Gen 3:1 KJV Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:1 AMP NOW THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?
The tactics the devil uses, even till today doesn’t change. It is important we get conversant with his tactics so that we can better prepare ourselves and safeguard our destinies by the help of the Holy Spirit from falling into his traps.
That is why the scripture says
2Co 2:11 KJV Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Amplified version says:
2Co 2:11 AMP To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions.
We must by the Spirit of God protect ourselves so that he does not get advantage over us in our relationships and marriage.
In verse one of the above verse, he said: “Yea, hath God said…” He still does the same today. What he does is to challenge the truth of God’s word in your heart.
He did the same thing for Jesus Christ! The temptations of Jesus Christ were crafted to challenge the word of God. That was why the moment Jesus Christ responded with “It is written…,” he won!
Why would the devil always challenge God’s word? The reason is obvious. The moment he makes you to doubt God’s word or to reject God’s word, he would have a foothold to operate.
So he comes and says things like: “Did God really say we should not have pre-marital sex?” “But everybody is compromising! Why should I be different?” “Can I really marry someone without ‘testing’ that person on bed?”
Sometimes, he even comes quoting scripture and misapplying it. He says things like:
“The scriptures says we must be wise as serpent, so I don’t think it is wrong to fight for my job at work place by sleeping with my boss” “Is it really wrong to be involved in adultery? David was adulterous, and yet God still said He is a man after His heart. Did God not approve adultery there? If God hates my adulterous life, He would have killed me!”
He comes and tells two people who are in courtship: “See, there is nothing wrong in kissing and petting. It is something we should do in order to express our love since we are sure of getting married!”
He tells another: “There is nothing wrong in masturbation. We must find a way to relive the pressure, in as much as we did not fornicate. Even one Pastor said it is okay…”
He tells a married person: “Your spouse is a mistake. You don’t need to divorce him/her, but you can just have affairs outside and God will understand that it is not easy!”
It goes on and on. The underlying thing I want you to see is that the moment God’s word is being challenged on any level; know that the devil is at work. The Holy Spirit will never come to counteract God’s word or to debunk it; He only comes to expound it.
Never yield ground to the devil. Resist him like the Jesus Christ did and he will flee. Adam and Eve yielded to the devil and lost the fullness of God’s plan. Jesus came to restore that loss, but he would have failed if he yielded to the devil when he was being tempted.
Every compromise you cooperate with alters something in the spirit realm. Make up your mind this coming month to resist the devil every day and consciously with the help of the Holy Spirit.
You cannot be yielding to your flesh and the devil every time if you want to go far! You cannot be saying some girl seduced you all the time while you sleep around recklessly. You cannot be saying a man forced you into compromise with his money.
The devil is not that powerful. He is as powerful as you allow him in your life. He needs your permission before he can trip you and trap you. Never allow him again. Don’t give him an inch!
Do it God’s way. There will no longer be delays in Jesus name. God will perfect everything in your relationship and marriage as you make up your mind to resist the devil.
Never forget this, if you can keep feeding your spirit with God’s word daily and consistently, and you believe His word, that same word of the Lord will keep you! That is why we have created this online Club for you! Visit it daily and keep learning all you can. Keep encouraging each other! Stay on your toes and be alert.
I pray that you will have a higher revelation of the person and the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ! Victory is yours!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY In all things I give thanks. I will not allow the devil, pride, pressures of life and ignorance to steal this gracious act from me.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give me your wisdom to be a good spouse
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Heb 12:28 MSG Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Make up your mind to stand strong in God
Marriage is often time associated with wine, because our union with our spouse is supposed to bring joy to us.
The marriage ceremony itself is a joyous occasion with the bride and groom looking their best. Everyone is happy, lots of food to eat and drinks, music, dancing and the exuberance of finding the love of your life.
All these sum up to give joy and excitement. Both for the new couples, the parents, families, the couples’ friends and all.
But a few years down the lane we see that joy almost vanished from the face of the once over joyed couple. Why is this?
We may have differentreason why, but I want to point to us that the devil is the real culprit here.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10 AMPC
The above scripture identifies the devil as a thief who come to steal if not stopped, graduates to kill and then finally to destroy. Bringing to total ruins, both what you desire and what you have laboured for. He destroys legacy of families and what they stand for.
The devil is the one that steals joy from marriages. He does this through several means and does it in whose ever marriage he is allowed to perform his three-fold agenda and mission.
Every believers’ marriage is precious and priceless. The devil hates anything joyous, good and glorious. He is attracted to it, to steal from it, kill and destroy it.
The devil is not just a nuisance, he is an enemy. That is the fact and the truth. You must always take the offensive against his onslaught.
