❤️HOW TO KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN YOUR LIFE. Part 6 of 6. How God Makes Known His Will for Specific Decisions and Needs. Continued. In both instances, what we experience by-passes the mind or intellect. Both the witness within our spirits, and the inner voice of the Holy Spirit may at times go contrary to our personal feelings and emotions" regarding some matter but we will know, nevertheless, what God's will is concerning the situation and what we should do. Feelings and emotions can deceive or confuse us if we rely entirely upon them, for this is the realm in which both Satan and the intellect reign; whereas the enlightened spirit of a Christian, and the voice of God's Spirit within will always guide us correctly if we will listen to them (Jn. 16:13) 1 Cor. 2:10-16; 1 Jn. 2:27). Of course, usually what we feel about a situation will be in harmony with what we are inwardly impressed to do, but it is not our feelings or emotions through which God's will is imparted to us. Inasmuch as God frequently desires to alert us to some spiritual or physical danger, prepare us with regarding some event that is about to occur, or inform us concerning His will about some present or future matter, then it is imperative that we become sensitive to the inner voice of the Spirit if we are to hear Him when He speaks. It is a real blessing to be so sensitive to the Spirit's voice that you know when you are moving in the will of God. Being yielded to the Spirit is the secret of being "fruitful in every good work." When we are fully yielded to Him, and sensitive to His voice, then we can always move with Him, fulfilling God's will, and we will not have to waste time planning and scheming, or running all over the place hoping that we are doing God's will and fulfilling His purpose. By Prophecy Occasionally God will inform us of His will regarding some matter, or concerning some problem about which we are praying, through prophecy or the ministry gift of the prophet. Generally, this will be a confirmation of what He has already been speaking inwardly to us about, and not the giving of guidance by prophecy as such. It cannot be overemphasized that it is God's purpose to lead the Christian inwardly by His Spirit or the inward witness (Rom. 8:14; 1 Cor. 2:14-16). Christians are not to seek guidance through prophecy or visions, inasmuch as some people have been misdirected or led astray, sometimes with serious consequences, on the basis of an alleged prophecy or revelation given to them by some overzealous individual who felt that he (or she) had an anointing to "prophesy" to them. In one case a minister who was sure that he had been led of the Spirit to leave a certain church to minister in another place was then prophesied to by a self-appointed prophetess and told that the Lord wanted him to return to the former church which he had recently left. This left him thoroughly confused as to what he was supposed to do, not knowing which of the two conflicting "revelations" was from the Lord. In two other instances, certain individuals who were seeking guidance were informed by overzealous Christians with an "anointing" that they were to move to a certain city and state as this was God's will for them. In neither case was the guidance from the Lord. Some Christians have actually been appointed to some office such as prophet, teacher, elder, or evangelist, and some Christian groups have been set in "divine order" by misguided individuals who interpret emotional feeling, spiritual enthusiasm, or actual delusion by Satan, as an anointing to prophesy. In other instances, a genuine anointing to speak in tongues or to minister the simple gift of prophecy to the church for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort" (1 Cor. 14:3) was misdirected to some particular individual and ended up as personal guidance coming forth from their own spirits instead of the Holy Spirit. In another instance, a woman "prophesied" to the leader of a group that it was time to discontinue teaching them, as God wanted them to begin to stand on their own feet without teaching. Shortly after his ministry was terminated, the leader of the group realized the mistake and contacted him three times wanting to know if he thought the prophecy had been genuine, inasmuch as it was obvious to all that they had not reached such a place of spiritual maturity where they no longer needed Biblical teaching. Christians should not seek guidance by prophecy or visions. We have reference here only to the attempt to seek or give guidance by means of personal prophecy or revelation through some over zealous individual, not to prophecy and visions in general which God does give to His Church for edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor.14:3; Joel 2:28-29). Occasionally, God Himself chooses to speak to us through prophecy and vision in order to lead us, but in every case it will be in harmony with His Word, and it will authenticated by the fact that it is usually a confirmation of what the Spirit has already shown to us personally. Also, occasionally, prophecy becomes the means by which God leads us in order to fulfill His will about some important matter. By Scriptural Teaching; One of the most important channels through which God desires to speak to His people and reveal His will to them is one that few people recognize and appreciate as they should, and that is through the ministry of biblical teaching. Frequently, in a meeting people will come and ask for an appointment for spiritual counseling concerning some question or problem confronting them. Instead, they should first plan to attend all the teaching sessions, inasmuch as God has sent this ministry into their midst at this time to help solve such problems as this for which they feel they need counseling, and that He often gives the necessary guidance through the teaching. On several occasions people who have taken such advice have come afterward and stated that they no longer were in need of counseling as God had given them the answers they needed through the teaching ministry. Certainly God knows the various problems and needs of His people, and that it would be impossible for any one minister to deal with everyone individually who requests counseling and help. Therefore, through the teaching ministry He provides the solution for those who are willing to pay the cost of sacrificing some of their time and interest in other things to avail themselves of it. Sadly, there are some individuals who will not do this. They will insist that you give them individual attention and special time, as they believe that their problems are of such a nature to warrant it, but at the same time they will not avail themselves of the ministry God has sent into their midst to help them. It is useless to expect God to give you special guidance and revelation about some matter when you do not avail yourself of the biblical ministry that He is sending into your locality for precisely this purpose. Your problems and the decisions you must make are not really much different from those of most other Christians. It is only because they affect you personally that you think this. And even if your problems were unusually different, nevertheless, there are certain spiritual principles set forth in God's Word which can be brought forth through teaching which will show you how to deal with your situation and what your responsibility is with regard to it. We have found this to be true time and again. For example, some faith principle which can be applied for healing a disease can also be used to solve a financial or marital problem, if you know what it is and how to apply it. But one must be willing to avail himself of the teaching ministry and literature available in order to learn these truths, for "faith cometh by hearing the Word" (Rom. 10:17). For instance, such passages as Matthew 18:19, Mark 11:22-24; John 14:14; 1 John 5:14-15; Philippians 4:19, and Psalm 37:4 have almost limitless potential for fulfilling practically any need of every description when the believer knows how to apply them and accepts their validity for today. For the thousands who accept the responsibility of learning how to live and walk by faith themselves, they discover that they are able, not only to help themselves, but also liberate others from their problems and oppression. God desires for us to mature to the place where we do not constantly need to be ministered to, but can minister to others and their needs. Through Circumstances; Sometimes God confirms His will to us through circumstances, controlling or changing events in such a way that we are able to recognize His providential hand at work to fulfill His purpose in our lives. God informed Abraham that his descendants would spend 400 years in Egypt before He would bring them forth to inherit the Promised Land (Gen. 15). At the time God told him this, Abraham did not have a single descendant, for as yet Isaac had not been born. From this time, we see God beginning to bring His will for Israel to pass through the providential control of circumstances and events. Twenty-five years later Isaac is born by a miracle to Sarah, who is barren. His son Jacob in turn has twelve sons, one of whom is Joseph, his favorite. Because of envy his brothers sell him into slavery into Egypt, which begins a new phase of the fulfillment of God's plan to get Abraham's descendants into Egypt, a famine later compelling Jacob and all of his descendants to migrate there to live. After several years of hardship and adversity, Joseph had been miraculously elevated to a high position in Egypt by Pharaoh, a divine foresight to prepare the way for the Israelites. Thus, their arrival in Egypt was no accident, nor were they merely victims of circumstances, but we are clearly shown the providential control of God throughout, a fact which Joseph himself discerned (Gen. 50:20). The fulfillment of God's plan for our lives often depends, to some degree at least, upon our awareness of His providential working and controlling our daily affairs and experiences. As stated previously, God's plan for your life did not begin when you were born or when you were converted, but the Scriptures declare that the believer was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world and called to fulfill His glorious plan and purpose (Rom. 8:28-30, Eph. 1:3-6), Moreover, God has often been working in the circumstances of your life for months or years before He reveals some aspect of His purpose to you. We are not to seek guidance by asking God to reveal His will to us through outward circumstances generally, but as we pray