Use the Name, and Put the Devil to Shame

The name of Jesus is higher than any other name. It carries the fullness of the Godhead for the release of power into this earth realm, which arrests the evil spirits of this world. Power in the name is based on faith in the name. The more faith in the name, the more power at our disposal. Trusting in the name of the Lord will bring demons to their knees. Boasting in the name of the Lord, is manifested confidence of the Godhead backing your faith released confession unto victorious living. We walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) so no matter what’s facing you, no matter the opposition we have the where with all to conquer it. It is through faith in the name that we receive the promises of God. Let’s trust in, and boast in the Lord so we can live the life God intended us to, in spite of the evil in this world. Use the name and put the devil to shame.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. As we begin to really rely on the Lord for all things, we begin the relationship with Him He so desires. God enjoys being God for us. It’s a service provided by God to help us in every area of life. He loves showing mercy to us, especially to those who are merciful to others. We want the Lord to become our trust. We can let the entire leaning of our personalities be on Him for the development in Christ in us which is necessary for victorious living. Trusting is believing and believing is having faith which makes it possible to please God. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Our trust in God can eventually over time, become experience in dealing with the Lord. At one point in fellowshipping with the Lord our growth in Christ spills over to a trusted understanding. Once we obtain this level in Him, it’s more smooth sailing in life because you know God’s got your back without a doubt. On this new level in Christ we can rely on Him for every situation and circumstance we encounter. What blocks this higher level in Christ is sin. We must walk a clean lifestyle before the world. We can’t be like the world and have the trust talked about in today’s verse. But we can be involved with this world once we are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10). Simply put, blessed is the person whose trust is in the Lord.

The eternal prize awaits the winners of the race. This race, in keeping up with life and its ups and downs, becomes rough at times. While we run this race we run to win, and to finish our course in life still standing and not beat down and pitiful looking. Training is necessary to win your race. Preparation is key to winning any competition. This life competition is basically between you and the evil in this world. How well we can live above the evil in this world is dependent upon the hand of God being on our lives. Athletes train, and train rigorously to be in perfect shape for the race. The race of life needs the same drive and persistence when it comes to getting ready. Being able to rightly divide the word of God to apply it during unexpected obstacles is our portion as Christians. We must fight the good fight of faith to win this race physically and spiritually (1 Timothy 6:12). Eternal life is the prize at hand. We are more than able through Christ who strengthens us. Your race is your own. Only you can win and receive the prize that is for you, and you alone. Run, fight, and win to get what’s yours.

We can have more than we could ever ask for or imagine from the Lord. How is this possible you might ask, and I’ll tell you, it’s according to the power that is at work within us. The power in us is God the Holy Spirit who is the functioning hands on power that gets things done on earth. Our faith can activate that power based on one’s knowledge of God’s word. God’s Spirit lives in the born again Christian’s heart, waiting to be used for the Lord’s glory. The renewing of our minds with God’s word is a must to flow in this power and to be able to wield it in an acceptable way. We can have all we ask or imagine, far over and above what we can think of. To carry out God’s purpose we should operate on this level of blessings on a regular basis. There’s much work still to be done before the return of Christ, and the Lord’s desire is to bless you over and above what you could ask or think so that you in turn can be a blessing to others and have plenty for yourself. The overflow blessings need a place to go, are you ready to receive it yet.

The secret to success is not what you may think. God’s way to success is to study about Him and learn how to live life in a more successful way. Basically speaking, the more sin in our lives, the less help we are able to receive from the Lord. God can’t stand sin, it’s the nature of the devil who committed the first act of sin in heaven when he was named Lucifer. Acknowledging the Lord in all our ways so He can direct our path is His desire (Proverbs 3:5). We all can stray from the way of victorious living but we have the book of the law (the Bible), to get us back on course. The word of God is sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Meaning once obtaining proper instruction from God’s word, we will have understanding into others true motives, and your own motives or intentions will become more of a conscious thought of concern. Before that understanding was available, we didn’t really care, nor did we have the comprehension to unpack this area of life. Meditate on God’s word day and night. In doing so be sure to observe and then go do what is written in it. You will be successful in life as sure as God lives.