The scripture in John 10:10 didn’t just say that the devil cometh to steal, kill and destroy. It concluded that ‘I am come that they might have or enjoy life and it more abundantly.
For every of the attempt of the devil to steal the joy of and in your marriage whether by misunderstanding, strife, unforgiveness, infidelity, sin of different types, anger, works of the flesh et cetera, Jesus also came.
He came once and for all to deal with the three-fold agenda of devil. Jesus is not only the answer to the problem, He is much more than that.
It is not your wife or your husband that is hurting you or cheating on you. Am I saying we should not take responsibility for our actions? No, I didn’t say that.
We take responsibility and deal with the root cause of the issue. The devil hides under the works of the flesh or sin to carry out his three-fold agenda.
Begin to insist on your joy, peace in marriage, prosperity and every good thing Jesus already paid for there.
Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 AMPC
Joy in your marriage is not just having a good behaviour. You need your joy to draw from the well of salvation. No wonder the devil is after your joy.
Without joy, you cannot draw. You can speak in tongues, fast and pray but you also need joy. When devil throws different issues at you, he is after your joy. Insist on your joy. Respond in joy to any attack on your marriage. It is an overflowing joy, the joy that is full of glory.
Laugh at the face of lack. You begin to draw wealth and prosperity from the well of salvation.
Let nothing steal your joy. Be joyful with the wife of your youth.
May God grant us more understanding.
God bless our marriage in Jesus name.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY Nothing will steal my joy. I have joy in the Holy Ghost
PRAYERS FOR THE DAY Lord, I ask for grace to reach my destiny in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY James 4:12 MSG God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Have a hearty discussion with your spouse today
A lot of people are at a loss when it comes to this issue of knowing who to marry. A large number are bothered that God has not ‘shown’ them anybody particularly or ‘spoken’ to them in clear terms, yet they have fallen in love with someone and they feel the peace of God about it. Can that be God? No dream, vision, voice, or any spectacular direction, yet it looks like it is God. Is that possible?
A lot more have believed the lie of the devil that God is not really with them in their relationship because they did not hear God tell them who to marry or see anything.
Well, God did not promise to show all of us a dream or vision. He did not promise that He would speak to all of us in an audible voice or in some spectacular way.
However God did promise that He would LEAD all of us!
My dear, that is all you need. Stop bothering yourself. You don’t need to hear a voice. You don’t need to see a dream. You don’t need to fall into a trance before knowing who to marry. The person that sees five dreams in a day is not more spiritual than you that sees nothing. In fact, for all I care, you that don’t dream at all may be more alert to hear God, because the one that hears God through dreams only will be knocked to sleep each time he needs to hear God. Imagine a brother that needs to make a decision, and then he tells you, give me some time, let me go and sleep!
Deliver yourself; stop being intimidated by some overly excited dreamer, allow God to lead you to who to marry the way He wants to. If you are given to dreams, that is great, but don’t feel superior to others around you.
So how do I know I am a child of God when I don’t dream, and I don’t have any spectacular encounter?
Here is the answer.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14 KJV)
There can be leading without some audible voice. All you need to do is to follow. The Lord is my shepherd!
Thank God for who He is that can abandon ninety-nine other sheep to look for me!
The real deal then is to be led.
God can lead you into a relationship without hearing a single voice or seeing any vision!
But you know you are led.
So, how do I know if I am being led?
How do you know you are really born again? How do you know Jesus really exists? Have you see him before? How do you know there is a God in heaven? Did you hear His audible voice or did you see Him in your vision seated on His throne with Cherubims and all that? Why then do you believe in Him?
Because you simply know within yourself that God is. You may not be able to prove it, but you just know in your ‘knower’ that God exists. You know in your ‘knower’ that Jesus died for your sin. You were not there in Golgotha with him physically, but you just know it happened deep within you.
That is what is referred to as ‘Inner witness.’
Inner witness! That is the primary way God speaks to His children. No voice, no vision, no trance, nothing, but just this knowing that comes with an unexplainable peace, too deep and assuring that you cannot put it into words!
Don’t let the devil come to you and tell you that the reason you have a troubled marriage is because you didn’t have any dreams or hear a voice about who to marry!
Do you know that when you have had twenty-five dreams about a particular lady and yet this inner witness is not there, you are not supposed to proceed? This inner witness, the peace of God, is most important!
See it described in the scripture
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 KJV)
I like it particularly in Amplified version
And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Did you see that? That peace of God, that transcends every understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds. Garrison! Mount guard! Those are military terms. That is exactly what happens when you allow the peace of God and you are led by Him. His leading is a like a soldier protecting you. You know why? God will never lead you wrong! Glory to God! He will not lead you into misery! Thank God for His leading.
