Pulling Down Strongholds

Why has it been that at times I am upbeat, full of energy and running with work.  Other times it is like grinding, pulling and pushing to accomplish what's on my plate! Why is there so much suffering in our midst?  I wish I had all the answers to give! 

Several verses in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
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.

As we live under that sun some of the wars that take place in our lives and around us; we will never know! Just like Job could not knowing that there was a battle raging in the spiritual realm.  God fights for us! The good thing, also to note; is that God has provided us weapons for this warfare. They are spiritual.  One prerequisite for victoriously vanquishing the enemy is our OBEDIENCE!  

Many a time Christians loose the spiritual warfare because:

1. they have arguments against God's word,
2. they have high things that are exalted against God's word, and
3. have thoughts that have not been brought into obedience of our Lord.

Is there an area in your life that you have arguments that go against His Biblical instructions in your life?  Are you having high things exalted to the point that you are unable to hear the Lord's still small voice in your life? What about your thought life?  Are your thoughts meditative of good and noble things that are pleasing to Christ? 

May God give you and I that ability that overcomes the world! Our faith in Christ. May we in unison say I can punish all disobedience in my life though Christ who strengthens me! 

May that fulfillment of obedience be realized!

Teamwork

Nine athletes, all mentally or physically challenged, were standing on the
start line for the 100 meter race. The gun fired and the race began.  Not
every one was running, but everyone wanted to participate.  Winning didn't
even matter.

They ran in groups of three.  In one of the groups, a boy tripped fell and
started crying. The others heard him crying. They slowed down and looked
behind them. They stopped and came back... all of them!

A girl with downs syndrome sat down next to him, hugged him and asked,
"Feeling better now?" Then all nine of them walked shoulder to shoulder to
the finish line. The stadium erupted in applause - there wasn't a single
dry eye there.

Dr David Molapo in his book "You Can Transform Yourself" says, "Reals
success is attained when you help others to achieve their dreams. That is
the kind of success that lasts.  That is what creating synergy is all
about..."

*1 Corinthians 3:7,8 "7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he
who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who
waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his
own labor."*

The Good You Do Comes Back To You

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
This story is very relevant to Titus 3:8

A woman baked bread for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra bread on the Window-sill, for whosoever would take it away. Everyday, a hunch-back came and took away the bread. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" This went on, day after day. Everyday, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and uttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The woman felt irritated. "Not a word of gratitude," she said to herself... "Everyday this hunch-back utters this jingle! What does he mean? "One day, out of despiration, she decided to do away with him. "I shall get rid of this hunch-back," she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the bread she prepared for him! As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. "What is this I am doing?" she said. Immediately she threw the bread into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window- sill. As usual, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and muttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The hunch-back proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Everyday, as the woman placed the bread on the window-sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return. That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway.. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, "Mom, it's a miracle I'm here. While I was but a mile away, I was so hungry that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunch-back passed by. I begged of him for a small part of his food, and he was kind enough to give me whole bread. "As he gave it to me, he said, "This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!" "As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale and red. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned bread that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life! It was then that she realized the significance of the words: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" Do good and; Don't ever stop doing good, even if it’s not appreciated at that time.

We Serve A Risen Savior!

This is a very interesting read! We arrived at it after dinner.  Our son needed to get an answer to the question about what our Lord went to do "preaching unto the spirits in prison" found in 1 Peter 3:19

We got looking looking for answers in several Bible verses, also in Matthew Henry, Africa Bible Commentary. We did a Google search for the word "Sheol".  In searching for answers we landed on this blog by Joe Rigney.

Here is the link

Very insightful indeed! It will surely form some meat in some bare-bones sermon I have somewhere! Thank you so much Joe Rigney.