The Enemy Comes to Kill Steal and Destroy

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

How true this verse is.  There are so many marriages that are on the blink of divorce and families being ripped apart because of our selfish desires that are not of God.  Because of what the enemy has planted in one's mind.  Beginning with the process of the mind which then goes to one's heart.  The sad part about this verse is we want to place a lot of the blame on the enemy, but in reality most could be avoided if our hearts were in align with God.  I believe we have test from God even Jesus was tempted and tested.  Jesus also spoke that man cannot live off of bread alone. 

James 1:13
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 

If we are not protected by the word of God how will we ever overcome the temptations of the world?

Ephesians 6:13-15

¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
We then act on our selfish desires. The last part of the verse says it all.  If we were equipped with the word of God, I believe most of what we go through we would be able to over come the attacks on our lives and family.

We as a children of God should take these words to heart.  God, gave His only Son so that we may have life and to the fullest.  Lust, adultery, money, things can not buy or give us a full life.  Only God can give us life to the fullest nothing else in this world will satisfy us like the love of the Lord.  The fruit of the spirit will show in our lives when we put others before our self.  Forgiving, loving and serving others, just as Jesus did at the "Last Supper."  The things of this world will pass away but the forgiveness and love of the Father will never pass away.

Did you know that unforgiving is a sin. With unforgiving in our hearts it will cause bitterness to set in and hinder your walk with God.  Do we as children of God throw it all away and allow the enemy to tear our families apart or do we take a stand and give God all the Glory?

GUILTY OR INNOCENT

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. Do not worship other gods.
2. Do not worship idols.
3. Do not misuse God's name.
4. Keep the Sabbath holy.
5. Honor your father & mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not lie.
10. Do not covet

Sadly to say we are all guilty.  Yes we are! There was only one person that has walked this earth without sin and it was Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Being a child of God and a believer of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we receive His grace for forgiveness.  Thank You Lord for Your Forgiveness.

Not one of us have received the punishment that we deserve.  As for myself I wouldn't be here if I had.  Does it make it right that I haven't received that punishment?  That's up to the ones I've hurt in the past.  I'm sure they would tell you no I deserve more.  God has placed His punishment on me and in doing so it has brought me closer to Him.

Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

As I go over each commandment and study each one I to don't deserve forgiveness. Because of the Father's love for His children He forgives.  We all have committed sin after sin but the Father continues to forgive each time.  Look at Paul and the sins in his life and how God used him to write books of the bible.  How amazing is what God can do with you if you will only allow Him to change you.

For me it has taken time over the years to see my true self as a dirty filthy rag.  I've done things that I've regretted and not proud of.  The good news is that I became a child of God and ask for His forgiveness and to change me.  I'm still a work in progress.

Isaiah 64:8
Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

We all are being molded into the person that God has called us to be.  It's amazing how He can take a sinner such as myself and continue to mold me into the person He has called me to be.  I don't believe I will be a finished product until the day He takes me home with Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made him who had no sin to be sin^[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

People will disappoint you but God never will.  People won't forgive you in a split second but God will.  People aren't perfect but God is.  Learning to become like Christ is a way of life for me now. I know that when life disappoints me I can get through it because God is my way.

Step back and let God be the Judge, one day we will face Him and be held accountable for all our sins. I truly don't have the right to judge anyone but we as brothers and sisters in Christ can hold them accountable.

 Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Scripture for thought~

SERVING

"No act of service is insignificant when done for the most significant purpose in the universe: proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ." - Pastor Steven Furtick 

We were serving in our home church and had been for the past fifteen years.  We were so involved in our youth group, media and etc. Where ever they needed us we felt we should serve.   On one of our many Mexico Missions we came up as a group with a statement that we would live by. "Whatever it takes and then some".  

Four years ago, we began our journey to fight for our marriage we did and won by the grace of God.  We had left our home church for no other reason than God was moving us into a different direction.  We obeyed and began seeking out another home church.  We attended a VERY large church just to go and not be seen or heard.  We just needed the word and to worship together with a focus on God.  This went on for three years back and forth.  One year ago Mike ask if we wanted to move our membership and join.  I ask him to please let us pray and ask God to show us.  You know I need God to bang me over the head and to make sure the door is closed before I get it!  We attended our home church the next couple of weeks only to find out that they had ask our Pastor (Friend and Brother) to resign for NO moral or ethical reason. What a man of God and today he is serving God as they have planted a church. Praise God!  We attended our home church that Sunday and we both knew that God had closed the door on our home church but not on our friends.  We left behind friends that had become like family to us.  We love them dearly and still stay in touch with many.

He then open the door for our new church home that we attend today.

This is going to be great attending, tithing and just attending church. Until we attended the services and we saw people worshiping our God and the word being taught.   Then we attended classes explaining the different ministry opportunities.  Curiosity kills a cat and it was killing us we wanted to know what made this church different from others. We went through these classes with open minds and praying with each other. We did find out what's different God is leading this church and not man.  On the last class we joined and signed up to serve in different areas.  We both know that God has called all of us to serve where ever that might be.  We are His disciples and have been called by Him.

God has a sense of humor, because I can say, I wasn't going to do more than I signed up for.  Remember in a large church the mentality is that no one will notice you so therefore you don't have to worry about getting out of your comfort zone.  I can say people may not notice but God does.  He had given us four years of getting our lives  back together and teaching us what it means to be a true disciple.  

