Tag

overcome

May 23 2018
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You’re Saying Nothing Wrong

By | Eyesalve

“But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” I Thessalonians 2:4

 

One of the most difficult things for any minister to overcome is to not let their preaching be delegated by man. So many cave into the pressure of pleasing man. Even those who are not ministers feel the pressure to say smooth things. God is the final judge of all we say. Be assured that you are saying nothing wrong to anyone if you are pleasing God with what you say.

Mar 21 2018
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More Than Conquerors

By | Eyesalve

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37

 

Christians, through Christ, can conquer and overcome any and everything in this life. The word goes on to tell us that we are even more than conquerors. So let me ask, “Are you just a sinner saved by grace, or are you more than a conqueror?”

Feb 11 2017
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The Precious Blood of Christ

By | Articles

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” ( I Peter 1:18-19).

 

I once heard it said that you never hear preaching on the blood and the cross anymore. I don’t know if that is true or not, for I know I preach both of them. I know that the Jimmy Swaggert Ministries has had a resurgence and he has put quite an emphasis on the “Message of the Cross.” One of my mentors taught me that the cross deals with the flesh and the blood deals with sin. I would have to say that I agree with that. However, they both work together, for it was on the cross that Jesus shed His blood.

I am sure most of us have heard it quoted many times, “For by grace are ye saved…” This verse which is Ephesians 2:8 is often not taken in context with the rest of the Word of God. Technically we are not saved by grace. Hang on now, let me finish. Grace does not save, the blood of Christ saves. Grace is the attitude of God; God’s love toward men that wants to redeem them to Himself, though they are not worthy of that redemption. Grace is what put the plan of God into action that brought forth the death, burial and resurrection of His Son. For the scriptures say:

 

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

 

The blood of Christ is a very powerful force. It can forgive the vilest of sins, the vilest sinner and millions upon millions of the vilest sinners. If confessed, there are no number of sins that can ever overpower the blood of Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. A million times a million sins can never neutralize even one drop of Jesus’ blood.

You can be sure that you and every born-again Christian has been reconciled to God through the blood of His Son.

 

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20).

 

The blood of Christ doesn’t just save us, but it also cleanses us. The blood doesn’t just cleanse us, but it keeps us clean. As long as you are abiding in the vine, you will have the protection of the blood.

 

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

 

Consider the story of the first Passover. Israel was told that on the fourteenth day of the first month each household had to kill a one year old male lamb that had no blemishes. This, of course, is a type of Christ for He was a male and He indeed had no blemishes. He was the perfect Lamb of God. John the Baptist later said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Then Israel was to take the blood from those lambs and strike it onto the door posts and the mantle of the door. Then they were to stay in their houses until morning and eat the lamb. The Lord said, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:13). So that night the death angel came through the camp and every house that had the blood around the door, the death angel passed by. That angel did not go walking into the houses to make sure all the children were behaving. He didn’t walk in and make sure mom and dad weren’t arguing, He didn’t check to make sure everyone was living righteous. He just passed over those houses. That is why it is called the Passover.

In the same way, the blood is your protection and security. If you want to talk about eternal security, this is it, being under the blood. If it wasn’t for the blood, every time you sin you would come out of your salvation. You would then have to renew it. You would live a life of going in and out of salvation. That would be insanity. Instead, we have the blood that keeps us in right standing with God.

Now, if any of the Israelite first born, would have decided to leave their house and go outside to observe what was going on, they would have been struck dead by the death angel. The angel’s only order was to kill the firstborn of every house in the land of Egypt unless there was blood around the door. So if the first born were to leave that place of safety, it was on them. They would have left that safe haven by their own doing. In the same way the blood works for us. If we abide in Christ, we willingly put ourselves under the protection of His blood. Even if we were to sin, His blood would keep us from being condemned. However, when the Spirit convicts us of our sin, we must repent. If we would harden ourselves against God and the conviction of the Spirit, we would eventually get to the place where we have quit abiding in Christ. Once we have done that we no longer get the protection of the blood and then there is no more redemption.

 

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).

 

When we stay in Christ, His blood works in us as a sanctifying agent. This means that it continues to work on us throughout our whole Christian life. The blood is what makes us positionally holy, while the Holy Spirit works in us to make us progressively holy.

 

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12).

 

Let me say one more thing about the blood of Christ. It is a powerful spiritual weapon against Satan. The blood gives us the ability to not just resist the devil, but to overcome him and all his evil temptations.

 

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11).