God is the one that can re-order our steps when we have made mistakes; He is the one that will lead us into our wealthy place. Stay with God and you will never regret. Don’t be led by your feelings which can be fickle, be led by the Holy Spirit, and you will be protected!
This morning, as God’s servant, I speak God’s leading into your life. I speak His peace into your life! May you experience His leading in Jesus name!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a child of God. I am led of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Pray that God lead you by His peace
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! (Romans 8:14 Message)
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Read Kenneth Hagin’s book – ‘Following God’s plan for you life’
I remember many years ago, as a young Christian, I was praying and trusting God for some things. God answered me very clearly and told me to forgive so and so. Now, these people really hurt me, and I felt justified walking in an unforgiving spirit. But then God gave me two scriptures and said if I want to move forward in life, I have to forgive.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 ESV)
The second scripture God gave me was:
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:10-11 KJV)
I had to listen to God and it was only then I was able to move forward.
2. From the above scriptures, a few things are clear.
3. People will hurt you, as long as you are human and you are in the days of your flesh.
4. You will like to get even, born again or not.
5. Don’t get even; don’t avenge yourself.
6. God will avenge you, He will fight for you and that is when it is sweetest.
7. If you stay in unforgiving mode, Satan will use it as loophole to cause havoc.
You are not to be ignorant of how the devil operates.
A third scripture I will like you to see is here:
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV)
Now, you don’t want to find yourself here. You don’t want to find yourself in a place where God will not forgive you. And yet, the only way not to get there is to forgive people easily! Now as you read this, I really want you to check yourself out. Are you holding a few people in your heart without forgiving them? Well, it could slow you down, literarily!
It could cause delays in marriages, it could cause relationships not to work out, and other havocs can be wrecked. That’s why I tell people; don’t start another relationship immediately after one has just ended. Give yourself a break, at least, six months. Why? When you rush into another relationship with hurts, wounds, bitterness, and an unforgiving spirit, you will end up frustrating that other person, and the relationship will still not work out. You cannot establish a relationship on a foundation of hurts, wounds, and bitterness!
When you stay in unforgiving mode, it’s like moving away from God’s protective arm into the terrain of the devil. A lot of us fast and pray fervently, but hear me and hear me well, if you don’t forgive, you will never be able to enjoy the fullness of God’s blessings. I come to you this morning, by the Spirit of God and by His grace which He has endowed me with and I speak into your life and destiny, ‘Forgive!’
Yes, I know you are hurt! Yes, I know you were jilted. Yes, I know you were raped. Yes, I know you were defrauded. Yes, I know you were abandoned when it is just a few days before the wedding. Yes, I know there has been a divorce. Yes, I know you were cheated. Yes, I know you were wrongfully accused. Yes, I know your spouse cheated on you and manipulated you…and the list goes on.
But you cannot afford some bitterness. It is too expensive for you! You need God now, don’t you? You yourself are not perfect, are you? The only way God can overlook, forgive and forget your own imperfections and cause His mercy to avail for you is when you forgive that person.
There are some of us that hold our parents in derision. You are wrong to do that. But my parents are not born-again! You see the scripture never says you should honour your born-again parents! He said you should honour your parents! That is how to last on the planet earth! So that your days will be long! In fact, a particular translation says, honour your parents so that God can say well done to you!
Some of you are having delays in marriage because you are walking in disobedience. If your parents have ever said wrong words to you because you were at loggerheads with them, go back to them and apologize. Humble yourself, so that you won’t slow yourself down. Dishonoring your parents and refusing to forgive them can cost you your life! Read your Bible very well.
Go back to them, buy a gift, prostrate or kneel down and ask them to bless you! That act alone will be better off than ninety days of fasting and prayers, which might not yield results because of an unforgiving spirit.
Forgive your spouse. You will do yourself a lot of good if you do that. If you don’t forgive him or her, your prayers will be hindered. Don’t block God’s blessings over you at this time. Why waste your time praying? Isn’t that a religious spirit at work? Married couples, be quick to forgive each other! Don’t allow strife in your family. If you have been in prolonged hurt and strife, it is dangerous. End it today and allow God’s blessing to flow in your family. Leave your ego behind and obey God. Take your wife out, buy her a gift and apologize! Go to your husband and kneel down and ask for forgiveness. It is not old-fashioned; it is scripture!
Let go and let God! Let it be a beginning of a new day for you and yours! Let go of everybody you are holding in your mind. Burn your little black book of offenses and stop recording hurts. Delete them not only from your memory but from recycle bin as well. Guard your heart with all diligence for out of them are the issues of life.
May God help you and give you strength to forgive all you need to forgive in Jesus name!
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CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I have a forgiving attitude. I am quick to forgive.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, give me the grace to let go of all who have hurt me
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (Matthew 6:14 KJV)