One week ago I was ask to help to be a one of the team leaders in the area of HK check in where I'm serving.  I thought how humbling this is but I wasn't worthy to be there.  Mike and I prayed about it and I accepted.  I have been laughing because I know God is looking down and laughing at me.  What a sense of humor He has.  But most of all what a honor and humbling experience to serve with others again.  God has been faithful to His word. Mike is now serving on the tech squad and loving every minute of it.  I will say as a proud wife he's doing a great job and committed as I am.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 God hasn't called us to sit back and relax and do nothing.  He will give us a break and sometimes that is soooo needed to allow God to draw us closer to Him.  He gave us four years and there is not a time limit only God's perfect timing.

Romans 13:11                                                                                                                                                                                                        And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 

 THE SLUMBER PARTY IS OVER!

Foundation

Your house is built on a foundation. The foundation determines if your house will crumble and fall or is it strong enough to stand the storms?  Before the foundation is formed a lot of work goes into preparing of the soil.  Formation begins with placing re-bar to hold the concrete of the foundation which gives the concrete a better chance of not cracking. You got it!

Matthew 7:26
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

Same is true with a marriage.  How has your foundation been formed in your marriage, on the rock which is the word of God or the sand?  Not all marriages formed on the rock and God's word will survive without some kind of trial or a valley.  The more of God's word that you pour into your marriage, the better the chance that you will survive the test. Without the word of God the bigger the chance is that you listen to the world which is divorce.  I honestly can't believe that couples that know God's word just picks up and walks away without even giving God the chance to place the re-bar (The word of God) back into their marriage to stop it from crumbling.

Matthew 7:25
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
 

CHANGE

God is a God of change.  Although He is unchanging, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  God wants us to be always changing.  He desires that we become more and more like Him.  In order to do that we have to be open for change.

I know because I had to be willing to allow God to change me.  Most of my friends will be the first to tell you I'm all about changing.  I move furniture around constantly and paint every other month.  I didn't need a house makeover, what I needed was a change of heart (transplant).
  
I prayed for God to change my heart, which would allow me to change. I needed to change in order for God to restore our marriage.


Psalm 19:14
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

For when your heart is pure then the words that come from your mouth will be pleasing to Him and love to others.  Changing my heart changed the way I treated my husband. I let go of the strongholds that had a hold on my life. The good news is that any stronghold of bad habits can be broken in an instant by the power of God. Regardless of how long they have been there.  You see God is in the business of change without change we will never get to where He wants to take us.  I praise God that He is continuing to work in me and changing me everyday.  I don't look at people or things as I once did.  I pray everyday for God to allow me to see through His eyes.



Allowing God to change you through His word, will only equip you for your giant!  Never say that you can't do it because God tells us:

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Authority

Are we guilty or innocent?  If we set before a judge and jury today would they find us guilty or innocent?  For what you may ask?  Not having the faith in God's word to see us through a most difficult time in our life whatever it may be.  Not taking authority over our situation!

I don't know about you guys but we wanted to be more than a conqueror.  God never said we wouldn't have trials.  He said we will, not if but when.  The good news is that Jesus overcame those problems for us.  To conquer we had to take authority of our situation.   For God has given us the authority over the enemy.  Praying is putting our authority into action.  The enemy has the power to destroy us, but the good news is we have been given authority over him.

Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

A trial will come when we least expect it during our life time.  Just remember this, the solution to it can come forth if we are equipped.  To be equipped the condition of your heart has to be right.  My heart for the longest wasn't right because it had been hurt and torn apart.  It was through prayer that God cleansed my heart and made it new.  I knew the only way I was going to get God's attention was through prayer and not a selfish prayer either.  I needed Him to show me the things that I needed to change. Such as the way I spoke to others or even looked at others.  God is sovereign.  He cleansed my heart and gave me the authority by His work to overcome what the enemy tried to destroy.

The only way to receive all that God has for us is to be totally submitted to the authority of His son Jesus in our lives.  We have authority over the enemy because of what Jesus did on the cross.  Remember when going through your trials whatever they may be, pray for God to give you clean hands and a pure heart.

Satan (the thief) works in a very specific way. He has a set plan--and he works it very effectively. If we look thoughtfully, I believe we will see his wicked plans at work all around us.

Put on the armor of God and you can overcome the one who has come to destroy us.

Ephesians 6:10-18

The Armor of God

 ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

GRACE

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

As I sit here on my back porch and listen to God through my praise and worship.  Which to begin this morning is "Amazing Grace" my chains are gone I've been set free, my God and Savior has ransom me. "Amazing Grace."  Is this not what grace is all about forgiving and going forward.  It's not about what we have done for God, but what He has done for us.

Return to the cross where Jesus was hanging on the cross and next to Him was a thief who had converted out of pure fear.  The thief didn't have time to go to friends and ask forgiveness for those that he had wronged, we don't even know if he had ever believed until now.  What we do know is that he asked "Jesus, remember me,"  and Jesus promised, "Today you will be with me in paradise." A reminder that grace does not depend on what we have done for God but rather what God has done for us. Right here Jesus extended grace and forgiveness.

Another story that God gives us is the prodigal son.  I love the ending of this story where the father sees his son from a distance coming home.  The father opens his arms and loves all over his son who he has forgiven and prepares a feast for him.  The forgiveness that comes from grace.

C.S. Lewis wrote "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you" Wow that hit home with me.  The more I study God's word the more I learn it applies to my life everyday.

Today, I can say I have experienced God's unconditional love which now I can share with my wonderful husband. The man that I truly love and have forgiven.  I have also ask God for His forgiveness for not having faith in Him to heal our marriage.

Psalm 86:15

¹⁵ But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
   slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.