Spiritual Weapon 1 - 7/3-4/20

03-04 July 2020 Weapons Warfare Part 1 – Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: Weapons of our Warfare are Spiritual Weapons.

“We do live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NCV

King James Bible quoted; “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal ...” Paul was talking about spiritual weapons that we need to have for our spiritual warfare against the carnal or worldly warfare.

This month of July will be a learning time to trust God with our new weapons. God is our weapon. The Bible, God’s Word is our weapon. Jesus is our weapon. His blood is our weapon. Holy Spirit is our weapon, speaking in new languages. Our testimony for Christ is our weapon. God help us to stand with Him in the month of July 2020.

Happy Fourth of July!

Dorothy

PS.  Manna revised from Jan. 1, 2010

Plus: I would like to add Joseph Prince’s devotion of July 4, 2020:  “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

Theme: Be Mindful of Christ’s Obedience at the Cross

                Have you ever felt condemned because of the bad thoughts you have had? You could be in the middle of a prayer meeting when suddenly a dirty thought enters your mind. Actually it is the devil who put such thoughts in your mind.  Then he (the devil) steps back, looks at you and knocks you on your head, saying, “How can you call yourself a Christian and still think such thoughts?”

                I used to be in bondage over the bad thoughts I had because I felt that I had to confess every one of them and seek God’s forgiveness.  But that is not what God’s Word exhorts us to do.  You see, God wants us to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  Now, whose obedience are we to focus on?  Christ’s obedience and not our own obedience!

                But what is “the obedience of Christ”?  It is His obedience at the cross, where “by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).  Jesus shed His blood for us at the cross.  This means that when our thoughts condemns us, we are to focus our thoughts on Jesus’ obedience at the cross.

                My friend, the devil can only make inroads (hostile invasion; raid) into our minds when he gets us to focus on our obedience instead of Christ’s obedience.  His (the devil’s) strategy (plan) is to point us to our obedience or the lack of it to determine our standing before God.  But just as our position as sinners is not based on what we do, but what the first Adam did, in the same way, we are forever righteous today not because of what we do, but because of what Christ, the last Adam, did on the cross.

                But just as our position as sinners is not based on what we do, but what the first Adam did, in the same way, we are forever righteous today not because of what we do, but because of what Christ, the last Adam, did on the cross.

                So the next time your thoughts seem to condemn you, say, “I am righteous whether I have good or bad thoughts.  My righteousness has nothing to do with my obedience.  Jesus’ obedience at the cross made me righteous.”  Then, go ahead and pray, knowing that you have access to God and His favor, and that He hears the prayer of the righteous (see Proverbs 15:29). [End of JP devotion]

                               

Dorothy: What an awesome thought: “… bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” I certainly need that … because every time I think of my aching body, I bring that thought of “aching body” into captivity to the obedience of Christ’s healing into my body. Praise God, the devil is defeated in Jesus’ name. That is my word of testimony, "bringing my aching body into captivity to the obedience of Christ at the cross." In Jesus' name, Amen!