for His leading, usually He will impress upon us what course of action to take. Frequently, He will then confirm this inward leading through circumstances and events in our lives, which, if we are spiritually observant enough, can be discerned. CONCLUSION. We do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col. 1:9) The Apostle prays. It is not sufficient just to have a knowledge of God's will, but as the quotation above indicates, we must also have spiritual wisdom and understanding to be able to apply it and profit from it. Wisdom is the ability to use knowledge correctly and effectively. Solomon knew God's will for his life - he was chosen to be the King of Israel. But he was also aware that if he was to succeed in this task and fulfill God's will as he should, then he would need more than mere human wisdom and the limited understanding man acquires through study and by experience so he prayed for the impartation of divine wisdom, discernment, and understanding. Thus, it is one thing to know God's will; it is another to have the wisdom and understanding to apply it. A man may know a very great deal, and yet not be a wise man. Occasionally, for example, we see a student who graduates from college with a high academic standing sometimes fail completely in some career or profession which he has chosen, simply because he lacks the wisdom to apply his knowledge in a practical way to his life. A wise Christian, therefore, is not just one who knows His Lord's will, but he is one who also understands how to use this knowledge in the proper place, in the proper way, and at the proper time. For instance, every believer knows, on the basis of Jesus' clear teaching in John 15, that the Christian is called to "bear fruit." But the mere possession of the knowledge of this fact does not impart to the believer the wisdom to accomplish it, for the churches are literally exhausting themselves in all manner of religious programs and activities in an effort to accomplish God's will in this regard, without any significant achievement. It is one thing for the Christian to know that he has been called to bear fruit, but only the Holy Spirit can reveal to him the understanding that it is not in doing, but in dying that we bear fruit (Jn. 12:24). Paul's prayer is that "you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding ... being fruitful in every good work" (Col. 1:9-10), revealing, thereby, that fruitfulness does not lie merely in knowing God's will, but also in possessing the spiritual wisdom and understanding to apply it. As was shown earlier, fruitfulness is not merely religious activity, such as serving in two or three offices in the church, visiting as many homes as possible in the community to invite people to church, giving out tracts, busyness with churchwork, attending all the services, reading the Bible through at least once a year, and so on. Fruitfulness does not come by religious commotion, but through crucifixion; not by doing, but by dying. God calls no one to work for Him, but to learn to move with Him. This truth is not something one can discern with reason or intellect, but comes as a result of the impartation of divine wisdom and understanding to those who ask for it, "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" (Prov. 2:6 ). Again, it is one thing to know that the believer is called to experience a measure of trials and tests of his faith (1 Pet. 2:19f; Jam. 1:2-4), but human wisdom will never help him to see the eternal purpose in those trials, nor enable him to respond in such a way that he will profit and not lose by such sufferings and testing. It requires divine wisdom and understanding to meet temptations, and to bear trials, so that such testing, instead of depressing and defeating the believer, will be able to accomplish God's will and purpose in his life. It requires divine understanding for him to see that Romans 8:28 is valid for him in time of trial and adversity, as well as in time of prosperity and blessing. Thus, when you seek a knowledge of God's will for your life, and for making decisions in important matters, also ask Him for wisdom and spiritual understanding to apply the knowledge He imparts to you, for the Scriptures tell us– Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Prov. 4:7). Amen and amen! Edited. Shared. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

prayer request needed Hello I'd just like to make a request for your prayers,Christopher Saunders a catholic bishop in western Australia has just been convicted of grooming minors in the Catholic church with potentially up to 67 victims. He has been convicted of 13 of them including penetrating an under aged boy.

A WORD FOR YOU. (Insights For Life) And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Genesis 3:11 KJV WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED? This is one of the most powerful question in scripture. There was a long conversation between the serpent and Eve on all what God said to them, then the serpent (the devil) finally said: Ye shall not surely die...Gen. 3:4. Eve, then took a step in response to what the serpent said and offered the same to Adam and they both became the victim of what he (the devil) said. We are all victims of what someone said at one point or another in our lives. Many of the things they said we're not true, some were mere facts based on one singular but personal experience. But we accepted it, acted on it, finally lived by it. It usually starts with our parents, then our friends and then strangers. Our Fathers have told us lots of negative things about women; our mothers, about men. We received it, believed it, carried it and lives by it. And this words have shaped our lives negatively. One of the things I (and many of you) heard growing up is: "heaven help those who help themselves". This word has prompted many actions that has destroyed many destinies. The real truth is: HEAVEN HELP THOSE WHO CANNOT HELP THEMSELVES. But who told you? Who told you there are no faithful men or women anymore? Who told you that love is a scam? Who told you that you will die? Who told you that you are worthless, that you are not good enough that you can't make it? Who told you that you must cheat before you succeed? Who told you there's no God, and Christianity is white man's religion? Listen, the endpoint of words are actions. And actions has consequences. The reason they told you is so you can act on it. But have you truly thought about who told you? It is time to rewind, rewire, renew your mind. It is time to drop all these garbages in your mind and start afresh. God is waiting for you, are you ready? Be blessed, Stay refreshed! #AwordForYou #InsightsforLife #nnamdicaezarsammyministry #NCSM #DewChurchGlobal #LifereFreshingMinistry #IAMADEW

Luke 6:45 NASB "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." Pay attention to criticism you receive from legalistic people, and you will perceive that their hearts need healing. You simply state the gospel truth that you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, your sins ARE forgiven, no sin will be held to your account, and they will accuse you of wanting to continue in sin without consequences. They will chastise you with statements like, "we are free from sin, but we don't have a license to sin" and "the cross isn't a get out of jail free card." Legalism causes its victims to be sin conscious rather than resting in the righteousness of God in Christ and convinces them that we must just want to go about acting badly now that we have the forgiveness of sins. They want you to be sin conscious too. The truth is ... being born again and set free from sin doesn't encourage people to sin will-nilly. The two things seem irrational at best and completely inconsistent. Any true believer would have dissonance at the mere suggestion, but they don't truly believe in the sufficiency of Jesus' finished work. They believe in self and think they must add their own efforts to what has already been accomplished at the cross to ensure their eternal lives. #gospel #jesuschrist #faith #grace #legalism

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY FRIDAY JULY 24, 2O26. "DON'T LOOSE YOUR COMPASSIONATE EDGE (2)" '…Faith…if it does not have works, is dead.’  James 2:17 NKJV MOTHER TERESA said, ‘The biggest disease today isn’t leprosy or cancer. It’s the feeling of being uncared for, unwanted—of being deserted and alone.’ As a result, she spent her life rescuing sick babies and giving dignity to the dying. Asked why she did it, she replied, ‘Because Jesus did.’ What a great answer! When simultaneous disasters hit different countries around the world, humanitarian organisations say we suffer from ‘donor fatigue’. Let’s add one more: ‘compassion failure.’ Philosopher Miguel de Unamuno wrote, ‘Warmth, warmth, more warmth! For we are dying of cold and not of darkness. It is not the night that kills, but the frost.’ Think about this: of the 1,189 chapters in the Bible, 250 contain the words of the prophets. That’s roughly 25 percent. Half of what they say denounces sin and the other half condemns those who see human suffering and do nothing about it. Yet events that horrified those same prophets take place in our world every day, and we’re immune to them. Like wearing a watch, you get used to it and after a while you don’t even notice it. But the prophets noticed! They never became desensitised to sin—or human suffering. And you mustn’t either. You say, ‘But my main focus at the moment is on building up my faith.’ That’s a good thing; but never forget that ‘Faith by itself, if it does not have works [of compassion], is dead.’ Bible In A Year: Deut 3-4; Matt 12:1-14; Ps 46; Pro 16:20-22. Courtesy: Grace So Amazing Foundation 🌹🎀 *To partner with us, kindly refer to page 9 of the hard copy edition or simply send us a WhatsApp message/call on +2348128000068.*🌷🎀💝🌹. MD.ii. [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *DON'T BE A COLLATERAL VICTIM* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚠️‼️🛑🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOSHUA 12:1-6```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east" (JOSHUA 12:1).*_ *There are people who sleep walk into disaster, through either arrogance, pride or sheer hubris. It may be that they had recorded successes in previous battles, or have become famous for their accomplishments. They may deem themselves to be invincible, and either declare a war that's totally unnecessary, or inject themselves into other people's battles. In the end, they become the victims of their ego and exaggerated sense of power and importance.