Taking every thought captive? An impossibility? Not on your life!

[hislegacy]

You will find that promise in Ezekiel chapter 36 where God promises the new covenant and what it promises to accomplish in us. And yes He actually uses the words I quoted. You may also want to read the part about His people blaspheming His name wherever they went, because they were telling the world "Look at us if you want to see what God is capable of" when they were still captives themselves to the world, the flesh and the devil.

Did you find it?

Blessings,

Gideon

Nope -

Chapter 36 - which verse.

Hint - it's not a prophetic message to the church

I have already showed that to you and used numerous scriptures to support it.

 

[Frogster]

And what will happen if we surrender that free will to our God and obey God and put on our new man? Are we not promised that He will cause us to will (want to) AND to do (actually obey Him) of His good pleasure? What else is the indwelling Spirit for, if not obedience from a pure heart?

Our old nature cannot obey perfectly. But the promise of the new heart, a truly new nature is just that. NEW. DIFFERENT. No ore darkness. LIGHT. Desiring the things of God rather than a life centered around us. Of course we have free will, but cannot that will be led to obey, just as surely as a fallen nature is led to disobey? If it is no more us, but Christ in us, will not true obedience now not a chore but a delight? When we are tempted to sin or walk in our own way, is it not possible, desirable, wonderful to think that we will always choose the right pathway after a lifetime of taking the wrong turns?

Have I offended you brother? I am at a loss for why you are upset at me. Feel free to PM me.

Blessings,

Gideon

Bro Gid, was Paul in 2 cor 10, coming to take down their opinions, arguments, and strongholds, thoughts, or his own?



4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

 

[Frogster]

does anyone care to chat about what the actual doctrine in Rom 6:17 was?

 

[Frogster]

does anyone care to chat about the fact, that Paul was not coming to corinth, to take down his own thoughts and theology, to those of whom he was coming to confront?

 

[gideons300]

Great verses!

Thanks for those, but as you said, Gid's quote is found no where in scripture and cannot be supported, IMHO, without someone giving a 1,200 word convoluted explanation.

Wow. Oh ye of little faith.

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

Amazing. Do you think I lay awake at night and make this stuff up?? Watchman is right. God promises to set our feet on the highway of holiness so that we will NOT slip. It is the basis of the entire new covenant. We think it just means we get forgiven, run along, slip again and ask forgiveness again, and never get the root of our problem taken care of..... a heart that wants what IT wants. But the very basis of the new covenant is receiving a new nature that CAN obey, CAN be kept from falling, CAN follow the Lord no matter the strength of the temptation, CAN overcome. These are PROMISES! Why do we fight so against such good news?? It is for one reason.... the flesh does not want to die and lose control over us. '

The whole of our salvation boils down to this one question. Who will reign over us, us..... or Him? We want to have the first part of salvation, forgiveness and then run along with our hall pass to heaven, with Him as our savior, but with us as or lord. It is a lie and cannot work.

In the parable of the talents, the one servant who "did his own thing", and of course made no gain with it, but kept what he had been entrusted with, thought that was all that was necessary to make the cut. He was wrong. Listen to the words of the angry master after He had taken away from this servant that which was once freely given to him.

"Then bring all those who would not have me to reign over them, and slay them before me."

Absolute surrender is not for the monks, legalists, ascetics, apostles, and religious fringe dwellers. It is a call that goes out to every man, woman and child. Those who hate their lives, with them in control calling the shots, constantly disappointing the Lord and living to please themselves, they will hear that they can leave that rebel behind and run into safety. But those content with forgiveness, with no heart for a holy nature or absolute surrender will find that to their amazement, lordship was the real goal all along for all of our walks. Will we willingly lose our lives, sell our entire pearl collections to possess,and BE POSSESSED by the one pearl that matters?

I pray there is none here who will be shocked at the end to understand the full meaning of "depart from me, ALL YE WHO WORK INIQUITY."

Holy hearts are not optional equipment. God has one for each of us, no matter how weak we are. But unless we WANT them, we are on dangerous ground.

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[Frogster]

Wow. Oh ye of little faith.

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.

32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.

