The Devil Won't Win!

HEAVEN BEFORE EARTH CREATED

There have been many questions over time:

Where did we come from? Where did any life come from? How did it all start? Questions with no answers! This is because these concepts are incomprehensible.

We are unable to understand how this could be. Our sciences can only learn of what is now, but cannot answer how and why it all began. We can measure things that exist in nature but we cannot measure or understand things that came before nature. The unnatural, (supernatural) the invisible, a force, and source that was always there and established that natural type of existence we now see, touch, and are a living part of.

IN THE BEGINNING – THERE WAS NO BEGINNIG Something had to be in place to create something else, and that all things existed in some form, some kind of energy source, and some kind of intelligence.

The oldest sources of knowledge and the existence of man go back to a source of The Bible is one of the oldest sources of information about life on this planet and in the universe around us. What does it say? We need to know!

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS NO GOD! There was always an invisible and eternal great spirit! (As the native 'Americans" who occupied this continent called it.

Can something invisible become visible? God says He is invisible, but that He has 'born' for Himself an image. That image can be seen by something that has a mechanism capable of seeing. That would be when God created angels' principalities, and powers who could see the image of God.

Let's look at the scriptures, these old writings, and see what we can learn about this source of all things! Can we really know all about Him?

I Corinthians 2:6-16, "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; [or had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered

into the heart of man the things which God has prepared or those that love Him. " "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man except the spirit of man that is in him? "... "Now we have received not the Spirit Of this world, God that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. " "not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, but, the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. God, the Spirit, is 'incomprehensible'. Romans 11:33 & 34, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor

A spiritual warfare with man a morally free agent began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were able to choose between good and evil. In the Book of Job, we read of God and Satan, a rebel angel, in a contest for the conduct and spirit of

• Even Jesus, the Son of God was confronted by choice as Satan tempted Him, as recorded in Luke 4:1-13. The Apostle Paul warns us of the struggle with the forces of good and evil in Romans 7:15 and 8:10. We may not want to be free moral agents, but we have a choice to make anyway, a choice of good and evil, and what religion to believe.

We will also have to look at how man-kind has dealt with God, and other things supernatural, to determine the path of truth and error in religion.

THERE WAS NO BEGINNING

The proof of that is that we are here and could not have come from nothing. Nothing is zero, no air, no water, no dirt, and no space to put them. Then God created the Heavens and Earth as stated in Genesis 1. Thus, the beginning of the place God will place where will put

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BUT WHY DID GOD CREATE HEAVEN AND EARTH?

Often the questions are asked. "How" or "When" the earth was created but the "Why" question is not debated much by scholars.

The creation of the entire universe includes the creation of the unseen, spiritual realm of existence; God created the angels and other kinds of heavenly beings. He also created heaven where His presence was evident. The prayer of Ezra says very clearly,

"You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships poll."

Here we see that those created did worship and bring glory to their creator; He who is worthy of their admiration and worship. But there is conjecture that all did not continue to worship Him. One is thought to have had some thought of pride in himself and in his beauty. While addressing the fall of the King of Babylon the prophet Isaiah presents a parallel often used to indicate sin and rebellion in heaven by one named Lucifer. Isaiah 14:12-15. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High! Yet you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit.

The full nature and scope of Lucifer's rebellion is not told to us. The scriptures have given hints that suggest Lucifer's ambitions and another parallel can be drawn from Ezekiel's "lamentation for the king of Tyre" in chapter 28, "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden the garden of God. [Every precious stone was your covering; The Sardis, topaz, and diamond. Beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your tumbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.] You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you, you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked hack and forth in the midst of fiery stones, you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created till iniquity was found in you. by the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned, therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you corrupted your wisdom för the sake your sanctuaries the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading; therefore, brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. You have become a horror and shall be no more forever. His beauty, glory, and wisdom led to his perversion and ruin, attempting to take the glory that only belongs to God.

God could have just eliminated this rebel angel, Satan, but God chose him to test the humans placed on the earth, beginning with Adam and Eve, and all who would live on this planet. Men will sin and Satan will provide ways to aid us in our sinful ways, as he did with Eve and with Adam. He told Eve a lie and she was influenced in her decision to take of the forbidden fruit. He has many ways of deceiving each of us. God had even demonstrated His power, mercy and grace by sparing this rebel angel, actually called him "THE god OF THIS WORLD."