* *This is what happened to the kings of the nations on the east of River Jordan. The children of Israel were on a journey ordered by the Almighty God. They were heading to the land of Canaan, in fulfilment of the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their land was not part of Canaan, and therefore, was not intended to be inherited by the Israelites. The inheritance of the Israelites was to be solely Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. But on their way, the Israelites encountered nations that had heard about the supernatural work of God in bringing them out of Egypt. Although the Israelites did not declare war against them, these nations, some out of unfounded fear of losing their territory, and others out of envy and hatred against this nation that had a God that can subdue, humble and defeat Egypt, the great world power of the time, took it on themselves to stop Israel from progressing towards their land of promise. One of such kings was Sihon, king of the Amorites, whose nation was mainly a lush vegetation sandwiched by rivers and plain land that was a haven for pastoralists and for other forms of agriculture. The other king was Og, king of Bashan, a land of the remnants of the giants, with similar topography as the land of the Amorites. When they rose against the Israelites, they were roundly defeated, their kingdoms destroyed and their land confiscated by Moses. He subsequently allocated the land to two and half tribes of Israel, which desired to settle there because it was suitable for their vocation as pastoralists. Had those nations stayed out of the way of the Israelites, they would have remained in their land.* *We must be wise and not take on battles that are not ours, whether out of sympathy with other people or to prove that we are powerful. As believers, we have more than enough battles against principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places, against sin and Satan. The armour Christ has given us is intended to defeat these adversaries. It is not to be wasted on self-imposed battles that do not benefit the kingdom of God. Those who engage in the wrong battles suffer great loss, and live to regret it for the rest of their lives. Let us focus on the assignment Christ has given us, namely, taking the gospel to the world of sinners, and endeavouring to bring as many as are willing, into the kingdom of God.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Those who fight battles without profit, reap rewards without benefits.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *EXODUS 26-29*📜📜 [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *DIVINE FRESHNESS* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✨🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:PSALM 1:1-6```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (PSALM 1:3).*_ *Freshness implies newness of life, originality, and the absence of weakness or death. It is always God's will that His creatures be strong, hale, and hearty. The reverse, however, is the case with many who live in continual weakness, pain, and disability.* *God provides the means of drawing from His life for energy. Still, instead of utilizing the provision, they resort to the use of hard drugs and destructive substances for strength and vitality.* *Our passage for today unveils simple steps for young people to enjoy God's divine freshness. One, they must abstain from the way, walk, and counsel of the wayward and wicked. Two, they should delight in, read and meditate daily on God's word.* *Three, they should appropriate the avalanche of God's blessings and prosperity through prayer and faith. Four, they should not meddle with the ungodly. Friend, the ungodly experience dryness instead of divine freshness. They go through harrowing experiences since they are cut off from God, the source of life and all goodness.* *Would you like to be renewed and transformed? Call on the Lord God, today.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Freshness implies newness.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Stay rooted in Christ, and never run dry!*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Jesus, help me to maintain spiritual freshness.*_ [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *THE FOOL IN FULL* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️😠😡🫸🏽📓⚠️‼️🛑🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```PSALM 53:1-6```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good" (Psalm 53:1).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 An extract from _Merriam Webster_ dictionary goes thus: *"Something is said to be 'in full' when it has come to the highest or the fullest state of degree, when it is at the uttermost extent or when it is complete, especially in details, number, or duration."* The fool in full is the greatest fool that will ever live on earth. He breathes in the air made by God, cultivates the soil created by God, and eats out of the produce thereof, lives in the world God created and enjoys the gift of life given by God, to mention a few; and yet, turns around to say "there is no God." The fool deliberately denies the existence of God despite the many proofs of God's existence. He sees the sun, the moon, the stars, the seas and the uncountable creatures in it, but never pauses to ask: *"Who made the world?"* The things he sees tell him there is God, but in his heart, he refuses to give Him the glory. There is, however, another fool who accepts there is God but refuses to accept His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. This category of fools claim they can worship the Living God the way they like. They corrupt the way of worshipping Him; worshipping idols, the work of their hands. The fool can never do what is good before God. *You should not be a fool. Believe in the only true God and in Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. Turn away from all corrupt and abominable thoughts and actions. Then you will be saved from the foolishness of this world.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Thank You Lord, for delivering me from the foolishness of unbelief.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *John 17:2, 3* [23/07, 10:33 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* FRIDAY, 24TH JULY, 2026. *REHEARSAL OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS* *TEXT:* JOSHUA 12:1-6. 1.Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: 2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah: 4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. *Timeless Truth:*_"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"_ (Psalm 103:2). *INTRODUCTION* From creation, God has been engaged in doing great and new wonders. Some are penned down in the Bible while there are many more that have been experienced by individuals, families, communities and nations since creation of man. The fact that God is immutable guarantees that those miracles can be repeated and increased in greatness and number. One of the greatest ways to strengthen faith is to deliberately rehearse God's faithfulness and meditate on those past wonders of God. Throughout Scripture, God often instructed His people to remember His mighty acts so that they would trust Him for future victories. Israel's conquest of the Amorites under Sihon and the later record of those victories in Joshua remind us that God's past interventions are powerful testimonies of His unfailing covenant. Every believer should cultivate the habit of recalling God's goodness instead of dwelling on past fears or failures. As we recount His faithfulness, our confidence in His promises grows. *1.Arrogant Courting of Battles* Israel peacefully requested passage through the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, but Sihon arrogantly rejected the request and chose war instead (Numbers 21:21–25). It is the norm in military warfare that you don't fight those who come and prefer peace to war. The worst is to lead them as captives. Sihon had taken pride in defeating Moab and taking her possessions (Numbers 21:26-2). Their victory over Moab was celebrated as it became a song in the land. He was optimistic and emboldened that he could repeat the same feat against Israel. However, he was thoughtless and proud. His pride blinded him to the fact that he was fighting against God's covenant people. It is dangerous and risky to fight against the covenant people of God. The battle ended in complete defeat of Sihon because no human strength can prevail against God's purpose. b. Believers have the domineering power of Jesus Christ to crush every power of the adversaries. However, this is not a license for believers to arrogantly court and tempt the people of darkness to unnecessary warfare. When Herod wanted Jesus to perform some miracles for a show of power, Jesus declined because it was unnecessary (Luke 23:8). When Satan tempted Jesus to jump down from the mountain, Jesus also declined because it was an unnecessary show of power. Believers should avoid unnecessary boasting and fight in the name of the Lord that is borne out of arrogance or pride. Believers should never fear opposition, for God remains the Defender of those who trust Him. At the same time, we must guard against pride, remembering that arrogance always invites destruction. *Question* Am I trusting God's strength in life's battles, or am I relying on human confidence and pride? *2. Appreciative Counting of Blessings* Joshua carefully recorded the kings and their land, whom God had delivered into Israel's hands (Joshua 12:1–5). These verses are more than historical records—they are memorials of divine faithfulness. God's people are encouraged to remember every victory and every answered prayer. Gratitude protects the heart from discouragement and unbelief. When we regularly count our blessings, we discover that God's mercies greatly outweigh our trials. Thanksgiving also prepares us to receive greater blessings from the Lord. As the psalmist puts it, *"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."