The sword

The Sword
yall this is so cool to me… anyone who knows me knows I thoroughly enjoy my romance novels…. I like the mid-evil romance’s where there is a lot of rough warrior men.. and women.. =) who fight a lot… so when I picture a knight or warrior I picture a man dressed out in his armor… in his chain mail… getting ready for battle…

who knows that when a warrior is preparing for battle he never goes in alone? he always has his partner… who’s got his back.. so that instead of that front view only.. they (together) have a 360 view… =) this is so “coo”… as Cassandra would say.. lol… if you notice our armor doesn’t have a back guard…
we have the breast plate of righteousness. the belt of truth, the boots of the gospel of peace. the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the SWORD of the SPIRIT! the word of god…

now the armor in all of its functions is necessary. but the sword is the only WEAPON we are given. its the only piece used for both offensive and Defensive purposes.

to me not having a back piece signifies a couple of different things, 1 you never turn your back on your enemies. come one guys we are fighters…. us being alive today signifies that! no matter what when your in a room full of people you KNOW don’t like you… do you turn your back on em… naw… that doesn’t mean your scared either… just means ya smart!

turn in your bible to Hebrews 4:12… it states…

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

now we know the word of god is the Sword of the spirit… this reminds me of a fantasy story my brother and i started and never finished… in it was this sword with spectacular supernatural power.. HER name was Sapharah… she was a living sword that could detect demonic spirits from afar (out of reach or detection in the natural relm) who would hiss and warn her owner.. the warrior anithelia. Sapharah’s essence would reach out and wrap around the opponent and burn up the demons this was awesome b/c the warriors strength lasted longer b/c she wasn’t fighting alone… sapharah had strength to couple with hers and carry her through…

dude i got so excited and invigourated by this scripture b/c we ACTUALLY have that! its our sword! lol

now if you turn with me to 2 corinthians 10: 4-5 it says…
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

that’s some heavy stuff…. god gives us a weapon to attack with.
can anybody here tell me weather or not you let your opponent know when your coming? one of the biggest long lasting lessons my father taught me was never let em see you coming. you don’t just stand there and take crap… you don’t talk crap.. when it comes down to you or your person you strike before they can.

another awesome thing to consider is that your enemy will never get within arms reach of you… not if you know how to use your weapons.. with training and focus and correct use you can slay your daemons (and others) with this power god gives us!

for the last scripture look to 2 timothy 3: 16-17….

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I encourage you to be warriors for god…. all of this can be applied to your daily lives… you have to WAKE UP AND REALIZE this isn’t some play time… these are the end days… and christians have grown to passive… too gentile and humble.. yes all of these things are good. they are taught in scripture.. but it is also time to SOUND THE ALARM because weather you realize it or not… this is WAR!

have a blessed day.

Love is an ACTION not a VERB!

A study on 1 Corinthians 13

A Peanuts cartoon shows Lucy standing with her arms folded and a stern expression on her face. Charlie Brown pleads, “Lucy, you must be more loving. This world really needs love. You have to let yourself love to make this world a better place.” Lucy angrily whirls around and knocks Charlie Brown to the ground. She screams at him, “Look, Blockhead, the world I love. Its people I can’t stand.”

I’m sure we all feel that way from time to time, and some of us feel that way most of the time. Maybe you feel that way right now. Loving the world in general isn’t that difficult; loving the people around us can be a major challenge. In 1 Corinthians 13, we find one of the most beautiful and familiar chapters in the Bible. This chapter is typically read at weddings and anniversary celebrations. It has even been set to music. Yet, this was never the original intent. Instead, Paul was writing a rebuke to a dysfunctional church for their abuse of the spiritual gifts. Typically though, this understanding is often ignored. Consequently, I wonder if most Christians have truly pondered the deeper meaning of this passage. Have we heard this Scripture so often that we no longer think about what the words mean? I would suggest that if we ignore the context of this chapter we are in danger of missing its major impact.²

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul will argue that love is an action, not an emotion. The kind of love Paul will talk about is seen, experienced, and demonstrated. This is contrary to our culture that honors personal feelings above almost everything. We do what we want when we want because we “feel” like it. And if we don’t “feel” like it, we don’t do it. But as I study this passage, I am struck by the complete absence of any stress on personal feelings. Hence, if love is an action, not an emotion, we need to study what God has to say about love. We need to know what love is and what it looks like when it is lived out in the church.³ In these thirteen verses, Paul provides three distinctions of love.

1. Love is greater than any spiritual gift (13:1-3). In these three verses, Paul mentions six spiritual gifts: tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, giving, and martyrdom. The first four gifts are listed in 12:8-10. The gift of giving is among those mentioned in Rom 12:8. Martyrdom does not occur anywhere else as a spiritual gift, but by its association with the other five gifts here, we can add it to the spiritual gifts God gives to His church.⁴ Paul kicks off 13:1 with the gift of tongues when he writes, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” Some Bible students seem to have missed Paul’s point here and have interpreted him as speaking merely of eloquence in human speech, but clearly he is referring to the gift of tongues. After all, the last gifts mentioned in chapter 12 are tongues and the interpretation of tongues. And those same gifts are the main topic of chapter 14. It is quite logical, then, that Paul begins the intervening chapter by discussing tongues. The use of tongues that Paul is speaking of here is the gift of speaking a private prayer language.⁵ Paul says you can speak in tongues all you want, but if you don’t have love you are merely making a lot of noise.

In 13:2-3, Paul mentions five more spiritual gifts when he writes, “If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” Prophecy refers to the ability to declare God’s truth in a powerful, life-changing way. Knowledge involves the deep understanding of the Word of God. Faith is the unique ability to trust God for great things. These three gifts are all from the Holy Spirit, and yet without love the person who has them is “nothing.” Verse 3 poses a problem because it asks us to ponder activities that we automatically consider noble. Giving to the poor is a good thing to do. And dying for your faith in Christ is the ultimate sacrifice. But as good as these things are, without love they do you no good. Paul declares that the greatest expression of spirituality is love. We could summarize these three verses like this: Without love…I say nothing, I am nothing, and I gain nothing.

