Our Armour and Our Weapons                  Part 2 – Righteousness

Last time we looked at the “belt of truth” that enables us to fight in the battle without being tripped up by lies and deception; and that provides the scabbard for the “sword of the Spirit”.  The more we know the Truth and the more truth we know, the more our hearts and minds will be full of truth that the Holy Spirit can bring to mind in every situation we face.

This week we look at the “breastplate of righteousness”. The breastplate of righteousness protects our vital organs and especially our heart. Wounded, guilt-ridden, condemned hearts cause many would-be champions to retreat from the battle. Righteousness means “right-standing with God”. Sometimes it is translated “justified” which means that I can stand before God “just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned”.

In the battle one of the major weapons the devil uses against us is condemnation. He knows that when our heart condemns us we do not have confidence towards God. When in a battle a soldier must have confidence. When a soldier’s confidence is broken down, fear can easily take root, he is unable to fight effectively and he is easily defeated.

1 John 3:19-21 “And by this we know the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For is our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God.”

Thank God He is greater than our heart! If we allow Him to do it, He will heal our heart and give us an assurance of His acceptance and favour that empowers us for further action.

 The following verses of Scripture are tremendous righteousness faith builders.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

(That Christ, the righteous Son of God was willing to “become sin” for us, reveals just how much He loves us.) 

Romans 3:21-24 “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”

(By faith in Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is made available to all who believe. This is righteousness that has nothing to do with keeping the law. It is freely given as a result of God’s grace – unmerited favour – because of the great price Jesus paid to redeem us.)

Romans 5:4 “But to him who does not work (at keeping the law) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness”

Romans 5:17 “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Righteousness is a gift. It can’t be earned. When we realise that what we have is because of an abundance of grace (unmerited favour) and it is a gift we can have tremendous confidence that God is for us. No wonder we can reign in life, and that includes having authority over “all the power of the enemy”.

Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

The devil is called the “accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10). When Jesus ascended into heaven, the devil who accused man “day and night,” was cast down. In heaven no accusation against a believer is received. Every believer is seen in Christ and therefore seen as righteous and deserving of no condemnation. However on earth the devil, true to his nature, condemns Christians continually. When we believe his lie we come under condemnation and although legally free from it (from God’s point of view) suffer the consequences of it.

In this battle it is essential that we believe “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Before I conclude this part of our series on “The Armour and Weapons of our Warfare” I want to clarify something that can confuse people. Paul says that we are “to put on” the amour. Does this mean it is something separate from us and needs to be put on each day? No, it is something that is ours already, but like everything, we apply it by faith. It is not something that we must religiously put on as if it is some superstitious ritual. It is more to do with an attitude we have. For me it more like checking that my armour is in place and that I haven’t allowed condemnation, doubts, fears and wrong thinking to get a hold. Many mornings I go through the check list and thank God for supplying me with His armour. I am actually strengthening my confidence and faith in the finished work of Christ. If I forget to do it on any particular morning it doesn’t mean that I head out into my day without my armour.

Glory to God for the most amazing, underserved gift of righteousness!

Your fellow-warrior (not worrier) in Christ,

Richard

I have recently been sharing about the clash of the two kingdoms – the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the need for us to realise the seriousness of this battle. There is no doubt that the enemy is doing everything he can to blind the minds of people and keep them from hearing the truth. This includes the sowing of doubts, fears and unbelief into our minds. An antichrist spirit pervades the world with the aim of keeping people from believing in the only One (Jesus) who can give them true life and freedom.   He knows, as we should know, that when people “know the truth, the truth sets them free”.

 Ephesians 6: 10-14 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth…”

 If we try to fight against evil and stand for righteousness in our own strength we will surely fail. Our will-power and good intentions are not enough. This is a spiritual battle and the Lord has given us spiritual armour to protect us and spiritual weapons to wage war. Once we start to live in our armour and use these weapons, we are far more powerful than anything the devil may throw against us. We must stop being on the back foot (or in neutral) and start to step forward and take the land (which includes liberating the people that the devil has held in bondage).

One of the greatest deceptions we can fall for is that this is a battle with two equally powerful armies. Once the church (the army of God) recognises its authority and uses the weapons given to it, the enemy must retreat. The gates (authorities – principalities and powers) of hell cannot prevail against the church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18). No weapon formed against us can prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

 To stand in these evil days we really need live with an awareness and confidence that we are protected by what Paul calls God’s armour (Ephesians 6:11-13). 