There’s a great cloud of witnesses who have borne testimony to the Truth. These are those that have transitioned to the other side and are now with the Lord. They are routing for us down here to keep going and not give up. Let us throw off everything that tries to hinder us from our assignments from God, or any given task at hand. Those that have gone on to be with the Lord have passed the test of their faith getting them into heaven and having overcome being habitually ruled by sin. Today’s word encourages us to strip off and throw aside every unnecessary weight. We are expected with God’s help, to run this race with patient endurance and with steady active persistence, never to give up. If your work load seems way too heavy for everyday lifting then maybe it’s time to recharge alone with the Lord for a refreshing of your soul. We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us to do what He’s called each of us to do (Philippians 4:13). He has made us more than conquerors in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:36-37). Our total victory in everything pertaining to life and Godliness has been given to us in God’s word. Understand who you are in Christ Jesus and begin to run your race with confidence and surety with each step you take.

The writer of Acts in the Bible counted his life worth nothing in comparison to his purpose of finishing the race in life of spreading the gospel. He came to a point in walking with the Lord that his personal interests were no longer important to him, only that which the Lord has assigned for him to carry out. When our own interests become insignificant in comparison to our God given purpose (which becomes a burning desire to fulfill), we are on board the victory train for successful living. When God’s plans become more important than our own strategized plans that God was never involved in, we begin to understand life on a different level. Certain things we gave much energy to in life become less important and of less significance. Once we can say I consider my life worth nothing, and my only aim in life is to finish my course laid out from the Lord, you’re in a good place. You’ve counted this world as nothing, a loss for the sake of Christ and His kingdom. All the things many church folk say you can’t have or can’t do now that you’re a Christian is not true. Once you’ve studied your Bible for yourself, getting revelation knowledge along the way, you’ll obtain the understanding of what’s actually cool with God, and what’s not (it’s a personal relationship with basic rules of instruction). Just do the assignment He’s given you to complete and your life will be fulfilled on every level.

Keeping our faith intact can be a serious fight at times. Our faith is always being tested when trouble from the storms of life comes to visit. Without testing or being tried by fire, and the deep waters of a crisis, how can we know what’s really in our hearts, (we don’t always know how we may react in a moment of surprise trouble). We defend our children at all costs as we should. We’re their guide, guardian, and protector for a period of time in their lives. Our faith is to be guarded and protected in the same way. It is vitally important to put a guard at our ear gate, and not allow our confession (our speech) to be in opposition of what we’re believing for. What we hear can affect our faith negatively or positively, and what we say has the power of change on our lips. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17). Our faith is what got us into God’s family (Romans 10:9-10), and is still the hand that takes from God whatever we need in this earth realm to help us here and now. Fight the good fight of keeping your faith protected just like you protect a loved one. It is our most valuable commodity in the kingdom of God and for victorious living on planet earth. We walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), and we are led by our born again re-created human spirits and not by our emotions or unrenewed thought patterns.

Be alert and on your guard, standing firm in your faith. We are in the army of the Lord, like it or not. We as Christians have been marked by the enemy. There’s a fallen angel named Lucifer who was kicked out of heaven, now called the devil. He was God’s right hand man before iniquity was found in him (Isaiah 14:12-17). Having gotten the holy beat down from heaven to earth, he’s not happy. He can’t get to God in any way but he’s allowed to come after us (for God’s faith training program). Because Adam and Eve gave him the authority by obeying him when they ate the forbidden fruit. So we must be on guard at all times. Now if you are acting like the devil in your normal behavior, and the way you treat people, then the devil’s just hugging you tighter and tighter, he hates you a little less because you’re not a threat to him. Being a mature Christian who knows his authority in Christ will cut the devil with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-17). Act like men and women with backbone, be courageous and grow in strength as the Lord commands in this text today. Because of Jesus’ work at Calvary we now have the authority and power to keep Satan at bay and to make him flee from us (James 4:7), but if we are ignorant of God’s power in us, the enemy will have us on the run. Be on guard and stand firm, you got this so act like.

In today’s world talking about morals can present problems for today’s younger people who have more of a propensity to be rebellious by nature. It is that unrestrained survival instinct, necessary for them to deal with the present jacked up world we live in. Moral excellence is necessary to win souls for Christ. No one wants to hear from a totally disrespectful, offensive and grossly insensitive person. To let our light shine for Jesus is indicative of having in place, moral excellence, noble good deeds that honor and glorify our Father in heaven. Letting all men and women see your good works being done in honor of the Lord. The light in all men and women is the light of life given by the creator of everything, Jesus (John 8:12). We are to let that light shine in this dark world. In that light everything is positive, uplifting, and straight up good. Since Jesus is the light of the world, our jobs as Christians is to allow Jesus to live His life through us by faith (Galatians 2:20). Doing what He did while walking the earth. Let your light shine!