“Our Daily Bread”
http://odb.org/2012/10/09/still-in-gods-hands/
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie
http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht
1 John 5:18… We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. (NKJV)
Yesterday I wrote about how God will always provide an escape for the temptations that His child’s own desires of the flesh or Satan will use to lure them into sinning… But I believe the Christian will be unable to turn from these evil desires or temptations in their own strength… It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit with-in the Christian, which can defeat Satan… But as I wrote yesterday, the Christian’s desire to overcome the temptation (with the help of the Holy Spirit), must be stronger than their desire to sin…
We read in the opening scripture, that those that are born of God (John 3:3), won’t be touched by Satan… James tells us the same thing, but with one provision, in…James 4:7… Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NKJV)
The stipulation that will have Satan fleeing from the Christian, is that the Christian has totally submitted their lives to God… This means they are walking with the Lord, as a Spirit filled Christian; under full control of the Holy Spirit… Scripture tells us that Satan will then be unable to cause the Christian to succumb to Satan’s devious temptations, involving all of the sins the world is embroiled in (1 John 2:15-16)…
But God is sovereign, in that He has total control of all of our lives… Even though God will never tempt anyone to sin (1 Corinthians 10:13), we see in the Bible, that God will allow Satan (at God’s choosing) to cause suffering and pain in a believer’s life, if God gives Satan permission…
The Book of Job is filled with the pain and suffering in Job’s life… And this pain and suffering caused by Satan, was permitted by God… You can read this for yourself, in…Job 1:8-12…&…Job 2:3-10… Here are the links for this scripture… http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job1:8-12&version=NKJV
& http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job2:3-10&version=NKJV
God loves His children, and will never leave nor forsake them… God reveals this in the O.T. in…Deuteronomy 31:6; and in the N.T. in…Hebrews 13:5-6… But I believe God gives us free will…Revelation 22:17… And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (NKJV)
After we become Christians, God will not force us to live according to His will for our lives… We can choose to obey God, and live our lives for Him…or we can choose to follow the desires of our own lusts, and live as unrighteous Christians in His sight… But to enjoy the richest blessings of abundant joy and hope and peace beyond our mortal understanding (Philippians 4:6-7), we as Christians must be living for the Lord…
It is the filling of our lives by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20), that will allow God to shower the Christian with the richest blessings reserved for His obedient children…Romans 14:17… for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)
Romans 15:13… Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)
Heavenly Father, I pray that all eyes can see the “power of the Holy Spirit” living with-in Your children…that is ready, willing, and able to overcome any and all of the sins of the flesh, and the temptations that Satan will use to ensnare all people… I pray Lord, that all of Your children humbly submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit given to them as a lifelong Helper (John 14:26)…so that the joy and the peace and the hope that You want for all of Your children will abound in their lives… I pray for this fullness of the Spirit for all of us…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…
written by bruce r mills
God's group 