The ways to strengthen ourselves in time of attacks

Sometimes, we experience our greatest attacks, when we are closest to our calling. I believe everyone experiences prolonged periods of waiting in certain areas. Mentioned below are few ways, we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord in these times.

 Strengthen Yourself In The Lord

 1. Sing to God - God who is holy, inhabits the praises of His people. His presence will come to you at that moment and change your atmosphere and perspective. When everything is going to chaos, if you want to be strong in the Lord, learn to sing to Him.

 2. Speak In Tongues - We are commanded to sing in tongues, speak in tongues, and pray in tongues. You have to actively engage with them to get strengthened.

3. Speak To Your Soul - David did this a lot, especially throughout the Psalms (Psalm 42:2-7). You have to realize that you are not your thoughts. You have thoughts. In the same way, you are not your emotions; you have emotions and you can speak to them.

4. Strengthen Others - We actually strengthen ourselves in the Lord, when we are feeling tired yet choose to strengthen others. The Bible makes it clear that he who waters others will be watered himself. There is strength in serving but there is no strength in self-pity.

5. Subdue The Enemy - We don't fight thoughts with thoughts; we fight thoughts with words. With demonic stress, you have to open your mouth and tell the devil to stop and get out of your way. Realize your oneness with Christ in His whole being i.e. Person, Position, Victory. We are not supposed to run from the devil; we are only supposed to run from sin. We stand and resist the devil and he flees from us.

 If you handle your hard times with care, they will become good times. How do you handle your hard times with care? Strengthen yourself in the Lord your God.

 

God bless you

Do not be left behind in the Rapture

The rapture is what we call the event in which Jesus comes again to take believers out of this world. The Bible calls it a “catching away” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) and describes it as an instantaneous “change” of the body that bypasses death (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). Those raptured “will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Believers in Jesus Christ are taken in the rapture; unbelievers will be left behind when the rapture occurs.

Those left behind in the rapture will face a quickly changing world—and the change will not be for the better. Second Thessalonians 2:11 says that the “power of lawlessness” is currently being held in check by the Holy Spirit. At the rapture, the true church is removed from the earth, and the Holy Spirit’s restraint will be “taken out of the way.” At that moment, the world will have no born-again believers anywhere. All the Christian workers in hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, rescue missions, relief agencies—gone. Every Christian in law enforcement, social work, and health care—gone. And of course many churches will sit empty. In addition to the great void in the service community will be the commencement of God’s judgment on a rebellious world, detailed in Revelation 6—16.

Don’t be left behind. Make sure you are ready for the rapture. Since the rapture is for believers, it is vital that you place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (Acts 16:31). Repent of your sin and fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sin. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (John 3:16). The Lord knows who are His, and He will leave none of them behind (John 10:14).

Those who are saved by faith in Christ will not be left behind in the rapture. The saved are like the five wise virgins in Jesus’ parable who are ready for the coming of the bridegroom; they have their lamps trimmed and burning and full of oil—a symbol of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 25:1–13). To make sure that you are not left behind, trust Christ. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Do not delay another moment. The matter is urgent. Trust Christ now.

What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?

 The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the Bible.

The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons. Understand that this is not in any way suggesting three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this subject that the word “Trinity” is not found in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune God—three coexistent, co-eternal Persons who are God. Of real importance is that the concept represented by the word “Trinity” does exist in Scripture. The following is what God’s Word says about the Trinity:

1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).

2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun "Elohim" is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for “us” is used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun “us” are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to more than two. While this is not an explicit argument for the Trinity, it does denote the aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for "God," "Elohim," definitely allows for the Trinity.

In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the event of Jesus’ baptism. Seen in this passage is God the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are other examples of passages that present three distinct Persons in the Trinity.

3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one from another in various passages. In the Old Testament, “LORD” is distinguished from “Lord” (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son (Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is distinguished from the “LORD” (Numbers 27:18) and from “God” (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider also the other instances when Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to another Person in the Trinity—the Father.

4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship and does not deny the deity of any Person of the Trinity. This is simply something our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son see Luke 22:42, John 5:36, John 20:21, and 1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit see John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and especially John 16:13-14.

6) The individual members of the Trinity have different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus’ human works (John 5:17; 14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.

The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15; Matthew 11:27; Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.

The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30); divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus’ works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus, the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There have been many attempts to develop illustrations of the Trinity. However, none of the popular illustrations are completely accurate. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not parts of God; each of them is God. The water illustration is somewhat better, but it still fails to adequately describe the Trinity. Liquid, vapor, and ice are forms of water. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not forms of God, each of them is God. So, while these illustrations may give us a picture of the Trinity, the picture is not entirely accurate. An infinite God cannot be fully described by a finite illustration.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the entire history of the Christian church. While the core aspects of the Trinity are clearly presented in God’s Word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God—but there is only one God. That is the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. Beyond that, the issues are, to a certain extent, debatable and non-essential. Rather than attempting to fully define the Trinity with our finite human minds, we would be better served by focusing on God’s greatness and His infinitely higher nature. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Romans 11:33-34).

