) we slip or fall or grouse or whatever causes us to be in this state are multitudinous. Sometimes we forget to duck. But since this isn't my first encounter with this mess... I also know, not just believe or hope or think - KNOW that though the Lord may allow a moment or 2 for this counter productive, self-serving, crippling behavior; there is no way He will leave us there. He is always available when we turn to Him. 

Wallowing seems to be a thing that happens. But we need not remain there. So, check to see where your armor is and if not on, put it on. Discover if you bought into a lie or just succumbed. Remind yourself as well as the deceiver that 'Greater is He who is in you, than He who is in the world.' (1 John 4L4) 'No weapon formed against you shall prosper.' (Isaiah 54:17) 'You are more than a conqueror.' (Philippians 4:13) And... STAND (Ephesians 6: 13-16).

Remember that wah, wah, wah land is not unfamiliar. You will land back there some time but never make it your residence. There is absolutely nothing that is enticing about wah land. You have a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) cheering you on... YOU CAN DO IT! 

"There's a crocodile coming for us (you, me)...

but there's more to the story." Gosh I wish I had said that. What a great line!. To give you a context, the line is a combination from a little 3 year old girl and my friend, Cary, based on Peter Pan. However we can provide a spiritual connection.

   "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they

    may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it

    overflows]." [John 10:10]

The 'crocodile' is the devil. The 'more to the story' is what the Lord brings as contrast - have and enjoy life... in abundance...; and He doesn't say - eventually.  Seems like a simple decision? It isn't. For some reason our 'I can do it myself' too often gets in the way. So does our hesitancy to 'give' control of ourselves. The problem is that people don't always realize/understand that there is ALWAYS a decision. Plus, with choosing the Lord there is freedom. provision, fellowship... and I could go on. The crocodile only maims. 

We either come to Jesus, accepting Him as our Lord, acknowledging all He did and continues to do and become grafted into His family, becoming a joint heir with Him....... or we serve the devil. We may not realize we are choosing to follow the devil's camp - but we are. If you cry out with a ... 'but I'm a good person! Just look at who I am.' According to whose standard? What do you do with the baggage that you carry because of your previous mistakes, sins? Do you ever feel free? Does your spirit ever rest? Are you whole?

And let's look at your 'freedom' apart from the Triune God... do you have peace in your life? Are your relationships full and joyful? Do you have meaning and purpose in your life? All these questions are really just the tip of the iceberg, I'm not asking the tough questions. Sometimes our 'problems' are what we don't know - questions can highlight this. 

Back to decision: what stops You from becoming all you can be? Why accept less? Knowing you HAVE to make a choice... why would you choose the crocodile? 

A series of miscellaneous thoughts and one-liners

What follows is a gathering of many one sentence ideas, thoughts that have yet to be developed into a complete discussion. At present, they are like one liners or paragraphs. But the underlying thought may be fascinating. 

*Love is more than just the absence of the opposite.

*Sometimes ‘can’t’ is spelled -  ‘w o n’ t’.

 

*What do you hear? The definition of ‘You hear’ has to include our definitions, how we listen, how we respond, the messenger, (and our relationship with that person - remember God used a donkey in one case and even an 'enemy' can bring a word of understanding... albeit, unaware), as well as the message.

.

*Weakness is not Wickedness  Don’t mix or merge these 2. They aren’t the same though 1 can grow into the other,

*Do you know what our contribution to being righteous is? Our faith. As simple as that. We can't ear nor purchase righteousness. Isaiah tells us that our righteousness is as dirty rags. BUT we also have 2 Corinthians 5: 21 which tells us: 

  "He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in

   Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be

   made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His

   gracious lovingkindness]."

Therefore, by faith we are righteous. And no, that isn't a license to sin - we all do that quite naturally.

*Trial and ERROR:  Before you poo poo trial and error, I can attest to the fact that it is an excellent way to learn not only the 'right' answer but a whole lot of wrong ones. That's not necessarily all bad. 

