'Commit our spirit to God'

'We should fulfill our part with all faithfulness, and commit the rest to our merciful and faithful High Priest. And at the appropriate time He shall lead us into a complete spiritual experience. We need to follow the footsteps of our Lord. As He was dying, Jesus poured out His soul to death (Is. 53.12) but committed His spirit to God (Luke 23.46). We must do now what He did before. If we truly pour out the soul life and commit our spirit to God we too shall know the power of resurrection and shall enjoy a perfect spiritual way in the glory of resurrection. '

The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee

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Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

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Truly we must let Christ live in us and in living in us we accept what He did for us- dying for us so we may live eternally.  We must listen to HIS words, the words HE speaks to us. When HE tells us to deny ourselves do we IGNORE Him? When HE tells us to take up our cross, do we IGNORE Him? Do we pretend we don't have to listen to those words, that it doesn't really matter what we do as long as we believe in Him?  Remember this--

Jas_2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

And this--

Act_16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

1Jn_5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What about this--

Jas_2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Do you see? There is believing and there is believing.  I can believe a person is real, because I see them, know them, etc.  But I don't necessarily have to believe in that person. I don't have to believe in all that the person stands for, their morals, their ways.  We can believe in Jesus Christ, even believe He is the Savior, but if we don't believe in all His truths He gives us then we aren't truly believing in Him to the extent we need to.  We don't want to be like devils who believe, we want to really, truly believe.  When we believe in our Savior then we will listen to Him, not ignore His words because they don't fit in with the life style we wish to indulge in. 

Christ our Savior died for us, He emptied Himself of His divinity to become human and He allowed Himself to die, accepting the path He agreed to take in order to save all who would come to Him. He gave His spirit to God as all who did- do. The breath goes back to God who gave it. When Jesus was in the grave He was sleeping as all who die- sleep. The breath that gave Him life was gone, His spirit essence alive in Him in life was with God. The soul of who He was, was sleeping- the power to choose unable to choose in sleep.  When Jesus rose from the grave He was given back His breath- His life. He was given back His spirit. He was given back His soul. When He woke up from death's sleep He had it all back. He wouldn't have been given it all back without God giving it to Him.  We too need to give our life to God, to surrender, to allow Him to work in us. He gives us our breath and as long as we have our breath then we have our soul and spirit (unless medically incapacitated then the soul's ability to choose is gone).  We need to daily choose Christ, daily choose the cross, daily choose to deny ourselves, daily live as Christ lived - in love with the hope of being in eternity with Him. He came to preach eternity to us, we need to live with daily seeking eternity in Him, longing for that eternity, praying for that eternity, wanting all to possess eternity in Him.

Please Lord, help us give our lives over to You, and receive the Spirit that will give us all we need to be Yours, wholly Yours!

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!!!!!!!

AMEN!

Delivered from Temptation.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished

The Lord KNOWS how to deliver us out of temptations.  As we've talked about in-depth, and will continue to talk about- we need to comprehend our day to day life in the service of our Lord and exactly what that means. We need to understand what it means to truly have a spiritual life and not a fleshy, carnal led life.  As Paul said what a wretched man he was- we look to Paul as an example of a Christ follower, a very prominent Christ follower and we can't help but comprehend he was fighting the same spiritual warfare we are. We can surely comprehend our wretchedness. We know all about WANTING to do good and doing it NOT! We know that is seems our flesh serves flesh but our minds serve God and this must NEVER cease- the minds serving God because if we give our minds over to the flesh to serve flesh, then we have no hope. And speaking of hope we know that our true hope for salvation from our sin-filled selves is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!  When we feel the weight of our sinfulness and our seeming inability to keep from failing, we MUST cling TIGHTER to our Savior and His righteousness!  We are not to give into temptation as if there is no hope to keep from sinning- we fight! We have armor, and a weapon and we FIGHT! There is absolutely no reason to have any armor or weapons at all if we aren't supposed to use them.  It would be POINTLESS to have our armor on if we didn't need protection. Also, it would be senseless to have a weapon if we aren't supposed to use that weapon.  We are NOT given the Sword of the Spirit of the Word of God just for show.  That sword is not a decorative part of our attire.  The Sword must be used!

The Lord knows HOW to deliver us from temptations, and He will!

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 

Psa 34:16  The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 

Psa 34:17  The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 

Psa 34:18  The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

Do you suffer affliction?

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Pleasures of sin.

Moses had it all as an Egyptian. Any lust he had he could easily indulge. The life many envied, he possessed. Much like our longing to be rich- as great business tycoons, as Hollywood stars, as famous sport athletes, as those who manage to earn exorbitant wealth. Moses had that life, he was the famous star, athlete, professional. People wanted to have his life.

Moses made a choice to give it all up.

Can we even begin to imagine a famous star, a famous singer, any one famous - giving up all their wealth, all their fame?  We'd call them crazy, wouldn't we?

Now, let's take it down to our level- the level of the not famous, the not wealthy, do we have 'pleasures of sin' to forsake?

By FAITH do we choose to give up our sinful pleasures?

Or do we make excuses for keeping them?

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

Are you in HEAVINESS through MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS?  If not, you better ask yourself why you aren't.

Our faith will be tried.

We are engaged in a BATTLE.

If you aren't in a battle then again, you better ask yourself why you aren't.

We've spent a long time twisting sin so that we call it good, and we call good- evil.  If we are caught up in the snare of Satan and are among those who desire to call sin good, and good sin, then we better pray hard for release from that snare.

More tomorrow- by the grace of our LORD!

We are to deny ourselves- sin.

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself

When you've thought on this for a while ask yourself a question- What are you to deny?