 

Are you misled by experience

 

Apostle Paul keeps emphasizing in the Roman Chapter 5 and 6. We must stand upon the truth and not allow subjective experience to challenge the absolute of truth. Subjective experience never to be trusted as a valid establisher of spiritual truth. Please note that the revealed word of God established the truth.

 In Roman Chapter 5 and 6 the Apostle Paul expounds the truth that each believer is united with Christ in His total victory over sin, death and Satan. This is an infallible truth upon which each believer is responsible to stand. Sin and Satan cannot rule over a dead person. Sin cannot master and put into slavery a person who is now “alive unto God” because of our union with Christ in His resurrection. That is infallible, unchanging truth upon which we are meant to stand regardless of experience.

 Brothers and Sisters Satan will ceaselessly seek to challenge the truth. He will bring all the harassment. He can muster into experience to make you think that for you this just does not work. He keeps saying by your experience that sin is too strong and he can and will reign in your life.

 What is Apostle answer to such attacks “in the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let not sin reign in your body so that you obey the evil desires”. Roman 6:11-12 Paul’s challenge is repeatedly communicated in similar doctrinal passage. We must stand upon truth. Our responsibility is to affirm as fact that we are “dead” to the rule and reign of sin , of death  and of Satan in our lives.

 We are “alive to God”. Our Lord is ruling. Our responsibility is not let sin reign. when we accept the fact that “it does not work” because the experience of battle is too great. The moment we allow Satan invincible role in our lives because of our experience of defeat in our daily battles and experience of defeat, we are   letting him reign in our lives.

 Please remember that victory comes because we have certainty of victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and hence do not fall into the trap of convincing yourself that you are defeated. We are 100% victorious in Christ.

 God bless you

 

 

 

 

What is the Romans Road to salvation?

 The Romans Road to salvation is a way of explaining the good news of salvation using verses from the book of Romans. The Romans Road is a simple yet powerful method of explaining why we need salvation, how God provided salvation, how we can receive salvation, and what are the results of salvation.

 The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives.

 The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23a, teaches us about the consequences of sin: “For the wages of sin is death.” The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

 The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up in the middle of Romans 6:23b: “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus’ death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus’ resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ death as the payment for our sins.

The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

 The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 Would you like to follow the Romans Road to salvation? If so, here is a simple prayer you can pray to God. Saying this prayer is a way to declare to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ for your salvation. The words themselves will not save you. Only faith in Jesus Christ can provide salvation! “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!”

 Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have learned through the Romans Road to salvation? If so, please click on the “I have accepted Christ today” button below.

What does it mean that Jesus Christ conquered death?

Most obviously, the statement that Christ has conquered death refers to His resurrection. He who was dead is now alive (see Revelation 1:18). These three words—Christ conquered death—define the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions. No other religious leader ever predicted his own death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21), based his claims about himself and his teaching on that prediction (John 2:18 –22; Matthew 27:40), and then kept that promise (Luke 24:6).

Jesus’ resurrection marks the first time in history that someone rose from the dead never to die again. Others who were resurrected eventually died a second time (see 1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:32–37; Mark 5:39–42; John 11:38–44). Jesus’ resurrection was a true and total defeat of death. As the Holy Son of God, Jesus overcame death once and for all, as Peter explained: “It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24). The triumphant, risen Christ said, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). Keys are a symbol of authority. Jesus is sovereign over death. Christ’s conquest of death was permanent and eternal.

Christ conquered death because He was sinless. The curse upon mankind in the Garden of Eden, brought about by their sin, was plainly stated: “You will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). Ever since, we have seen the truth of Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death.” But Jesus Christ had no sin (1 Peter 2:22); therefore, death had no power over Him. Jesus’ death was a voluntary sacrifice for our sin, and, given His sinless perfection, His resurrection logically followed. “I lay down my life,” Jesus said, “only to take it up again” (John 10:17).

The fact that Christ has conquered death has eternal consequences for us. The good news—the gospel—is grounded in Christ’s victory over death. Without the resurrection, there is no gospel; indeed, there is no hope for us at all: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). But Christ has risen, and, as fellow conquerors with Him, Christians “have passed from death to life” (1 John 3:14). Christ “has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).

The fact that Christ has conquered death means that believers have also been granted victory over death. We are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), which means that Jesus’ resurrection is the first of many: believers who have “fallen asleep” (died) will be likewise resurrected. Jesus promised His followers, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).

The fact that Christ has conquered death is a fulfillment of prophecy. The psalmist predicted the Messiah would overcome death: “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay” (Psalm 16:10). Other prophets filled God’s people with the hope that the Lord would one day abolish death: “He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8), and “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (Hosea 13:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54–55).

Death is the devil’s most powerful, terrifying weapon against us. At the cross, Christ defeated Satan on behalf of us helpless sinners: “Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out” (John 12:31; cf. Colossians 2:15). With the empty tomb, Christ destroyed the devil’s most powerful weapon, death. Satan, our accuser, is now powerless to condemn Christians. We will not share his fate (Revelation 12:9–11; 20:10, 14).

