Encouragement
“You Can’ Bury A Christian!”
(exert)
Luke 16:19-31
Verse 22, “And it came to pass, that the beggar (Lazarus) died, and was CARRIED by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was BURIED.”
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Don’t Be A Dumping Ground:
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So many of God’s people go through their journey upon this earth in defeat. Today, I want to go on record and declare that we are not defeated in life unless we choose to be. Amen. Satan does all he can to try and keep people in the mind-set of defeat through lies, such as---‘You can’t do anything right. You’re a failure, a mess up going somewhere to happen, etc. You’re worthless and hopeless’ He will never tell you the truth because there is NO truth in him, Jesus said (John 8:44).
He’ll never tell you that HE’S the one who is defeated by the blood of Jesus Christ poured out on the cross. The truth is, we are over-comers because Jesus has already overcome the world‘s system. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Everything in life is an extension of one or all of these areas. But Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I’ve overcome the world.”
Who did He do this for? Not the devil, that’s for sure. The angels? Himself? No, because He already had victory over the devil before He ever went to the cross, but WE didn’t. So, the victory Jesus won over satan was through, ‘for God so loved the world…’(John 3:16), and it was for you and me. His victory is mine, and His victory is your’s. We hear it, we believe it, we receive it by faith and we walk daily in it by faith. Just as Jesus did, we must be diligent to stay on the ‘love walk’ with others. Lets never forget that satan is the one who is defeated, not us. Never leave yourself open to be a dumping ground for the devil’s trashy lies.
In light of that resolve, and instead of allowing him to dump his garbage in your yard, so to speak, you pull yourself together by the grace of God to full height--that is, in the fullness of God and stepping into everything He is. You square your shoulders, that is, you decide once and for all that enough is enough. You set your focus straight ahead of you, that is, you set your face like flint to go and fulfill your purpose for the Kingdom of God, determined not to be distracted by what’s on your right or your left.
You set your focus fully on Jesus, the Author and finisher of your faith and you walk in the victory He won for you through His shed blood at Calvary. And as you do, reach out and pull those up with you who are broken-hearted and discouraged, so they can get a firm footing to walk in their blood bought freedom. We can do this simply because Jesus said we could by His grace, by His anointing while acting in faith on His word. Praise the Lord! It’s time to come alive! It’s time to get a clear picture of who God is IN us and who we are IN Him and rise up in faith to put it into action!
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Press On Through:
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We’re told to be alert, to be on guard because our adversary, the devil is sneaking around pretending to be a lion and a roaring big mouth so he can deceive us (I Peter 5:8). But let us not be ignorant of his devices, like Paul said. So, don’t be surprised when the devil comes knocking at your door one day, just when you’re having a little financial difficulty and says, “Looks like your finances are going down the drain. You’d better worry.”
Don’t you let him dump that trash on your porch, so to speak. I know the pressure is tremendous but don’t allow yourself to be pulled to this side of distraction and off your faith stand. Believe God, who watches over His word to perform it. He will honor your faith and He will supply the need. In the meantime, Holy Spirit will give you wisdom in knowing what you can do practically.
Keep standing and as you do, remind the devil, “It is written, my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. When you’ve made this kind of declaration, you shove the devil’s defeat right back in his face with the mighty sword of the Spirit. That sharp two-edged, powerful and living word of God. No doubt, he felt the sharp and painful jab of each word like a sword. Hallelujah! This is how the devil is caused to experience pain in the spirit---by using the sword of the Spirit on him.
If the devil see’s that you didn’t buy his first lie, you can count on it, he’ll come back to try another tactic. So, stay alert. When you step out in faith on God’s word to do exploits for His Kingdom, the devil will always come to challenge you. Contrary to what we believe sometimes, his challenge is not because we’re doing something wrong, but because we’re in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. Therefore, he will apply all the pressure he can to get you to give in to the pressure and quit in defeat. Throw in the towel, is another way of putting it.
Like me, I’m sure that many of you have been here at this place where you had a decision to make regarding your faith stand? “After having done all to stand, stand therefore…” That’s what you do. You apply pressure back to satan and his hordes through the anointing and the sword of the Spirit--the Word of God. YOU keep the pressure on him with the word until he backs off in defeat, and he will.
