The Courage to Cast Down

3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." II Cor. 10:3-6

Like it or not, we are in a battle. If you haven't noticed, it is raging more and more with every passing day. In fact, I am sure you have noticed. Each day, we have a choice: to be defeated and dejected or to use the weapons God has provided us to walk in spiritual victory.

I have not learned this in an easy way. Nor have I learned it to the extent I need to. No way. For me, the battle is in my thoughts. How about you? In sermons, I have heard this statement: "A thought can make or break you." Every day, we are inundated with thousands of thoughts. The one secret I have learned is that I do not have to accept the thoughts that come into my mind as my own.

For we are surrounded by an atmosphere around this earth and this atmosphere is under the domain of God's enemy, the devil. He is called the "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2.

1 "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."

The thoughts, ideas, and opinions of this world system stand opposed to God's thoughts. God tells us in Isaiah 55 how our thoughts compare to His thoughts. There is no comparison.

8 ​​“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
​​Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 ​​“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
​​So are My ways higher than your ways,
​​And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Today I read in I John 2 and was struck again by how the world system is totally opposed to God's way of thinking. John tells us

"15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

So, that is one way I can test my thoughts. Is it concerning the lust of my flesh or eyes or having to doing with pride in my achievements? Then I can be certain it is not from God and I can cast it down as a vain imagination that rises up against the knowledge of God. For every thought has one of two origins: either from God and devoted to His glory or against God and devoted to the enemy's lies and destruction.

I used to foolishly think God was selfish in order to want every thought to be for His glory, until I learned that His glory gives the highest and best to fallen creatures such as us. Think of what happens when the opposite occurs: what is the benefit of evil being glorified? Only misery and bondage and death.

GOD is LIGHT! In Him there is no darkness at all! (See I John 1:5) When I summon the courage to deny a thought that comes into my head as not being true, and cast it down, I walk in the light with my God. Sometimes, this is hard for me because my mind is screaming that the thought just has to be true, but if I resist it, the devil will flee. James 4 reveals:

7 "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Even if it is hard, even if it seems we are in a constant uphill battle, we will overcome if we do not lose heart. We destroy the mountains of lies that the enemy whispers in our ears one by one, like tearing down a brick wall. And then, as that wall of untruth tumbles down, we fill our mind with good things, the things God has for us, and promises for the life to come.

9 But as it is written:
​
​​“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
​​Nor have entered into the heart of man
​​The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9

If we do not faint today but let God's Word pour into us, we will have strength and courage to cast down the lies the enemy sends to defeat us.

Andrew Murray, quoted in the devotional, None but the Hungry Heart for the day 12-30 says: "The Father works to will, and He is ready to work to do, but, alas! many Christians misunderstand this. They think because they have the will it is enough, and that now they are able to do. This is not so. The new will is a permanent gift, an attribute of the new life in Christ. The power to carry out this will is not a permanent gift, but must be each moment received from the Holy Spirit. It is the one who is conscious of his own utter powerlessness, as a believer, who will learn by the Spirit alone he can live the Christian life."
(emphasis mine)

We receive hope and help moment by moment as we cast down vain imaginations which lie against God and His Truth.

I hope these thoughts have encouraged you today as you face the many thoughts that come your way. And speaking of hope, I would like to announce the publication of my book Sure Mercies: Hope for the Suffering is now available through 4RV Publishing.(It will also soon be on Amazon.) It tells the story of believers throughout the Church Age who overcame huge obstacles by their overcoming faith. http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/megan-vance.php

Looking Beyond an Aurora...

Last night, in my own locality, it was predicted by meteorologists that we had a "good" chance of viewing auroras caused from the M 6.5 solar flare that shot off from the sun last week.
But I know in our area that we get lots of cloud cover. Still I hoped that I would get a chance to see the first aurora of my lifetime. A rare occurrence here, for sure. As evening fell, it remained cloudy. My husband said to wait until it got very dark. So I kept looking north out of our front window, but every time I did, there was nothing to see. My husband got up and looked in the night time as well, but also saw nothing.

Nothing to see here, folks... move along...

I was musing about this. I was peering into the heavens for an aurora. But one day soon, we will behold something else far greater than the beauty of the "Northern Lights," as they are called.

Compasses are made to give us bearings. To give us a sense of direction. The compass is always to point to True North. True North points to Ouranos.

What is Ouranos?

In the Blue Letter Bible, in the Outline of Biblical Usage it is described as:

1) the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it

a) the universe, the world

b) the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and the tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced

c) the sidereal or starry heavens

2) the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3772&t=KJV

You see, a very special Someone is going to come from the place called Ouranos.