* This will take a diligent and deliberate effort like Joshua did when he wrote down and recalled the good wonders of God to himself and to the whole Israel. *Question* How often do I deliberately remember and thank God for His past faithfulness in my life? *3. Additions to Covenant for the Beloved* a. The conquered territories were not part of the promised Canaan inheritance. But Sihon and Og lost their land through their pride and arrogance and those blessings were taken from them and added to the children of Israel (Joshua 12:6). After getting victory, Moses assigned the conquered territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh as their inheritance. God's faithfulness extends beyond victory in battle to the fulfillment of His covenant promises. b. There are several cases where God took away the assigned blessing of the arrogant and added them to the portion of the godly. Reuben and Esau were supposed to have the double blessings of their first born, but they both lost them through carelessness and profanity. Their blessings were added to Judah and Jacob respectively. Jesus warned the Ephesian Church of loss of ministry if they didn't repent from the loss of their first love and the immoral practices of the Nicolaitans(Revelation 2:5). He also warned the Pastor of Philadelphia that if he was not watchful, his crown would be taken from him and be given or added to another person. *"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown"* (Revelation 3:11). Remember, King Saul lost his crown, which was supposed to be generational, to David. The same with Esau and none of them could get his back. Fight and be watchful to retain and enjoy all your blessings and inheritance assigned to you by God. *Question* Am I very watchful and prayerful in ensuring that my blessings and inheritance are not taken from me and transferred to another person? *Prayer Points* 1.Heavenly Father, help me always remember and celebrate Your faithfulness in every season of my life 🙏. 2.Lord, deliver me from every form of pride, boasting and unnecessary show of power and grant me victory over every battle confronting my faith 🙏. 3.Give me a grateful heart that continually counts Your blessings instead of focusing on life's difficulties. 4.Give Your children grace to be watchful and prayerful and don't allow anyone to take their assigned blessings and inheritance 🙏. *HYMN:* Count Your Blessings *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* EXODUS 26-29. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. ⏤ Proverbs 16:9 To pray is to let go and let God take over. ⏤ Philip Yancey O God, our Father, we, Your children, wait for Your blessing before we go out to the work and care of this new day. We thank You for the blessings You gave us in our sleep. You have renewed our strength and restored what yesterday’s toil took from us. We are strong this morning and ready for another day’s work because of the blessings You gave us in our sleep. We consecrate our lives to You for this new day. Take us and use us as You will. We don’t want to make our own plans, for we are too short-sighted and would only plan for present comfort or earthly success. We would rather have You reveal Your plan for our day. It may not be easy, but we know it is wiser and better than our way could ever be, for You see the end from the beginning, and You choose the best things for us. We lay our plans at Your feet and ask You to use them if they are the best, but if not, to set them aside so that Your plan for the day may work unhindered in us. We pray for our neighbors. Some of them are sick. Remember them and grant them healing and restoration. Send them Your comfort in their pain, and let them be richly blessed by the experiences they are going through. Some of our neighbors have gone through sorrows. Heal their broken hearts and give them comfort that will make them stronger to bear their grief, and help them find the blessings You have hidden in their sorrow. Receive us now into Your care for this day; bless us, keep us, and use us as You will. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/19/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Nel link il reportage sulla visita del Reverendo Franklin Graham all’ospedale da campo della Samaritan’s Purse che, in Venezuela, ha fornito fino ad ora assistenza medica gratuita ad oltre 2.500 persone vittime del terremoto. La Samaritan’s Purse è l’organizzazione umanitaria internazionale che fa capo alla Billy Graham Evangestic Association di cui Franklin Graham è Presidente. The link includes a report on Reverend Franklin Graham's visit to the Samaritan's Purse field hospital in Venezuela, which has so far provided free medical care to over 2,500 earthquake victims. Samaritan's Purse is the international humanitarian organization affiliated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, of which Franklin Graham is President.

❤️LIBERATION FROM OCCULT OPPRESSION AND SUBJECTION. Part 2 of 2. Continued. Method of Deliverance. Wherever there has been occult participation in any form, it is essential that the following procedure be undertaken and carefully followed or liberation from occult subjection or oppression will not result. We cannot overemphasize that those suffering from occult oppression or subjection cannot be fully delivered in the usual manner by mere exorcism of spirits. Those who have allowed themselves to be bound by these dark powers can be liberated only by direct confession of occult sins and renunciation of Satan and his work in their lives. An experienced deliverance minister has seen those who have been prayed for previously for deliverance, sometimes several times without success, set free from Satan's bondage when the correct Scriptural procedure was undertaken. The same procedure is also necessary for those who were "passively" subjected or oppressed, who never willfully or actively participated in occultism. Those suffering affliction from the powers of darkness as a result of their identification and association with others who were involved in the occult, or who were subjected to such occult contacts as children, must confess and renounce these associations and contacts. 1. Confession of faith in Christ. If the person needing liberation is already a Christian (as many are), he needs only to affirm his faith in Christ. Others, however, will have to be led to make this confession before the way is opened for their deliverance. Occasionally, there are those who are primarily seeking relief from demonic oppression, but who have no real interest in following Christ. Such individuals cannot be liberated, at least not permanently, for without a sincere commitment to Christ, there is no permanent basis for resisting the enemy's power. On the other hand, some are unable to make such a confession of Christ without help. One characteristic of occult subjection is the inability to make this confession. In such cases, the oppressed person, bound by the powers of darkness, must be led by a Christian to faith in Christ, repeating after him a saving confession. Do not be concerned about the sincerity of the confession in such cases, for if the subjected individual were not in earnest he would not be seeking liberation. Moreover, all the powers of darkness are often brought to bear upon the oppressed individual in an attempt to prevent just such a confession of faith, which, as they well know, opens the way for liberation from their bondage. Sometimes a person is so bound by these evil powers that Satan's hold must be broken by calling upon the power of the blood of Jesus. Then the individual will be able to follow another in a confession of faith in Christ. 2. Confession of occult sins. All occult involvement must be confessed if liberation is to be realized. The oppressed should name each specific form of participation which can be recalled and confess it to God as sin. The individual should make a confession similar to the following: "Father, I confess that I have sinned against your Word by consulting a fortune teller (or by attending a seance, or Spiritualist meeting; by inquiring with the ouija board; by having warts or burns removed by magic charming; by following the horoscope, being hypnotized, or divining for water, as the case may be). I confess these practices as sin, as well as anything else of this nature which I may have forgotten. I ask for and accept your forgiveness, in Jesus' Name." Occasionally, a Christian suffering oppression and needing deliverance, whose occult involvement took place before his conversion to Christ, will question the necessity of confessing these practices now that he is a Christian, since all his sins were forgiven upon conversion. What we must bear in mind is that our present concern is not the oppressed individual's salvation, but his need for deliverance from occult oppression. Obviously, if the Christian seeking deliverance had been set free from Satan's oppression just by confessing faith in Christ, he would not be seeking liberation from this oppression! Moreover, in many cases, these individuals have also had prayer for deliverance and were not set free. There must be some hindrance and valid reason why their conversion to Christ and prayer for deliverance have not resulted in their liberation. An experienced minister has found that liberation does not come until occult sins are recognized and acknowledged as the cause. In the case of occult participation, one has, in essence, called upon other "gods" (Exodus 20), and has thereby opened the door to these oppressing spirits, who have access as long as the victim does not uncover their presence. The reason for such acknowledgment of occult participation is that one must go back to the place where he opened the door and gave access to the powers of darkness, and close it at that point. Admission of occult practices is an acknowledgment that the oppressed individual now recognizes such participation as a violation of the Scriptures. The necessity of such acknowledgment is seen in the fact that most who are oppressed as a result of occult involvement do not even know that they have violated God's commandments against these practices. Satan resists such admission because acknowledgment of specific occult sins uncovers his presence at the exact point where he has a hold on the victim. Satan hides, as it were, behind the unconfessed occult practices which keep the person bound. Confession removes this barrier and betrays Satan's presence, thus preparing the way for liberation from his bondage. It is true that upon conversion to Christ one's sins are all forgiven; but this does not guarantee he will not reap the consequences of what he has sown (Galatians 6:7). This is seen in the case of David, to whom God said that the sword would never depart from his house because of his sin with Bath-sheba (II Samuel 12). If one has lived such a life of disobedience and sin before conversion that the enemy has afflicted him with disease and sickness as a result, he is not automatically set free from such oppression, nor cured of these things, merely because he has confessed faith in Christ and has been forgiven those sins which caused his ailments. Upon conversion, spirits of infirmity such