I’ve heard some people who are under attach say, “I’m really suffering for Jesus.” A lot of people don’t understand what the ‘suffering’ is that we as Christian’s are up against. The suffering the Christian does that the Bible talks about is in RESISTING all the pressure satan applies to us in every area where we take a faith stand on God’s word. James 4:7 says (paraphrase), “Humble yourself to God, (YOU) RESIST the devil and he will run from you.” The Holy Trinity doesn’t need to resist him because they already have victory over him.
I’ll say it the way Holy Spirit told me one time in dealing with satanic pressure and when I was about to give up. He said very simply, “Press on through.” Then, He showed me in vision how this worked. It is resisting (refusing) the devil’s lies and pressures by pressing back in the spirit with the word---”It is written.” And you don’t let up on it one bit until the devil slinks off in defeat and you’ve had break-through. Praise God! It works.
Whatever it is that you’ve taken a faith stand on, health, finances, relationship, ministry, etc., and you’re believing God for a good outcome, that’s where the pressure is going to be. It will be demonic pressure to get you to throw in the towel and forfeit the victory that is legally your’s through Jesus. The Church has been full of defeated Christian’s because they gave up the good fight of faith too soon---just short of victory. We’ve all been here at this place. Since Holy Spirit has been releasing more prophetic revelation knowledge in our midst today, there are more and more Christian’s who are not easy prey for the devil’s lying tactics. We’re beginning to close in the ranks and stand shoulder to shoulder (unity) against a common enemy who is out to steal, kill and destroy. Amen!
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It Is Written!
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So, when satan comes pressuring you and says, “Why don’t you give it up already? You know you can’t hold out, its too hard. Besides, God is not going to heal you. You’re not going to get to start that new church, or start that new business, or get a ministry off the ground. Its never going to happen. You’re just dreaming.” Now, this is a low blow and its deserving of a double load of “It is written!” Therefore, you aim at the lie about healing and blast it with, “It is written! By the stripes of Jesus, I am already healed. I’m not looking to GET healed, I already AM healed in Jesus name, and I SEE it by faith. Therefore, its mine.”
That did it. Since he’d been applying more direct pressure, satan had hoped you had weakened and was ready to give up, but instead, he’s see’s you’re getting stronger. I like this picture. He knows that if he can’t get YOU to back down in defeat, then he will have to back off and leave you alone ‘for a season’ to enjoy your victory and blessings of the Lord. Praise God! Isn’t this what happened in the wilderness when he was bringing pressure against Jesus? After being baptized in the river Jordan, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness where He prayed and fasted for forty days and nights in consecration to the Lord (Luke chapter 4).
Satan showed up and began pressuring Jesus after a while in the areas of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. These are the same three areas he attacked Adam and Eve with in the garden of Eden. These are also the same three areas where satan comes to attack and apply pressure to us. Jesus’ time in the wilderness was the same test that Adam had in the garden and had failed at but thank God, Jesus didn’t fail. He came out full of the power of the Spirit. When satan taunted Him to turn the stones into bread, Jesus prevailed with the word of God and won the victory, not only for Himself but for us as well.
Jesus whipped the devil every which way with the word of God in the wilderness and the Bible says that satan “left Him for a season.” Hallelujah! In other words, Jesus just flat wore him out with the word of God. With that powerful two-edged sword of the Spirit---one side logos word, the other side rhema word. Is it any wonder that this double edged sword of the Spirit can bring a mess of hurting to the devil? Praise the Lord!
Just as the devil did with Jesus in the wilderness, he’ll come back and try one more deceptive suggestion to get you to forfeit everything God has blessed you with. So, keep your shield of faith up, your sword in hand and continue to watch. Look out for attacks from out of left field such as, “People are talking about you saying you’re just trying to be holier than they thou. Don’t you care?” Oh boy, that’s a sensitive area because we want people to like and accept us. So what do you do?
