Get Free, Stay Free

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. 

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  

For all that is in the world, 

the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 

is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

(1 John 2:15-16)

Beloved, we cannot say we are of God, living for God, serving God, being a disciple of Christ etc. and still be in the habits, conducts and activities of the world.   The bible tells us very clearly not to be conformed to the world; more concerned with the things of this world instead of the things of God:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

There are some truths we have to acknowledge, accept and live by:

→    DEVELOP A PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD THE WORLD:

        *     Recognize you are not of the world

        *     Understand that you will experience tribulation in the world

        *     Realize that gaining the world is not worth losing your soul

        *     Realize that if you love the world, you are an enemy of God

        *     Recognize the temporal nature of the world

→     RECOGNIZE YOU ARE NOT IN BONDAGE TO THE WORLD:

As a believer, you do not have to be in bondage to the world system. Although in the past you were governed by the present world, you are no longer in this bondage.   Apostle Paul teaches that we no longer need be conformed to the world. We can be transformed (changed). We are part of a different kingdom now. We are residents of the Kingdom of God. We are no longer under the power of the world

→     GUARD YOURSELF AGAINST THE WORLD:

Now that you are free from the world, set a guard against its influence in your life. Do not pattern your life after the rudiments or basic principles of the world:

        *     Do not love the world
         *      Do not let yourself be spoiled by the philosophies of the world
         *     Keep yourself unspotted from the world
         *      Crucify the power of the world

→     RECOGNIZE YOU CAN OVERCOME THE WORLD:

We are not to be overcome by the world. Do not let the cares of the world erode and destroy the work of the Word in your life. This "wearing away" with the cares of the world is one of the strategies of the enemy 

          *     You can escape the corruption of the world

          *     You overcome the world by the new birth and your faith
          *     You overcome the world by the blood of Jesus and your testimony
→    UNDERSTAND YOUR MISSION IN THE WORLD:

             *      You are not to be affected by the world, but you are to affect the world.

The believer should be a light in a world of darkness, 

reflecting the glory of God and sharing the good news of the Gospel.

The impact of the early believers on the world was so great that it was said of them that they "turned the world upside down"

As soldiers in an army sent on a mission in a foreign nation, believers are on a special mission of God in the world.
Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You this day with grateful hearts and praise on our lips that You kept us just one more day; that You allowed us to wake this day with our health and our strength and clothed in our right mind. We thank You because we have a continued mind to serve You. And because we serve and trust You Lord, we have a blessed assurance that You are our refuge and our fortress; no battle is too big or too small for You to handle; and Heavenly Father when our situations, cares, concerns and issues overwhelm us, we thank You because we can hide in the shadow of Your wings, mighty God, we can have safety in the shelter of the most high. We can say with assurance that this battle belongs to You God; in You will we trust.

We know that this is a suffering way, that even as Jesus suffered, we must suffer also.
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1

Help us Lord to stay dressed in the armour of spiritual warfare and graced with the fruit of Your holy spirit so that in all our ways, we are able to withstand and stand against the influences of evil and be a shining light to a dying world darkened by sin and shame. Help us Lord to be good followers and laborers for You.

Help us dear Lord to throw off everything that hinders us and break every yoke of sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to run this race with perseverance.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Hebrews 12:1

Help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. We want to hear You say, ‘well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into my rest’. A place where there is peace and joy forever more. Help us not to grow weary in our good works, to have patience and wait on You for all things.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  Galatians 6:9

In all of our ways, You said Lord, that we are to acknowledge You; that You will direct our path.  

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Proverbs 3:6

Lead us and guide us today; allow us to be ambassadors for You, Jesus, remembering at all times that we are walking in the holy spirit with the anointing that You, the sovereign one, the king of kings and Lord of Lords have placed within us.

We ask Lord that You help us to keep our minds stayed on You. Help us to be prayerful in our actions so that we are pleasing in Your sight. There is none greater than You Lord. It was You who sent us Your son to purchase our salvation. We thank You Lord for the comforter, the precious Holy Ghost that You sent to keep us and intercede on our behalf. And with the Holy Ghost and the name of Jesus, we are victorious, we are more than conquerors because there is power in the name of Jesus, that in the name of Jesus there is victory, there is healing, there is salvation. At the name of Jesus, demons flee, yokes are broken, strongholds are cast down, and souls are saved. Through the mighty name of Jesus and the precious Holy Ghost within us, we are more than conquerors, we are overcomers and we are no longer victims – but we are victorious through You!

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  Romans 8:37

In the name of Jesus, we plead the blood against everything that is not like You. We ask that You dispatch Your angels to guard us in all our ways; in our comings and in our goings; to protect us from all hurt, harm and danger of those things seen and unseen.

Lift us up in Your righteous hand and help us not to grow weary while doing good, help us not to faint while fighting this fight. Keep us dear Lord; we know that You are able because all power belongs to You!

Give us increased faith, Lord God, when we call on You, faith to know that You will rescue us, that You will protect us and keep our minds in perfect peace.   

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Isaiah 26:3

Help us O God to keep our minds stayed on You!  Help us to remain steadfast in You so that when we call upon You, You will not only hear our cry from above but You’ll answer us, You’ll be with us and deliver us in our times of trouble. 