We are actually told to be anticipating this One.

In I Thessalonians 1:10 we are told to wait:

"And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

Rignt now is a time of confusion. So many different voices are crying out with different schemes and methods, all crying for us to pay attention to them. But the Spirit's voice is a still, small voice.

He is not a voice of condemnation. He is not a voice of accusation.

He is a voice of grace. A voice that calls you to come into the peace, love and abundant life of the One who will come again from Ouranos.

We are not to look for the antichrist, but for the Son from Heaven, before whom one day we will all bow.
"that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
of those in heaven,
and of those on earth,
and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2: 10-11

Maybe it was good that I did not see the aurora for,

1 Corinthians 2:9 states "But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

That is my destiny, if I love Him. And that can be your prospect, too, if you, also, are one who is anticipating the Son from heaven...

"Stand on Your Own Two Faith"

My husband always has a way of encouraging me to not run to people all the time to get advice. He tells me,

"Stand on your own two faith."

Now what does he mean by that? My husband knows me better than anyone on the planet. He knows what value I place on my faith, the Bible, and all its promises. But he also sees me in my weaknesses.

All of my life I have struggled with decision making. Now in matters pertaining to our household and family, I know whom I am to ask: my husband. For God has given him the authority in our relationship (not to be a cruel taskmaster) but because that's the way it has been ordained for Christian marriage ever since the Garden of Eden.(Genesis 3: 16) It is for my safety.

But in other things I often felt like I was just swaying back and forth, listening to whomever would come along and sound the most persuasive. Standing up for myself against strong personalities has never been my advantage.
And so, I often ended up saying I would do something and knowing in my heart I really didn't want to do it. Embarrassed, I ended up changing my mind within hours or days to everyone else's disappointment.

I knew, deep down, what was right for me. I just wanted someone to tell me I was doing the right thing. I needed validation.

Well, this should only go on for so long and then one should grow out of it. I hope that I finally am, with His grace. For this is a destructive habit that reveals, at its heart, unbelief.

For God was there, all along, just waiting for me to ask His counsel. I don't have to be a "reed shaken in the wind." How foolish of me. (Talk about being April-fooled-see my last post!)

This beautiful verse was/is the answer to my problem:

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Does God mean that, or is it just there to look pretty?

I need at all times to believe it, stand on my "own two faith," and wait for God to give me HIS answers. Answers that are beyond my comprehension, things I never in a trillion years could figure out on my own.

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."

How infinitely much better is that than to try to scheme on my own, in feeble attempts to people-please?

Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."

That sounds like a fantastic proposition to me. How about you?

Recently I was faced with a big decision that only I could make. My instinct told me to trust in the Lord and not be overcome by the words of men. I had undertaken a project by faith and wanted to finish it the same way. Yet a voice of fear came in: "What if??"

I had to make a choice. I had to "stand on my own two faith." God had led me this far. He will not fail me now.

Ephesians 6:13 "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

I stretch forth mine hands...

The first post for a new year! A new year, full of new beginnings, new possibilities.
Some random thoughts for the new year...

I came across some verses today that impressed me mightily in my spirit as I was considering the new year.

Psalm 143: 6 " I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul thirsteth after Thee, as a thirsty land. Selah." In this year of so many distractions Lord, I want to stretch forth my hands to You. So many things bid me to pay attention, yet Lord you are the only thing in this universe that can give water to a thirsty soul. Indeed, Jesus only gives us water that will cause us never to thirst again. "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)

And then I was impressed with these verses. In II Chronicles 13 we have a review of Rehoboam's life. Now Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived.
You think some of that wisdom might have rubbed off on his son, but sadly that is not the case. Verse 14 somberly tells us that "he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord". In the book of Ezra we have the opposite said of Ezra:
"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach Israel statutes and judgements." (Ezra 7:10)

In this new year of 2010, though we are on the finished work side of history, we still can prepare our hearts to seek Him with all our hearts. What are some things we can expect if we do so?

The answers, once again, come from the Word of God. Luke 18: 29-30: And He said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in the present time, and in the world to come life everlasting." In the New Living Translation they will be repaid many times over.

And I Corinthians 2:9 tells us "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."

Maybe the idea of a nebulous treasure in heaven seems remote right now, but if it comes from the Maker of heaven and earth, who designed the beauty of a flower and the majesty of a galaxy, we have to take Him at His word that it will all be worth it when we stand before Him in eternity. Amen?