Amazing. Do you think I lay awake at night and make this stuff up?? Watchman is right. God promises to set our feet on the hifhway of holiness so that we will NOT slip. It is the basis of the entire new covenant. We think it just means we get forgiven, run along, slip again and ask forgiveness again, and never get the root of our problem taken care of..... a hear that wants what IT wants. But the very basis of the new covenant is receiving a new nature that CAN obey, CAN be kept from falling, CAN follow the Lord no matter the strength of the temptation, CAN overcome. These are PROMISES! Why do we fight so against such good news?? It is for one reason.... the flesh does not want to die and lose control over us. '

The whole of our salvation boils down to this one question. Who will reign over us, us..... or Him. We want to have the first part of salvation, forgiveness and then run along with our hall pass to heaven, with Him as our savior, but with us as or lord. It is a lie and cannot work.

In the parable of the talents, the one servant who "did his own thing" but kept what he had been entrusted with, thought that was all that was necessary to make the cut. He was wrong. Listen to the words of the angry master after Her had taken away from this servant that which was once freely given to him.

"Then bring all those who would not have me to reign over them, andslay them before me."

Absolute surrender is not for the monks, legalists, ascetics, apostles, and religious fringe dwellers. It is a call that goes out to every man, woman and child. Those who hate their lives, with them in control calling the shots, constantly disappointing the Lord and living to please themselves, they will hear that they can leave that rebel behind and run into safety. But those content with forgiveness, with no heart for a holy nature or absolute surrender will find that to their amazement, lordship was the real goal all along for all of our walks. Will we willingly lose our lives, sell our entire pearl collections to possess,and BE POSSESSED by the one pearl that matters?

I pray there is none here who will be shocked at the end to understand the full meaning of "depart from me, ALL YE WHO WORK INIQUITY."

Holy hearts are not optional equipment. God has one for each of us, no matter how weak we are. But unless we WANT them, we are on dangerous ground.

Blessings,

Gideon

but the new Spirit within was in Paul, who said he had not attined yet, Phil 3, peter blew it big time in antioch, along with barnabas, so perfectionism, does not cut it, Abraham, the father of our faith made mistakes too, so really, having the Spirit, as we do, does not mean no humanity will be present.

John the baptist, the greatest one, asked "is he the one", Paul had fear, jeremiah was the weeping guy, malachi was the complainer, so was david, who loved the law, until he saw a girl he liked, Abraham gave us the arabs, so really, lets be tolerant of ourselves, thanks, frog.

 

[gideons300]

See now what your saying is correct...IF WE WILL SUBMIT...

But many times in your posts you present this as a place of absolutes as though you have arrived and are now completely free from your flesh...Your saying you never have a sinful thought as well...Paul said "not that I have obtained" and went on to say I "forget" that in the past..He was moving forward...There is no need to move forward when the end of the line is there in front of your face...Because you have arrived at your destination...

Paul also likened this to a race...He fought agaisnt his flesh that he might obtain an incorruptible crown..He later said that he was ready to die, he had completed his race, and the Lord had a crown or two waiting for him...He knew he was going to die, and thats why he could say he was done with his race...

Oh, I wish you could see. When we arm ourselves with the truth we choose to full submit and to fully believe what God tells us, tht we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. Is obedience still required? Absolutely! BUT, and this is huge, now we obey in what Roman 15 calls the obedience of faith. By beoieving we are new, Christ dwells in our hearts by faith and HE keeps us from falling. We hold up the shield of faith. He makes sure it quenches ALL the fiery arrows of the enemy.

Just as surely as, in the old man, we will eventually migrate back to who we really are, sinners, now we are new creatures and by standing fast is that faith, holding fast to the truth that we are now light in the Lord, overcomers, we find that God perfects our faith and we become established in it. Our hearts have been "reset" and now we are kept by the power of God through faith. Our obedience? Believe. His response? Keep us from falling.

Blessings, brother, and I pray that if in some way I have offended you, that you find it in your heart to forgive me.

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[Watchman4hm]

Oh, I wish you could see. When we arm ourselves with the truth we choose to full submit and to fully believe what God tells us, tht we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit. Is obedience still required? Absolutely! BUT, and this is huge, now we obey in what Roman 15 calls the obedience of faith. By beoieving we are new, Christ dwells in our hearts by faith and HE keeps us from falling. We hold up the shield of faith. He makes sure it quenches ALL the fiery arrows of the enemy.