True science teaches that all things have cause and effect in this world. You will have trouble." In another place He, Jesus, said. "But he who is faithful to the end shall be

saved." What is the cause of the heavens? What is the cause of the earth? These are two different things! God has always been! But what caused Him to create the world? Eternal, the closest idea of eternal may be represented by a circle; it has no beginning and no end.

Nothing else existed. Romans 4:17 implies that God called things into existence that did not exist. He Himself is the total energy source to make it happen. God has a different kind of existence, an existence without the passage of time, a kind of existence we would have difficulty to understand. Job 36:26 reads, "Behold, God is great and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered.

Now here we have a clue that other beings were present when the earth was formed. And as the scriptures un-fold we will see how and maybe why a plan was made for our existence also. Jesus was there and called God's Son. Colossians 1:15 & 16 reads, "He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things created through Him and for

• And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

What about these "principalities”? Romans 8:36-39 indicates that there is a struggle going on and "We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in al/ these things we are more than conquerors thru Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers , nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ, Jesus our Lord. "

Ephesians 6:11 & 12. tells us who the enemy is and to prepare ourselves by putting on the armor Of God; "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do nol wrestle against /lesh and blood, hut against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness o(this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

2 Corinthians, ". . . the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the likeness of God.” Jesus, is the Savior.

Hebrews 9:26 indicates that Christ as our High Priest would have to suffer, since the foundation of the world. but made that sacrifice once to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Where did all this evil and sin originate? Ephesians 2:1 & 2 "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which vou once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. This great foe has access to the atmosphere around us and has power over other spirits who are in disobedience to God.

This 'prince of the power of the air'(A spirit) has many names relative to his evil functions.) Satan, Beelzebub, Abaddon, Lucifer, The ancient Serpent, & the Devil.

In Genesis 3. By power of suggestion and hints of glory he (the ancient serpent) enticed the innocent woman Eve, to eat of the forbidden fruit, the only object Adam and Eve were warned not to touch. She fell into sin and Adam did it too. Satan came as a serpent, a subtle, wise, and attractive but deceitful creature.

There is something in this that we can learn. Satan needs permission from God before he may put us under trial but, we will be put under trial. Determining who in this created world will withstand the trials of the devil and obey God and remain faithful to God. This is what the theme of the Bible is about from Genesis to the final victory in the Book of Revelation.

I Corinthians 10:13 reads, "There has been no temptation taken you but such is common to man: but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able hut with the temptations will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

When in Genesis 3, the serpent told the lie that caused Eve, then Adam to take the forbidden fruit, God, after being used by Satan the Lord God said to him, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. " (Genesis 3:14-15

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed, He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heal. " The heal was definitely bruised with nails driven into the cross of crucifixion, while the devil would believe this would be in his favor; and while Satan is not dead, he has lost his power, in his head. Jesus body was dead for a few days but His resurrection proves life eternal for the King of KINGS. I Corinthians 15:55. "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Satan knows that in the resurrection his head is broken. Glory be the Christ (Savior) Son of God, for this. "Blessed is he whose transgressions is forgiven. Whose sin is covered." (Psalm 32.1)

In this we may see one of the reasons and purposes of God as to "why" He created the earth and the humans on it. Will we be faithful to God thru all the days that He gives us on this planet? Jesus said " In this world you will have trouble, in another place He said, He who is faithful to the end shall be saved." And the devil will not win!

We have in the Book of Job an example of how God allows the devil to test us but God knows who will be faithful and God can allow Satan to test a man, knowing that He can

• Go and test him, but all will know that "This one is mine"

And the devil won't win!

When Satan was among the sons of God to present themselves before the Lord, the Lord said to Satan as written in Job 1:8 "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?

Job 1:9-10 "So Satan answered the Lord and said. " Does Job serve you for nothing? " "Have You not made a hedge around him, around all his household, and around all that he has on every side. You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”

Job 1: "But now, stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and surely he will curse You to Your face!"

Job 1:12: "And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person. "So, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Satan then attacked Job's health and his wealth, and his children. His wife questioned his integrity and suggested that he "Curse God and die!"

