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by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013. The other day, I went into a business to do a transaction. I thought it would be fairly straight forward. But things didn't go the way I wanted. So, I said, O.K., Lord, thank you that "...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to your purpose." (Rom 8:28) And then the Lord said something to me about a promotion that will be coming for me such that this other thing won't matter. Discouraging things can seem to come, but the Lord has everything under control. Isaiah 3:10 says, "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." And I'm one of those righteous it's talking about there, made righteous by the blood of Jesus. So, from time to time, I say to myself, "It shall be well with you, Fred, for it is written, say to the righteous it shall be well with him." You can use that, too, if you want, substituting your own name. I recommend it to all Christians. The Lord has already told me many times that good things are on the way to me, and I believe it, just like Joseph believed, even when things didn't seem to be going well for him. (Book of Genesis) But God brought Joseph out into a wealthy place. (Psa 66:2) The Lord made Joseph second in command of Egypt. Psalm 138:8 says, "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me..." This is a promise that Christians should quote from time to time. And why do we quote promises from the Bible? Because Josh 1:8 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, so that you'll observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you'll make your way prosperous, and then you'll have good success." If the word is not departing out of your mouth, it is because you are quoting the word on a regular basis. Quoting God's promises helps to bring them about in our lives because the quoting works with our faith to make the right things happen. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6) In the book of Genesis, it says we're made in the image of God. And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Gen 1:26) We're made in the image of the God who spoke the worlds into existence. We also, therefore, have some power to speak things into existence, which is what we're doing when we put our faith with our words and quote the promises in the Bible. Phil 1:6 says, "...he that has begun a good work in you will perform it, until the day of Jesus Christ" The Lord is working things out for his people, even if it sometimes doesn't seem like it. The devil will try to tell you things are going down the drain. When he does, answer this way, "The Lord's not going to let that happen. The Lord rebuke you, spirit of discouragement. Go from me, and don't return, in Jesus' name." The Lord gave us Christians authority over all the power of the enemy in Luke 10:19, and in Mark 16:17,18. We use that authority by speaking words against the enemy. But non-Christians don't have the right to use the name of Jesus against demons. If you're not a Christian, then step one is become a Christian, as per Romans 10, verses 9 and 10: 9 "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you're saved. 10 For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made for salvation." Pray a simple prayer, asking Jesus to be your savior and to wash away your sins. He will hear from heaven and will accept you as a Christian. We bind the enemy from doing what he's trying to do, using our spoken words. (Matt 16:19) Tell him to "cease in his operations, and desist in his maneuvers, in Jesus' name." The Bible says we should "resist the devil, and he'll flee from you." (Jas 4:7) We're supposed to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor 10:5) God wants us to rule over our thoughts. We should "cast all our care on him (Jesus) for he cares for us." (1 Pet 5:7) The Apostle Paul went through some difficult things for the sake of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says to the Corinthians, "Truly the signs of an apostle were performed among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." (2 Cor 12:12) In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verses 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more, in labors more abundant, in strokes of the whip beyond measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews I received thirty nine stripes, five different times. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I've been in the sea, 26 In journeys often, in dangers of waters, in dangers of robbers, in dangers by my own countrymen, in dangers by the heathen, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers, 27 In weariness and pain, in staying awake often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside the things that are outside, that which comes on me daily, the care of all the churches. But Paul was willing to go through difficult things so that he could tell the world about Jesus. He wrote fourteen of the twenty seven books of the New Testament. He was a champion at getting the gospel message out. Paul said, "Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things, and do count them simply as manure, so I can win Christ..." (Phil 3:8) Paul didn't faint when the going got rough. It was Paul who wrote to the Romans, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28) Proverbs 24:10 tells us, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." Quote this promise, "As my days, so is my strength." Each day I get older and stronger." (Deut 33:25) I had a relative, a man with demons in him, but his wife was a Christian. In court cases, there is such a thing as "standing." You could go to court where there's a case that interests you. You could stand up in the courtroom and say, "Your Honor, may I be heard on this matter?" The Judge is likely to ask you, "What is your standing in this case, are you one of the injured parties?" If you can't show the judge that you have standing in the case, he's likely to tell you that no, you won't be heard. Similarly, close relatives of people who have demons have a lot of standing for casting out demons. I don't say demons can't be cast out of a non-relative. Norvel Hayes, and Kenneth E. Hagin, and Lester Sumrall cast demons out of people that weren't their relatives. But I said to that Christian woman whose husband had demons, "Why won't you cast the demons out of your husband?" She wouldn't answer my question. Perhaps there was some fear. Or, perhaps she sensed in her spirit that he had already gone to far down the road to hell to recover. In 1 John 5:16, "If any man sees his brother sin a sin that's not to death, he shall ask, and he'll give him life for those who don't sin to death. There is a sin to death, I don't say that he should pray for it." Perhaps the man had already sinned a sin to death. Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 1, verses, 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed animals, and creeping things. 24 So God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1:28 in the King James Version uses the phrase "reprobate mind." In other words, God has given up on them. Hebrews chapter 6 also talks about people who can't be renewed to repentance, 4 "For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify to themselves the Son of God again, and put him to an open shame." But that man died and went to hell. I'm sure the Christian woman went to heaven. We are told in 2 Tim 3:12, "Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Some persecution for being a Christian is unavoidable. But we're still far better off than if we had no persecution as unbelievers, and then went to hell. Actually, the unbelievers on earth don't really have it so good, for it is written, "...the way of transgressors is hard." (Prov 13:15) The best lifestyle is be a Christian and go to heaven. Scriptures quoted are from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version and the New Testament, Hoehn Version, copyright 2011, both are available as ebooks for the Kindle readers from Amazon.com.
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