Give God praise and glory, then start swinging that sword of the Spirit. Start declaring, “It is written, the word of God says, cast all your cares over onto Jesus, for He cares for me. Jesus has my cares, devil, and I’m CARE-FREE!” The devil has no fight against the anointed word of God so there’s nothing left for him to do except stomp off in a huff, thoroughly defeated. Hallelujah!
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Don‘t Be Afraid:
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When satan tries everything he can to get you to give up in discouragement and defeat---when he tries to bury you beneath all kinds of trash, just remember that you’ve been given spiritual weapons to stand against his pressure. Remember first of all that you’re never standing alone. Just as Holy Spirit was with Jesus in the wilderness, He’s right there with you in your wilderness times, empowering you to come out victorious and in His power.
You have the name of Jesus. You’ve been given His love and power through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You have the blood of Jesus to use against the enemy (he hates the blood). You’ve been given the precious prophetic word of God---the sword of the Spirit. Be thankful and give God praise for ALL you’ve been given, such as His love, His grace, His mercy and His forgiveness of your sins. Its because of and through all of these things that you’re able to resist the devil and cause him to run from you in fear.
There was a time fairly early in my walk with the Lord when I was allowing the devil to badger me with accusation, condemnation and fear. During prayer on this particular day, I just stopped praying because I was crying too much. The Lord spoke to me and said, “I don’t know what you’re so afraid of. The devil is more afraid of you than you are of him.”
This revelation got my attention real quick and I responded, “Really?” “Really,” the Lord answered. Then, the He explained to me how it was due to the blood of Jesus that had cleansed and made me righteous and the anointing of Holy Spirit that empowered me to do all things SUPERnaturally through Him. Plus, the word of God, along with everything else, gave me the right to declare with authority, “It is written.”
This revelation changed my whole perspective of how I saw the devil from then on. For the first time, I saw him as the sniffling wimp he really is. This is not to say that you over-look the fact that satan still has some power that God is allowing him to have. The power he has is the power to deceive and do as John 10:10, steal, kill and destroy…” But this revelation set me free from those lies of accusation and condemnation. Plus, I had envisioned the devil to be some great big monster that wanted to have me on his dinner menu. But through the eyes of Jesus, I could now see him for what he really was and is.
(I Peter 5:8).
Don’t allow the devil to bury you beneath fear and intimidation, whether it comes through him personally or through another person. Never forget that Jesus said, the devil is a liar and the truth is not in him (John 8:44-45). You and I have a choice to either disregard what Jesus said, or believe it. Lets always choose to believe Jesus. When the devil tells you that you’re never going to make it through a certain problem, that you’re defeated, it’s a lie. Don’t agree with him by saying, “Yeah, I know. I’m nothing but a failure and things are never going to work out.” Jesus said, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father, which is in heaven” (Matt.18:19).
I strongly encourage you to refuse agreement with the devil and make your agreements with God, for it will surely be for your good. Remember this truth, that through Jesus and His Anointing, you can do ALL things God requires of you. Declare before all of heaven and all of hell that you choose to walk in the victories of Jesus as an over comer in the spirit of love, power and a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7).
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Hold Onto Peace:
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Let peace and joy rise up in you and manifest outwardly and spill onto others around you. Peace is a forerunner to joy. You won’t experience much joy until you first experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. Do you feel peaceful when you’re all upset and worrying over every little thing? No. There is no way joy can come forth much less peace when you’re in an agitated state of mind. This is why Jesus said, “Cast all your cares upon Me (paraphrase), give ME your worries and problems.” (I Peter 5:7). This is so we can have peace and our joy can be full and running over. Amen.
Our peace comes through the blood of Jesus and the word of God (Isaiah 53:5. The chasetisement of our peace was upon Him. Also, the blood of Jesus reconciled us back to the Father. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God made ‘peace’ with us through His Son, Jesus? Praise His holy name! Joy and peace are both fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) The blood of Jesus justifies us and we can enjoy, or you can say it this way---you can joy in peace with God through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One (Romans 5:1).
Our faith makes the peace of God secure for us and in us if we will commit ourselves totally to Him. If we will lean on Him instead of ourselves and our own human reasoning (Proverbs 3:4-6). Don’t ever forget that Jesus is our peace as Ephesians 2:14 says. Allow the Jesus who abides in you to rise up and be umpire in every situation you face in life. Amen.