Just as surely as, in the old man, we will eventually migrate back to who we really are, sinners, now we are new creatures and by standing fast is that faith, holding fast to the truth that we are now light in the Lord, overcomers, we find that God perfects our faith and we become established in it. Our hearts have been "reset" and now we are kept by the power of God through faith. Our obedience? Believe. His response? Keep us from falling.

Blessings, brother, and I pray that if in some way I have offended you, that you find it in your heart to forgive me.

Blessings,

Gideon

Bro Gideon I have talked to you about this before in PM's..I KNOW exactly what your saying..The problem with you bro is I could stand on the mountain tops and agree with most of what you say, but not how you present it, and you would still be crying "I wish you could get it" I wish you all werent so dumb"..You dont listen to anyone bro...AND if anyone wants to talk about something other than your new found revelation you find a way to twist the thread so you can say what YOU WANT.....As for offended...Im not offended, but until you and a few others around here begin to actually develop some dialogue Im blocking out the monologues...

 

[gideons300]

That scripture is simple when studying the Hebrew words...Eze 36:33

H3212

יָלַךְ
yâlak

Brown Driver Briggs Definition:

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (figuratively)


1b) (Hiphil) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk


It simply meas to show the way, to make a way..But does not imply to make us robots

Uhhhhh, you have the wrong verse. It is Ezekiel 36:27.

The word "to cause" there is as follows is Strongs:

Word: DYR

Pronounce: aw-saw'

Strong: H6213

Orig: a primitive root; to do or make

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make

If you look at parallel translations, they all pretty much agree. God promises to give us obedient hearts that WILL obey. It is amazing to me why there is so much animosity to this. It is GOOD NEWS, but only to the broken who know themselves well, who see themselves as wretched captives needing a deliverer. We want to do good and don't. We don;t want to do bad and do it anyway. We ARE robots for evil. That is our flesh. Why do we chaff so when we are told that God will be so good as to make us good, make us holy, make us obedient and deliver us from US?

Mind boggling we are. Yet, even so, refusing to be healed fully and content with slight healing and no real rest for our souls, God's goodness will still draw us back to Him and THEN we will repent as we look back at our stubborn and self-willed wisdom, proud of the very things that should shame us.

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[hislegacy]

Wow. Oh ye of little faith.

Gideon

Wow, oh ye of little discernment.

Did you read the last four words? Oh, House of Israel. Do I have to show you again how this term is used over 170 times in the Old Testament and never - not one time is it prophetic to the church. Not one time.

Would it help if I list every reference and then showed you it is not prophetic to the church?

You really need to get under a good pastor, or have someone help you.

Love ya Gid's, pray for you often. But you're just not right and printing the words in Red doesn't make them Jesus talking to the Body.

 

[Watchman4hm]

Uhhhhh, you have the wrong verse. It is Ezekiel 36:27.

Yup, but quoted the right word..Gids this is simple..Its the goodness of God that leads us to repentance...Its also Gods love shed abroad in our hearts VIA the Spirit that motivates us to live in the Spirit....I really dont have a problem like others about the parallel meaning between Israel and the church...It is called the law of double reference...However, the way you present it is not quite correct IMHO...You present it like your onto some great revelation and we're all supposed to be where you are...Like youve arrived to some new level of Christian nirvana and you dont sin...I say bullhockey...lol

 

[gideons300]

Bro Gideon I have talked to you about this before in PM's..I KNOW exactly what your saying..The problem with you bro is I could stand on the mountain tops and agree with most of what you say, but not how you present it, and you would still be crying "I wish you could get it" I wish you all werent so dumb"..You dont listen to anyone bro...AND if anyone wants to talk about something other than your new found revelation you find a way to twist the thread so you can say what YOU WANT.....As for offended...Im not offended, but until you and a few others around here begin to actually develop some dialogue Im blocking out the monologues...

