This morning Bill Winston was teaching and he proved how Satan could care less about any of us. Mark 4:15 "15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them." This scripture says that Satan comes and takes the word. Why does Satan come and take the word from you? "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17) Satan steals the word because he doesn't want your faith to develop. He doesn't want your faith to develop because he knows that faith wins every time and that he cannot defeat faith!.
So let me encourage you right now, stop fighting the devil and stop thinking that you are in a fight with the devil. "Fight the good fight of the faith." (I Timothy 6:12) Your job is to fight the good fight of faith, and faith comes by hearing the word of God. So it is up to us to hear the word of God and increase in our faith. We should not waver in our faith no matter what happens. For when we lose faith that is when Satan can come in and destroy us. However all he does is plant the seed, through our fear we can water the seed Satan plants and let it grow or with our faith we can uproot the seed and continue to increase in faith.
The main example Pastor Winston used was Jesus and the Disciples in the boat when the storm came, Mark 4:35-51
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
- Mark 4:14 The sower sows the Word
- Jesus was the Word clothed in Human flesh
- The word when it goes forth does not return void (Isaiah 55:11)
- So when Jesus said let us go to the other side, he knew where they were going and that they would make it to the other side for he spoke it
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
- The boat with Jesus and the disciples were not the only boat, there were other boats with them - people were watching
- There are people watching you when it comes to your faith and your faith walk!
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
- Temptation comes after you hear the word.
- As scripture says Satan comes to pluck the word before it is allowed to take root for when it takes root that means your faith is being strengthened and is growing.
- Please note, Jesus was tempted in the desert so we will definitely be tempted as well. Not only that Satan tempted Jesus with the Word!
- It may appear that you are drowning, hold steadfast in faith and speak the Word
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
- The storm was sent by Satan
- The storm wasn't sent to kill them, the storm was sent to take away their faith and it worked (at least on the disciples)
- Once your faith is taken away the devil can defeat you, with faith you are unstoppable!!!!
- Jesus spoke and rebuked the storm, when you feel like you are being tested, speak the Word of God and the Word only, you must say something aloud
- Jesus asked them do you still have no faith? Had they had faith they could have either ignored the storm knowing all was well and that they would make it to the other side because Jesus, the Word said so. Or they could have combined their faith if needed and rebuked the storm!
Now after you hear the word you will be tempted but instead of giving in to temptation you will now fight the good fight of faith. Right? Of course you will. We are in this thing together :-).
I Peter 5:6-11 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
- Humble yourself - the bible tells us that we should not think more highly of ourselves then we ought, so it may be that someone else got a promotion, someone else got a raise, someone else found a new job, someone else is in a relationship/married/engaged etc. Stay humble in your faith walk and know that your time is coming in due time and your blessing has nothing to do with someone else.
- Resist and stand firm - it will look like you are losing the battle, that others are winning it may look like whatever it is you are in faith for is taking too long
- Be self controlled and alert - I like the saying where people say they sleep with one eye open lol. Be prepared and be ready at any time aremed with the word!
So what does all of this mean to you, what am I saying? All you need is faith! ! If we had faith in EVERYTHING that the Word of God said, if we had faith in EVERY promise the bible has, if we had faith the size of a mustard seed, if we walked by faith and lived by faith as the Bible instructed us there we be nothing to hard for us. Now that doesn't mean we wouldn't have temptation and obstacles, what it does mean is that we would stand firm in our faith knowing that with God all things are possible and that we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. If we had total and complete faith we would truly be the imitators of Christ as scripture instructs us to be.
Be a blessing and be blessed,Epiphany Essentials
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