Clearly, we must have love when we are exercising our spiritual gifts. So stop for just a moment and reflect on your spiritual gifts and your ministry in the local church. Do you do what you do out of genuine love for people? Or do you serve out of a sense of obligation? Do you serve because of the satisfaction you derive from ministry? Do you minister because you like honing your skills? Although no one has perfectly pure motives, we ought to be seeking to grow in our love quotient. Paul says that love is an action, not an emotion; therefore, we need to put feet to our love.

[After talking about the importance of love, Paul now will discuss how love behaves.]

2. Love is expressed by supernatural responses (13:4-7). Love is a word that can only be properly defined in terms of action, attitude, and behavior. Paul has no room for abstract, theoretical definitions; instead, he wants us to know what love looks like when we see it. Thus, he paints fifteen separate portraits of love. Yes, that’s right: in the space of four short verses Paul uses fifteen verbs, all of which have “love” as their subject. Our contemporary definition of love is that it is an emotion or a feeling—we love our jobs, we love football, we love pizza. In the biblical definition of agape, love acts, for love is an action, not an emotion.⁶ Verse 4 begins by summarizing the unselfish nature of love.

1) Love is patient. The Greek language has several words for “patience.” One signifies patience with circumstances while another is used only in reference to patience with people.⁷The Lord knows we need both kinds of patience, but it is this second word that is found here. The KJV renders this word “long-suffering.” I like this! Paul seems to be saying that love doesn’t have a short fuse. It doesn’t lose its temper easily. A person who exercises agape love does not lose patience with people. Love never says, “I’ll give you just one more chance.” Love is patient.

The longer that I am in pastoral ministry, the easier it is for me to be patient with others. With every passing year, I recognize more fully that I sin against God and others. As God humbles me with my own sinful shortcomings, I find it easier to exercise greater patience with others. Loving people are willing to tolerate the shortcomings of others because they know they have faults too. As you mature do you feel more and more patient or do you feel you are growing more and more crotchety? God wants you and me to grow in patient love for those whom we minister to and with.
 

2) Love is kind.⁸ Patience must be accompanied by a positive reaction of goodness toward the other person. Kindness, however, is not to be equated with giving everyone what he or she wants. Sometimes love must be tough. In the context of the church, kindness may mean forcing an addict to go through the hell of withdrawal. Kindness may mean saying no to a spoiled child. Kindness may mean reporting a crime committed by a friend. Kindness means to withhold what harms, as well as give what heals. Love is kind, but often tough.⁹ Paul followed the two positive expressions of love with eight verbs that indicate how it does not behave.¹⁰

3) Love is not jealous.¹¹ Jealousy implies being displeased with the success of others. Yet, true love desires the success of others. The best way to cure envy is to pray sincerely for the one of whom you are jealous. To pray for him or her is to demonstrate love, and jealousy and love cannot exist in the same heart.

4) Love does not brag. The root word for “brag” in Greek is very picturesque and is closest to our English word, “wind-bag.”¹² Love is not an egotistical blowhard. Love is not big-headed but big-hearted. This means the more loving you become, the less boasting you need to do. The greater your spiritual gifts, the less prone you should be to brag. After all, the gifts you have been graciously given are from God. When you and I brag, we are demonstrating our insecurity and spiritual immaturity. Paul states that bragging is the converse of biblical love. Hence, we should pursue Christ so that we will be humble before Him and others.

5) Love is not arrogant.¹³ The term “arrogant” refers to a grasping for power. It is more serious than bragging, which is only grasping for praise. Arrogant people push themselves into leadership, using people as stepping-stones, and always consider themselves exempt from the requirements on mere mortals. Arrogance disrespects others and carries a distain for others. God calls us to serve others and be gracious toward them.

6) Love does not act unbecomingly.¹⁴ This word is best translated “rude.” There are some Christians who seem to take delight in being blunt, justifying it on the grounds of honesty. They will say, “I’m just telling it like it is.” But love doesn’t always tell it like it is; it doesn’t always verbalize all its thoughts, particularly if those thoughts don’t build others up. There is a graciousness in love which never forgets that courtesy, tact, and politeness are lovely things.

7) Love does not seek its own. Love is the very antithesis of insisting upon one’s own rights. Needless to say, this is a rare quality today. Ours is a society in which self-seeking is not only tolerated, it is even advocated. You can go to any bookstore and pick up titles like, Winning Through Intimidation, Looking Out for Number One, or Creative Aggression. But a self-absorbed narcissistic person cannot act in love. Love is not possessive, demanding, stubborn, or dominating. Love does not talk too much but listens as well. Love does not insist on its own way.¹⁵ It is always willing to defer to others.

8) Love is not provoked. Love is not given to emotional outbursts, is not exasperated by petty annoyances, and refuses to let someone else get under one’s skin. But, you say, when someone else provokes me, it’s not my fault. Yes it is. We don’t have to get irritated, and if we were exercising love, we wouldn’t. One English version translates this virtue, “Love is not touchy.” Do you know people who are so quick to take offense that you have to handle them with kid gloves? You try to avoid talking to them and when you can avoid it no longer, you carefully measure every word you say to make sure that you say exactly what you mean. But still the person seizes upon something and twists it to make you look bad. That kind of person knows nothing of agape love, for love is not touchy.

9) Love does not take into account a wrong suffered. Paul uses the normal word here for bookkeeping. Love does not keep a ledger of evil deeds. It doesn’t write down each injury done and keep the account open to be settled someday. I know some people who are accomplished bookkeepers in regard to injuries sustained. Love doesn’t hang on to reminders of wrongs. Who are you keeping a book on? Are there some ledgers you need to go home and toss in the fireplace?

10) Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. One of the reasons I detest watching the news is that the bulk of stories concern people’s misfortunes and misdeeds. There is something in our human nature which causes our attention to be drawn to murder trials, FBI probes, natural disasters, and human tragedies. Love is not like that. Love takes no joy in evil of any kind. It takes no malicious pleasure when it hears about the inadequacies, mistakes, and sins of someone else. Love is righteous. Now, after eight sobering negatives come five glorious positives:

11) Love rejoices with the truth. When I was in seminary, I studied an ethical system Joseph Fletcher labeled Situation Ethics. Fletcher taught that any action—whether lying, adultery, or even murder—can be moral if it is done in love. However, I would argue that if an action does not conform to the truth of God’s Word, it can’t be done in love. Truth and love go together like hand in glove. Truth must make our love discriminating, and love must make our truth compassionate and forgiving. If our actions are in accord with agape love, we will always welcome biblical truth, never resist it.

12) Love bears all things. The phrase “bears all things” comes from a Greek word meaning to cover something. It is related to the word for roof—a covering that offers protection from the hostile elements. 1 Peter 4:8 says that love covers a multitude of sins. That is precisely the meaning here. Love protects other people. It doesn’t broadcast bad news. It goes the second mile to protect another person’s reputation.¹⁶

There are two very relevant applications: First, love doesn’t nitpick. It doesn’t point out every flaw of the ones you love. Second, love doesn’t criticize in public. This is perhaps Paul’s primary meaning. Love doesn’t do its dirty laundry for the entire world to see. That’s why I cringe whenever I hear a husband humiliating his wife in public or a wife making snide remarks about her husband. I always think, if they do that in public, what do they do in private? As a friend of mine once told me, “There are many times in my life when I’ve been sorry I opened my mouth. But there has never been a time I’ve been sorry I kept silent.” When it comes to needless criticism of other people, that’s excellent advice.

13) Love believes all things. Love is always ready to allow for extenuating circumstances, to give the other person the benefit of the doubt, to believe the best about people. Many of us have developed a certain distrust of people because of negative experiences. We have heard stories about how the person who stopped to help a motorist in distress was robbed or even murdered. We have been warned never to loan money to someone without a legal document guaranteeing repayment, even if the other guy is a Christian. But there are worse things than gullibility–namely suspicion and mistrust. Love always trusts. It is also useful to remember that even in a court of law the accused person is always “innocent until proven guilty.” Love says, “I am willing to wait for the evidence to come in before making my decision. I choose to give you the benefit of the doubt as long as there is reason to do so.” Some of us treat our loved ones in nearly the opposite way: “You are guilty until you prove you are innocent.”

I do not tire of repeating that people tend to become what we believe them to be. They either live up to or down to your expectations. If you treat a man as trustworthy, he will strive to prove himself worthy of your trust. If you tell a child, “Take a big swing. You can hit that ball,” he’ll go to the plate and swing like Babe Ruth. If you treat your wife as if she is the most beautiful woman in the world, she will be transformed before your very eyes. That’s what Jesus did. To vacillating Simon, He said, “You are a rock.” To a prostitute, He said, “Your sins are forgiven.” To a woman caught in adultery, He said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” It is the simple power of believing the best and not the worst about people.

14) Love hopes all things. The third phrase in 13:7 tells us that love “hopes all things.” This is simply a step beyond believing. The meaning is something like this: There are times in life when you face situations so difficult that faith is not possible. You would gladly give the benefit of the doubt but there is none to give. You search for the silver lining but the angry clouds overhead have no silver lining. Love has a positive forward look. Paul is not here advocating an unreasoning optimism, which fails to take account of reality. Nor is he just teaching the power of positive thinking. But he is suggesting that love refuses to take failure as final, either in oneself or in someone else. Love never gives up on people. And the reason the believer can take such an attitude is that God is in the business of taking human failures and producing spiritual giants out of them. And He can do it with you or your child or that impossible kid in your S.S. class. Of course, “always hoping” doesn’t mean that we sit back and just watch God do His thing. Rather it means that we get actively involved in the process as He molds the future according to His perfect plan. Love hopes and expects the best. Love never loses faith in other people and gives up on them but remain faithful to them, in spite of their shortcomings.

15) Love endures all things. The word “endures” is a military term that means to hold a position at all costs, even unto death, whatever it takes. The battle may be lost but the soldier keeps on fighting to the very end. The word pictures an army surrounded by superior forces, being attacked and slowly overwhelmed on every side. One by one your comrades fall at your side. Through the noise of battle comes one final command: “Stand your ground, men. And if necessary, die well.” So love holds fast to people it loves. It perseveres. It never gives up on anyone. Love won’t stop loving, even in the face of rejection. Love takes action to shake up an intolerable situation. Love looks beyond the present to the hope of what might be in the future.

No one can have a totally happy conscience after reading through these fifteen expressions of love.¹⁷

We are the opposite of 13:4-7 on every point.¹⁸ However, this love list defines God’s gift of Himself in Jesus Christ. If you go back through these verses and everywhere you find the word “love” substitute the word “Christ,” all these statements will still be true. The kind of love being described is love that has its source in God, and as we look at each of the phrases it becomes obvious that we’re defining a lifestyle that really is beyond our human reach. It is absolutely impossible unless we abide in Christ and ask Him to live His supernatural love in and through us. If you have never believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you do so today? Not only will He give you the gift of His eternal love, but He will allow you to love the way God intended.

