Category: 2016 Daily Blackboards

1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith…

You may have been taught taught that if you wanted to resist the devil, you had to rebuke him. So whenever an evil thought came to mind or you was tempted, you might say something like, “I resist you, devil, in Jesus’ name! I bind you, devil! Go away from me, devil! I rebuke you in Jesus’ name!” Although you had “resisted” the devil, you actually had spent more time talking to him than to God! You become more conscious of the devil than of God throughout the day. If you check the Word of God and realized that we resist the devil not by focusing on resisting him, but by being established in the faith that we are made right with God through Jesus’ blood, that we are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Yes, the devil will continue to remind you of your mistakes, failures and sins. And he will tell you that because of these things, you cannot receive your healing, that you will have to pay for your mistakes or that something bad will happen. He will accuse you, condemn you and try to persuade your heart to believe that he can do bad things to you. But the truth is that the devil cannot enforce anything in your life if he cannot persuade your heart. And your heart cannot be persuaded if it is “steadfast in the faith”, if it is established in righteousness. God says that once you are established in righteousness, “You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you”. (Isaiah 54:14)

So establish your heart in righteousness, and boldly declare, “Yes, I may have these problems in my life, but I am not guilty in God’s eyes. I am justified in God’s eyes by faith because of what Christ has done. I am righteous by Jesus’ blood!” That is how you resist the devil and become undevourable!

Proverbs 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue…

Many things in life can cause us to fear – losing our jobs, deadly diseases, terrorist attacks and so on. When these things confront us, we tend to give in to worry and fear, and start talking about our fears. Job was no different. He constantly feared that God would punish him and his family because he kept thinking that his sons had sinned against God. He would get up early in the morning to offer burnt sacrifices, saying, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” And the Bible tells us that he did this “regularly”. (Job 1:5) So Job kept confessing the sins of his sons and fearing that something terrible would happen to him and his family. In fact, his sin-consciousness didn’t just produce fear, the Bible tells us that he “greatly feared”. (Job 3:25)

It is important that we understand that it was Job’s sin-consciousness that opened the door to Satan. His preoccupation with sins that his family may have committed gave Satan the opportunity to bring death and destruction into his life. God had a hedge of protection around Job. But when he started being sin-conscious and having a fearful expectation of judgment, the hedge was removed and Satan could attack him. (Job 1:9-12)

If you have sinned, don’t say, “I have failed again. I deserve to be punished by God.” Know that you already have forgiveness of sins because Jesus was punished and condemned in your place! (Ephesians 1:7) So say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Jesus, You are my holiness and perfection.” (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21) We must be mindful of what we believe and say regularly because “death and life are in the power of the tongue”. So when you hear of a deadly virus taking many lives, don’t say, “I’m next because I have not been a good Christian!” Instead, say, “Jesus, You are my righteousness and protection. Surely You shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence!” (Psalm 91:3)

Such believing and confessing not only pleases God, but they also shut the door on Satan so that he cannot make any inroad into your life!

Proverbs 16:4

The Lord works out everything for His own ends – even the wicked for a day of disaster.

This verse does not mean that God created some people to be wicked, but rather that God uses even the activities of wicked people to fulfill His good purposes. God is infinite and we are finite. No matter how great our intellects, we will never be able to fully understand God completely. But we can accept by faith that He is all-powerful, all-loving, and perfectly good. We can believe that He is not the cause of evil (James 1:13, 17); and we can trust that there will be no loose ends in His system of judgment.

Evil is a temporary condition in the universe and one day God will destroy it. In the meantime, He uses even the evil intentions of people for His good purpose. Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph faced many trials during his life. His brothers sold him into slavery, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him which landed him in prison. But God took the evil intent of others and turned it to good. Joseph became the second highest in Egypt. Joseph learned that God brings good from evil for those who trust Him.

Perhaps you are experiencing some bad times in your life. Do you trust God enough to wait patiently for Him to bring good out of bad situations? You can trust God because, as Joseph learned, God can overrule people’s evil intentions to bring about His intended results.

Romans 4:16

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…

God’s grace is His undeserved, unearned and unmerited favor. And because it is undeserved, unearned and unmerited, all of us qualify for it. But how do we walk in it? Just as a password gives you access to a computer program, faith enables you to walk in God’s unmerited favor. Now, faith has nothing to do with what you do or what you are able to do. Faith is simply believing and declaring what God has done and is doing for you. When you believe that the favor of God is on you because of Christ’s finished work, His promises of provision, healing and restoration are sure to you. They are not just sure to the Jews, but also to you and me because we are “of the faith of Abraham”.