Can I ask you a question? If God appeared to you miraculously, explained something to you that was very important that promised people real liberty, proved to you in your own walk that what He showed you worked exactly as He said it would, would you try to accomodate others as they pick it apart or change it a little here, a little there? I do not talk much of my experience five years ago and what God taught me there, but I neither will I deny that He did and that He asked me to faithfully hold up the truth that would set men free indeed. People want so badly to judge me. What they need to judge is what I share.

I have tried to be as faithful to that calling as I can be. I have be unswerving, granted, because I know a little leaven leavens the whole lump and even small error can change the truth to become of none effect. I will be held accountable for my being faithful to that calling. Trust me,I fully realize this mindset will make me look small minded, proud, unwilling to compromise, judgemental, accusing, haughty, and make men angry. I understand why as well. Does it bother me? of course. Does it change how i share or what I share? It cannot.

I share to simply get the truth out there for men to either accept or reject. I speak the truth that I share in love, not anger. None can tell the sound of my voice when I have to say the hard things that are meant to plow peoples hearts. The misunderstanding of what I share and how i say it is my own small cross to bear, I guess, and no, it is not fun to confront a crowd who want to make me look bad, but it goes with the territory. I can either quit and the resentment would stop, or I can continue because I KNOW what I share is God's truth that will set men free. What would love do? So, I continue, but in all honesty, in long posts like this where the piling on gets to almost frenzy level, it is not "fun" LOL.

The time may not be yet, and few see yet, but the results are on His shoulders, not mine. I am called pnly to share and so, share I will. I so apologize if you feel I am judging you or being haughty. I am truly neither. I am simply trying to speak the unswerving truth in love. May God give me grace to continue, despite people's reactions that are simpy caused by not yet seeing all that our God offers us. The key word there? YET.

I love you brother and truth be known, your posts are full of wisdom and you see a lot.

Blessings my friend,

Gideon

P.S. One more question, LOL. Why is my photo at the bottom of your posts???

 

[Watchman4hm]

P.S. One more question, LOL. Why is my photo at the bottom of your posts???

HUH?...There are no photos at the bottom of my posts..

 

[gideons300]

Yup, but quoted the right word..Gids this is simple..Its the goodness of God that leads us to repentance...Its also Gods love shed abroad in our hearts VIA the Spirit that motivates us to live in the Spirit....I really dont have a problem like others about the parallel meaning between Israel and the church...It is called the law of double reference...However, the way you present it is not quite correct IMHO...You present it like your onto some great revelation and we're all supposed to be where you are...Like youve arrived to some new level of Christian nirvana and you dont sin...I say bullhockey...lol

You can, if you so choose, read back over my entire history of my posts and I have never boasted that I do not sin. I boast that God can keep ANY of us from falling into sin if we hold up the shield of faith and that as I have trusted Him to do so HE has never failed me. Is this not exactly what He promises, that sin shall no longer have dominion over us??

Why do we fight against the very thing we so desperately need? Should we rather not be on our knees crying out for hearts purified by faith? Is it not proof that the enemy has infiltrated our very midst, our teaching, our minds, our hearts and it makes him ANGRY when someone says "Hey, look, our cell doors are open!".

With that said, I would also be remiss to not give God glory for keeping me exactly as He has promised over and over to do so, when I fuly trust Him to be the God that cannot lie.

One major thing. Do not err in mistaking our not sinning for perfection. Many fruits still have ot be grown in our lives, after we have "made our tree good" by agreeing with God that we are dead to sin and alive unto God, that we are no longer in the flesh and owe it nothing. I have so many fruits still needing to be developed in me as I learn to abide in the new man, Christ in us. But I can also look back to what i was and say with no shame that God has indeed miraculously changed me and the rebel that once ruled the roost in me has been displaced.

As I stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made me free, I can visibly see myself being changed. It is truly a miracle. Is this very thing not what we all should want in our own walks.....the rebel US overthrown so that we can indeed walk as living sacrifices? Is this bullhockey as well, this life that our God calls us to, that our God says is our "reasonable" service??

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[gideons300]

HUH?...There are no photos at the bottom of my posts..

Weird, it is what I see on every one of your posts, and only yours..... My second photo right there at the bottom of your posts. Very strange indeed.