[Love is greater than any spiritual gift and love is expressed by supernatural responses. Now we will see that…]

3. Love is an eternal gift (13:8-13). In these final six verses, Paul will discuss the temporary nature of the spiritual gifts and the eternal nature of love. In 13:8, Paul talks about the temporary nature of gifts when he writes, “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”¹⁹ When Paul says, “Love never fails,” he means love never ends. The synonym for this expression is “love abides” in 13:13. These phrases serve to bookend this final section where Paul argues that the spiritual gifts will be done away with one day.

The reason that spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues will come to an end is revealed in 13:9-10. Paul writes, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” Paul explains that we are limited in our understanding, but this will not always be the case. A time of perfection is coming! The “perfect” refers to the returning of Christ.²⁰ When we recall that 1:7 pointed out the ongoing role of the gifts until the return of Christ, there can be only one possible interpretation of “perfection”—it is the life in the world to come, after Jesus reappears on earth.

Paul explains himself further in 13:11-12: “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” Paul explains that our understanding of God is indirect in this life. He uses two analogies: childhood and a mirror.²¹In using the analogy of childhood, Paul is not suggesting that those who speak in tongues are childish and immature. Rather, he is adopting an eternal perspective and simply saying that there will come a time when the gifts of the Spirit will no longer be necessary.²²

The analogy of the mirror implies that our visibility of Christ is indirect. In other words, Paul is comparing the nature of looking in a mirror to the relationship we will enjoy with Jesus when we see Him “face to face.”²³ I enjoy looking at pictures of people, but if I had my choice I would prefer to spend time with the people that I am looking at in photo albums.

Paul concludes this chapter in 13:13 with these words: “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”²⁴ For all eternity, we will enjoy these three attributes. We will experience God’s incredible love, we will experience a deep love for God, and we will love one another with a perfect love. We will also continue to have “faith” in the Lord for all eternity. But what about “hope?” What could possibly be the meaning of hope when we are in an eternity that has no pain or tears or sorrow? Will we hope for better days? Obviously not! There is one nuance behind “hope” that is applicable here, namely, a meaning of hope that is synonymous with “trust.”²⁵ In eternity, we will continue to trust in God’s goodness in our lives and in His provisions for us. Hope in this sense “abides” or “remains,” as do faith and love. But the greatest of these is love, for love covers not only what we experience in our relations to others and to God, but what we experience from God Himself.

Today, how will you grow in your love for others? First, I would suggest that you cannot become the loving person you desire to be apart from a loving and vibrant relationship with God. This love relationship must be cultivated first and foremost. Second, you must love those nearest to you. This means that if you are married, you focus on your spouse. If you have children, you prioritize your children. If you are serving in a ministry, you love those children, teens, or adults. You strive to love your neighbors and coworkers. Once you have accomplished this, you will be able to better love the world around you. God has called us to love people. Jesus said that all people will know we are His disciples by the love that we have for one another (John 13:34-35).

Scripture Reference

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Galatians 5:22-23

Ephesians 4:26, 32

Colossians 3:12-17

1 Peter 3:8; 4:8

Luke 7:36-50

Luke 10:30-37

Killa

Lecrae

Don’t just read it… Try to Live it…

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Prayer

I walk in the wholeness of Jesus Christ.  The beauty of Christ radiates from my very presence so that I have outward and inward beauty.  The fragrance of the Lord follows me wherever I go.  I am the BRIDE of CHRIST, Pure, Spotless and BLAMELESS before HIM.  The favor of the Lord rests upon me and is unconditionally abounding toward me in EVERY situation and under ANY circumstance.  I am accepted and BELOVED of God.  Jesus has Plans and a HOPE for my FUTURE, and I will fulfill every centimeter and inch of what HE HAS FOR ME to do.  Satan is BOUND from interfering with the divine path of destiny the LORD JESUS CHRIST has called me to do.  I run the race with a victorious crown on my head and feet that are swift to reach the Highest Calling God has placed upon my life.  I walk on high places in the Power of the Holy Spirit who resides within me.  I am violently and forcefully taking back EVERYTHING the enemy has stolen from ME.  All of Satan’s plans and assignments are now and forever more cancelled.  I am FULLY equipt in the Art of Spiritual Warfare through the pulling down the strongholds of rejection, anger, despair, fear, abuse and self-hatred.  I remove any cloud of doubt that tries to attack me in JESUS NAME.  I stand with the two-edge sword of God in my hands pushing back the forces of darkness and removing any and every bondage from my and my family’s lives, holding us in captivity.  I now take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus MY LORD.  I do not entertain vain imaginations.  I think only on the things that are Lovely, Good and Holy.  The words of my mouth are sanctified and bring life to all who hears them.  I put on the Breastplate of righteousness and the belt of TRUTH.  I take the Sword of the Spirit, The word of God and hold up the Shield of Faith to quench every fiery dart or missile from the enemy.  I put on the helmet of Salvation and Shod my feet with the Gospel of Peace.  Jesus has anointed me with oil to heal the Broken Hearted and set the captives free.  I am more than a conqueror by the word of my testimony and the Blood of the Lamb.  In Christ Jesus Holy name, I give you all of the Praise and Honor Abba, Amen.

Marraige in Heaven?

In Matthew 22:28,30, Jesus says we will be as the angels in Heaven.         Will we actually be angels and not know our husbands or wives in Heaven?

        

 Answer         

Matthew 22:28,30 says, “Therefore in the resurrection whose wife         shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.” (V.28). “For in         the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are         as the angels of God in heaven.” (V.30).

 

The question in this passage is “marriage in heaven.” The Sadducees         (unbelievers) had given Christ a hypothetical question concerning a         woman who had seven husbands. This in no way teaches that we are going         to be angels when we get to Heaven. It only indicates that, in Heaven,         our relationship to Christ and others will be on a much higher plane         than our marriage relationship while on earth. In fact, we are told that         we shall judge angels. (I Corinthians 6:3).

