Warriors Arise: July 7, 2021
Matthew 4:11 (NKJV) Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
I can almost hear a sign of relief. I don't think Jesus did, but I know I sure would. As I exhaled I would say, "Thank you, Jesus." If you haven't heard David Crowder's Run Devil Run song it worth your time.
In Jesus' Matthew 4 experience, He was facing Satan and He knew it. I don't know that I have ever faced Satan nor do I care to. Sure, there are times I felt his presence or the oppression he releases, but he never manifested in the flesh before me. I'm definitely ok with that. I'm not looking for a fight or confrontation. I hate confrontations just as much as the next person. If the devil does come my way, I am thankful I have the Holy Spirit within me, Jesus being my example on how to deal with him, and God the Father cheering for me. I do believe God will intervene when I call out to Him. But there has to be something said about how Jesus handled Satan. Jesus did not call upon the angels to come and fight this battle for Him nor did He call out to God to put Satan in his place. Jesus dealt with Satan.
These are some pretty powerful words, "then the devil left Him". Whether we have just had a bad day that went from terrible to unbearable or felt like everything on earth was against us, to read these words gives hope. My bad day maybe had absolutely nothing to do with the devil or maybe he had his hand against me every minute of the day packing one blow after another. How do you know if it is just a rough day or the affliction of the devil?
I'm not sure it matters. What matter is how you handle it. How quickly do you call out to God to give you strength to endure? to overcome? If you feel it is the devil, how quickly do you apply the Word of God in order to have your, "then the devil left" relief?
Jesus knew who He was and the authority He carried.
John 14:10-14 (NKJV) The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
You and I are to know who we are and the authority we carry. As children of God, because we have confessed our sin and received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have access to the same authority Jesus did when He walked the earth. Upon receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are grafted into the kingdom of God.
John 15:1-8 (NKJV) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
By myself, without Christ in me, without abiding in Christ, I have no power over the enemy, who torments my soul. However, in Christ, being made a new creation in Christ, I have access to the same power Jesus had. I am attached and the power of God flowing through Him flows through me. Therefore, we have the same power and authority to tell the devil,"Away from me, Satan (insert verse given by the Holy spirit)", and watch the devil leave.
Today is your day to be grafted into God's family, abiding in Christ, operating in the same power as Jesus over the enemy. Today is your day to look for God and listen to the Holy Spirit. Today is your day to exercise the authority of Christ in You to release the Word of God to tell the devil to go and he will leave.
Father, I know there are bad days; however, I want to know when I am being confronted by the enemy. The only reasonI want to know is so I know the battle is on. There is no reason for me, as Your child, to be pummeled again and again by the enemy just because I don't want to acknowledge his presence or the temptations he has laid out before me. Once Jesus overcame the temptation of Satan, He was on the offense. He stepped into His authority and released the kingdom of heaven everywhere He walked. John 14:12 is mind boggling. Jesus tells us, His disciples we not only can do the works He is doing but that we will do greater works than theses when He returns to His Father. Jesus went around dismantling the devil's strongholds everywhere He went; the blind see, the lame walk, the demon possessed are free, the dead are made alive. Jesus wasn't after a territory of land, He was after the lives of people. Father, thank you for Jesus who came to earth to set the captives free and grafted us into Your family. Father, as I work through this, I can't help but think are we unable to do the things Jesus did and the greater things He said we would do beucse we will not face the devil who torments our soul? Do we ignore the devil to such a point that we are numb to his presence? Have we made excuses for all the unbearable things in our life that we don't realize it is because we are living in the prison of the enemy? Father, where are those who are doing what Jesus said we would do? I seek You for the answers. Reveal the fullness of Your Word. Give me courage to stand in Christ before the devil when he comes around. Paul tells us in Eph.6 to stand, withstand and continue standing. I can't help but think that we face the enemy more times than we want to admit. If we aren't willing to recognize his presence then we have already lost, imprisoned by his disguise, beguiled like Eve. Father, I do not want to be ignorant of the enemy presence. I want to be ready to take a stand and release Your kingdom to free the captives in Jesus' name. I want to know You are with me and have given me the authority to tell the enemy to go. I want grafted into Your kingdom and to bear much fruit. I ask for Your wisdom to guide me and Your love to empower in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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