 

[Watchman4hm]

Weird, it is what I see on every one of your posts, and only yours..... My second photo right there at the bottom of your posts. Very strange indeed.

Yeah thats weird alright because Ive looked over my posts on this whole thread and I dont see it...lol...

 

[Watchman4hm]

You can, if you so choose, read back over my entire history of my posts and I have never boasted that I do not sin. I boast that God can keep ANY of us from falling into sin if we hold up the shield of faith and that as I have trusted Him to do so HE has never failed me. Is this not exactly what He promises, that sin shall no longer have dominion over us??

Why do we fight against the very thing we so desperately need? Should we rather not be on our knees crying out for hearts purified by faith? Is it not proof that the enemy has infiltrated our very midst, our teaching, our minds, our hearts and it makes him ANGRY when someone says "Hey, look, our cell doors are open!".

With that said, I would also be remiss to not give God glory for keeping me exactly as He has promised over and over to do so, when I fuly trust Him to be the God that cannot lie.

One major thing. Do not err in mistaking our not sinning for perfection. Many fruits still have ot be grown in our lives, after we have "made our tree good" by agreeing with God that we are dead to sin and alive unto God, that we are no longer in the flesh and owe it nothing. I have so many fruits still needing to be developed in me as I learn to abide in the new man, Christ in us. But I can also look back to what i was and say with no shame that God has indeed miraculously changed me and the rebel that once ruled the roost in me has been displaced.

As I stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made me free, I can visibly see myself being changed. It is truly a miracle. Is this very thing not what we all should want in our own walks.....the rebel US overthrown so that we can indeed walk as living sacrifices? Is this bullhockey as well, this life that our God calls us to, that our God says is our "reasonable" service??

Blessings,

Gideon

Dude there you go again...Sin does NOT have dominion over me(it does not dominate)..HOWEVER that in no wise means I dont fail at times and SIN...YES it is CHRIST IN ME THE HOPE OF GLORY...CHANGED FROM GLORY TO GLORY, etc, etc....This is all simple stuff Gids..A long time ago I argued that no one can walk in the Spirit 24/7..I have since decided that is wrong....HOWEVER, it does elude most people...The reasons are aplenty..I have had miraculous visitations, have been used to do miracles, spoken prophetic things in lives that came to pass, seen glimpses of future things that I dont quite understand, but to walk 24/7 in the SPIRIT and not sin either by thought or deed eludes me..But this I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt..When I humble myself and seek HIS FACE HE visits me and refreshes me to go on...HE equips me and sends me out...I AM ALLOWED to be part of HIS ministry..Hallelujah!!!

 

[gideons300]

Wow, oh ye of little discernment.

Did you read the last four words? Oh, House of Israel. Do I have to show you again how this term is used over 170 times in the Old Testament and never - not one time is it prophetic to the church. Not one time.

Would it help if I list every reference and then showed you it is not prophetic to the church?

You really need to get under a good pastor, or have someone help you.

Love ya Gid's, pray for you often. But you're just not right and printing the words in Red doesn't make them Jesus talking to the Body.

Brother, the promise of the new covenant and what it is to accomplish in us is meant for both us and Israel. He has spoken. We just don't believe WHAT He has spoken. He still said that He would cause us to walk in obedience. If He does not, then we are forever trapped in Romans 7, with the things we want to do impossible to us, and the things we want to stop doing....unable to stop. Walking as living sacrifices is then impossible as we frolic around our forgiveness with no other demands put upon us. Whew!

Beother, that is NOT the gospel. Some are content to remain there and "make the best of it". Others are not and are instead found crying out for deliverance from the bondage to a nature that refuses to obey or fully bow the knee to God as Lord.

The valley of decision we are all in.... is in our deciding which one we want to be.

Blessings,

Gideon

 

[gideons300]

Dude there you go again...Sin does NOT have dominion over me(it does not dominate)..HOWEVER that in no wise means I dont fail at times and SIN...YES it is CHRIST IN ME THE HOPE OF GLORY...CHANGED FROM GLORY TO GLORY, etc, etc....This is all simple stuff Gids..A long time ago I argued that no one can walk in the Spirit 24/7..I have since decided that is wrong....HOWEVER, it does elude most people...The reasons are aplenty..I have had miraculous visitations, have been used to do miracles, spoken prophetic things in lives that came to pass, seen glimpses of future things that I dont quite understand, but to walk 24/7 in the SPIRIT and not sin either by thought or deed eludes me..But this I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt..When I humble myself and seek HIS FACE HE visits me and refreshes me to go on...HE equips me and sends me out...I AM ALLOWED to be part of HIS ministry..Hallelujah!!!