 

There are the most wicked angels that brought about the flood.         (Genesis 6). Peter describes them in II Peter 2:4, “For if God spared         not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered         them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;” Angels         are also appointed to minister to the saved, “Are they (the         angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them         who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14)

 

In Heaven we will still be the person we were on earth, only without         our sinful body. We will have a new glorified body, like that of our         Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20,21 tells us, “For our         conversation (the Greek is “citizenship”) is in heaven; from         whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall         change our vile (i.e., “sinful”) body, that it may be fashioned         like unto his (Christ’s) glorious body…”

        

We have no record of angels ever marrying, as there would be no one         to marry! We have no record of any angels in the Bible being women or         playing on their harps. This is contrary to much religious art we have         today, and many portrayals on television. Some time back, a man took         exception to the fact that there are no women angels. He told me that he         knew for sure his wife was an angel; because she was always “up in the         air, harping about something”!

 

There is no reason to believe that we will not know each other in         Heaven and rejoice over the previous relationships and experiences we         have had. In Matthew 17:1-4, Peter, James, and John recognized Moses and         Elijah, even though both had been dead for hundreds of years.

 

Only Jesus Christ made it possible for you and I to escape the         torment and total darkness of a literal Hell (II Peter 2:17), so we         could spend all eternity with Him. “For the wages of sin is death;         but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”         (Romans 6:23).

Spiritual Warfare Prayers

 

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ,  save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate me; Water from the side of Christ, wash me;  Passion of Christ, strengthen me; O good Jesus, hear me; within your wounds,  hide me; let me never be separated from you; from the evil one, protect me; at  the hour of my death, call me; and bid me to come to you; that with your  saints, I may praise you forever and ever. Amen.

              Breaking Curses

In  the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, by the power of his cross, his  blood and his resurrection, I take authority over all curses, hexes, spells,  voodoo practices, witchcraft assignments, satanic rituals, incantations and  evil wishes that have been sent my way, or have passed down the generational  bloodline.  I break their influence over my life by the  power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and I command these curses to go back to  where they came from and be replaced with a blessing.

            I ask forgiveness for and denounce all negative inner  vows and agreements that I have made with the enemy, and I ask that you Lord  Jesus Christ release me from any bondage they may have held in me. I claim your  shed blood over all aspects of my life, relationships, ministry endeavors and  finances. I thank you for your enduring love, your angelic protection, and for  the fullness of your abundant blessings.            

              Prayer against Evil

Spirit  of our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Most Holy Trinity, descend upon me.  Please purify me, mold me, fill me with yourself, and use me. Banish all the  forces of evil from me; destroy them, vanquish them so that I can be healthy  and do good deeds.

Banish  from me all spells, witchcraft, black magic, demonic assignments, malefice,  maledictions and the evil eye; diabolic infestations, oppressions, possessions;  all that is evil and sinful; jealousy, treachery, envy; all physical,  psychological, moral, spiritual and diabolical ailments; as well as all  enticing spirits, deaf, dumb, blind, mute and sleeping spirits, new-age  spirits, occult spirits, religious spirits, antichrist spirits, and any other  spirits of death and darkness.

            I command and bid all the powers who molest me—by the  power of God Almighty, in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior—to leave me  forever, and to be consigned into the everlasting lake of fire, that they may  never again touch me or any other creature in the entire world. Amen.            

               Denouncing the Occult

Heavenly  Father, in the name of your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, I denounce Satan  and all his works, all forms of witchcraft, the use of divination, the practice  of sorcery, dealing with mediums, channeling with spirit guides, the Ouija  board, astrology, Reiki, hypnosis, automatic writing, horoscopes, numerology,  all types of fortune telling, palm readings, levitation, and anything else  associated with the occult or Satan. I denounce all of them in the name of  Jesus Christ who came in the flesh, and by the power of his cross, his blood  and his resurrection, I break their hold over my life.

I  confess all these sins before you and ask you to cleanse and forgive me. I ask  you Lord Jesus to enter my heart and create in me the kind of person you have  intended me to be. I ask you to send forth the gifts of your Holy Spirit to  baptize me, just as you baptized your disciples on the day of Pentecost.

            I thank you heavenly Father for strengthening my inner  spirit with the power of your Holy Spirit, so that Christ may dwell in my  heart. Through faith, rooted and grounded in love, may I be able to comprehend  with all the saints, the breadth, length, height and depth of Christ’s love  which surpasses all knowledge. Amen.            

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Breaking Generational Bondage

Dear  Lord Jesus Christ, I thank you for your sacrifice on the cross of Calvary for  the forgiveness of my sins. Please enforce the power of your cross on all my  generational inherited weaknesses, character defects, personality traits,  cellular disorders, genetic disorders and tendencies toward sin. Please break  all unhealthy soul-ties and forms of enmeshment between me and my parents,  grandparents, siblings, offspring, mates and any other unhealthy relationship  that my mates had with others in the past.

            By the power of your command Lord Jesus Christ, I take  the sword of the Spirit and cut myself free from all generational inherited  cellular or genetic disorders, character defects and tendencies toward sin. I  sever all unhealthy soul-ties and forms of enmeshment, and in the name of Jesus  Christ, I say that I am now free—free to be the child of God the Lord intended  me to be.            

Prayer against Malefice ¹

God,  our Lord, King of ages, All-powerful and Almighty, you who made everything and  who transform everything simply by your will; you who changed into dew the  flames of the seven-times hotter furnace and protected and saved your three  holy children:

You  are the doctor and physician of my soul. You are the salvation of those who  turn to you. I beseech you to make powerless, banish, and drive out every  diabolic power, presence and machination; every evil influence, malefice or  evil eye and all evil actions aimed against me.

Where  there is envy and malice, give me an abundance of goodness, endurance, victory  and charity. O Lord, you who love man, I beg you to reach out your powerful  hands and your most high and mighty arms and come to my aid.

