Pastor Stephen Dedman

Tag: sin

You Can Win

Faith

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12

Do you feel like you can’t win no matter how hard you try? You can win but you must know how to fight the battle.

We are constantly in a spiritual battle. Our nation, our churches, our families, our children, we all are under attack. Satan is fighting for the souls of men.

Satan will use whatever and whoever to divide and conquer. He will do whatever to steal, kill, and destroy. He will devour the weak.

So many Christians are not prepared for this battle. If we are going to win the battle we must be armored, strengthened, and ready to fight. Remember it’s a spiritual battle.

We must endure to the end. We must finish the race. And at the finish line is our reward, the crown of life.

Jesus gives us strength. His Word gives us wisdom. The Holy Spirit gives us courage. We have everything we need to win.

We can overcome every temptation we face. Jesus overcame the temptation of the devil with speaking the truth; the Word of God. He gives us what we need to endure and be approved.

What will you do today to prepare for the battle?

Pray

Lord, equip me and sustain me for what I will face today. Give me Your strength and courage to fight to the end. Thank You for giving me the crown of life.

You Can Conquer Sin And Satan

Salvation

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4:7‬

The story of Cain and Abel is disturbingly tragic.  How could the first child born of Adam and Eve commit the sin of murder? It wasn’t like the world was so full of evil like it is today.  There were only 4 humans in existence.

The Bible says Cain and Abel both offered up offerings to God but only Abel’s was accepted.  Abel’s offering was considered to be the best of the best. Cain’s offering didn’t please God.  Jealousy and envy began to rage in the heart of Cain.

God said to Cain in verse 7, “If you do what is right you will be blessed.  But if you choose to rebel then you will be destroyed by the deadly effects of sin.”  God made it clear to Cain that sin was knocking at the door and he must master it.  However in verse 8, Cain went out and murdered Abel.

God’s warning to Cain is the same for us today. First, we must be aware that sin is present and near to every one of us.  No one is immune to it.

Second, sin is personal and seeking to devour you individually.  Satan’s plan is to rob you of joy and fellowship. Will you allow Satan to win?

And thirdly, sin is powerful and you must have control over it.  Any unconfessed sin will harbor hatred inside your heart.  We must be wise and alert or else our life will be consumed with evil like Cain’s.

Sin doesn’t have to reign in our life. Jesus gives us victory over sin and Satan. We must have faith in knowing that we are victorious only through Jesus and we conquer sin by abiding in Christ.

Pray

Lord, I repent of my sin and turn away from it quickly. Help me to receive the joy of Your great salvation. Keep me from evil and give me a heart of love.

Will You Stand In The Gap?

Encouragement, Faith

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”
Ezekiel 22:30

God seeks to find people who will display godly character and spiritual wisdom. He delights in people who will have a true meaningful relationship with Him. Those who live in closeness to the Lord reflect His nature and goodness.

When it comes to leadership, we need people who will stand in the gap between God and His people. A quick survey of the Old Testament will make you realize that God chooses those who can represent Him.

Noah found favor with God as the only blameless person living on the earth at the time (Genesis 6:8-9). But what is said about Noah in verse 9 is remarkable, “he walked in close fellowship with God.” He wasn’t perfect but he close to God.

Abraham was used by God because of his faith, “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.’ (Genesis 15:6) Abraham’s faith in God directed his steps when he didn’t know where he was going.

Moses stood before God and His people as a humble servant. Moses pleaded with God not to destroy them because of their sin. (Hebrews 11:25)

David, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the list goes on. These where people who knew God in a meaningful, right relationship. They all made mistakes but their character and spiritual wisdom reflected the nature of God. The more quality time we spend with God the more we reflect His nature.

In today’s passage of Scripture we discover that God looked for someone to stand in the gap and found no one. God hoped for one who would lead and pray to avert His judgment; but there was none. Ultimately God sent His Son, Jesus, who stands as the wall of strength, stability, and security for His people. And today we stand in the name and in the power of Jesus Christ to reflect the nature of God.

Pray

Lord, help me to reflect the Light of Jesus to those around me. Draw me close to You so I can reflect godly character and spiritual wisdom in this dark and gloomy, sinful world. Let my fellowship with you be meaningful.