as epilepsy, blindness, dumbness, deafness, and so on, do not automatically leave their victims, who many times are innocently oppressed with these afflictions. So there is no Scriptural basis to think that oppressing spirits, who entered as a result of occult involvement, quietly depart when one becomes a Christian. By stressing that Christians need to acknowledge to God any involvement in occult practices which took place before their conversion, we are not suggesting that their sins were not all forgiven at Calvary. Rather, by making such admission to God, they now recognize and acknowledge these occult practices as a violation of Scripture, and as the cause of their oppression. When Christians are shown that their oppression is caused by previous occult involvement, and that such participation is a violation of Scripture, their acknowledgment to God of such practices opens the way for liberation from oppression. Obviously, those who have had occult involvement after conversion should make a confession similar to that already suggested, as soon as they learn that occult participation is a violation of Scripture, just as they would need to confess any sin they might commit as a Christian. But in cases where all occult involvement was before one's conversion to Christ, the individual needs to acknowledge to God his recognition that the practices of which he was guilty were sin, and were the cause of his present oppression. Such an admission, preparatory to liberation, uncovers the presence of the enemy at the exact place where he has a hold to oppress his victim. It might be expressed this way: "Heavenly Father, I thank You for now showing me the sinful character of occult practices. I now acknowledge that it was my visit to the fortuneteller (inquiring with the ouija board, attending a seance, and so on) in violation of the Scriptures, which opened the door to my oppression, and which was the cause of my present problems at the hands of the enemy. I believe that all my sins are under the blood of Christ, including these which You have now shown me, in Jesus' Name." One should not allow Satan, through pride or on the basis of theological argument, to hinder him from confessing or acknowledging occult participation, for the purpose of such admission is to unmask the presence of the enemy and reveal the point at which he holds his victim in bondage. Refusing to confess simply means that Satan remains concealed, hidden behind the unconfessed sin itself, for "he that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). 3. Renunciation of Satan and command to depart. This must be a direct command to Satan himself (not a prayer or request). The person seeking or needing the deliverance must command Satan to depart in Jesus' Name! Nobody else can do this for the oppressed or subjected person, since it was an act of this individual's will that opened the door to the enemy in the first place. At least for permanent liberation, Satan will heed a command to depart only if it comes from the same individual. This is one reason why many who are occultly subjected or oppressed are not permanently liberated, although others have prayed for them to be delivered. Satan contends, in the case of occult involvement, that he has the "right of access" to this person who has invited him in through occult participation, and that he will not leave until this same individual, by an act of his will, renounces him and commands him to depart. At this point, the oppressed individual should say, for example, "Satan, I hereby renounce you and all your works in my life. I command you in Jesus' Name to depart and trouble me no more! I hereby close the door to you forever." 4. Exorcism: the prayer of deliverance. We believe that one can liberate himself by faith from occult bondage and oppression by (1) a confession of occult involvement, and (2) a renunciation of Satan, with the command for him to depart. A minister has found that liberation is usually felt quite definitely by the person who is suffering oppression during this act of exorcism when Satan is commanded to loose the victim and set him free in Jesus' Name. Again and again, a countenance which has been marred by depression as a result of Satanic oppression is immediately transformed, amid expressions of rejoicing and praise to God at the joy of actually experiencing the departure of the dark powers. Therefore, in unusual instances where the hold of demonic power is extremely strong, they should not hesitate to ask help from those who understand the nature of occult oppression and subjection and have in person deliverance. Fasting also may be required to cast out strong demons for Jesus said “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:28-29.) 5. Responsibility of the liberated. The important thing to remember after deliverance has taken place is that deliverance is a walk, not a once for all experience without any responsibilities on the part of the person who has been set free. After deliverance it is necessary to build certain safeguards around the ground that has been liberated and recovered from the enemy. Jesus warns in Matthew 12:43-45 that deliverance is not necessarily permanent unless one takes certain spiritual precautions against the enemy's attempts to return. Thus, if the life of the liberated individual is not filled with faith and spiritually wholesome things, the evil spirit can return bringing with him "seven other spirits more wicked than himself, ... and the last state of that man is worse than the first." After a person is set free he should avoid all future contact with any form of spiritism or religious cults, and be on guard against new or strange doctrines that are not in harmony with Scripture. Moreover, one should not neglect to destroy all occult objects and literature (without regard to their cost), such as fortune telling cards, ouija boards, occult games, magic books, literature from such cults as Rosicrucians, Christian Science, Unity, and New Age, or by such authors as Edgar Cayce, Annalee Skarin, Harold Sherman, and so on (See Acts 19:18-19). It is imperative that one cultivate a strong faith and spiritual life after deliverance. We suggest the following: (1) Study of the Scriptures. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) and believing the Word. Strengthen your faith with such passages on deliverance, protection, and the power of Jesus' Name and blood as: Psalm 91; Romans 8:28-39; Revelation 12:11; Luke 10:17; Mark 16:17-18; John 10:27-29; Isaiah 54:11-17; Ephesians 2:6; 6:10-18; Exodus 12:23. (2) Prayer. Develop a consistent prayer life. Pray much in the Spirit. Praying in fellowship with other Biblically sound Christians in a prayer group develops faith and encourages spiritual growth. Prayer partners are recommended. See Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20. (3) Fellowship. Spiritual fellowship with other members of the Body of Christ is essential. A member separated from one's physical body would soon atrophy and die. An ember taken from the fire soon grows cold. One who has suffered oppression especially needs communion with the saints in worship for mutual encouragement, and for spiritual nurture, growth, strength, and development. See Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:41-47. (4) Resistance. After liberation, Satan may seek to oppress again, or through temptation attempt to entice the individual to yield to him, in order to gain access to his life once more. It is well to remember, therefore, that Satan must have the consent of the individual's will in order to gain an entrance. We are told in I Timothy 4:1, for example, that those who departed from the faith gave heed to seducing spirits. We are admonished in Ephesians 4:27: "Neither give place to the devil," and in James 4:7: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." However, even if the enemy breaks through in a moment of weakness, one should immediately take a firm stand, refuse to give him further access, and demand that he depart. In order to maintain one's victory over the powers of darkness and prevent any future invasion of one's life by these malevolent spirits, it is essential to keep in mind the following principles of spiritual warfare: a. Confess your victory and deliverance through Jesus' blood (Revelation 12:11). b. Boldly state your authority over Satan by virtue of your position with Christ "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20-21; 2:6; Colossians 2:13-15; Psalm 91; Mark 16:17). c. Use the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit in time of temptation or assault from the enemy. Jesus overcame Satan's temptations with Scripture, saying: "It is written" (Matthew 4:1-11). Paul admonishes, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16). d. Resist Satan in faith, for we are in a spiritual warfare in which we can always have the victory if we will take it by faith (I Peter 5:8-9; Matthew 26:41; James 4:7; Ephesians 4:27). e. Put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). This should be done in faith daily, especially in time of great trial. f. Command Satan to depart in Jesus' Name when he tempts or attacks in any unusual manner, particularly when he seeks to take some advantage of a weakness, or makes an attack through another individual (Matthew 16:21-23; Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17). g. Guard your mind and thoughts. Absolutely refuse entrance into your heart and mind anything of a negative, critical, contrary, resentful, selfish, base, or depressive nature. Guard your mind jealously, for this is where the enemy usually strikes. Refuse every thought that is impure, unkind, offensive, unjust, evil, detrimental, or envious. Resist and repulse thoughts of pride, hate, resentment, slander, doubt, unbelief, anxiety, indifference, wrath, and self-pity. In so doing the enemy can gain no access to your life, inasmuch as the greater part of his effort is directed toward invading your mind. Few people resist him as they should at this point and thus fall prey to his influence and control. Failure to guard the mind and heart against Satan's deceiving, depressive, negative and destructive thoughts and suggestions is one of the major causes for oppression, sickness, fear, discord, depression, despair, strife, and failure. "Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). The responsibility of the one liberated to keep the door closed to further invasions by the powers of darkness cannot be over-emphasized, for a minister has seen a few who neglected their responsibility suffer oppression again. This warning should be especially