Send  your angel of peace over me, to protect my body and soul. May he keep at bay  and vanquish every evil power, every poison or malice invoked against me by  corrupt and envious people.

            Then under the protection of your authority may I sing  with gratitude, “The Lord is my salvation; whom should I fear?” I will not fear  evil because you are with me, my God, my strength, my powerful Lord, Lord of  peace, Father of all ages. Amen.            

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Prayer for a Spiritual Canopy

Dear  Lord Jesus, please forgive me for all the times I have not submitted to your  will in my life. Please forgive me for all my sinful actions, making agreements  with the enemy, and for believing the devil’s lies. I now submit to you as my  Lord, dear Jesus. Now I break every agreement that I have made with the enemy.

Lord  Jesus, please have your warring angels remove and bind to the abyss all demons  and their devices that had access to me because I believed their lies. I now  ask you to establish a hedge of protection around me, over me and under me, and  seal it with your blood, Lord Jesus Christ.

I  now choose to put on the full armor of God and ask that you cleanse me and seal  me, body, mind, soul and spirit, with your blood, Lord Jesus Christ. Please  have your warring angels bind up and remove all demons, their devices, and all  their power from within this protective hedge and have them sent to the abyss.

            Please have your warriors destroy all demonic, occult  or witchcraft assignments directed against me including all backups and  replacements. Please have your warriors remove all trafficking people and send  them back to their own bodies and seal them there with your blood, Lord Jesus  Christ. Please have your angels stand guard over me and protect me from all the  attacks of the enemy.            

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Prayer to Remove Trafficking People

Dear  Lord Jesus, will you please send a special assignment of warring angels to  remove all spiritually trespassing people from me. In the name, power and  authority of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh, I cancel  all astral assignments over my life. I take dominion over all astral assignments  of witchcraft sent against me, and I break their hold right now through the  power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear  Lord Jesus, please have your warring angels strip these witches of their  psychic powers, demonic powers and occult powers. Please strip them of psychic  visions, powers of divination, and any other craft that allows them to  interfere with me. Please have all their powers and devices destroyed and cast  into the abyss.

I ask you to bring these people before your throne and  bless them with a revelation of who you are and your love and plans of  salvation for them. Please show them how they are being deceived by Satan.  Please have your warriors send them back to their own bodies and seal them  there with your blood, Lord Jesus. I thank you for establishing an impenetrable  shield of protection all around me; in Jesus’ name. Amen.            

              Binding Evil Spirits

In  the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I stand with the power of the  Lord God Almighty to bind Satan and all his evil spirits, demonic forces,  satanic powers, principalities, along with all kings and princes of terrors,  from the air, water, fire, ground, netherworld, and the evil forces of nature.

I  take authority over all demonic assignments and functions of destruction sent  against me, and I expose all demonic forces as weakened, defeated enemies of  Jesus Christ. I stand with the power of the Lord God Almighty to bind all  enemies of Christ present together, all demonic entities under their one and  highest authority, and I command these spirits into the abyss to never again  return. Their assignments and influences are over.

            I arise today with the power of the Lord God Almighty  to call forth the heavenly host, the holy angels of God, to surround and  protect, and cleanse with God’s holy light all areas vacated by the forces of  evil. I ask the Holy Spirit to permeate my mind, heart, body, soul and spirit,  creating a hunger and thirst for God’s holy Word, and to fill me with the life  and love of my Lord, Jesus Christ.            

              Destroying Demonic Influence

Through  the power of Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I come against every source of sin  in my life. I ask you Lord Jesus to send forth an assignment of warring angels  to strike down and destroy every demonic entity that has been influencing my  sinful behaviors of envy, criticism, impatience, resentment, pride, rebellion,  stubbornness, unforgiveness, gossip, disobedience, strife, violence, divorce,  accusation, anger, manipulation, jealousy, greed, laziness, revenge, coveting,  possessiveness, control, retaliation, selfishness, deceitfulness, deception,  dishonesty, unbelief, seduction, lust, pornography, masturbation, idolatry and  witchcraft.

May  your warring angels strike down and destroy every demonic influence that has  contributed to my physical and psychological infirmities of nerve disorder,  lung disorder, brain disorder or dysfunction, AIDS, cancer, hypochondria,  hyperactivity, depression, schizophrenia, fatigue, anorexia, bulimia,  addictions, gluttony, perfectionism, alcoholism, self-abuse, sexual addictions,  sexual perversions, attempted suicide, incest, pedophilia, lesbianism,  homosexuality, adultery, homophobia, confusion, ignorance, procrastination,  self-hatred, isolation, loneliness, ostracism, paranoia, nervousness,  passivity, indecision, doubt, oppression, rejection, poor self-image, anxiety,  shame, timidity and fear.

            I arise today through the power of the Lord Jesus  Christ and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit’s gifts of peace, patience,  love, joy, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,  humility, forgiveness, goodness, fortitude, discipline, truth, relinquishment,  good self-image, prosperity, charity, obedience, a sound mind, order,  fulfillment in Christ, acceptance of self, acceptance of others, trust, freedom  from addictions, freedom of having-to-control, freedom from shame, wholeness,  wellness, health, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and the light and life of  the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.            

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Prayer for Inner Healing ²

Dear  Lord Jesus, please come and heal my wounded and troubled heart. I beg you to  heal the torments that are causing anxiety in my life. I beg you, in a  particular way, to heal the underlying source of my sinfulness. I beg you to  come into my life and heal the psychological harms that struck me in my  childhood and from the injuries they have caused throughout my life.

Lord  Jesus, you know my burdens. I lay them on your Good Shepherd’s Heart. I beseech  you—by the merits of the great open wound in your heart—to heal the small  wounds that are in mine. Heal my memories, so that nothing that has happened to  me will cause me to remain in pain and anguish, filled with anxiety.

