Being Alert

 

    God and Satan are both real.  They both have an agenda.  God brings light and life into you.  Satan brings devastation and darkness into you.  They are both intent and active, but the motives and ways are different.  Satan attacks and tries to control while God loves and tries to direct.

    If you are a Christian you can't be destroyed, but you can get distracted, discouraged, disable your testimony, or get confused.  Satan wants you miserable so that you do not help God's Word spread.  He may even let you become comfortable so that you become complacent.  

    God commands that you stay alert, aware, and avoid Satan's attacks.  It keeps you clear headed and on your guard.  This means that you may have to spend seasons of your life being uncomfortable to be able to walk with Jesus faithfully.  It does not mean that you can't find comfort in God's presence.  

    Being alert is fighting against becoming apathetic, disinterested, spiritually lethargic, or run from fighting for what is good and right.  You fight for your pure relationship with God.  It means you live differently than the world and resist sin.  You fight to keep your passion for God burning bright and armor of God holding strong.  

    Embrace every spiritual blessing that God gives you because it makes life worth living.  God gives you gifts and responsibilities, but they are blessings.  You are already victorious because you abide in Him.  You know this because you know that He is victorious, so don't let the right now keep you from growing in your relationship with God.  

    Be strengthened by God's armor.  It comes from being intentional in your relationship with God.  You are consistently pursuing Him and faithfully spending time in His Word and prayer.  There is no retiring or days off from spiritual warfare.  You also don't have to be beaten down by it.  You just need to be aware, so get rid of your vulnerable spots in your armor.  Your Christian walk is strategic and intimate.

Matthew 24:42-44, Mark 13:32-33, 14:37-38, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, Ephesians 6:10-18, Philippians 2:12-13, Colossians 4:2-6, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8, & 1 Peter 1:13-16, 5:8-9

Satan's Darkness

 

    Satan is a liar.  He is the one that makes sin look pleasant, but it leads to death.  Wherever he is there is darkness.  However, God is light.  Light uncovers the truth.  It destroys the darkness as it touches it.  If you are with God, then you do not need to be afraid of the dark.

    Stand firm in your faith to be able to see Satan's tactics for what they are.  Only then can you fight against them.  Satan's darkness is deception, manipulation, and lies.  His goal is to break the fellowship you have with God through breaking you.  Hurting you, hurts God.  If you don't trust God and put your strength in Him, then you are vulnerable to Satan's plans for you.  He will stay hidden while his darkness attacks.

    Flee from temptation so you can protect yourself, your family, and the truth.  Satan's goal is to discord, disharmony, calculated deception, and other forms of subtle ways to destroy your life slowly.  You have to be alert or he can get in your head without you realizing it.  You know he is in your head when your thoughts become darker.  

    It is your mind that is the spiritual battle field.  When you are confused, then that means that Satan is trying to influence you.  When things are clear, then you are in God's light.  Remember, if you belong to God, then Satan can't take you.  He can tempt you, he can deceive you, but God has your soul.  If you are not with God, then all you have to do is believe, confess, and turn from the darkness to His light.  Your soul never was meant for Satan.  He does not have ownership unless you give it to him.

    You live in a dark world.  Things happen that are beyond your control, but that does not mean that Satan has control.  His darkness tries to hide the truth, but God's light brings life and truth.  Life may be hard, but eternity can be simple and good.  Do not let go of your hope in Jesus' victory.  Do not give into doubt, insecurity, intimidation, fear, discouragement, or despair.  God is fighting for you, so hold onto His truth like a life raft. 

John 8:42-51, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 10:3-6, Ephesians 1:3-23, 2:4-7, 3:10-11,6:10-17, Philippians 2:9-11, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 John 3:7-10, & Revelations 20:7-10

Spiritual Warfare Revealed

 

    Spiritual warfare is real.  There are angels and demons.  There are good and bad spirits working in your life.  It is not magic, Syfy, or an illusion.  It is real.  God knows everything which automatically makes Him stronger than Satan.  Satan doesn't know everything, but he is smart and very cunning.  He has studied you and knows how you think and react.  However, if you do not speak it, then he doesn't know it.

    You do not need to live in fear of Satan or his demons, but you do need to be aware of what they are capable of doing in your life.  He is not someone you should go against on your own.  Rely on God and your church to help you through spiritual attacks.  Never try to do it on your own or he can destroy aspects of your life.

    It may surprise you how Satan's attacks may come.  It could be interfering with your focus, loss of a job, relationship issues, loss of sleep, health, and more.  He really loves attacking relationships because if you are alone, then you are easy to pick off.  His presence may not be easy to detect because of how he schemes, manipulates, and conspires.  He may enter into your life through something that looks really good and innocent, but he twisted it into something evil.

    You need to pray for discernment and wisdom to know how you are being attacked.  Pray that you see the truth.  Pray for Satan's plans to be revealed, seen, or uncovered.  Once you see where his tyranny is affecting your life, then you can faithfully pray and work with God to shut the door to Satan.      

Acts 19:11-41, 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, & Ephesians 1:19-23, 3:10-11, 6:10-12

Open Your Eyes

 

    It is time to open your eyes to spiritual warfare.  It is real.  If you are a Christian, then you are in it.  Your battle is in the spiritual world, but it is affecting your life in many different ways.  Jesus gives you strength to follow Him, but Satan is doing everything he can to distract you, trip you up, or turn away.  Your soul is in a battle.  If you are Christian, then it belongs to God, but that makes you a bigger threat to Satan.  His goal is to kill, steal, and destroy you.

    You need the armor of God to fight and be victorious.  You need prayer to know how to proceed.  God is your general.  If you obey, then you will not be in danger.  If you veer off just a little, then you can be wounded.  Trust and obedience is so simple, but sometimes it seems to be so hard to do.  