Do you realise that when your waist is girded with the truth that you will not be caught out and tangled up by the devil’s lies? The first century soldier’s belt was important for various reasons. Peter says, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13) Peter used an interesting analogy: “Gird up the loins of your mind.” This implies tucking in long garments to be ready to move quickly. The New International Version translates it as “prepare your minds for action.” A mind that is renewed and thinks God’s way is a mind that will not be deceived by ideas that are untrue.

In the Roman army the belt was known as the cingulum or balteus. It was the belt that held the scabbard, without which there would be no place to put a sword. Imagine an overzealous soldier, fired up and charging out into battle—but without his belt, and consequently without a weapon!

God’s word is truth (John 17:17). The truth always outguns the lies. Knowing the truth about redemption, who we are in Christ and the authority we have in Jesus’ name, makes us the most powerful freedom fighters on earth. Whether in the middle of a university campus where secular humanism is strongly espoused; in a land where false religion causes people to want to kill Christians; or in the slums of mega-cities where crime, poverty and disease run rampant, those who know the Truth and act on it can be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

 There is no doubt that the sounder our knowledge or God and His Word, the more effective we will be in the day of battle. We will be ready for any attack of the enemy and not get tripped up by doubts and fears as we run towards the battle.

Next time we will be looking at the breastplate of righteousness.

Hi Everyone!

I thought it was time to write again and share a few things with you.

Recently I was doing some research on “conflict”. The down-to-earth truth is that if we live in this world we will have conflict with other people. The church is certainly not exempt from conflict.

In the New Testament it wasn’t long before wonderful unity and love gave way to instances of false pretences and lying (Acts 5), to serious conflict between two culturally distinct groups within the church (Acts 6), to theological contention (Galatians 2, Acts 15:1f), and to interpersonal disagreement (Acts 15:36f).  The first-century churches certainly had their fair share of disputes. They are spoken of in virtually every epistle. Paul’s remark to the Corinthian church is an example:  “I fear that there may be [among you] quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” (2 Corinthians 12:20, NIV).  

We may not be able to escape conflict but we can learn to handle it in a Biblical manner.

The A List Approach to managing conflict has some great advice.

• Address everyone involved with humility (Pr 28:13; 1 John 1:8)
• Avoid if, but, and maybe (don’t make excuses; Luke 15:11-24)
• Admit specifically (both attitude and actions)
• Apologise (express sorrow for the way you affected someone – even if you didn’t mean to do so.)
• Accept the consequences (Luke 19:1-9)
• Alter your behaviour (commit to changing harmful habits; Eph 4:22-32)
• Ask forgiveness

Wherever there is difference there will be an opportunity for conflict. The Lord wants us to take those opportunities to listen, learn and love.

To sum up, we need to work more on dealing with conflict in a godly manner rather than always trying to avoid it. We may think that the only way we can avoid conflict is to go a place where there are no other people. The problem is we will still be there and we will be dealing with our own inner conflicts.

Love never fails!

God bless you!

Richard

DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS – THE MODERN AUSTRALIAN FORM OF MARTYRDOM

The following is an edited version of the text of a speech given by Bishop Peter W Ingham DD at a Seminar titled “Concern for our Religious Freedom” sponsored by the Ambrose Centre for Religious Liberty in Wollongong last month.  Bishop Ingham is the Catholic Bishop of Wollongong.

In Australia, it seems true to say that we enjoy a tolerance that values difference and diversity.   We believe popularly in giving everyone a “fair go!”  Like you, I try to read and hear the news critically so I’ll know what’s going on and make my own assessment about what I hear and see.  However, I detect that our tolerant Aussie acceptance of where the other person is coming from, is being more than somewhat threatened.
 
Richard Dawkins, was recently given a lot of publicity when he visited Australia to address the atheists’ convention in Melbourne.   Jewish author, Melanie Phillips, writing in The Australian on 16 March 2010, called him, “the high priest of belief in unbelief” and she said “Dawkins has made a career out of telling everyone how much more tolerant the world would be, if only religion were obliterated out of human psyche.” 

 Furthermore she states, “Dawkins showed himself remarkably intolerant towards anyone who disagrees with him.  When Dawkins claims religion is responsible for all the ills in the world, he conveniently overlooks the atheistic creeds behind the reign of terror after the French Revolution, the anti-religion dictatorships of both the Nazis and of the Communists.”  

  Good atheists who present their arguments soundly and respectfully are quite ‘embarrassed’ by Dawkins’ methods of ridicule and intolerance, his bullying approach which shouts over the top of, rather than enters into dialogue with people of differing viewpoints. 