Heal,  O Lord, all those wounds that have been the cause of evil that is rooted in my  life. I want to forgive all those who have offended me. Look to those inner  sores that make me unable to forgive. You who came to forgive the afflicted of  heart, please, heal my wounded and troubled heart.

Heal,  O Lord Jesus, all those intimate wounds that are the root cause of my physical  illness. I offer you my heart. Accept it, Lord, purify it and give me the  sentiments of your Divine Heart.

            Heal me, O Lord, from the pain caused by the death of  my loved ones. Grant me to regain peace and joy in the knowledge that you are  the Resurrection and the Life. Make me an authentic witness to your  resurrection, your victory over sin and death, and your loving presence among  all men. Amen.            

Healing the Family Tree ³

Heavenly  Father, I come before you as your child, in great need of your help; I have  physical health needs, emotional needs, spiritual needs and interpersonal  needs. Many of my problems have been caused by my own failures, neglect and  sinfulness, for which I humbly beg your forgiveness, Lord. But I also ask you  to forgive the sins of my ancestors whose failures have left their effects on  me in the form of unwanted tendencies, behavior patterns, and defects in body,  mind and spirit. Heal me, Lord, of all these disorders.

With  your help I sincerely forgive everyone, living or dead members of my family  tree, who have directly offended me or my loved ones in any way, or those whose  sins have resulted in our present sufferings and disorders. In the name of your  divine Son Jesus, and in the power of his Holy Spirit, I ask you Father, to  deliver me and my entire family tree from the influence of the evil one.

Free  all living and dead members of my family tree, including those in adoptive  relationships, and those in extended family relationships, from every  contaminating form of bondage. By your loving concern for us, heavenly Father,  and by the shed blood of your precious Son Jesus, I beg you to extend your  blessing to me and all my living and deceased relatives. Heal every negative  effect transmitted through all past generations, and prevent such negative  effects in future generations of my family tree.

I  symbolically place the cross of Jesus over the head of each person in my family  tree, and between each generation; I ask you to let the cleansing blood of  Jesus purify the bloodlines in my family lineage. Send protective angels to  encamp around us and administer your divine healing power to all of us, even in  areas of genetic disability. Give special power to our family members’ guardian  angels to heal, protect, guide and encourage each of us in all our needs. Let  your healing power be released at this very moment, and let it continue as long  as your sovereignty permits.

            In our family tree, Lord, replace all bondage with a  holy bonding of family love. And let there be an ever-deeper bonding with you,  Lord, by the Holy Spirit, to your Son Jesus. Let the family of the Holy Trinity  pervade our family with its tender, warm, loving presence, so that our family  may recognize and manifest that love in all our relationships. All of our  unknown needs we include with this petition that we pray in Jesus’ precious  name. Amen.            

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Denouncing Lodges and Secret Societies

Lord  Jesus, I come to you as a sinner seeking forgiveness and healing from all sins  committed against you by my family lineage. I honor my earthly father, mother  and ancestors, but I utterly turn away from and denounce all their sins,  especially those that have exposed me to any kind of harmful influence. I  forgive all my ancestors for the effects of their sins and ask to be washed  clean of their destructive consequences.

I  denounce and rebuke Satan and every evil power that has affected my family  lineage. I denounce and forsake my involvement in all lodges, secret societies  and any other evil craft practiced by my ancestors. I denounce all oaths and  rituals in every level and degree. I denounce witchcraft, the spirit of the  antichrist and the curse of any demonic doctrine. I denounce idolatry,  blasphemy and all destructive forms of secrecy and deception. I denounce the  love of power, the love of money, and any fears that have held me in bondage.

I  denounce all spiritually binding oaths taken in Freemasonry, Mormonism, the  Order of Amaranth, Oddfellows, Buffalos, Druids and Foresters Lodges, the Ku  Klux Klan, The Grange, the Woodmen of the World, Riders of the Red Robe, the  Knights of Pythias, the Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted  Realm, the women’s Orders of the Eastern Star and of the White Shrine of  Jerusalem, the Daughters of the Eastern Star, the International Orders of Job’s  Daughters, the Rainbow Girls and the boys’ Order of De Molay and any other  secret society along with their destructive effects on me and my family.

I  denounce the blindfold and hoodwink, and any effects they had on my emotions  and eyes, including all confusion and fears. I denounce the noose around the  neck, the fear of choking and any spirit that causes difficulty in breathing. I  denounce the effects of all pagan objects and symbolism, aprons, books of  rituals, rings and jewelry. I denounce the entrapping of others, and observing  the helplessness of others during rituals. I denounce false communion, all  mockery of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, all unbelief,  confusion and deception, and all worship of Lucifer as a god.

            I humbly ask for your forgiveness, Lord Jesus, and for  your blood to cleanse me of all the sins I have committed. Please purify my  spirit, soul, mind, emotions and every other part of my body. Please destroy  any evil spirits that have attached themselves to me, or my family, because of  these sins and cleanse us with the fire of your Holy Spirit. I invite you into  my heart, Lord Jesus, and enthrone you as my Lord and Savior for all eternity.            

              Closing of Deliverance Prayers

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for awakening my sleeping  spirit and bringing me into your light. Thank you, Lord, for transforming me by  the renewing of my mind. Thank you, Lord, for pouring out your Spirit on me,  and revealing your Word to me. Thank you, Lord, for giving your angels charge  over me in all my ways. Thank you for my faith in you and that from my  innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. Thank you for directing my  mind and heart into the love of the Father and the steadfastness of all your  ways. Fill me to overflowing with your life and love, my Lord and King, Jesus  Christ.