Ruth was a Gentile widow who put her faith in God’s grace. She believed and declared that God’s favor would lead her to the right field in which to glean, where she would find favor in the owner’s sight. (Ruth 2:2) Because she depended on God’s unmerited favor, God not only placed her in wealthy Boaz’s field, but also in the genealogy of Jesus! (Matthew 1:5) Ruth’s faith in God’s favor opened up a whole new world for her. She went from poverty to supply, widowhood to marriage, and from being childless to having a complete family. She also became a respected member of the community. (Ruth 4:13-15) If Ruth, a Gentile who was under the old covenant, enjoyed God’s favor, how much more will we who are under the new covenant of grace enjoy the blessings that the unmerited favor of God brings! In fact, because God sees us in the Beloved today, we enjoy the same favor that Jesus has! (Ephesians 1:3-6)

When you believe that you have the same favor that Jesus has, a whole new world will open up to you – a world where all of God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ! (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Galatians 3:13

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)…

Many believers probably know that when Jesus died, our sins were forgiven because He shed His blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22) But why did Jesus have to die on the cross, since the capital punishment of Israel during the time of Christ was stoning and not crucifixion? Jesus hung and died on the cross because He knew the law which says that “he who is hanged is accursed of God”. (Deuteronomy 21:23) He wanted to redeem us from every curse of the law, so He went to the cross, “having become a curse for us”. Jesus took all our curses at the cross, so that we can take all His blessings!

The moment you received Jesus, every curse in your life was destroyed. And the way you experience this is to simply believe and confess what Jesus has done for you. Say, “Because of Jesus, I am blessed.” The more you say it and believe it, the more you will experience it. So if there is an area in your life in which you feel oppressed, for example, a skin condition that refuses to heal, say, “Christ has redeemed me from this skin condition. I refuse it and reject it in Jesus’ name because by His stripes I am healed!” (1 Peter 2:24) Believe it and say it until you see it!

You might be thinking, “My father died of cancer. His father died of cancer. And I have been told by my doctor that there is a likelihood that I might get it too. It’s in our blood!” The blood of Christ shed at the cross has redeemed you from all curses, including diseases like cancer! God put the curse of cancer on Jesus at the cross. And He put all the blessings of Jesus on you. Therefore, expect only the blessings of Jesus to come upon you and overtake you!

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When faced with a challenge or crisis, our normal tendency is to get all anxious about it. But God does not want us to react that way. He does not want us to be anxious about anything. Instead, whatever the problem is, He wants us to go to Him in prayer and supplication, telling Him what we need and thanking Him for the answer. When we do that, His peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds from all worries, anxieties and fears.

“Pastor Prince, it is easy for you to say, ‘Be anxious for nothing.’ Try living with my husband for one day. Try disciplining that wayward teenager of mine. Look at the balance in my bank account! How can I not be anxious?”

The apostle Paul was a prisoner under house arrest in Rome. He had been sent to Rome because he had appealed to Caesar regarding his death sentence. The Jews in Jerusalem wanted him to be put to death. (Acts 28:16-20) Yet, under those trying conditions, he wrote these words: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

If you are anxious or worried about something, remember those words. No matter what the problem is that you may be facing, go to the Lord and pray, “Lord Jesus, I no longer want to be anxious about this problem. I hand it over to You and ask for supernatural cancellation of this problem. It is in Your care now. You are in charge. I thank You for taking care of it.”

God is true to His Word. As you pray this prayer and cast your care to Him, you will find His peace setting your heart and mind at rest. So be anxious for nothing – let the One with whom nothing is impossible take care of it for you!

Matthew 4:4

He [Jesus] answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'”

When the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus turned the Word of God on him, saying, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10) Likewise, should the devil remind you of the pain in your body, say what God’s Word says: “It is written, ‘By His stripes I am healed!'” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24) And tell Daddy God, “I have Your Word for it and I am standing on Your Word. I am not trying to be healed. My healing has already happened. I don’t care what this body says. It has to line up with Your Word because by Jesus’ stripes I am healed!”

And if the devil says to you, “Look at the meager balance in your bank account. How are you going to pay your bills?” just say, “I’m not going to worry because I know that my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) It doesn’t matter how much I have in the bank. God’s Word tells me that as the need arises, the supply will be there!”

When fear grips you, don’t say to yourself, “This fear is stupid. Come on, what are the chances of it happening to me?” Don’t try to rationalize or reason your fear away. Instead, speak God’s Word into the situation. Say, “It is written, ‘For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'” (2 Timothy 1:7) What if the fear returns? Speak God’s Word again. Say, “It is written, ‘For God has not given me a spirit of fear…'”

When the devil tries to deceive you, give him the Word of God. There is something about the Word of God that causes him not to want to hang around those who use it. It reminds him of Jesus, the Word made flesh (John 1:14), who rendered him powerless and of no effect when He said, “It is written…”

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.

The question is not whether you ever hear the voice of false teachers. The question is whether you can discern which messages are false. If you watch any television, listen to any radio or pod-casts, keep up on the news, or interact at depth with just about anyone in modern society, you are being exposed to some form of false teaching. If you cannot identify any voices you hear as false, it’s not because you aren’t being exposed, but because you’re falling for it in some way or another.

