God is Greater and His Weapons are Powerful!

Although I don’t play many games there is one that I have gotten pretty addicted to. It’s a hunting game and there again, I don’t hunt and wouldn’t shoot an animal  “in real life”. Part of the enjoyment of the game is that the two youngest grandsons love it as well. They will come over and as soon as they can they’ll say, “Can we shoot some animals?”  The game begins with easy shots and fair guns. You get to buy better ammunition, sharper scopes and steadier barrels. You point and shoot and an animal takes a hit and you rack up cash and gold.  Shooting the bears and larger predators is a little scary because they will come out of nowhere while you are aiming at something else and get you. You have to watch and be aware of them or you will lose the game.

Life is no game and there is a real predator out there. His name is satan and his desire is to steal, kill and destroy.  He lunges at you in any way he can. He literally comes out of nowhere to knock you off your feet and get you down. Unless you are prepared to shoot, he will win the skirmishes every time. He will come into your life and take everything he can. He will take friendships, fellowships and relationships. He wants your finances, your welfare and your family. He is the ultimate predator who will stop and nothing and it’s not a mere game.

God wants you to know that although the enemy is ferocious, He is greater! And He has ammunition for you that is out of this world! The ammunition in God’s arsenal is all for you. It’s not locked away or blocked from you to use and it costs you no silver or gold to use it. As believers we all have access to the same wonderful abilities. God speaks to our hearts and reminds us that we are overcomers and our shartshooting abilities are honed as we learn to live in the light of His Word and take up our weapons of warfare in the Spirit. When we are attacked by the enemy, our weapons are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The Word is our only weapon of choice. But when we speak the Word over our situation and in the midst of enemy assault, he has to flee.  Each and every time we praise the Lord, whether through song or with our voices speaking the Words, “Praise the Lord” the assaulter has to flee –for he hates the praises of God’s people. God speaks again and He wants us to learn the Word, speak the Word, live in the light of the Word and know that no weapon formed against us will prosper.

Oh beloved, it’s been a real assault on your life hasn’t it? The enemy has been coming out of the bushes and coming at you with all his might. You’ve been down and out, worried, afraid, concerned. You’ve begged for relief. You’ve been cast out, rejected, removed, blasted, and left bleeding and dying with wounds of the spirit that are nearly fatal. But God says arise and take your rightful place as a believer. All the strength of the Army of the Lord is with you. All the Lord’s arsenal of praise, worship and the Word are with you. What was intended to harm you, God is going to turn for good. You are not done in, you are only beginning to fight with the Spirit of the Lord. Everything that has come against you will fall at your side as you quit looking at the situations and begin to look at God’s Word. The focus of your scope is where you will find the overcoming ability to move on, move up and move into God’s plans to prosper you in the Spirit and in life.

Rejoice this day as you learn to live powerful in the Spirit of God and overcoming every fiery dart of the enemy. Whatever you are facing God is with you, the power of the Word is strong and invincible and you are able to aim with accuracy and send the enemy running. God’s purpose for you will not be overthrown as you live in the Truth and walk in the Spirit. You are more than a conqueror and you will stand still and see the salvation of the Lord in spite of the circumstances. God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that matters as you take aim in praise and march on with the Word of God as your shield.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,  for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Ephesians 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 6:11 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Romans 8:37  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Your Strength is in the Lord's Word

As I went to the shortest checkout line available I found myself behind a man with a nice large pistol on his hip. It was pearl handled and the man wore jeans and a plaid shirt.  I was a little astonished at this fellow having the gun right out in the open. Then he turned slightly and I realized it was actually a local law enforcement officer, one we used to go to church with years ago.  We spoke to one another and I told him to tell his mom I said hello as he checked out and was gone. 

With or without his uniform he carried a lot of authority with the gun strapped to his side.  Believers have authority too. We are packing, so to speak. We who have been born again are wielding great power and wisdom. The Word of God has been given to us and it is fully loaded with live ammunition - it is the Word of God from God to us.

We don’t use this authority as a weapon on people. We wield it as a defense against the only enemy we have.  Unlike the deputies, the sheriffs and the plain clothes men of our country who hunt bad guy after bad guy and try to keep the law abiding citizens safe, we only have one bad guy. And boy is he after us. He tries to convince us to shoot one another. He tries to convince us that a brother or sister is better off out of our fellowship. He wants us to travel alone, do our own thing and shoot from the hip   He slips up behind us and tempts us to do things that are the exact opposite of the orders we receive from our Commander. He whispers lies into our ears and if we’re not careful we’ll not be able to draw our weapon at all. 

We must be people of the Word and keep our ammunition loaded all the time. It’s not enough that we had a box of information once; we have to load and reload every single day.  Yesterday’s Word of knowledge was good for yesterday, but today we need fresh rounds for the battle of the day. We don’t fight like the world’s rebels. We fight on our knees speaking the Word of God that is in our mouth and in our hearts.  We can’t use the world’s ammo either – it is not going to work when the going gets tough. It might sound good and carry a lot of weight but it won’t do what is needed when we are in the fray. We’d be shooting blanks and nobody wants to be defenseless in the battle. The enemy will try to convince us that God’s truth mixed with the world’s untruths make for good living, but a weapon without full force won’t do what is needed.

Open up the Word of God first thing this morning and get yourself armed for the day’s events. It could be a quiet day with nothing much needed other than “God is with you” or “God loves you”. Or it might be a day of hand to hand combat where the enemy is taunting you to unbelief and trying to make you believe in lies that will only get you wounded or render you totally hopeless.

Oh beloved, God knows you’ve been in skirmishes of the faith. You may be battle worn and totally fatigued. You may believe that there’s no hope, no answer and nowhere to turn. But God wants to speak His truth into your life. He wants you fully armed. If you will listen to Him and abide by His precepts and speak His truth and pray without ceasing, you will find your day will be more profitable, more peaceful, more fruitful and more protected. It doesn’t matter what others say. All that matters is God’s Truth – the only ammunition you will ever need for life and godliness.

God loves you and He’s for you and His Truth will guard you, watch over you and keep you safe all the days of your life.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;   (KJV)

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

2 Corinthians 6;7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.