“He who overcomes” in Revelation 2:7 speaks in terms of a military conflict. Since the conflict of the church is not against “flesh and blood”, though instrumentalities of flesh and blood may often raise it (in addition to our own fleshly lusts and desires), our battle is against the root cause, “against principalities, against powers, […]
Peter, in his first epistle, addresses people who because of their commitment to Christ are suffering various trials and rejection by their fellowmen, with such opposition that in 4:12 he refers to it as a “fiery trial”. Yet in spite of all this Peter takes note of, and thus encourages them to continue in their […]
In Genesis 2:9 we are introduced to two trees “The tree of life” representing the life of the Spirit, and “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” representing the life of the flesh with its “passions and lusts” Galatians 5:24. Adam, the man God “made… upright” Ecclesiastes 7:29, obviously refused to eat from […]
Peter loved the Lord very dearly, yet in a moment of weakness he stumbled. Jesus in that wonderful foreknowledge of God knew this would happen and warned Peter in advance, adding, “I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail” Luke 22:31-32. What a wonderful thought that if we stumble in a moment […]
In Romans 8:26-28 the Apostle teaches us about the Holy Spirit helping us in our weaknesses. The Greek word here is Parakletos meaning someone who is an intercessor, comforter, helper, advocate, and/or a counselor. Outside of the Biblical setting it is technically an attorney who goes to court on behalf of another. Jesus uses the […]
We live in a broken world filled with sadness, suffering, pain, and uncertainty; Jesus said “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” John 10:10. So how do we coordinate the two and experience this abundance in the midst of the brokenness? First we must be confident […]
On more than one occasion the Apostle Paul had been imprisoned for the gospel he preached, but on no occasion do we find him sitting there in despair and gloom. Remember in Acts 17 he and Silas conducted a prayer and praise service in a jail cell at Philippi with their feet fastened in the […]
As we tread the path of life if we become distracted by the surroundings and take our eyes off of Him who is the object of our faith we find ourselves becoming weary and even fainting, and perhaps becoming like God’s people in Isaiah 40:27 saying, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my […]
Becoming depressed, discouraged, and feeling like a failure, is a tactic Satan uses to render God’s children unfruitful in acquiring and accomplishing all God’s purposes for them. Perhaps Elijah felt this way even after witnessing God’s provision and seeing His power manifested through him. He moves in fear and spends the night in a cave […]
Have you ever struggled through a dark night season where it seemed like when will this ever end? This happens in the natural, but it also happens in the spiritual as we encounter the forces of “the darkness of this age (world KJV)” Ephesians 6:12. In Mark 6:45-51 the disciples encountered such an experience […]