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 

Mar 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Mar 10:21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 

Luk 9:26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 

Luk 9:27  But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God. 

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church

1Th 3:3  That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

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We are to deny ourselves the lusts of the flesh.

Moses chose purposefully to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

Sin is filled with pleasure, and those pleasures are fleeting up against eternity.

Can we live with the cross- the cross which is the way to eternity?

Christ did not come and tell us to follow Him and no more. Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom-  eternity in Christ. Christ came to teach us that this life is temporary to eternity. Christ came to give us hope in a world what will offer us no hope. Christ's hope is our only hope. We can desire life here and now to be good to us, to be kind to us, but for the most part that will not happen. We can have moments and a lot of them that are good, but they will not last.

We are told time and again that to live to please ourselves with so many lusts- things perverted by sin,  is wrong.  We tell ourselves that God wants us to enjoy ourselves or we wouldn't have the ability to do so. We forget all about sin damaging us so that the ability to enjoy ourselves has become very warped.

More on this tomorrow….by the grace of God.

Forsaking ourselves

 'The cleaving of soul and spirit means not only their separation but also a cracking open of the soul itself. Since the spirit is enveloped in the soul, it cannot be reached by the Word of life save through a cracked shell. The Word of the cross plunges in and splits open a way into and through the soul so that God’s life can reach the spirit within and liberate it from the bondage of its soulish shell. Having received the mark of the cross, the soul now can assume its proper position of subjection to the spirit. But if the soul fails to become a “thoroughfare” to the spirit, then the former surely will become the latter’s chain. These two never agree on any matter. Before the spirit achieves its rightful place of pre-eminence it is challenged persistently by the soul. While the spirit is striving to gain freedom and mastery the strong soul power exerts its utmost strength to suppress the spirit. Only after the cross has done its work on the soulish life is the spirit liberated. If we remain ignorant of the damage this discord between the spirit and soul can bring or remain unwilling to forsake the pleasure of a sensuous walk, we shall make hardly any spiritual progress.'  The Spiritual Man- Watchman Nee (Excerpt)

Spiritual progress.

Are we unwilling to forsake the pleasure of a sensuous walk?

How much of our lives is spent appeasing our senses in one way or another?

There are and there have been many people who believe that they need to forsake a lot of the material world in order to walk with God. Could they be right? We don't want to believe they are. We don't want to believe we may have to give up any of our creature comforts. We reason all around and in many different ways convincing ourselves we do not need to stop pleasing our senses.

Think on the following verse for a while….

Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself

When you've thought on this for a while ask yourself a question- What are you to deny?

More on this tomorrow by the grace and mercy of our Lord, Jesus Christ!!!

Our Weapon, Our Light

So why don't we?

Why don't we quote scripture during our fights against temptation?  Is it because we aren't truly invested in the spiritual war? Is it because we want the prize without running the race? We want heaven without denying ourselves or even really looking at the cross waiting to be picked up.  We are wretched, we are poor, we are miserable, we are blind, we are naked, we are truly of Laodicea- the last church mentioned in Revelation.

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 

Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 

Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked

We don't quote the Word of God when we need to (which is often and every day- several times a day) because we believe we DON'T need to.  We've come to a place in our lives where quoting the scripture against spiritual attacks is foreign to us. In the back of our minds we believe only those who have gone off the deep end mentally would truly do such a thing.

We are wretched, we are miserable, we are poor, we are blind and we are naked.

We need-

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

We need Christ's righteousness, we need the faith of Christ, we need the Holy Spirit.  We need our Spiritual armor, we need to be protected, and we need our spiritual weapon.

Our need is great. The weapon of our warfare is lay down before us so easily.

A weapon that will light our way.

Psa_119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

With all our particular sins that so easily beset us- we can go to the Word and praying- seek to be shown the Words from the Word of God that we need in our spiritual fight.  We can find these words by the grace of God and wield them- praying constantly as we do. We must never forget that our Savior was in constant communication with God, the declared Father whom He was relying upon for all things.

Heb_12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Joh_5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh_8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh_10:30  I and my Father are one.

Joh 10:31  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 

Joh 10:32  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 

Our Savior can be in us-

Col_1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory

Christ is our hope. Through Christ we - wretched as we are- continue to Hope In our HOPE!

In the name of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ, now and forever!

Jesus Used the Sword of the Spirit, Why Don't We?

Do you quote from the scriptures?

Do you know God's word? How well do you know God's word? Is your knowledge of God's word superficial? In this moment right now, I feel that mine is.

Yes, I know some scripture, but do I know it enough to quote it when I'm being attacked spiritually? When the Holy Spirit helps me to discern that I am under attack even in the very small, subtle ways that Satan loves to use, my response should be scriptural.

Jesus' responses to Satan were scriptural. Yes, Jesus was speaking to Satan face to face, but are we so blind we don't realize that Satan is present in tempting us as well?

Satan is behind every single temptation to sin.

Mat_4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Mat_12:26  And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Mar_4:15  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Luk_10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Luk_13:16  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

Luk_22:3  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

Luk_22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat

Joh_13:27  And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Act_5:3  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Act_26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Rom_16:20  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

1Co_7:5  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

2Co_2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2Co_11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2Co_12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

1Th_2:18  Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

2Th_2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders

1Ti_5:15  For some are already turned aside after Satan.

Rev_2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Rev_2:13  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Rev_2:24  But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

Rev_3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Rev_12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev_20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Rev_20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison

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Do you still think Satan isn't real?   You cannot believe in Jesus without believing in Satan. Jesus believes in Satan and know his power and our weakness. 

Jesus led by example and Jesus used the Sword of the Spirit- the Word of God- against Satan.

So why don't we?