*I would argue that one of our ‘components’ is communication. We need, as in NEED, to talk and listen to others. Communication is never an afterthought. And the most significant ‘other’ is the Father - this is called Prayer. The forms and methods vary drastically - never an issue and definitely not the point. The kicker is that communication is based in relationship, so this is where we begin … what’s your relationship with the God and Creator of the Universe?!!

*Thanksgiving is not a day. It is a mindset, a frame of reference that we demonstrate not just use the words.

[Part 2 later]

The God of second, third, forty-fifth, ninety-nineth chances

Think about it... who gives us so many opportunities to 'get it right', understand, know, grow, change? The only Person gracious enough to understand our stumblings, attempts, wrong motives, etc. is Jesus. And what does He do for us?

   "Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and

    experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same

    example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. For the word of

    God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and

    effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the

    division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both

    joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the

    very thoughts and intentions of the heart. And not a creature exists that is

    concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to

    the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account. Inasmuch then as we

    [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed

    through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of

    faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. For we do

    not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our 

    weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly

    how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing

    any] sin. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is,

    the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that

    we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in

    time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]." 

    [Hebrews 4: 11-16]

Such a rich explanation and description. As further proof, He also said in answer to Peter's question on forgiveness:

   "Then Peter came to Him and asked, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin

    against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?” Jesus

    answered him, “I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.'"

    [Matthew 18: 21-22]

Which is an indication of the extensive vastness of our Triune God's willingness to forgive our mistakes and even our intentional sinning when we seek His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). We are the only one with the authority to get in our own way. Sadly when we continue on that path, we hurt ourselves. Especially when we get into pride or me-ism. We need to acknowledge this and seek the Lord's forgiveness. He always wants the best for us.

I do believe it is important for us to regularly take a good look at our motivations, our wants, and how we attempt to achieve those and discover those that really aren't according to the Will of God. The more we do, the more we rid ourselves of counter productive behaviors. But we also must remember that we need to extend that same grace to others. 

Forgiveness... of others, of ourself have to become mindsets, lifestyle choices. In the 1780's, the French writer Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is attributed with saying: 'Revenge is a dish best served cold.' This is something that we need to be mindful of since there are moments in all our lives that we'd love to see a bit of revenge in action. You may think you want vengeance. But do you really want to see that other person suffering? And what is it our Father tells us:

   "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath

    [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], “Vengeance is

    Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he

    is thirsty, give him a drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his

    head.” Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with

    good." [Romans 12: 19-21]

Being gleeful at someone else's plight would never be the standard of our Lord. No, it doesn't mean allowing yourself to be duped again, but become that person that forgives two, three, forty-five, ninety-nine times knowing that this is the grace the Lord has done for you. 

Step 3?

You made Jesus your Lord... even if you don't know all that this means. 

Step 2:

  1.You've been saved/born again for a couple of months.
  2.You have found a church that is Bible believing-Bible teaching and 

  3.you have begun regularly attending. 

  4.You have a Bible and have begun studying it (if not daily, every other day).  

  5.You are learning about praying and are engaging in this. 

  6.You are beginning to become involved in the life of the church (attending other

     events, {like adult Bible study before church) sponsored by the church). 

That's it... right? There isn't anything else... right? Wrong.

You have made a lifestyle change and Step 2 (the 6 points, plus others) will continue to aid you as you mature as a Christian. This is an eye-opening, exciting time for you in your life. The only way it stops is if You stop. But I'd like to introduce you to Step 3 - discovering who you now are and what you can do and how to go about it.

I would like to suggest that Step 3 involves discovering the gift that the Lord has given you for the church's growth.

   "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as

    good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God" [1 Peter 4: 10, NASB]

The Amplified Bible expands this verse as:

   "Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability

    graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate

    for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse,

    varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor]."