 

So saint of God, thank the Lord for the blood. Abide in Christ and enjoy the peace and safety the blood supplies. Sing with me: “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”

 

Jan 30 2015
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We Are In This World

By | Articles

“I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth. As Thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John. 17:14-18

A half mile down the road from my house is a Muslim Mosque. I remember when they bought the building, it was a Kingdom Hall. The building went from one false religion to another. Anyway, one thing I have noticed about the Muslims is that they do not associate too much with other Americans. They send their children to Islamic schools, and I often see groups of them together at the stores. I rarely see Muslim girls, with the head dress on, hanging around with other girls in their neighborhood. I have even noticed that many Muslims are buying up certain neighborhoods close to their Mosques. The same with the Amish / Mennonite communities. They go through great effort to disconnect from American society. This is understandable that they should be this way. They are trying to preserve their culture, traditions and religious beliefs. The less they mingle with those of other religious beliefs and cultures, the less impact it will have on their people.

I am in hearty agreement that we Christians must be careful who we associate with and who and what we allow into our children’s lives. This world is a dark place, and the darkness is increasing by the day. However, one of the major differences between Christianity and other religious groups is that Christians are the only people that are promised that they can be in this world and not be overcome by it. Instead of being on the run or go in hiding, we can go out into this world and make an impact on its citizens. As other religious groups fear being impressed and demanded upon, to conform to this worlds system, the Christian can walk amongst it with confidence and boldness.

Jesus did not pray for the Father to take us out of this world, He prayed that God would keep us from the evil of this world. We must never go out into this world with the hope we can be satisfied by this worlds delicacies, nor shall we partake in her evil, but be encouraged to know that the devil can do a surprise attack on you with all kinds of evil and yet you can stand strong. You can even do more than stand strong, you can overcome him. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Revelation 12:11) What makes it hard for a believer to overcome in this world is when he loves this present life. If we love not our lives unto death, this world will have no pull on us. You don’t have to fear it.

We are given the ability to overcome this world, we are blessed with peace in the midst of a world filled with tribulation. We can overcome because Jesus overcame this world. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John. 16:33)

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1John 4:4)

We have more than the ability to be in this world and not be overcome by it, but we are demanded of, by Jesus, to go into this world and make disciples of all nations. John recorded these words of Jesus, “even so have I also sent them into the world.” Jesus sent us into the world, not as lambs to the slaughter, but as bold proclaimers of the gospel of truth. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

Imagine if Jesus went and gathered Himself a few disciples and then went and found a little place in the wilderness to hide out in. Lazarus would have never had his grave clothes removed. Blind Bartimaeus would have remained blind Bartimaeus. The lady with the issue of blood would have never been emboldened to burst through the crowd to get to the hem of Jesus’ garment. The woman from the city, known by all as a sinner, with broken alabaster box in hand, would have never heard those precious words, “thy sins are forgiven.” As long as the devil can keep the church fearing this world, he will not have to deal with the church impacting this world. We’re not lost, the world is; we don’t need to hide, sinners are the ones who hide in darkness.

I don’t advocate that we take young believers and thrust them out into this world. They must sit at the feet of Jesus for a season, so they can grow in the grace of God. However, once they have been grounded, they too must make their presence known in this world. Another very important factor, which is so imperative if the church is going to affect this world; we must be filled with the Spirit. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Ephesians 5:18)

Jesus would not let His well-trained disciples leave Jerusalem until they received power from on high. When they did receive it, the world couldn’t handle them. Church, we need power from on high if we are going to be true witnesses who can overcome this world. The mistake isn’t letting the church go into this world and witness the evil for themselves, the mistake is in sending them out there without that baptism of power. I used to belong to a religion that had no power, this religion was accepted by the world because it did not confront the world.

Saint of God, understand that you will not be accepted, you’re not supposed to be. “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1John 3:13) Receive the Spirit, become full of God, and then go boldly into this world.

Dec 19 2014
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Eyesalve: Overcomers

By | Eyesalve

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev. 12:11

There truly is “power in the blood,” and the testimony of how God saved us and what He did for us cannot be denied. Who can tell you that what God did for you isn’t true when you know it is. You just know that you know that you know. And then our ability to overcome concludes with not loving our life unto death. When you reckon yourself dead, you don’t fear death. When you reckon yourself crucified, sin and temptation have no power over you. “…but, whosoever will loses his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”

Dec 18 2014
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Eyesalve: Satan Cannot Win

By | Eyesalve

“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. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Rev. 12:9-11

Satan was overcome in heaven and he can be overcome on earth. Not by all, but by those that have the kingdom of heaven in their heart. Satan cannot overcome where God’s kingdom is.

Dec 08 2014
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Eyesalve: Believers Overcome Quoters

By | Eyesalve

“And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God… 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. 11Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” Mt. 4:6-7,10-11

Those that believe the bible will overcome them that just quote the bible.