Remove the I'M from Impossible

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Today I realized that I am getting in the way of God. You see, sometimes I believe that something’s are just too IMpossible to comprehend (i.e. math, statistics and life). It is the little “I” that believes that I can do all things—by myself, then wonder why things don’t work out at all.

This morning it hit me, the “IMpossible” is easy to achieve when I remove the— (I’M) part and let God do what He does best…the possible. I must stop saying things like I’m in control of my life or destiny, I’m in charge of all that is around me, I’m here on this planet because I have the power to be. “I’m” is really getting in a great deal of trouble.

I’m humble enough to say, I’m not in control of everything including of the impossible but God is, for with God all things are possible but the little “I’M” must be willing to be removed so that the possible will manifest through Christ.

Today, the little “I’m” is quiet and letting God be in control of my life and that feels pretty awesome!!!

The Battle Is Not For Victory But From Victory

Why is it that we as Christians think that we should fight the battle by ourselves, that we must fight Satan for things that we already possess? We become offensive and defensive towards individuals that do not agree with us. That try to change our minds or the way we view our beliefs system. Maybe we try to fight to keep the church from dying or to bring in more members. We just fight for everything to keep the name of God in truth. It is true that God has given us the weapons for defense purposes but, have you ever thought that in the spiritual realm we have power now, when using the WORD as the defensive or offensive weapon do you know the difference?

• Nearly all weapons of our warfare described in Ephesians are purely defensive. Even the sword can be used as well for defense as for offense. The difference between defensive and offensive warfare is this, that in the former I have got the ground and only seek to keep it, whereas in the latter I have not got the ground and am fighting in order to get it. And that is precisely the difference between the warfare waged by the Lord Jesus and the warfare waged by us. His was offensive; our is, in essence, defensive. He warred against Satan in order to gain the victory. Through the Cross he carried that warfare to the very threshold of Hell itself, to lead forth thence his captivity captive (4:8, 9). Today we war against Satan only to maintain and consolidate the victory which Christ has already gained. (Nee, 1957, p. 54)

Although we have the power to rebuke we also have the weapons that are named in Ephesians, we must be able to decipher when to use the offensive and defensive weapons. Christ already warred against Satan and his army and achieved His victory.

• By the resurrection God proclaimed his Son victor over the whole realm of darkness, and the ground Christ won he has given to us. We do not need to fight to obtain it. We only need to hold it against all challengers. Our task is one of holding, not of attacking. It is a matter not of advance but of sphere, the sphere of Christ. In the person of Jesus Christ, God has already conquered. He had given us his victory to hold. Within the sphere of Christ the enemy’s defeat is already a fact, and the Church has been put there to keep him defeated. Satan is one who must do to counterattacking in his effort to dislodge us from that sphere. For our part we need not struggle to occupy ground that is already ours. In Christ we are conquerors- nay, “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). In him, therefore, we stand. Thus today we do not fight for victory; we fight from victory. We do not fight in order to win but because in Christ we have already won. Overcomes are those who rest in the victory already given to them by their God. (Nee, 1957, p. 55)

My questions to you today are what is your battle? How are you fighting it? What can you give to God and what has God given to you?


Love,

Viv

Tools: We Have The Authority To Rebuke and Casting Out

Tools: We Have The Authority To Rebuke Evil and Casting Out

In my research and my experience with the occult and spiritual warfare, we as Christians have the power to rebuke. When facing Satan and his army we need to be knowledgeable of our power through the Word.

Below is one of the many tools you will need to know to better fight the battle and maintain your ground with Jesus Christ.

When we rebuke Satan it must be done through the blood of Jesus Christ that He rebukes Satan.

How do you rebuke? First you must understand what is the meaning of rebuke.

REBUKE
Verb
rebuked, rebuking
1. To speak severely to someone because they have done wrong; to reprimand.
Thesaurus: scold, reprimand, chide, reprove, admonish, berate, upbraid, reprehend, blame, castigate, censure, chastise

Antonym: compliment, praise.
Noun
1. A stern reprimand or reproach.
Thesaurus: reproach, condemnation, admonition, castigation, blame, censure, chastisement, tongue-lashing, dressing-down, reprimand;
Antonym: compliment, praise.

Acts 19:13-20

13th Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."

14th Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

15th (One day) the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

16th Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17th When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

18th Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds.

19th A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

20th In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

1 Timothy 5:20

Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.

Footnote: Satan is the father of sin therefore we must rebuke him privately and publicly specially when being under attack.

Luke 17:33
So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

Titus 1:13
This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith

Titus 2:15
These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Footnote: We have the authority to rebuke and specially Satan who despises us.