 A major target of today’s growing intolerance seems to be people’s religious beliefs and their freedom to hold what they believe in conscience to be true and good, whether they be Christian, Jewish, Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu or of no religion.  We are facing the ominous doctrine which attempts to build a society with no regard whatsoever for religion and which seeks to destroy the religious freedom of its citizens – an ideology hostile to the Christian faith. 

 That’s why, I believe, it is timely and it’s vital that we people of goodwill defend our religious freedoms and be alert to what is subtly going on in our society.   Well-known media people are today publicly proclaiming their atheism in print.  It has become fashionable to be dismissive of all religion particularly Christianity.   This arrogant dismissivness could be quite aptly described as the new modern method of martyrdom.
 
People of faith were once upon a time fed to the lions, decapitated, crucified and the like. We instead find ourselves today subjected to death by 1000 cuts with the new mode of martyrdom coming in the form of ridicule, derision and character assassination, as opposed to being silenced through physical death. The torture of believers is to be found in the constant attempts to have them relegated to the sidelines, unable to contribute to the morals, laws and structures that make up the fabric of society without significant criticism.
 
The new mode of martyrdom is not as bloody as forms of old, but its aim is ultimately the same and its methods no less cruel.  We have all noted the nonsense about attempts to outlaw public nativity scenes because they may offend non-Christian religions; or not allowing children to sing Christmas carols in government schools for the same reason.   Other faiths aren’t offended, but secularists and atheists are.   If we as Christians respect the celebrations of Ramadan, Passover, Diwali, Feast of Vesakh, people of other faiths will in turn respect Christmas and Easter.
 
What is Religious Freedom?

 Australian citizens hold a variety of beliefs about the purpose and meaning of life. In a pluralist society, certain fundamental principles to which everybody can subscribe are vitally important for the common good of all of us. I list those fundamental principles as first, freedom of speech; second, freedom of assembly; and third freedom to hold and express particular religious beliefs. 

 In the course of history, it can be seen how these three basic freedoms mentioned are curtailed as soon as totalitarian dictatorships or regimes take power.   It happened with Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, Apartheid South Africa, North Korea, South Vietnam after 1975. The regime headed up by Mugabe in Zimbabwe is another current example.
 
When legislation curtails the first of these, freedom of speech, it militates against the freedom of the press and stops the media doing its job of communicating information; when legislation prevents the second, freedom of assembly, it stops public rallies being held to express discontent (remember Tiananmen Square), and thirdly when churches and religious faiths are outlawed, dictatorships aim to stop moral and conscientious objection to what a ruling regime is doing.
 
The reality and powerful influence of religious freedom was demonstrated by Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Catholic Archbishop Denis Hurley in South Africa over apartheid; another example was Christians led by Cardinal Jamie Sin against the Marcos regime in the Philippines, and the long list of martyrs like Fr Jerzy Populusco in Poland, Cardinal  Mindszenty  in Hungary, the Anglican and Catholic Martyrs of Uganda between 1885 and 1887, Oscar Romero in San Salvador (shot dead at the altar 30 years ago today), and Archbishop Francis Xavier van Thuan in Vietnam (13 years in prison and 9 years in solitary confinement and on release banished from his native country), just to mention a few.
 
The claims you and I make to be free to practise our religion in a democratic society must be respected and permitted to be exercised, unless justice and public order are threatened.
 
Jesuit lawyer, Fr Frank Brennan, said in a recent lecture, “How can we ever hope to live in a truly democratic society when secularists maintain their demand that people with a religious perspective not be able to claim a right to engage in the public square agitating about laws on issues such as voluntary euthanasia, same-sex unions, abortion and discrimination in employment?   We have just as much right as our secularist fellow citizens to contribute in the public square informed and animated by our world view and religious tradition. 

 We acknowledge that it would be prudent to put our case in terms comprehensible to those who do not share that world view or religious tradition when we are wanting to win the support and acceptance of others, especially if we be in the minority.   But there is no requirement of public life that we engage only on secularist terms.   And we definitely insist on the protection of our rights including the right to religious freedom even if it not be a right highly prized by the secularists!”  (Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO; 8/2/2010 McCosker Oration)
 
An essential part of our Christian tradition is committed to promoting human dignity because we are all made in the image and likeness of God.   This ensures that our basic human rights are respected. The freedom to hold and express our religious beliefs is a paramount right.  

