Authority And Power

December 15, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Trust

Authority And Power

…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:21‬

Victory In Jesus

Satan may have more power than you but he doesn’t have authority over you as a born again believer. We should never confuse power with authority. Satan knows he doesn’t have authority over you but he doesn’t want you to know it. Satan will try hard to intimidate you with lies and pressure and to deceive you into believing he has authority over you. He even tried deceiving Jesus.

The day that Jesus died on the cross, Satan lost his authority. Even though he prowls like a lion trying to devour Christians, he is unsuccessful. You do not belong to Satan, you belong to Jesus. Jesus is the One who died in your place. He is the One who gives forgiveness of sins. As a Christian, you answer to Christ, not Satan.

You may think that you’ve lost but don’t you haven’t. There is a spiritual war raging right now and you can’t see it. Satan’s angels are trying to get you but God’s angels are more powerful. They are fighting for you. That should put a smile on your face and joy in your heart. In The Name of Jesus all demons have to flee. That is the kind one of authority we have over Satan and his angels. If you feel like you are being deceived, speak the name of Jesus and watch what happens. Make a difference today by knowing that you can speak authority of Satan. He powerful, but you have more authority because of Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for giving me eternal life through Jesus. Give me strength and power to overcome all temptations.

The Lord Will Fight For You

December 14, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Encouragement, Faith, Trust

The Lord Will Fight For You

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:14‬

Crossing Over Dry Land

Moses was leading the Israelites out from Egyptian bondage. They were approaching the Red Sea and thought they were all going to die. Either Pharoah and his army would pursue them or they would drown in the Red Sea. They were at a point of no return and nowhere to go. It was at that point God provided a way as He instructed Moses to take his staff and touch the waters. Then the waters parted and they walked across on dry ground. After crossing over the Red Sea they looked back and watched their enemies be consumed by the waters.

The greatest part of this victory was that the people remained silent. They didn’t have to do anything but walk forward. God provided a way and protected them through the flowing waters. God also defeated their enemies that would not leave them alone. The Red Sea experience gave them inspiration of the power of God.

There will be days in our life when we face a rock and a hard place. We will be wondering what to do and crying out to God for help. It is in those times that we remain silent and let the Lord fight our battles. We just need to be patient and trust God to show us a way. God will always lead and direct you in the way you should go. The key is to be quiet and listen to what the Lord has to say that us. Sometimes in the silence we hear the voice of God whisper to us.

Prayer

Lord, help me to be silent and trust entirely in your sovereignty and grace.

David Numbered Israel

December 13, 2019 Pastor Stephen Dedman Trust

David Numbered Israel

Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭21:1‬

Trust God

David had to make a choice. He could choose to trust God or he could fall into the temptation of Satan. He called for a census of Israel to be made and trusted in numbers. We should never seek confidence in numbers and not trust God. Instead of boasting in the power of God, David was more flattered with making a name for himself. We can call this a pride issue. David wanted other nations to fear him. When the numbers came were totaled it was amazing and almost unbelievable. 800,000 men in Israel who were qualified to serve in the military is very impressive. And another 500,000 men were counted in Judah. David knew he had a great army and he used these numbers to send a message to others.

We must understand a couple of things. First, David did not count his own people. He counted God’s people. These people did not belong to him they were God’s people. Second, a census was taken not only to impress others with the number of men fit for military but also to show how rich the nation was. A census would establish how many people were paying taxes. It was another way for David to exercise power. Third, this census was a sin. It was against what God wanted. David sinned. He finally came to his senses and repented to the Lord. However, 70,000 men died because of his great sin.

Pride was the issue. David forgot the history of how God’s great power and presence was with His children and began seeking praise of man. We should never fall into the temptation of receiving praise from man instead of pleasing God.

Prayer

Lord, I pray for your power and presence to always bring me remembrance of who You are. You are all that I need.