However you read this verse, it unmistakably tells us that EVERY believer is given a gift, a special work that only you can do. Another person may have the same gift but not the same assignment. Your responsibility is to discover your gift and then share it. Ephesians 4: 12-16. AMP

   "... [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for

    works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach

    oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing

    spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the

    fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our

    spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually 

    immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried

    about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of

    [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything

    [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our

    speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him

    [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. From Him the whole body

    [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what

    every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to

    grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love."

WOW - yes? YOU are part of this... both the growing and the sharing. God, our Father, did not leave His creation, His people alone but prepared in advance a way of protecting and growing His people. Can you see how important you are to the body? And this is always a choice, a decision that you make! You choose to grow. You choose to share your gift But if you choose not to seek the Lord for your gifting and growing in your gift - then you rob your brothers and sisters in the Lord. The last part of the verses says: 

   'From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and

    knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is

    working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in

    [unselfish] love.'

No. It will take time because there's no such person as an instantaneous mature Christian. It will require from you: understanding, growing... and doing. Do remember that the Holy Spirit, the dispenser of the gifts, is right there with you, helping you when You turn to Him.

Hiding your light?

   “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

    nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand,

    and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in

    such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and

    [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven." 

    [Matthew 5:14-16. AMP]

You do realize that you shouldn’t (hide) - yes? And saying you’ve not been saved that long doesn’t make a difference. Do you realize that your wonderings and questions are also bringing light? When it comes to spiritual matters, there’s never a dumb question. Even for those who are more mature, your question(s) ‘force’ others to put flesh to their thinking. So why would you not let your light shine? Why hide?

I suspect some are in the... I really don't know what I'm supposed to do category, For young Christians - understandable. Yet, if you classify yourself as a young Christian... your confusion, lack of understanding, questions will bring you to light if you state them! And they really help those more mature to be clearer in their teaching. Personally, I don't believe that there is anyone, saved, who doesn't possess some light. And it's obvious that the world we live in is devoid of light - darkness seems to cover the land.

You may have many other reasons for your quietness but that doesn't excuse using them. Instead, look at what you are doing that will enhance your growth. Studying? Praying? Fellowshipping? Part of an adult class? Seeing what's at your hand that you can be of assistance? Those would be good beginnings and continuings. None of us ever outgrows the need for these 5 areas to be active in our lives. 

If you are a new believer you can always hang on to:
  Hebrews 13:5  "I will never leave you or forsake you." 

  John 3:16  "“For God so loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave

      His One and only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him

      [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life." 

  1 John 4:4  " Little children you are of God and you belong to Him and have

     [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in

     you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind]."

There is soooo much more to discover in the Bible, but these 3 verses can form the beginnings of your foundation.

If you have been saved for some time but haven't grown... now is as good a time as ever to start. If you have begun then continue! Your light is needed! What you know and what you need to know can be guides to your growth. But it begins by

not hiding your light. One of the keys is:

   "Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an

    ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is

    appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using

    the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited

    favor]." [1 Peter 4:10] 

Don't know your gift? Ask the Lord. Don't know how to use your gift? Ask the Lord. The Body, The Church needs you to become your part of the light - it is suppose to bring to this world...

   "... to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to

    build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith

    and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a

    mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting

    His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that

    we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like

    ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine,

    by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming

    of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in

    love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us

    grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.

    From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and

    knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working

    properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish]

    love." [Ephesians 4: 12 -16]

Capitulation is not an option

In the middle of a battle? Or... see a battle looming in the distance? Or... have you just emerged from a really, really difficult battle? In every one of those scenarios, they have one thing in common - capitulation is not an option! Don't even look in that direction let alone move that way.

WHY would you ever just give up, give in? What do you think you will gain from doing that? A moment of rest? Hardly. If the devil thinks that you are on the edge, he will fight even harder to make you tip off the edge. Winning is everything to him. If he thinks that he can tire you out, or frustrate you, or continue his lie that you will never win - he will increase the stress. If nothing else, that should make you very angry. A moment's rest is not for any of us waging battle. However, knowing what our Commander Jesus wants us to do is paramount to winning.