heeded by those neurotic individuals who manifest a spirit of "self-pity" and "self-centeredness" as were described in our study on “Evidence of Occult Oppression and Subjection.” These individuals desire attention at any cost. Though it is a morbid and pathological desire for recognition, nevertheless, they feel such a deep-seated need for attention that they actually (often subconsciously) fear full deliverance, lest they lose the notice of others. They feel unable to face life or make independent decisions, and are threatened with a specter of failure and misfortune, so they do not follow through with their responsibility to keep the door closed to these dark powers. They constantly lament their fate, confess their doubt, fear and failure, and voice their problems and troubles to any and all who will listen. These individuals are to be firmly admonished concerning their failure to accept their responsibilities. They must never be pitied and sympathized with, since this only feeds the spirit of self-centeredness which thrives on attention and will depart only when it fails to get it. Pray for them, but do not, under any circumstances, encourage this condition. They must admit their weakness in this regard, command this spirit to leave, and firmly resist its efforts to return by not encouraging it with their own appetites for attention. There is no cure for the ego-centered person whose liberation from occult enslavement rests entirely in his own will. If he expects permanent victory, he must resist any new inroads by this spirit as resolutely as a former alcoholic or drug addict would resist taking another drink or injection of narcotics. In all cases, one maintains his position of victory by resistance and faith. State your victory by faith in the promises of God and stand on it. In summary, liberation from occult subjection and oppression basically involves three steps, which are the essential things to remember in dealing with those who have had any form of occult involvement. They are: (1) Confession of sins of occult participation; (2) Renunciation of Satan and the command for him to depart; (3) Exorcism (when required). In one minister's experience every person was liberated from the powers of darkness who sincerely desired it and followed these Scriptural requirements. After prayer for deliverance, accept the fact of your liberation from the powers of darkness by faith. Do not rely on "feelings" or "appearances" at this point. Stand on the Word of God. The assurance and evidence will come. Some who have received prayer for deliverance have not seen an immediate change; yet later they have testified of their definite liberation from oppression and subjection to occult powers. Many feel an immediate change and many do not. Stand on the promises of God no matter the feelings! Satan must release his victim when commanded to do so in Jesus' Name. Therefore, you should expect to see a change. However, he does not always obey immediately, so symptoms may not disappear right away. At this point, you must act your faith and boldly state the fact of your liberation with a promise from Scripture such as Colossians 1:13 "God has delivered me from the powers of darkness and translated me into the kingdom of His Son". Do not do as many and go by feelings and say it feels and looks like nothing changed in my circumstances so I must not be delivered. God said you were based on His word if you will believe and boldly state His word to all demonic oppression whenever it tries to manifest. Resist the devil and he will flee; we are admonished in James 4:7. The manifestation will surely follow your steadfast endurance and resistance to the powers of darkness, for the victory is won by faith! Edited. Shared. May God grant you the understanding and grace to overcome in all things, walk pleasing in His sight, used by God to help others find freedom also. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

daily devotion for July 20th The Greatest Love My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13 This section begins and ends with the command of Jesus: I command you to love one another. The fact that this is put in the imperative mode means it is not an option in our life. It is not something we do if we feel like it. It is to be a deliberate response to another person whom we know to be in the family of God, regardless of how we feel toward that person. Many people struggle at this point. They say, How can you command love? Love is a feeling, and if you don't love somebody, you can't help it. Love is our master; we do not master it. Those who say these things reveal that they have a very serious misconception of love. Unfortunately, we are victims of Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollyhood in this respect. We think of love as a feeling we have of affection toward another. But love, as Jesus speaks of it here, is far different. We can be sure of one thing: He would never command us to do what is impossible for us to do. The secret, of course, is that we are to love, He says, as I have loved you. This kind of love is to arise out of the same kind of relationship that He has with the Father that made it possible for Him to love us. In this same manner, and from the same source, we are to love one another with the same quality of love. He loved us because God is love, and He was indwelt by the Father. He was in the Father, and the Father in Him. As He yielded to that relationship, love flowed out. It could not help it--God is love. Since God is love, as we yield to that relationship to the Son, love flows from us. And it will have the qualities that His love has. He goes on to define for us the aspects of love that mark the quality of His love for us, which we also are to show to one another. The first is given in the words, Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Love lays down its life for another. We all know how fully Jesus Himself exemplified this. His is the greatest love that anyone can demonstrate toward friends. Obviously this means more than simply dying physically for them. If it meant only that, there would be very few of us who could or would ever fulfill this, largely because we would lack the opportunity to do so. And, of course, one could do so only once! But our Lord is commanding us to do this repeatedly. So He means by this that we are to give ourselves up for one another. When you go out of your way to meet a friend's need, when you are willing to spend time with someone who is a Christian just because that one is a Christian--not necessarily because you are drawn to that person--and you are willing to go out of your way and to give yourself up for him or her, you are laying down your life, a part of it at least, for that person. This is what Jesus had in mind. Lord, You have loved me with this kind of love. Now I pray that this same love would flow through me to others in the body of Christ.

# DAILY LIGHT STOP COMPLAINING: YOU HAVEN'T ASK THE FATHER IN THE NAME OF HIS SON (JESUS CHRIST) ​Grace, apostolic authority, and the uncompromising truth of the Lord Jesus Christ be multiplied to your spirit. As disciples of the Kingdom, we are not called to be victims of our circumstances; we are mandated to be spiritual legislators in the earth. ​Today, the Holy Ghost is confronting a paralyzing spiritual disease in the Body of Christ: the toxicity of complaining. We are tearing down the altars of self-pity and stepping into the raw, governmental authority of the Name of Jesus. Prepare your spirit, for this is a surgical correction meant to elevate you from a murmuring captive to a reigning son. ​The Vocabulary of Unbelief ​"Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." — 1 Corinthians 10:10 ​Complaining is not a harmless habit; it is the vocabulary of unbelief. It is the flesh's attempt to garner human sympathy without submitting to divine sovereignty. When you complain about your finances, your marriage, your ministry, or your leaders, you are indirectly indicting the leadership of the Holy Spirit. ​Murmuring kept an entire generation of Israelites out of the Promised Land. It blinded them to the supernatural provision of God and magnified their obstacles. God does not respond to your complaints; the Kingdom does not move because you are frustrated. Complaining only grants legal access to "the destroyer" to wreak havoc in your life. It is time to shut the mouth of the flesh and open the mouth of the spirit. ​The Apostolic Mandate of Asking ​"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." — John 16:24 ​Hear the piercing revelation of the Master. Jesus looked at His closest disciples and told them they had asked for nothing. They had worried, they had debated, and they had stressed—but they had not asked in His Name. ​Worrying is not asking. Crying out in frustration is not asking. Rehearsing your trauma to your friends is not asking. To ask in the Name of Jesus is to operate in His legal jurisdiction. The Name of Jesus is not a magical suffix you attach to the end of a carnal wish list; it is a blank check signed by the blood of the Lamb, meant to fund the will of God in your life. When you pray in His Name, you are approaching the Father not based on your own merit, but clothed in the absolute righteousness and authority of the Son. ​The Death of Entitlement and Fleshly Striving ​"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not." — James 4:2 ​You are exhausted from fighting, scheming, and manipulating situations trying to force a breakthrough. The apostolic diagnosis is simple: You have not, because you ask not. ​To transition from complaining to commanding, absolute soul-surrender is required. You must surrender your right to be offended by your trials. You must crucify your entitlement. True discipleship demands that you bring your lack, your pain, and your confusion to the altar, completely yielding your will to the Father. You must stop trying to be the CEO of your own destiny and take up your rightful position as an intercessor. The Father is waiting to release divine supply, healing, and strategy—but He is waiting for a disciple who knows how to approach the Throne Room legally. ​Prophetic Decree and Prayer of Consecration ​"Father, in the supreme, conquering Name of Jesus Christ, I bring my soul to the altar of absolute Lordship today. I repent of the sin of complaining, murmuring, and self-pity. I renounce the vocabulary of unbelief that has empowered the destroyer in my life. I crucify my fleshly striving and my right to be offended by my circumstances. Lord, I wash my mouth with the blood of Jesus. Today, I pick up my apostolic mandate to legislate. I ask, Father, for the resources, the healing, the open doors, and the spiritual fire required to fulfill my Kingdom assignment—and I ask it exclusively through the matchless authority of the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Consume my flesh, elevate my faith, and let my joy be full! In Jesus' mighty Name!" # THE SON OF LIGHT

❤️LIBERATION FROM OCCULT OPPRESSION AND SUBJECTION. Part 1 of 2. Two significant questions stand as a hindrance in the minds of those who are unaware of the reality and extent of satanic influence and enslavement among Christians. Satan has used erroneous teachings and beliefs, based neither upon Scripture nor experience, to delude many concerning the following questions: 1. Can a Christian be oppressed by Satan, or possess evil spirits? 