He has called us to peace. May God be with you on your path.

Gids

 

[Alithis]

The truth of having our hearts purified by faith will be rendered impossible if we cannot dsicern our thoughts from "suggestions" from the enemy. Indeed, thoughts do come to all of us that go against the kingdom of God. The key is "Where is the source of those thoughts?" If the bad thoughts come from US, then purity is a pipe dream. One of the biggest revelations the Lord has granted me is to understand that when the thought comes, and I know it is not of God or according to His will, not fuel by goodness or love....a temptation to sin.... I can, no, I MUST stand against it and hold up my shield of faith as to who I am in Christ, and who is now living within me.

Paul stated:

"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth within me, and the life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

This is not a statement made by an apostle who attained this standing by diligence. He achieved what he achieved BY BELIEVING THIS TRUTH!! Praise God! Now, this is key. If we do not take the rogue thoughts captive, and expose their source, then all is lost. We will never progress in holiness, for we can never have pure consciences. We can never walk as living sacrifices, for in truth we believe that the rebel is still alive inside. Our confidence in prayer and its effectiveness will be shattered, for we do not have pure consciences.

Part of the armor of God is the helmet of salvation. When we put off the old man, we are to have our minds "renewed". If our minds go unprotected, then we will find defeat again and again, eventually succumbing to the lie that we are really not new creatures at all, and we will go backwards to wandering in the wilderness, trying our best to "be good" Then all satan has to do is to whisper a bad thought in our head, we buy ownership of it, and our faith takes another zing.

I have stated before, satan's greatest weapon is accusation and suggestion. Temptation comes after the first traps have been successful. He whispers, in effect, "Has God said....?" He is a master of saying things that make us feel unworthy, but here is the deal cincher. He does not accuse us day and night saying "YOU are such a crumb and a bad Christian." No, no, he is much wiser and sinister than that. He whispers:

"I am such a crumb"

I...ME....in MY voice! Like a master fisherman hoping we take the bait. If we accept the bait, our testimony of being dead to the old man crumbles. If we resist, steadfast in the faith, helmet of salvation on over our minds, and we resist the thought, rebuke it and do not receive it, we remain free of the fall that slays so many.

How do we resist those naging thoughts that seem so much like they are ours? Just the way Jesus did.

"It is written....."

And what is written?

I am light. I am new. I owe the flesh nothing. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Sin has no more dominion over me.

And what do you call this?

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.

This is indeed the glory of grace, that we have been given an opportunity to display our faith by agreeing with Him. Why has God seemed so far off so many times if He loves us and wants to fellowship with us? It is quite simple.

"Can two walk together unless they be agreed?"

It is high time we agreed with God. It is high time we made our tree good. That is OUR part. His part is th make sure that the good tree bears good fruits. No pressure here. Rest. Total, blessed rest. in a God whho WSILL NOT fail us.

"The name of the Lord is a strong and mighty tower. The RIGHTEOUS runs in and is safe."

So, here is the question. Are we righteous? Is our mind righteous? Yes, absolutely, if we have been born again. Right now, at this very moment we are new creatures and owe our flesh NOTHING. But unless we stand fast in the faith, and refuse to be moved from the hope of the gospel, unless our shields of faith are up, quenching all those fiery thoughts that want to bring us back into the mire of self effort shutting up the one who accuses us day and night, we may BE new creatures, but we will not enjoy our birthright at all. We will walk as natural men, thrown back on our own miserable efforts to "be good." Some are better at this that others. Me? In my own strength I am worse than all here, and I am so thankful for that fact. Why? The sick KNOW they need a miracle.

Shields up! Time to light our lamps and be who we really are, who God declares that we are, overcomers!

Blessings to all,

Gideon
_________

amen