   "You are looking [only] at the outward appearance of things. If anyone is

    confident that he is Christ’s, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he

    is Christ’s, so too are we." [2 Corinthians 4:7]

Again, the issue can be our focus. Who are we? What can we do against the snares of the devil? Look at all the devil has and is continuing to do! Is that what you're thinking? Are you granting the devil more power than he has because you are weary? or frustrated? or feeling you are losing? Turn to the Word because it gives us our answers to those questions.

   "For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our

    [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The

    weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our

    weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are

    destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that

    sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every

    thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish

    every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is

    complete." [v. 3-6]

Another weapon in this battle is found in James 4:7

   "So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him]

    and he will flee from you."

Did you consider your resisting as a weapon against the devil? It is. But only when you use it. Certainly it may seem restful, for a moment, to give in but look at your loss when you do. Is it worth it? Because giving in and/or giving up IS capitulation. Now listen to how the Message Bible phrases James. 4: 4-10

   "You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world

    every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you

    suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous

    lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s

    common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace

    to the willing humble. So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the

    Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be

    there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the

    field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get

    serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only

    way you’ll get on your feet."

I am a fan of the Message Bible because it is so in your face. And sometimes, that's precisely what we need. This is one of those times. Do you see how you contribute to the condition you're in? Do you understand your responsibility? Use this as your foundation. Realize you aren't fighting alone - and yes, there is a great cloud of witnesses cheering you on. But look again at your weapons, what's available to defeat the devil. The primary one is the Word. Jesus used this to defeat him, why don't we follow this example? 1 John 4:4

   "(believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have

    [already] overcome them [the agents of the antichrist]; because He who is in

    you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind].'

Did you see that?! ALREADY overcome. What the devil is doing is attempting to make you believe him, that he is the strongest, he can do all things and you are incapable of defeating him. No so. Not so. At the darkest moments and a breath before you give in - remember that capitulation is not an option... it isn't even a suggestion.

"He who is in you is great than he who is in the world!

Foundation

[The credit for this discussion belongs to Pastor Robert Morris whose Easter

 message was... not sure what word to use - fantastic. I'm just sharing my 

 understanding that came from his message. I felt it needed to be shared - 

 just remember that it's my understanding.]

   "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples,

    saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some

    say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

    He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and

    said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

    [Matthew 16: 13-16]

   "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus

    Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess

    that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of

    the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the

   world. " [1 John 4:2-3]    

   "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form

    of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of

    no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of

    men." [Philippians 2: 5-7]

If you understand these 3 scriptures, you are well founded. This provides you with a defense, a method of confirmation, and an understanding that comes with great confidence. 

Who do you say Jesus is? Have you acknowledged that He came in the flesh - that Jesus was human and divine, both? If he wasn't both then why would He need to be anointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38)? And how could He understand what humans experience (Hebrews 4:15-16)? It's also the reason why WE need to test every spirit (1 John 4:1) to see if they say Jesus was human. Other scriptures speak about Jesus being human and why He had to become both: 2 John 7, Hebrews 2: 14. Don't be misled or deceived. Anyone can say that Jesus came, that they 'believe' in Him. The point is - Jesus came in the flesh and all that represents.

The greatest declaration is made by Peter, who knew Jesus as a human. Yet, in his answer to Jesus He proclaimed the ultimate truth that provides all that believe the ultimate truth.

   "[Jesus speaking] But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are

    the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God."  

    [Matthew 16:15-16]

Foundation 

    "...Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for

    flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

    [Matthew 16:17]

Being, Becoming begins and ends in Jesus and your relationship with Him There are attitudes that contribute and behaviors that evidence this. This is FOUNDATIONAL! But who do YOU say Jesus is?