    As you grow in your relationship with God, your prayer life will mature.  It will become more strategic as you start to see the world through His eyes.  You do not need to pray for blessings.  They are yours to have as you walk with Jesus.  You need to pray over the battle you are fighting.  Do not pray to have it removed, but pray on how to get through it.  

    The first step in preparing everyday for spiritual warfare is opening your eyes that it is real.  Go to your Bible and prayerfully read to have what you need for today.  You will not succeed if you do not learn how to prepare for battle.  Use what God has given you and take advantage of your access to Him.  He will reveal the abilities of your enemies, so you can fight with better skill and wisdom.  

    Take your eyes off of the people you deem threatening.  Stop the tunnel vision on your problems.  Pray for God to open your eyes to the bigger picture.  Ask Him to show you what you are really fighting.  The deeper you go into your prayer life, the more aware you become of what God is giving you, preparing you for, and the empowerment that He provides to do good.  He will give you the confidence you need everyday.   

2 Kings 6:15-17 & Ephesians 1:3-23, 3:14-19, 6:10-20

Know Your Enemy

 

    Life is hard for many reasons, but not knowing who the real enemies does not need to be one of them.  All your life you may have heard that God has a plan for you.  That is true and His plan began before you were born.  What you may not be aware of is that Satan, the real enemy, also has a plan for you.  His plan began when you started to follow Jesus.  The closer you get to God the harder Satan will work against you.

    The spiritual warfare is a struggle in your life.  At times it is a fight.  That is why you need to work on your faith and hope with perseverance.  If you know what you stand for and why it will make the fight a little easier.  When you are tired and worn out it is harder, but you are not alone.  You can let God take on the worst aspects of the battle.  He can help save your from stress, emotional instability, mental issues, exhaustion, or broken relationships.  

    Satan likes to attack your emotions, health, finances, and your thoughts.  What you allow yourself to listen to or read will either shut the door or crack it open for him.  The real battle is invisible, but the what you see is the struggle that it causes.  Satan wants to keep you distracted by the chaos so that he has control over you.  Let go of bitter anger, pride, unforgiveness, comparing yourself to others, insecurity, fear, and strife.

    Do not allow sinful habits to pin you down and mess up your testimony.  Your biggest problem will be your mind and emotions.  Emotions are important to indicate things in life, but they don't run on the truth.  Your thoughts feed what you think and how you feel.  You can either focus on God and what is good or the negative and evil thoughts.  This is why Satan attacks your mind.  It is also why God says refresh your mind daily in His Word.

    Your problems in life are the results of the world's circumstances, other people's decisions, and choices you have made.  You are not fighting any of that.  Your battle is spiritual.  You need to go to the center of the issue and fight there with prayer, God's Word, meditation, fasting, and your testimony.    

John 8:39-47, 2 Corinthians 2:9-11, 11:12-15, Ephesians 6:10-12, & Revelations 18:1-3

Seh Ha'Elohim

 

    Seh Ha'Elohim (SEH hah-el-oh-HEEM) is שֶׂה הָאֱלֹהִים in Hebrew.  It translates to "Lamb of God".  Seh (שֶׂה) means lamb or sheep.  Ha (הָ) means the.  Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) means God.  Seh Ha'Elohim is a name for Jesus to describe him as the perfect sacrifice.  He was pure, innocent, and the only one that could create the bridge between God and man.  

    Seh Ha'Elohim died and resurrected to be the sacrificial lamb for all sin.  His sacrifice opened the door for anyone who wants a relationship with God can have it.  His blood covered all sin, but only those who repent will reap the benefits of forgiveness.  He died for all nations, all people, over all time.  He is the lamb that gave you the ability to have an eternal future.

    When you pray using the name Seh Ha'Elohim you should be confessing your need for God.  It is humbling yourself to repent for you known sins.  Ask to have your unknown sins revealed, so you can repent.  Pray for mercy and to understand how much Jesus loves you.  

Genesis 22:6-8, Exodus 12, Isaiah 53:7-9, & John 1:29-34

Nechama

 

    Nechama (neh-KHAH-mah) is נֶחָמָה in Hebrew.  In Greek (נחמה) the word is Nechamah (nekh-aw-maw).  It is a feminine word that means "comfort", "solace", or "consolation".  The Holy Spirit is normally construed as feminine while God and Jesus are construed as masculine.  This lets you know that it is a name for the Holy Spirit that means "God of all Comfort".  It is the Holy Spirit that was sent to comfort and console you.  

    Nechama derived from the word nacham (נחם) which signifies great emotional comfort or being comforted.  When applied to the Holy Spirit it indicates spiritual healing after a hardship or mourning.  With Nechama you become more resilient to life struggles.  This comfort that the Holy Spirit provides changes your mindset.  It gives you hope and purpose, so that you can have an inner strength to handle more than you think.  The Hoy Spirit comforts and heals you so well that you are able to comfort and help other people in return.

    When you pray using the name Nechama you are seeking soul comfort.  Maybe you hurt so bad that you can't see clearly.  Maybe you can't find the words.  It is okay Nechama knows your heart and soul.  Nechama is with you and will translate what needs to be said to God.  Nechama will provide you the rest that you mind and soul need.

    In prayer ask Nechama for clarity to be able to see how to move forward.  Ask for fear and anxiety to be removed.  Ask for healing so this pain will not interfere or mess up your future.  Ask to have your perspective shifted, so that you can see God and your purpose more clearly.  Trust that Nechama will get you through this and whatever else may come up.  Trust that God is in control.

Psalms 119:49-56, Isaiah 40:1-2, 66:13, Jeremiah 31:12-13, Matthew 5:3-10, John 14:27-29, & 2 Corinthians 1:3-7