Satan is going forth among the people of the earth and a person who becomes a Christian and is trying to be faithful to God, he will do what he can to test their faithfulness in a similar way. When he finds believers and sees them behave in ways where the enemy will not win! Christians should be happy in their souls, peaceful and serving God righteously. Satan will try to find a way with his great power to disturb this situation using various ways to test them. Health or wealth, or loss of loved ones can sometimes take away opportunities and to maintain our desires to see ways to serve God, and His saints. We need to trust God to send His angels to guide us.

These are times when we should pray and ask God to bless and give us ways to resist the work of the evil ones, and remember God's promises to send His angels to guide us in all of our ways. These are times to sing to the Lord and to shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation with thanksgiving for what we have, as we read in Psalm 95:12, and to rejoice in the Lord always, as we find in Philippians 4:4. Strength and trust in the Lord is what need in a time of being tested! Idle people give the enemy opportunities to tempt them. Our Lord knows exactly how far He would let Satan go!

God is sovereign, and Job recognized this. When almost everything was taken away, he still worshipped the Lord and in Job 1:21 he said "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

We will not be tempted without our Lord's permission. Jesus pleads for us and The Father has given us promises, that if we trust Him, He will care for us. He will with the temptation make a way of escape and give us grace to stand steadfast in His service. And God shall have our praise for blessing us.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, "Therefore do not lose heart. Even though our outer man is perishing, yet the inner man in being renewed day by day. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us afar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not FIX OUR EYES at the things which are seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Just as David faced the giant knowing that God would give the victory, while all of God's army feared Him, we should trust God though any test or challenge. I Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. " I Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. " He wants us & God wants us. Who will win in your life?

I Peter 5:9, "Whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world," Think Jesus, Jesus, Jesus whenever doubt or fear entered your thoughts. Satan will do a lot of mischief unless God's mercy prevents or limits him. Our enemy, like someone fishing, will adapt the bait to control his prey. We can be caught in his trap if we fail in trusting God though each test or trial which comes our way. Satan knows our weaknesses where we are open to his attacks. We must be aware of these attacks and pray to God often and trust Him to guide us.

Revelation 12:3, 4, 9, 10 and Revelation 20:10 tell of the victory. "And another sign appeared in heaven; behold a great dragon, With seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems upon his heads. His tail swept down a third o the stars of heaven and cast them to earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan the deceiver of the whole earth and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is salvation and the power and kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, [or the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God."

"And the devil who has deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet wee, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. "And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. "And the fallen angels

won't win! Why? Because the man-child, Jesus Christ has met Satan and his followers in conflict. God will not share Hs glory!

BUT WHY DID GOD CREATE US?

God created heaven and earth because it was God's "You are worthy, Lord to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things and for Your pleasure they exist and were created." (Revelation 4:11the King James Version)

I John 3:8 tells us why Jesus came and was shown to us. "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. "For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil."

It is the responsibility of the church to preach and tell the world of this eternal plan. In Ephesians 3:8-11 Paul wrote "To me, who am the least of all the saints, this grace was given to me, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which [rom the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things thru Jesus Christ: to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known bp the church to the principalities and powers in heavenly places according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Cause and effect? Colossians 2:15, "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He Inade a spectacle of them." The result of our faith, belief, and obedience to Christ and acknowledging His shed blood in the participation in the Lord's table each week has an eternal purpose.

God has an eternal purpose for Himself and for the entire universe in “defeating the devil” (l John 3:8) and in disarming and making a spectacle of principalities and powers in heavenly places (Colossians 2:15). That plan required that humans be created to demonstrate to those 'Principality and Powers,' including the devil himself and all of his followers in heavenly places, that entities created with free will could and would learn to love, honor, obey, and worship Him without coercion. Acts 17:26-27 gives us one Clue, "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in hope that they might grope for Him and find Him though He is not far from us. " Man must have enough interest in knowing his origins and why we are here, where we came from, "that they might grope for Him and find Him." and they must look for Him is the right places!

Mathew 6:33 reads, "But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will he added unto you " The subject here was a concern for where provisions of food, drink, and clothing would come from.