Somebody goes to God and says frantically, “Oh God, give me peace. I need peace and I need it now!” How can God give you what He’s already given you? Jesus said, “MY peace I give unto you.” In a case like this, a person is just allowing the devil to steal what rightfully is already their’s. He’s a thief, remember? Let the thief steal from us no more! The Holy Spirit lives within our human spirit and He helps us to learn how to release peace and joy. Its by a choice that we make by faith. Holy Spirit is not there residing in our spirit to bear fruit for Himself. He’s there to help us learn how to release it by faith from out of OUR spirit. Amen!
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Rise and Shine!
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In the scripture from Luke chapter nineteen, we saw Lazarus being carried to heaven by the angel’s and the rich man being buried. After Jesus died on the cross and was placed in a borrowed tomb, don’t you know that satan hoped this was the end of Jesus? He wanted to make people believe that Jesus was a ‘has-been.’ Yes, He has been here for three and a half years but He’s gone now. Just like with you and me, satan didn’t want Jesus to become what God said He already was. Jesus knew who He was and had always been since before the foundation of the world. Praise God! Jesus was already King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s.
Besides that, in God’s great plan of redemption for mankind, Jesus was about to become the first born of the dead. The first born of many brethren. That is, the first one to be spiritually quickened and resurrected to life by the glory of God to live forever. The many brethren includes you and me and every person who has been made spiritually alive by the blood of Jesus, the word and Holy Spirit’s power. Hallelujah!
That’s exciting! Why? Because satan CAN’T bury a made alive, born again Christian, even if they’ve been momentarily knocked down in discouragement, they will always rise just like Jesus did. Praises to the Lord of glory! The devil doesn’t want you to BECOME who God says you already are in Christ. Too late, we know the truth now and it’s the revelation truth of Jesus that has and is making us free.
The devil wants to keep you deceived and buried in the mind-set (belief) that YOU’RE a has been, a nobody with no worth, no value and no brains. There are many of God’s people who, for one reason or another, has been held back from their potential and squashed down in discouragement and hopelessness. Satan is counting on you accepting his lies the way you have before and so you will live a life of defeat instead of one of abundance and victory.
Satan also tries to bury you under weariness and despair, saying, “Things are never going to be any better for you. Just accept that you’ve failed again.” If that’s not enough, he’ll pull out this deceptive lie to try and bury you under. It may be a secret fear about your health that you haven’t told anyone. “You know your aunt Lulu-Bell died of cancer and so will you. You might as well accept it. it’s a family thing.” He tries to bury you under anger, unforgiveness, hurts, offenses, bitterness, feelings of rejection, shame, etc. Also worry, which is a cousin to fear. “Oh, I just hope nothing happens to my children. What would I do if it does?” Remember? Cast your care (worry) over onto Jesus because He cares about what we care about in this life.
Bottom line, the truth that satan hopes you and I never find out and believe is that the born again, blood-washed, Spirit-filled child of almighty God has the power to RISE above these things in the name of Jesus. The devil may have succeeded in burying you under all kinds of his particular brand of garbage in the past but this is a brand new day and its YOUR time to RISE, saint of God! Hallelujah!
The resurrection power of the Holy Spirit lives in each of us, and it was this same power, this same glory that raised Jesus from the dead. Praise God! Can I tell you that it will also raise YOU from the deadness of discouragement, fear and worry? This same glorious power of almighty God will CARRY you to that abiding place in Father God where you can rest in His wonderful presence. You can enjoy the abundant life Jesus came to give you. You can be in peace and enjoy good success.
Praise God! Its time to come up out of those graves satan has you buried in. Satan can’t bury a Christian because we will always RISE. You hear people ask, what time is it? I’ll tell you what time it is. Its time to ‘RISE and SHINE, for your light (glory) has come upon you.’ That’s what time it is. Let today be your resurrection day, allowing the glory of God to RAISE you up out of those dead places in Jesus name.
Plain As Day Ministries
Shirley Williams
[email protected]
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