2. Can one who has never actively participated in any form of occultism be occultly subjected or oppressed? The answer to both questions is "yes," and this can be supported both from Scripture and experience. Question 1: Can a Christian be oppressed by Satan, or possess evil spirits? Believers can be oppressed, vexed, depressed, hindered, bound, and afflicted by Satan, or even suffer infestation by demonic spirits. Absolute demon possession is when the life and will of a person are completely under the dominion and control of Satan. This is different from the invasion of the mind or body by malevolent spirits, such as spirits of infirmity, fear, resentment, doubt, and depression. We refer to the latter condition when we speak of a Christian suffering "infestation" by evil spirits; demon possession, per se, is what we see in the account of the Gadarene demoniac in Mark 5. In any case, when malevolent spirits invade the mind or body of a Christian, they must be "cast out" before deliverance from the problems which they cause can be realized. For this reason, we say that such individuals are oppressed by Satan or infested with evil spirits to which they have yielded for one reason or another. One may sit in an "ivory tower" and debate the theological possibility of this fact at length, but just one or two encounters with the reality of the powers of darkness in the lives of Christians today can do much to correct one's theology on this matter. A certain pastor knows by experience that believers can be oppressed and suffer invasion of the mind and body by malicious spirits. Of those a certain pastor has dealt with and seen God deliver from all forms of demonic oppression and enslavement resulting from occult involvement, the vast majority were Christians! In fact, many of these were believers who had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. By occult participation, one can open the door to oppression or invasion by the powers of darkness either before or after becoming a Christian. The fact that believers can be oppressed or suffer infestation by demonic spirits is seen in many examples from the Scriptures. . The oppressing misfortunes and physical affliction of Job are said to be the work of Satan (Job 1-2). . Even in the House of God there can be those possessed with unclean spirits as Mark 1:23-26 clearly teaches: "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit," whom Jesus set free. There is no reason to doubt that he was a believer who had gone there to worship. . The woman bowed together by Satan and delivered of a "spirit of infirmity" by Jesus was also in the synagogue. She was a believer ("a daughter of Abraham") and was said to have been bound by Satan with a spirit of infirmity, which was cast out of her (Luke 13:11-16). . It is implied in II Timothy 2:23-26 that believers need to recover themselves from "the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." . A believer in the church at Corinth was doubtless possessed with a spirit of lust, and later suffered oppression at the hands of Satan, for the Apostle admonished the church to deliver this member "unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (I Corinthians 5:1-5). . Jesus "rebuked" the fever in Peter's mother-in-law and she was healed (Luke 4:38-39). Quite obviously, one does not rebuke a mere rise in temperature, but He addressed Himself to a personality, a spirit causing the fever. . Jesus uses this same term to rebuke Satan in Mark 8:33, and demons in Mark 9:25. Since the Scriptures teach that all sickness is the "oppression" of Satan (Acts 10:38), then any Christian who becomes sick or diseased is suffering satanic oppression. If the oppressed are to be set free, we must rid ourselves of the naive and unscriptural notion that believers cannot be oppressed by Satan, or possess evil spirits in some instances. We must give up the opinion that being a Christian automatically safeguards one against any such invasion. Satan has deluded Christians into believing that, since Jesus defeated him at the Cross, we can just ignore him today; or even if one were oppressed or possessed with spirits before conversion, he is somehow mysteriously set free when saved. If this were true, then why do not blind, deaf, dumb, or epileptic spirits leave upon the conversion of the afflicted person? Why do not cancers and other diseases leave those oppressed by Satan with these ailments when they are converted to Christ? How is it possible for Christians still to be subject to fear, depression, insanity, disease, and pain if believers cannot be oppressed by the powers of darkness? How, then, do we account for Peter speaking at one moment by divine revelation and the next being moved by Satan to speak words which Jesus soundly rebuked, addressing His rebuke to Satan himself (Matthew 16:13-23)? Simon the sorcerer is said to have believed and been baptized, and there is certainly no reason to exclude him from the number of Samaritans who also received the baptism in the Holy Spirit; yet he had not completely been delivered from his occult bondage and was commanded to repent and pray (Acts 8.). If Satan cannot invade the life of a believer, how then was he able to "fill" the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira, two disciples in the early church (Acts 5:1-11)? One of the strongest arguments against the unscriptural position that Satan presents no serious threat to the believer is given by the apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12, where he states that he himself suffered oppression at the hands of "the messenger of Satan" who was allowed to buffet him. There are two dangerous and unscriptural attitudes toward Satan and his demonic forces. One is to deny, as liberal theologians do, the reality and existence of a personal adversary, the Devil. But the other is equally absurd. Most contemporary Christians treat the subject with an attitude of indifference. They are naive concerning Satan's extensive power and work, and are deluded into thinking that he presents no real threat to the believer beyond tempting one to sin now and then. There is absolutely no Scriptural basis for such an attitude. On the contrary, Scripture repeatedly warns believers to "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith" (I Peter 5:8-9), and "neither give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27). The New Testament describes the Christian life as a spiritual warfare, admonishing the believer to "resist the devil" (James 4:7), and to "put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:11-12). Scripture abounds with references to a spiritual conflict, which the believer is to take seriously, against an evil, cunning, and powerful adversary who rules over a vast, highly organized kingdom, consisting of principalities, powers, and world rulers of the darkness of this age. He is designated as "the prince of the power of the air," "the ruler of this world," and "the god of this age." When he offered the kingdoms of this world to Jesus in return for worship, the Lord did not challenge his right to offer them, for the precise reason that they belong to him. His chief strategy, therefore, is to convince believers that he does not have to be taken seriously. As a result, he has achieved tremendous victories over men in many instances. To see the folly in the unscriptural notion that Satan presents no serious threat to the believer, one needs only to recall some of the instances given in Scripture of his victories in the lives of the unwary and careless. Note, for example, the fall of Adam and Eve from their state of sinlessness, together with all their posterity; the yielding of King Saul to an evil spirit and his tragic end; the sin of David and its consequences; the apostasy of Judas, one of the twelve apostles; the denial of Christ by Peter, who was also an apostle; the influence of Satan in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira, two of the first disciples in the early church; the incestuous sin of a member of the Corinthian church; the desertion of the apostle Paul by his fellow-worker, Demas, who returned to the world and gave up Christianity; the blasphemy of Hymenaeus and Alexander, which resulted in their excommunication; as well as the sins and low moral and spiritual state of several of the first-century Christian churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation, which necessitated the sharp rebuke by Christ. To these may be added the prophetic warnings of Scripture concerning the great end-time apostasy and falling away as a result of satanic and demonic influence and work, e.g ., II Thessalonians 2:1-12; I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 3:1-9; Matthew 24:24; Revelation 13; Acts 20:28-31. Thus, the Scriptures plainly forewarn believers that some will be influenced by Satan, drawn away by his deceptions, for "the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (I Timothy 4:1). Note carefully that it says here that some shall "depart from the faith." Quite clearly, an individual must first profess faith before he can "depart" from the faith, as unbelievers were never in the faith. Of the disciples Hymenaeus and Alexander it is said that they "thrust away" the faith from them. Moreover, the Scriptures show that Satan can discourage believers through trials, tempting them to turn away from Christ (Hebrews 3; 6; 10); hinder believers (I Thessalonians 2:18), or even an angel (Daniel 10:12-13); deceive believers (I Timothy 1:18-20; 2:14); speak through believers (Matthew 16:21-23); influence believers (James 3:14-15; Acts 5:1-11); destroy their possessions (Job 1); afflict them with disease (Job 2), destroy their flesh (I Corinthians 5), or bind them with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:11-13); oppress them (II Corinthians 