Luke 10:17
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

Footnote: We have the power given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ that even demon submit to us in His name.

Mark 9:38-39
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."

Footnote: Satan is the father of lies. This is the lie that Satan wants us to believe, that we should stop the rebuke of demons. What better lie can he create than to have Christians stop him through Jesus Christ’s Holy name? However, Jesus came back with the following statements

39" Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me

Acts 16:16-18
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.

17th This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."

18th She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

Footnote: Satan does not want us to practice these things for he will be cast, rebuked and condemned by Christian sister and brother through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ezekiel 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

Conclusion: If we do not warn someone of their sins and evil ways and they do not ask God for forgiveness then we are partly responsible. We must rebuke all that cause us to leave our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Attitude of Gratitude

Praise God anyhow! Recently I have been plagued with migraine headaches and illnesses that no one understands where they are coming from. I stumbled into the bathroom to only faint, as I am sprawled out on my bathroom floor half unconscious I thanked God that my husband was there to help me up.

As I gently and consciously approached my bed I thanked God that it could have been worse and when I finally got into my bed, I got to thinking, I have a bed to lay on, not some dirty floor in the middle of no where, I have a window that I can see trees waving at me as the soft winds play upon the branches. I have eyes to see the sunlight shining through my blinds.

As morning continues to do what it does best and rises, I hear the birds chirping and hear trees tenderly swaying, its leaf’s sound like the clapping of the audience after the orchestra has finished playing their masterpiece, the leafs were witnessing the power of God and praising in their own way.

I’m still dizzy from the fall, I cannot think straight but, I can think straight enough to know that I am alive today because God loves me. As I regain my strength day after day I am able to do some chores around the house and I am thankful for the dirty dishes for I know that my household was fed. I walk gently up the stairs and my legs tend to give way, but I know that I have a God that watches my back. I know that my symptoms will soon dissipate, and I cannot help but wonder how others with terminal diseases make it day by day.

Oh, how I pray for those afflicted with illnesses, for it must be hard to keep the faith time and time and again. May we be encouraged to visit the sick and give them a healing word for the suffering is long and our time here is short.


Dear God, thank you for the good, the bad and the ugly, please extend our good days, walk us through the bad and please dear God carry us through the UGLY…

Isaiah 54: 11

O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires.

Don't Give UP! Give In To God

There was a time in my life that I chose not to choose for fear of doing things wrong or hurting someone’s feelings, but little did I know that I was exercising my right to choose anyhow by default. Then I started thinking, what would life be if we had no choice, if we were stripped from our ability to choose? What would life be if choices were taken from us and we had to live under the control of an evil being, where we would be living in total denigration? Then, would I be thinking of my choices then?

Oh but, what power it is to have the freedom of choosing, to make decisions whether or not you are wrong. I know that sometimes in my life and I believe that for most people more often then not, reach a fork on the road where we must make decisions to choose a path that could cost our very existence whether it is emotionally, physically or spiritually. We stand at the edge of life waiting for someone or something to reach out and say, give up, you will never make it, no, don’t do it or jump, I’ll catch you.

But we all know that these “fork decisions” must be made alone. Helplessly and naively we make our feeble choices and hope for the best. But, little do you know, that the choice you made at that instant gave you power. Don't give in to this world, give in to God but the choice is yours.

The power to choose was given to us in the Garden to choose right from wrong, you have the power to choose who you will get your answers from and that would be the one who gave you the power to choose Him or not. Jesus says, He stands at the door and knock, it is your choice to open the door for it is customary to open a door when someone knocks.

Are you in a moment of time where you must make a decision that can ultimately make you or break you? My friend, you are not alone. Choose God today, He won’t let you down. Whatever it is you are going through at this moment, you are loved. He is waiting to see your heart; won’t you let Him in today? Give your choices to God, give them up He will lead you.

I have selected the picture above of Jesus standing at the door knocking, if you notice, there is no handle on the door, the door must be opened from the inside of your heart. Let Him in and see what wonders you will face.

Please read Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Only you must choose to believe in His words, only you can have the power to give it to the Lord.
Should you desire someone to pray for your, please email us at prayers@holdyourpeace.com

May God truly bless you and keep you safe and warm in His loving arms.

VK

Falling Forward

Hello Friend,

Desire to heal! Do you think you are alone? Well, Sandi Patty's new book "Falling Forward" is such a breath of fresh air. I could not put her book down. Once reading her book it made me realize that bad things do happen to even the best of us.

Look! If you have ever been abused as a child and can't find answers as to why bad things happen to good people just remember John 16:33