Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Form ricsha kinard Blog
6 Things Your Enemy DOESN’T Want You
to Know
Posted on March 14, 2012 by ricsha kinard
If you want to see victory, you
have to study your enemy.
You need to know their strengths
and weaknesses, their strategies and objectives. Honey, whether you believe it or not, there
is a war waging right now for your purpose, your future, your relationships,
and your life in Christ (see Ephesians 6:12). So because we have an enemy who
is running rampant, intent on destruction, I took some time to study him this
morning…and this information is too good not to share. Here are 6 things your
enemy doesn’t want you to know:
He is actively looking for a
target. (1 Peter 5:8 AMP)
The Bible tells us he is like a
“roaring lion in fierce hunger” and his objective is to seize and devour. His
appetite to turn hearts away from God is insatiable and he will stop at nothing
feed his need. He doesn’t take a break; he is a relentless foe. At the
slightest scent of “blood” – weakness, doubt, fear, anxiety, worry – he arrives
to take a foothold.
His two main weapons are LIES and
DECEPTION. (John 8:44 NIV)
It is absolutely impossible for
the enemy to tell the truth. The Bible calls lying his “native language” and he
uses it cunningly. He whispers to Believers that “God can’t be trusted” and to
unbelievers that “God isn’t needed.” He perverts the truth and attempts to
distort everything God created as good and right (love, relationships, etc.).
His forked tongue spews venomous poison that steals, kills and destroys.
He can’t read your mind. (Matthew
12:34-37 MSG)
If the enemy could have read our
minds, he wouldn’t have attempted to destroy the character and integrity of
Job. Instead, he would have known that his cause was useless and Job would
remain a man of faith no matter what. While the enemy can’t read your mind, he
does have access to our thoughts…through our words. The Bible says that our
words flow out of our hearts, and they are powerful. Be careful, little mouth,
what you say.
He is NOT omnipresent. (Job 1:6
AMP)
This trait is reserved for God
and God alone. But while Satan himself is only able to be in one place at a
time, he has demons working for him that are rampant in the earth. This is why
we must remember that we are fighting “authorities”, “powers” and “spiritual
forces” and wage war accordingly. The battles will be one in the spirit,
through prayer and the Word; not by fighting in the flesh.
He is accountable to God. (Job
2:2 NIV)
Our enemy may be a strong
opponent, but he is still subject to our God. He is not permitted to do
anything outside of God’s purview. While this might create some questions in
our minds, we can trust that when facing an attack, we will never be left to fight
on our own. God sees, knows and has equipped us for victory.
He is powerless against God’s
power. (James 4:7 NIV)
This is the best part of our discovery:
Satan is no match for our God! Never has been, never will be. What he doesn’t
want us to know is “the same power that raised Christ from the dead” dwells in
us and if we will appropriate it, he will be defeated! The battle plan is not
complicated: submit to God + resist the
devil = defeat. And not only defeat, but
several versions say he will “run from you.” Yeah…That’s what I’m ready to see.
Get your running shoes ready, devil.
Mar 14: Botswana
Botswana
Republic of Botswana
Africa
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 581,730 sq kmThe Kalahari Desert covers 80% of the country. Dry and prone to severe droughts.
Population: 1,977,569 Annual Growth: 1.46%
Capital: Gaborone
Urbanites: 61.1%
HDI Rank: 125 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 51 (2% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: English, Setswana Languages: 40 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 1,296,494 | 65.56 | 1.6 |
| Evangelicals | 159,689 | 8.1 | 1.2 |
Challenges for Prayer
The Tswana were the first Bantu people in Africa to respond to the gospel; several tribes turned to God in the 19th Century through the LMS from England. Other missions followed. Today, the majority of Tswana are Christian in name. Sadly, there is widespread immorality, drunkenness and a breakdown of the traditional family structure, including a high proportion of illegitimate children. Other less numerous groups resent the Tswana's socio-political influence in Botswana. Pray for a reversal of the moral decline and for renewal among the Tswana.Most mainline Protestant churches were established by Western missions in generations past, but now are generally in decline. Some suggest that the mainline churches’ struggles today are a legacy from the early missionaries’ failure to contextualize the gospel to local culture; this has resulted in pervasive nominalism. Both local congregations and denominational structures are affected. Pray for revival among these historic churches.
For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Botswana.Genesis 9 (with text - press on more info. of video on the side)
Genesis 9 (New International Version)
Genesis 9
God's Covenant With Noah
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
The Sons of Noah
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
26 He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. [b]
27 May God extend the territory of Japheth [c] ; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his [d] slave."
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.
Genesis 9
God's Covenant With Noah
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
4 "But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. 5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man.
6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."
The Sons of Noah
18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
26 He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. [b]
27 May God extend the territory of Japheth [c] ; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his [d] slave."
28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.
Proverbs 14 (with text - press on more info.)
Proverbs 14 (New International Version)
Proverbs 14
1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him.
3 A fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
5 A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.
14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his.
15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
16 A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
17 A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find [a] love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
28 A large population is a king's glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.
29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.
33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known. [b]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant incurs his wrath.
Proverbs 14
1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him.
3 A fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.
5 A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies.
6 The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief.
14 The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his.
15 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
16 A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.
17 A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.
21 He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
22 Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find [a] love and faithfulness.
23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
24 The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.
26 He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
28 A large population is a king's glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined.
29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
32 When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.
33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known. [b]
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
35 A king delights in a wise servant, but a shameful servant incurs his wrath.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)