12:7); and sift them as wheat (Luke 22:31-32). Satanic oppression is to be found in the lives of many saints. The apostle Paul was oppressed by "the angel or messenger of Satan." Satan and demons were very real to Anthony of Egypt, who had many face-to face conflicts with them. Tertullian speaks of the opposition of demons to Christians whom they seek to terrify and injure. Luther tells of repeated attempts by Satan to interfere with him and his ministry by direct attacks in the form of ghostly noises, poltergeist phenomena, and other weird occurrences. On one occasion, Satan even manifested himself to him. The Wesley family also endured poltergeist attacks which disturbed the peace of the rectory at night with loud knocks, raps on the walls and beds, phantom footsteps, objects flying about mysteriously, and apparitions. St. Teresa suffered much vexation and oppression at the hands of Satan. She sometimes experienced direct spiritual, mental, and physical attacks, as did the Cure d'Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney, A.B. Simpson, and many others. Of course, in setting forth the Scriptural basis for the reality of satanic oppression and demonic attacks upon the believer, we have not forgotten that the believer has victory in Christ over Satan. He is seated in a place of authority with Christ in the heavenlies, far above all principalities and powers (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12-15). But we are recognizing what the contemporary church often overlooks: that the first rule in effective warfare is to know your enemy, his methods, strength, and tactics. Because of the compelling evidence, some will admit that a Christian can be oppressed, depressed, attacked, and vexed by evil spirits; they just cannot accept the fact that a Christian can be infested with such spirits. But if a Christian is suffering from a cancer or mental illness, what is the difference whether we say he is being "oppressed" by Satan, or that an evil spirit has actually "invaded" his body or mind? The source and result are the same. In either event, we have to deal with Satan if liberation is to come. The only difference is in how we deal with the situation: in cases of possession, exorcism of these malevolent spirits is required; in cases of oppression, prayer alone is usually sufficient. Many reliable witnesses agree that Christians can be infested with demons, as well as oppressed by them. When questioned about the possibility of a Christian being possessed by demonic spirits, Dr. V. R. Edman, former president of Wheaton College, replied that theory would say, "no," but the facts say, "yes." Theoretically a demon cannot possess a body in which the Holy Spirit resides; but Dr. Edman said that he knew of true Christians who were truly demon possessed and who were delivered by prayer in Jesus' Name. In a certain pastor’s personal experience, the majority of those for whom he has prayed for deliverance from occult oppression or subjection were Christians, including ministers and the wives of ministers. Gordon Lindsay writes: "It is a matter of grave concern to observe the number of ways that demons are attacking, harassing, and actually dominating people who are professing Christians." Dr. Russell Meade points out in his book on demonism today, based on his experience in the deliverance of Christians, that there is no Biblical evidence for thinking that the Holy Spirit and a demon cannot inhabit the same body. H.A. Maxwell Whyte wrote, " ... we have seen hundreds of people manifestly delivered from all kinds of evil spirits ... our young people have needed this strong prayer of deliverance .... Many today are being set free from unclean spirits ... young people for whom we have prayed are members of Christian churches." He continues, "Most Christians are far more bound by Satan and his legions than they realize, or will readily admit. The whole subject is shrouded in mystery and fear. Pride will not permit us to admit a need, and to permit another to pray for us." A.J. MacMillan wrote, "The objection is frequently made that a true child of God cannot be brought thus under the power of the enemy. Experience disproves this, for even spiritual believers and earnest and successful workers have suffered .... " Dr. Kurt E. Koch, in his book on occultism, cites numerous instances in his ministry of Christians needing liberation from occult subjection and oppression. A well known American evangelist told of a missionary who became possessed by tormenting, malevolent spirits, and suffered terribly until he received deliverance. He then said that similar experiences may be more common among Christians than we suppose. Some who have had occult involvement before their conversion to Christ, although none since, have asked, "How is it possible for a Christian to continue suffering oppression or subjection because of this preconversion participation?" The answer is simple: the "door" which they opened to the powers of darkness by their occult participation remains open to these oppressing spirits until the individuals, by a definite act of faith and personal exercise of the will, close the door against the satanic invasion. If I had opened the door of my home to a murderer, thief, and reprobate, and invited him in before my conversion, the criminal would not automatically vacate the premises merely because I later changed my interests. I would have to deliberately eject him from the house, and close and lock the door against further intrusion. All occult participation, regardless of the kind or degree of involvement, is an open invitation for the powers of darkness to invade the premises. Satan does not withdraw his influences and work until commanded to do so, for he claims certain "trespass rights" in the life of such individuals. We are not merely theorizing as to the theological "possibility" of invasions by the powers of darkness in the lives of believers. The fact of such oppression and subjection is based upon the teachings of Scripture and upon experience. There is abundant evidence, for those who care to investigate the matter, to prove that a person's turning his back upon occult participation after becoming a Christian does not mean that the powers of darkness have turned their back upon him! Question 2: Can a Christian who has never actively participated in any form of occultism be occultly subjected or oppressed? A certain pastor has found many cases where a person who never actively participated in any form of occult practice still suffered oppression or subjection. This is referred to as "passive" oppression or subjection by these powers. Disease can be inherited by the innocent from their ancestors; moral degeneracy and undesirable traits such as uncontrollable anger, dissipation, or intemperance are found in children whose parents bear the same traits; so too, children whose parents and/or blood relations have had occult contacts often suffer various forms of occult bondage and oppression. Christians who were subjected to occult influences in childhood often find that they need liberation from the powers of darkness which have gained access and are oppressing them in mind, in body, or in some other manner. We are not trying to convince the skeptics of the reality of passive oppression. Our purpose is to help those who know of no active participation in occult practices on their own part, yet are suffering some form of oppression for reasons unknown to themselves. A certain pastor has dealt with individuals who were suffering from "passive" oppression or subjection of every description: chronic fear or doubt, uncontrollable lust, persistent illness, emotional instability, or depression. Some tell of suffering incubi assaults; of hearing spirit voices; of seeing demonic apparitions; of possessing clairvoyant and psychic powers; and so on, all of which result, not from their active occult participation, but either from the occult involvements of their relatives, or from having been innocently subjected to occult influences as children. Passive subjection and oppression have resulted from a child being taken to an occult "healer" to have warts removed, burns healed, or diseases cured by magic charming or other occult means. Children have also been subjected by being taken to the meetings of Spiritualists and other religious cults (Theosophy, Rosicrucian, Christian Science, Unity, etc.). Passive oppression or subjection has also been found in those whose parents or grandparents have been involved in seances, fortunetelling, or other forms of spiritism and occultism. The Scriptures show the innocent suffering oppression by Satan and sometimes possession by evil spirits. For example, in the case of the boy who was possessed with an unclean, deaf and dumb spirit, his father said the spirit entered the boy as a child (Mark 9:17-29). The disciples' question in John 9:2: "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" indicates the possibility of a prenatal cause for oppression by Satan. The apostle Paul shows in Romans 5:12-14 that all mankind is affected by the curse which fell upon Adam as a result of his transgression. Finally, it should be pointed out that there is no such thing as "minor" or "harmless" involvement where the powers of darkness are concerned. Some of the most severely oppressed victims merely had warts removed by magic charming; played with the ouija board "in fun"; attended a religious cult or Spiritualist meeting "out of curiosity"; had their fortune read (though they contend that they "never really believed such things were genuine"); or followed the horoscope column in the newspaper each day (though they "did not allow it to affect" their lives and decisions). When one enters Satan's domain for whatever reason, he opens himself to demonic oppression or subjection, and invokes upon himself the curse of God, whose Word clearly declares that those who participate in any form of occultism are an abomination unto Him! In view of all of this, the reality of Christians being oppressed and the innocent sometimes suffering passive oppression should be apparent. This reality must be recognized and acknowledged before liberation from these powers of darkness can be considered. A certain pastor has found from experience that, until the individual under oppression sees and admits the connection between his occult involvement and such oppression, he cannot exercise sufficient faith to resist and overcome it. But where such acknowledgment is present, liberation in the Name of Jesus Christ is certain. Edited. Shared. To be Continued. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.