It may also include all the desires of the flesh, nice housing, pleasure, joy, happiness, entertainment, etc. etc. All these things are valuable and useful but. . . they have nothing to do with your eternal purpose for being given life on this planet. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness! Solomon told of his search for the 'why' of earth and the things of heaven and he wrote as we have it in Ecclesiastes 1:13 "And I set my heart to seek and search for wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task (sore travail) God has given to the sons of man by which they may be exercised." God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, (l Timothy 2:4) Jesus said as recorded in John 12:32 that He would draw all peoples to Himself. God will be faithful to keep His promises but all peoples do not draw themselves toward an understanding of what God has offered, the gift of eternal life with Him.

We must do our part! We must know and respect the word of God. All must seek God and learn to trust Him for themselves. We must become dedicated Christians committed to Christ and obedient to Him and submit to Him in immersion for the forgiveness of our sins. Then to stand firm in the hope that is within and be able to prove to ourselves and others our relationship to God even without using the Bible to prove it.

As Romans 1:20 says "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so they are without excuse.

The Bible is the only source of history that explains the world from creation until it will be destroyed one day. It explains why we are here, why there is suffering in the world, how to overcome depression, and why there is evil all around us. We must learn to think for ourselves and avoid 'group-think', where we do things and live along with cultures that others dictate, while ignoring God and the price Jesus paid to redeem us from all of this. We must be willing and capable of 'standing alone.'

We must value our commitment to family, spouse, children, and friends who we want to spend eternity with, and remember to have a strong prayer life to ask God to protect each of these. Remembering also to stay pure, God wants us to be holy as He is holy, and to focus on heaven during happy times as well as sad and trying times.

WHAT IS THE POINT? To know and remember our purpose! To be faithful and even sacrifice some things for our purpose. The whole story taking up the Old Testament tells of those who followed God and were blessed and those who did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not gain these blessings, and finally were placed in a foreign captivity for their rejection of God's ways, In His time, the promised Savior came, established and loved His church enough to die for them, and the remainder of history tells how some sought to follow the Savior and again others devised their own ways of life and their own worship systems and even to this day this is happening. And now there are many religions to choose from beside the church of our Lord. The Bible is written to require faith and trust in God. Few there are that find it. Seek and you shall find! We currently have a moral crisis in our societies including: Same sex marriages and a redefinition of marriage. Transgender issues and immoral teachings in public schools, mandates for no prayer or Bible reading in public places, lack of respect for authority, especially the authority of Jesus Christ and for many, materialism. In many places the religion (belief system) of evolution is taught as science.

WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER?

“Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty ofman, for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing: whether it be good or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

Our time on this planet is short! Will we pass thru these days with love, and obedience to God knowing that the time of our departure is soon, and the time we have to honor and worship our Lord will soon be done. And in this sojourning on this planet will we have the zeal encourage others to obey God's commands and live for Him in the time that they have on this planet, Jesus said “Few there are that find it (Salvation).” We will all be judged for what we have done in the body. That devil will have a period as his empire is nearer to its end. The evil ones shall go to deceive the nations and they will be gathered in great hosts, fierce for the conflict, to battle of that great day of God, almighty, Revelation 16:14. The Lord will triumph and smite his adversaries to their final defeat. In Revelation 20:10 we learn that the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and will be tormented day and night forever,"

Whenever the opposition to the gospel reaches an outrageous level, and men seem as if they would murder the preacher of the truth; God's word, that this may indicate that the power of the evil opposition is nearing its end. The devil will try not to lose his subjects, if the Lord be willing to end things this way, the evil ones will put forth all their strength to keep them under their power. There will be many tested and many will be assaulted. This is certainly a time when the whole armor of God as listed in Ephesians 6:10-17 will be needed along with the prayers and supplication in the spirit, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, will be important to maintain faithfulness until the end. Do not be surprised if Satan works against you. He knows that he will be defeated but if he can't kill you, he will try to wound you. He will labor to remove the truth out of place and lie like he did with Eve in the garden of Eden. Remember that which began the enmity between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman. Faith in the Lord Jesus the Savior will be needed to make sure that the devil won't win in your life! Temptations and tests by devils and demons will try to drag you down. We must remember to overcome the powers of the evil ones in our lives. Jesus can cast out demons and has defeated Satan with His blood shed on the cross. We also can overcome the wicked one because we have known Him who is from the beginning, being strong and having the Word of God abiding in us, as recorded in 1 John 2 verses 13-14. We can drive out this prince of the power of the air. Now is your time to put your trust in Jesus, who is mighty to save. What can you do against Satan? Satan may be mighty, but not if we seek the Almighty One. When the evil one accuses you, refer him to your advocate and when we sin remember I John 1:7, "The blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin," And that blood will drive the devil away.