When Christ conquered death for us, He removed the “sting of death,” sin (1 Corinthians 15:56)—that is, we will not be judged by God according to our sins; rather, we will stand before God robed in Christ’s own perfect righteousness. That is why believers in Christ “will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11), and “the second death has no power over them” (Revelation 20:6). Christ has received our death penalty for sin and, through His death, has conquered death (Revelation 20:14).

Believers “are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). What can separate us from the love of God in Christ? “Neither death nor life” (verse 38). Christ has conquered death, and believers stand firm on Jesus’ words: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25–26, BSB).

Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost

 

Pentecost was a major Jewish festival long before it became a Christian feast. All adult male Jews living within 30km radius of Jerusalem were obliged to participate in the festival. In addition, many Jews and converts to Judaism from all over the world went on a pilgrimage to attend the festival. Thus, the Acts of the Apostles attests that on that faithful day, which became the first Christian Pentecost: ‘Now, there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem…. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs’ (Acts 2:5, 9-11).

 OUTDOORING THE CHURCH:-

Beloved, the Church was born in the life, ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It then had to be outdoored. The timing and circumstance of its outdooring was very crucial. Our God, being the most strategic One, wisely chose the Pentecost festival, which had such great attendance and great network of people, to outdoor the Church with the spectacular outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-12).

 

By this strategic choice of God, as many as three thousand people would become Christians on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Many of these converts would become a great network to spread the good news of salvation to various parts of the world.

 Among the manifestations on that Pentecost day, there was the ‘tongues of fire’, the medium by which the Holy Spirit filled the disciples (Acts 2:3-4). The rest of this homily focuses on the significance of the tongues of fire.

 We will consider:

 * The presence of the Holy Spirit as fire

* The significance of the appearance of the Holy Spirit as tongues

* Tongues of fire

 THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS FIRE:-

Water, we know, has no shape or form but takes the shape of its container. Similarly, the Holy Spirit, the Living Water (John 4:10-15; 7:37-39), has no physical form, but manifests His presence to us in various forms. On the day of the baptism of our Lord, the Holy Spirit took the form of a dove (John 1:32). On the day of Pentecost, He appeared as fire (Acts 2:3). What is the significance of this? There are several lessons from this, but I wish to limit myself to three of them.

 Firstly, fire is used to purify metals (e.g. gold). Similarly, the Holy Spirit purifies us. He applies the precious blood of Jesus to purify us – to cleanse us of our sins. To purify us, He first convicts us of our sins (John 16:8). That is, He pricks our conscience and makes us aware of our sins, feel guilty about them and then readily confess them. Thus, on Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit convicted thousands of people who were listening to the sermon of Peter. The burning of the spiritual fire in the hearts of the people made them ask the Apostles how they could be saved: ‘Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”’ (Acts 2:37). Peter then admonished them: ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:38).

 Beloved, like the Pentecost day converts, may we feel in our hearts the merciful and yet purifying heat of the fire of the Holy Spirit anytime we sin. With such spiritual burning sensation, let us not waste any time to seek God’s forgiveness; when we confess may He instantly cleanse us of our sins. Amen!

 We have elaborated on the fact that the presence of the Holy Spirit as fire signifies His purifying work. The second lesson is derived from the fact that fire destroys things. Similarly, the Holy Spirit destroys things. However, being holy fire, being the fire of ‘Love Divine’, He does not destroy good things. The holy fire destroys only evil. Thus, we read in Acts 13:6-12, how Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, defeated the evil of Elymas the magician. Similarly, beloved, may the fire of the Holy Spirit destroy any evil that may approach us. Amen!

 Thirdly, fire is powerful. This is evident in its ability to destroy things. Fire, therefore, signifies the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, on the day of Ascension, Jesus instructed His apostles to remain in Jerusalem until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Ten days thereafter, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit to boldly witness to Jesus as risen from the dead and the Saviour of the world.

 Similarly, beloved, may the fire-power of the Holy Spirit make us all great witnesses or ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Amen!

 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS TONGUES:-

Human tongue signifies speech. Therefore, the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues means that He is the One who enables us to proclaim the good news. Thus, in our Creed, we affirm that the Holy Spirit ‘has spoken through the prophets’. May He continue to touch our tongues and speak through us. Amen!

 

TONGUES OF FIRE:-

On Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit appeared not merely as tongues but specifically as ‘tongues of fire’. We know that our tongues cannot remain silent when touched by something hot. When, for instance, a very hot food touches our tongue, we cannot but speak even if we do not understand such heat-on-tongue induced utterances. Similarly, the tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit signify His spiritual burning of the timid and silent tongues of the Apostles. Peter, who became timid from the moment of the arrest of Jesus, became not only courageous to stand before thousands of people but also eloquent (Acts 2:14-41; cf. Acts 4:31).

 Beloved, may the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit set our tongues on fire so that we eloquently proclaim the good news of salvation. Amen!

 CONCLUSION:-

Beloved let me sum up. On this Pentecost day and beyond,

* May fire of the Holy Spirit purify us, destroy any evil that approaches us and empower us to be credible witnesses of Christ.

* May the Holy Spirit who appeared as tongues touch our tongues.

* May the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit set our tongues on fire so that we eloquently proclaim the good news of salvation. Amen!