Dear God, we thank You for great and everlasting faithfulness! We thank You for Your goodness and for Your mercy. We know that when we walk in obedience according to Your
word that You will supply every need we have according to Your riches in glory. 

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

We need You, oh God, in our lives. Remember all of those who are suffering both physically and mentally.  We pray, oh Lord God that You bring peace and deliverance to those that are
troubled, that You bring comfort to those in sorrow, healing to those who are sick. We pray in the precious name of Jesus that You bind everything that is not like you. 

And now Lord we pray that You be with us, that You lead us and guide us, give us wisdom and knowledge to speak and act according to Your will; that we may be laborers in Your field; that Your manifested glory be revealed through us dear God.

We ask all these things and we thank You for all things, in Jesus' wonderful name we pray, 

amen.

Prayerfully, something was said that will bless you and keep you and that your minds will be in perfect peace with the Lord.

In closing know that there is a liberty that God assures us:

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, 

though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time 

appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, 

that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, 

God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, 

then an heir of God through Christ. 

Galatians 4:1-7

God bless you all!

Elder C. L. Henry




(Prayer)



10/27/18
01/09/20

Wrestling the Enemy

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 6:12

God, in his infinite grace and mercy and because of His love for you and I, has equipped us with everything we need to combat the attacks of Satan.  God did not leave us defenseless against His enemy.  Along with the authority of Jesus' name, the gift of His Holy Spirit and the power of prayer, He gave us strategies effective in overcoming the enemy.  This means we don't have to try and fight the enemy on his terms.  This is a continued list of proven methods to defeat Satan where he seeks to attack you:

√        Attack and counterattack:

In natural wrestling, every move made sets us up for a response from the opponent. The same is true in the spirit world. 

          v   When we make a move for God, Satan will always counterattack with a move of his own.

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.  2 Thessalonians 2:15

√        Mobility:

In wrestling, a mobile opponent is considered dangerous. This is why we want to pin our opponent down. 

          v             In the spiritual world, Satan is a mobile opponent. He goes "to and fro", as a lion, seeking to devour. 

And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.  Job 1:7

We must be on guard for his constant mobility. Satan also recognizes the effectiveness of our mobility. He wants to prevent us from being on the move for God. This is why he strives to throw and pin us down spiritually.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:   1 Peter 5:8

√        Recovery:

Any error made in wrestling results in an action that can be taken advantage of by the opponent. How true spiritually! Any error  made in spiritual wrestling is quickly taken advantage of by the enemy. It is important in wrestling to learn how to recover from a fall. It is necessary to be able to convert the bottom position into an advantage. There are moves of escape and reversal which will enable this.

          v             In spiritual wrestling we may at times experience a fall and be temporarily pinned by the enemy. But we do not have to remain in this position. God has given strategies in His Word which, if followed, will convert our disadvantage into an advantage. He has provided strategies for escape and reversal spiritually just as are used in natural wrestling.

Spiritual sickness results from sin and disobedience the remedy for this is:

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. James 5:13-15

√         The objective:

The objective of wrestling in the natural world is to defeat the opponent by causing him to fall or pinning him to the ground. This results from a series of strategic moves and/or by wearing the opponent down.

          v             Satan constantly wars against believers trying to wear them down. His objective is to cause believers to fall, "throw" them, and trap them in the bondage of sin. His goal is to destroy our supportive points, just as a wrestler does to his opponent in the natural world. The goal is to make us prostrate spiritually. But the fight is not over, Apostle Paul encourages us:

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  

Galatians 6:9

√       Scoring:

Victory in natural wrestling also comes through a process of scoring by the judges. The wrestler with the highest points for the most effective strategic moves wins the match.

          v              Remind yourself, through the word of God:

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:37

√        We Win:

Your spiritual opponent has already been judged. Satan was overcome by the most effective move in all history, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You wrestle with an enemy who is already judged as a loser in the match. 

          v            Because of this we do not need to be afraid of his power or strategies in the wrestling match in which we engage. We do not have to fall or be pinned by the bondage of sin. We can stand confidently in the wrestling match of spiritual warfare and resist him steadfastly in the faith.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  2 Timothy 4:7

√        Mental attitude:

God calls us to love Him with our all.  

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.  Mark 12:20

Because of this, Satan will use another form of attack against us.  He attacks our mind through our senses; what we see, what we hear.  He knows if he can control our mind, he can control our body, our actions, get our focus off God and stunt our growth and relationship with God.

          v             Mental attitude is very important in wrestling. The following attitudes are necessary for championship wrestling in the natural world. These attitudes also are true in the spiritual realm:

Desire: To wish and want to win is not enough. The championship wrestler must have a burning desire to win. Desire is an emotion which transcends all else in life.

Persistence: Sustained effort is required for championship wrestling. A champion wrestler will not accept defeat.  The same is true in the spiritual realm:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Galatians 5:1

Purpose: The champion wrestler must have a will to win. Winning is the goal and purpose. To achieve this goal he must not only know he is master of the situation, but he must also let his opponent know.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13

Always remember Satan is a defeated foe!

 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  

Put on the whole armour of God, 

that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  

Ephesians 6:10-11

Bible Study

11/06/18
03/02/20

07/25/22