Satan can hinder us, it is record in I Thessalonians 2:18 that he did this to Paul Silas, and Timothy. Satan also hindered Paul at Berea by raising a storm of persecution against

• This persecution also delayed his visits to other places.

Satan always dislikes Christian fellowship and will try to keep Christian apart, or cause delays in their work of evangelism. Just as he did with the Apostle Paul. As Satan when asking God about His care for Job, Satan asked, "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he on very side." (Job 1:5)

The devil was active all thru time. With the children of Israel when Moses told the Pharaoh that God has said, "Let my people go." Satan hindered. Today we have many who assemble as "Christian churches but the true gospel found in the New Testament is not followed. These are man- make organizations but doctrines taught in the New Covenant churches (which began as recorded in Acts 1 & 2) are not followed.

Sprinkling babies as members, the sinner's prayer, and Faith or Grace only doctrines, all made following the teaching of men; would you think that Satan has done to these as he did to Eve in the garden. One word "not" is all Satan had to say to void the truth. It is still happening today. The prince of evil is still very busy in hindering those just coming to Jesus the Christ.

Satan will hinder Christians even when they are in earnest prayer. You could never have a victory over him, had you not engaged in conflict with him! Know in your heart that the Devil won't win! You lose if you do not resist him. Remember, Jesus the King of Kings with the crown of thorns had fought the enemy and has triumph for you. (Jesus is our Lord and our Savior.)

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

When Jesus appointed 70, and sent them two by two to places where He was planning to go in Luke 10, and when the 70 returned with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." He said "to them, " I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. " Christ has assumed His reigning power' And, the great accuser has been cast down from his seat to reign no more.

Revelation 12:9-10 NKJV. "So, the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth. And his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God-day and night, has been cast down."

If Christ is in you, the Holy Spirit has joined you in your baptism, (Act 2:38) nothing that comes your way should destroy your faith, but you will have to overcome the world, the flesh, or the devil. We must resist the devil, and remember "the devil don't win! But in Luke 4:13 we see that when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season," That means, don't let you guard down. He will be back and try you again. I Corinthians 10:12, "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

I Corinthians 10: 21-22, "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?"

Joshua 24:15"Choose this day whom you will serve."

Matthew 10:22; "And you shall be hated; "of all men for my name 's sake." but he that endures (is faithful) to the end shall be saved. Ephesians 6:10, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. " We are to cast down every evil imagination. 2 Corinthians 10:5. You are what you think. Proverbs 23:7 WE CANNOT KEEP EVIL THOUGHTS OUT OF MIND UNTIL WE LEARN TO REPLACE THEM WITH GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS THOUGHTS! Bad things happening? Turn it over and see what God is going to do with it.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what this world is all about? Why you're here an where you're going when you lease on life is about? Maybe you've been far too busy trying hard to reach your goal. Will you let me ask you kindly, have you thought about your soul?

You may reach your highest portals and your dreams may all come true, while all that may be your portion and success may shine on you. All your friends may sing your praises, and you think you're on a roll, what about the great tomorrow, have you thought about you soul?

Don't forget your days are numbered and you may be riding high, but like all of us poor mortals some day you will just up and die. Your success and fame in glory won't be worth the bells they toll, let me ask you just one question. Have you thought about your soul? When we meet our Lord in judgment, then we'll think about our soul!

Once I was lost and led far astray, so far astray. The hand of God's children showed me the way. They showed the way. A hand of friendship, a smile and a prayer, I needed prayer, Made my life happy and free from despair, I'm free from all care.

So, reach out and touch those that need Him today, today, today. That they might know Jesus, to trust and obey, obey, obey. Their lives will be richer because you did care, because you cared. Because of Christ Jesus, your smile and your prayer. They needed your prayer.

In the spiritual battle of life, beware of those who would compromise us on the battlefield. Leave them behind! Separate ourselves from those who would divert us from total devotion to Christ and who would complicate our lives with entangling alliances with the world or apostate doctrines. We need as found in 2 Timothy 2:21, to be, "sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. We cannot fight a battle with a retreating mind. Live to be sure!