I Doubt It

What would happen if instead of doubting the promises that God has given us we began to doubt our doubts.

“I am always going to be single.” I doubt it.
“I am going to die from this sickness.” I doubt it.
“I am going to lose my job not be able to provide for my family.” I doubt it.

Don’t doubt the dream. Doubt your doubts.

Many times instead of doubting our doubts we doubt the promises of God. We doubt the dreams that God has placed in our heart. All it takes us one bad report, one bad break, one sickness, one negative interaction with a coworker to make us doubt the promises of God.

That is why the the writer of The Book of Hebrews says:

“So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.” -2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Let’s keep our eyes on the unseen today! Let’s hold on tight to the promises that God had on our lives. Let’s doubt our doubts and believe the dream!

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3 Weapons To Use In Spiritual Battles

Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. 22 They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars. 23 Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, 24 “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!” 25 Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” 26 The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out. 27 Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and sends them packing!” 28 News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28 (MSG)

A few years ago my wife and I were on a date-night in Nashville and got in a traffic-jam. The usual roads were closed and police were directing traffic. We couldn’t turn around or get out of the line. We thought the line was due to a wreck. At one point we rolled down our window and asked someone what was happening. “You’re at a concert.” They said. We didn’t expect that. We were in Nashville though, it shouldn’t have surprised us. Instead of trying to turn around, we bought tickets and had a fun and unexpected date-night to a concert we didn’t know we were in line for.

Many times as believers we get surprised by the fact that we are in line for a spiritual battle.

‘The problem is that most people overestimate or either underestimate spiritual warfare. It’s funny how the devil likes it when we over believe or under believe instead of Bible believe.’
C.S. Lewis-

Right at the onset of the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus be interrupted by someone who was possessed with a demon. I love seeing the response of Jesus to the evil spirit. He used the authority that he had to tell the evil spirit to be quiet and leave the person.

Jesus Has Authority

We see in this passage who is in full control of this battle. The evil spirit had to obey Jesus. There was no great conflict. One word from Jesus was enough to cause the demon to start packing. Jesus has all authority. As you go throughout your day, think about the authority that Jesus has over everything in our world. He is in full control.

You Have Authority

As believers we have authority over anything that would come against us through Jesus. We are not powerless. Many times as believers it is easy for us to live from a defensive posture when it comes to the world. We are trying our best to just hold on and hopefully we will make it. This is not the posture that Jesus had. He understood His authority and pushed back the kingdom of darkness wherever he went. We are called to do the same and bring hope and life wherever we go today! Understand the authority that you have in Christ and use the weapons that God has given you against the enemy.

You have weapons against the enemy that are available to you today!

#1 The Name of Jesus

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Luke 10:17–19 NIV

The Name of Jesus is the highest name on earth! That name is the highest authority. Like a law enforcement officer that has the authority to say “Stop, In the name of the law.” We are able to tell the enemy to “Stop, in the name of Jesus.” He has to obey the name of Jesus!

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Philippians 2:10 NIV

#2 The Word of God

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness by Satan in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, his weapon was to tell Satan, “It is written.” Jesus used the Word of God to win the battle. The Word of God is more than just something that we should use for devotions. The Word of God is a sword that can be used to defeat the enemy in battle.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

#3 The Blood of Jesus

Another weapon that we have is to remind the enemy about the victory of Jesus on the cross! My grandmother used to say, “I plead the blood of Jesus.” When things were coming against our family. She was reminding the enemy about the victory that Jesus won on the cross! This is one of the ways that we triumph over the enemy according to the Book of Revelation.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…
Revelation 12:11 NIV

So today, let’s not be surprised when experience a spiritual attack. Let’s understand that Jesus has all authority and that he has given us authority through, His Name, His Word, and His blood that we can use to fight the enemy. Let us not be passive, but let us be bold and take the fight to the enemy!

Jesus, thank you for the victory that we have in you!  Today we trust you!  Help us to recognize the attack of the enemy today and take the authority that you have given us.  We submit our lives completely to You Lord!  Have you way in our lives today.  Use us to advance Your Kingdom today.  In Jesus Name!

How To Deal With Painful Memories

A few years ago I went back to the house where I lived as a small child. I was in the area for a family reunion and wanted to show my wife the house that I grew up in. It was a mansion in my mind. I remembered it to be so big. Much to my surprise it was not as big as I remembered it to be. The house was the same size. What was the difference? I had grown up. However, my memories had not. I was still seeing that house in my mind from a 4 year-old’s perspective.

Memories must be managed.

If we always let our mind run wild and live in the past we will miss the future that God has prepared for our lives.

One of the reasons the Children of Israel missed out on The Promised Land is because they did not manage their memories. Shortly after being delivered from Egypt and crossing the the Red Sea they said this:

The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exodus 16:3)

They remembred Egypt incorrectly. They remembered the food that they ate but conveniently forgot one very important detail about Egypt: They were slaves!

It is so easy for us to do this with people; especially those we are closest to. We build mansions in our mind of the past mistakes of others instead of choosing grattitude.

Paul said to the people of the Philippian Church, “Every time I THINK of you, I give thanks to my God.” (Philippians 1:3)

There were a lot of things he could have focused on. His assignment at Philipi was a very difficult one with a lot of pain. However he refused to focus on the memories of the pain and rather chose to be grateful for the people in his life.

He chose to remember the best and give God the rest.

Who do you need to say thank you to today?
What painful memories do you need to give to God today?