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Prayer for the Healer ⁴

Lord  Jesus, thank you for sharing with me your wonderful ministry of healing and  deliverance. Thank you for the healing I have experienced today. I realize that  the sickness of evil is more than my humanity can bear, so I ask that you  please cleanse me of any sadness, negative thinking or despair that I may have  picked up during my intercession for others.

If  during my ministry I have been tempted to anger, impatience or lust, cleanse me  of those temptations, and replace them with your love, joy and peace. If any  evil spirits have attached themselves to me or oppressed me in any way, I  command you, spirits of earth, fire, water, the netherworld, or the evil forces  of nature, to depart now and go straight to Jesus Christ, for him to deal with  you as he wills.

            Come Holy Spirit, renew me, fill me anew with your  power, your life and your joy. Strengthen me where I feel weak and clothe me  with your light. Fill me with your life. Lord Jesus, please send your holy  angels to minister to me and protect me from all forms of sickness, harm and  accidents. I thank you and praise you my Lord, God and King.            

Psalm 91 ⁵

You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow              of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;              my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the              snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover              you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his              faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night, or the arrow that flies              by day, or the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or the destruction              that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand              at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only              look with your eyes and see the punishments of the wicked. Because              you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place,              no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all              your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will              not dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and              the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under              foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know              my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with              them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life              I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.                        

 

Pick Up Your Sword!!!!!!

I know I’ve said this before and I’m repeating myself but I cannot stress enough how important your personal relationship is for the peace, love, hope, joy and strength you need to survive in day to day life… you can have that through prayer and reading the word of God!

 

yall this is so cool to me… anyone who knows me knows I thoroughly enjoy my romance novels…. I like the mid-evil romance’s where there is a lot of rough warrior men.. and women.. =) who fight a lot… so when I picture a knight or warrior I picture a man dressed out in his armor… in his chain mail… getting ready for battle…

 

who knows that when a warrior is preparing for battle he never goes in alone? he always has his partner… who’s got his back.. so that instead of that front view only.. they (together) have a 360 view… =) this is so “coo”… as Cassandra would say.. lol… if you notice our armor doesn’t have a back guard…

we have the breast plate of righteousness. the belt of truth, the boots of the gospel of peace. the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the SWORD of the SPIRIT! the word of god…

 

now the armor in all of its functions is necessary. but the sword is the only WEAPON we are given. its the only piece used for both offensive and Defensive purposes.

 

to me not having a back piece signifies a couple of different things, 1 you never turn your back on your enemies. come one guys we are fighters…. us being alive today signifies that! no matter what when your in a room full of people you KNOW don’t like you… do you turn your back on em… naw… that doesn’t mean your scared either… just means ya smart!

 

turn in your bible to Hebrews 4:12… it states…

 

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

 

now we know the word of god is the Sword of the spirit… this reminds me of a fantasy story my brother and i started and never finished… in it was this sword with spectacular supernatural power.. HER name was Sapharah… she was a living sword that could detect demonic spirits from afar (out of reach or detection in the natural relm) who would hiss and warn her owner.. the warrior anithelia. Sapharah’s essence would reach out and wrap around the opponent and burn up the demons  this was awesome b/c the warriors strength lasted longer b/c she wasn’t fighting alone… sapharah had strength to couple with hers and carry her through…

 

 

dude i got so excited and invigourated by this scripture b/c we ACTUALLY have that! its our sword! lol

 

now if you turn with me to 2 corinthians 10: 4-5 it says…

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ

 

that’s some heavy stuff…. god gives us a weapon to attack with.

can anybody here tell me weather or not you let your opponent know when your coming? one of the biggest long lasting lessons my father taught me was never let em see you coming. you don’t just stand there and take crap… you don’t talk crap.. when it comes down to you or your person you strike before they can.

 

another awesome thing to consider is that your enemy will never get within arms reach of you… not if you know how to use your weapons.. with training and focus and correct use you can slay your daemons (and others) with this power god gives us!

 

for the last scripture look to 2 timothy 3: 16-17….

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 

I encourage you to be warriors for god…. all of this can be applied to your daily lives… you have to WAKE UP AND REALIZE this isn’t some play time… these are the end days… and christians have grown to passive… too gentile and humble.. yes all of these things are good. they are taught in scripture.. but it is also time to SOUND THE ALARM because weather you realize it or not… this is WAR! 

 

have a blessed day.

You are Holy…

1 Corinthians 3: 16 &17 states:

Don’t you know you in yourselves are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.

Wow… so lets review…. we are God’s temple…

A temple (originating from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest or augur.

it has the same root word “template” a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out on the ground by the augur. Templa also became associated with the dwelling place of a God or Gods… (an Augur is a Priest & official in the classical world – esp. ancient rome or Etruria.)

this verse also tells us we are Sacred… meaning dedicated or set apart for worship; worthy of religious veneration; made or declare Holy; Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use or person. ; worthy of respect (veneration means to regard with great respect or reverence)

So we are set apart… we have the holy spirit dwelling within us… if someone comes to your house and threatens you, your going to stand up for and protect your house right? well God does the same thing for us… he says no one will mess with his children, his house, HIS period… we are a place made for worship and sacrifice, as Christians we know always to worship.. but even harder than that, we must sacrifice daily!. we must die to ourselves (our fleshly carnal desires so that we may be found blameless in the sight of the almighty lord our god!) are we perfect? No… will we EVER BE?.. NO! but even so we must strive for that perfection… constantly.. will we fail.. well yes, we’re only human… but we have a pardon.. jesus interceded for us and paid the price for our sins… so we are truly blessed!

 

We must learn to treat our bodies as a temple… worthy of the spirit of God to live and dwell in. one other thing these verses speak of astounds me… it goes back to the verse where it states if My god is with me then Who can be against me… it says clearly in 1 Corinthians 3: 17… If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. hallelujah! we are protected!

Thank God almighty that he does these thing for us.. take encouragement from it.. and pass it on. God Bless!