Jesus said, “False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.” (Mark 13:22-23; Matthew 24:24)

What we might find surprising – both from Jesus and his apostles – is how revealing the everyday lives of false teachers are about their falseness. They are not just false in their teaching, but also in their living. Beneath their doctrinal error, however subtle and deceptive, we will find ethical compromises in tow. And those don’t usually come out overnight; they take time. But they will come out. Jesus says it twice so that we won’t miss it: “You will recognize them by their fruits.” His warning may sound clear and simple at first, but as we all know, trees don’t bear fruit overnight. Eventually, however, the fruit (or lack thereof) will be manifest. And so it is with ethical compromise. What may begin as mere whispers in a private room will soon enough be proclaimed from the housetops (Luke 12:3). And so Paul instructs leaders not only to pay careful attention to their people and to their teaching, but also to their own lives (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 4:16).

In particular, 2 Peter 2 is remarkable in how it fleshes out Jesus’ warning about the fruit of false teaching. Peter gives a litany of descriptions about compromised lives. Verses 1 and 3 mention the generalities “destructive heresies” and “false words” – which indeed relate to teaching – but then, nothing further in this chapter focuses on their teaching. Everything else is about their individual lives.

As we come closer to the election for President, we find many inner truths being revealed about both candidates. Luke 12:2 says, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” If you have been following the news media and listening to the statements being made by both candidates, we see many things that were hidden being exposed. I feel that this election is a sad day for Americans. I personally feel that either candidate should not be elected but will have to trust in God’s ultimate wisdom in all things. We as Christians must discern correctly. And we can only do this through the Word of God. Jesus is not only the greatest and truest teacher who ever lived, but he also is the great rescuer, who has redeemed us from sin and will keep those who are truly his from soul-destroying error.

Parts taken from an article written by David Mathis. You can read the full article here.

Romans 14:17

…the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If we are supposed to seek first the kingdom of God every day (Matthew 6:33), then we should know what the kingdom of God is in the first place. The kingdom of God was not something outside you flowing in – “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking”, but something inside you flowing out – “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. So to seek first God’s kingdom means to make it a priority every day to have your inner man flowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness is not your own righteousness based on what you do. It is not good works. It is a gift from Jesus who is your righteousness. (Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 1:30) God wants you to be established in the truth that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“Peace be with you” were the words that Jesus spoke to His disciples when He appeared before them after His resurrection. He also showed them His pierced hands and side. (John 20:19-20) God wants you to know that His Son’s finished work has given you peace. Your conscience can be at rest because your sin debt has been settled. You have peace with God and the peace of God.

Joy will come into your heart when you see Jesus in the scriptures, worship songs or anointed preaching. It is the same joy from the Holy Spirit which filled the disciples’ hearts when they saw Jesus, His hands and His side. (John 20:20)

So every day, make it a priority to see yourself righteous in Christ. Don’t be conscious of your sins. Instead, be conscious of your righteousness. And whether you are reading your Bible or listening to anointed preaching, see Jesus with His pierced hands and side, which speak of His finished work. See all your sins forgiven, and you will flow with peace and joy. When you do this, you are seeking the kingdom of God!

Psalm 103:4

who [the Lord] redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies.

Four women are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. (Matthew 1:1-16) Interestingly, they are not Sarah, Rebekah, Leah or Rachel, wives of the patriarchs of the Old Testament. Instead, they are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, women who had morally questionable backgrounds.

Tamar resorted to deception and prostitution to produce children through her father-in-law. Yet, it was from her line, the tribe of Judah, that the Messiah came. (Genesis 38) Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho, who became a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Joshua 2:1-21) She also became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth. (Ruth 4:13) Ruth was morally upright. But as a Moabitess, she was a Gentile and therefore considered unclean. Yet, she became the grandmother of David (Ruth 4:13-17), whom the Jews regard as their greatest king. Bathsheba committed adultery with David. (2 Samuel 11:4) Later, she gave birth to King Solomon (2 Samuel 12:24), from whose royal line Jesus descended.

So what is God saying to us here? He is saying that He is greater than our sins – where sin abounds, His grace abounds much more. (Romans 5:20) His grace is greater than our sins, so that even when the world disqualifies us, He can qualify us to receive His blessings! God is also saying that He is a God of many chances. These women’s stories show us that even when our troubles are of our own making, they are neither final nor fatal. When we turn to Him, He will turn our situations around until we see His glory upon us! Finally, God is saying that He is a God of supernatural positioning. Even when all our earthly connections are gone, the moment we turn to Him, He will find ways to turn our captivity into blessings.

Don’t look at your natural circumstances and be discouraged. Trust the One “who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies”. Trust in Him who qualifies the disqualified!