 The United Nations has made various declarations on the right to freedom of thought, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. In 1948 it published the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in 1960 the Convention against discrimination in education, and in 1966 via:  (1) The International Convention on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights; (2) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and (3) The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The UN 1981 Declaration on the Elimination of All forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religious Belief, attempts to define certain protections for religious freedom so as to protect individuals and religious groups from undue intrusion by the State or by any other body into the ethos, principles and conduct of religious practice.
 
While these UN Declarations can only ever be general points of reference for us here in Australia, international law is a very legitimate and important influence. Our Australian Constitution stops the Commonwealth from making any law “to establish any religion”, “to impose any religious observance”, or “to prohibit the free exercise of any religion.” (Section 116 Australian Constitution). Two Commonwealth Statutes relevant to religious freedom are the Sex Discrimination Act (1984) and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act (1986).
 
The 1984 Sex Discrimination Act (Section 37) exempts institutions such as Ministry Training Institutions, so they may operate in accordance with the tenets and beliefs of the particular faith and permits the conduct of schools in accordance with the religious traditions and tenets of the particular faith.
 
The 1986 Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Act (Section 3) exempts us on the grounds of the inherent faith requirements for a position of employment or that the employment of a staff person will not injure the religious susceptibilities of adherents to that faith.  So we can legitimately say we don’t want an atheist teaching religious education in a Christian school.
 
What we are now witnessing are accumulating pressures on our religious freedom in areas such as education, healthcare, family life and social services.   These pressures seek to erode the exemptions already available to us or they narrow the rights of religious bodies to employ appropriate personnel by seeking to define what are called ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ religious activities, so as to impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs. For example, to say that only the religion teacher has a religious activity in a Christian School is not true. Secular bodies are not competent to determine what does or does not constitute religious practice.
 
Such constant subtle attempts by the enemies of religion are slowly working against the religious freedom already provided by legislation because they attempt to narrow the interpretation of current legislative provisions.  This can impose unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs.
 
Religious beliefs have social relevance for the common good of the whole community.   Religion is not a purely private and personal matter.  Christian Churches through their educational institutions, their cultural pursuits, through their social welfare and charitable organisations- Anglicare, CatholicCare, Uniting Care, St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, hospitals and nursing homes- put their faith into action after the mandate and example of Jesus Christ and they reach out to anyone of any nationality or religious persuasion in need.
 
In our own society and indeed worldwide, no organisation, no government or even the united efforts of governments as found in the United Nations, comes close to providing as many human or material resources as religions do to support the world’s most needy and vulnerable. In Australian Society, people of faith are at least seven times more likely to be voluntarily involved in social justice or welfare activities. You would surely think that the beliefs that lead religious people to these overt responses of involvement in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, could only be regarded as wonderful and positive, something worth protecting. Nevertheless, the mantra describing these beliefs as backward and deluded are growing, and are getting plenty of prominent space in mainstream media.
 
In contrast, the individualism and materialism that accompanies secularism and atheism does not have as a by product, the widespread outpouring of solidarity with our world’s most marginalised. Pardon the pun, but ……..God help the most vulnerable if the atheists were ever to come to dominate in the thinking of our western society………. I would suggest that the principle of the ‘survival of the fittest’ would truly find its home in such a society.
 
Reaching out is how we give expression to our religious purposes and beliefs defending and helping the marginalised and the vulnerable and protecting and strengthening the vital institutions of civil society beginning with the family, upholding marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, teaching the truth about the nature of human life from its first beginning to its natural end and protecting human dignity. Justice and the common good are not just Judeo-Christian ideals.   They are of concern to all citizens and are the basis of the well-being of our society.
 
Attempts to redefine marriage and to change traditional understandings about the sacredness of human life are assaults by powerful secular forces in our society on truths that cannot be abandoned or compromised without seriously weakening our social framework. We are called as Christians to live, profess and develop our faith tradition in a social milieu that is often hostile to any religious perspective on life.
 
The critics of religion and religious people are increasingly, deliberately and quite incessantly endeavouring to paint a picture of people of faith as backward, superstitious, unlearned, and easily duped. I would suggest to them that they need to embrace authentically their own ‘scientific method’ in this regard, as the weight of evidence shows that people of faith on average are well-educated, intelligent, successful people. In the main they ‘outscore’ their agnostic and atheistic contemporaries in this regard.   So let’s not fall too easily into believing that people of faith are easily deluded, as the weight of both history and contemporary society shows that people of faith have in their ranks many of the greatest minds and intellects that have ever lived.
 
This pedigree of intellect amongst believers is not dwindling and today counts amongst its numbers, a significant proportion of the world’s leading scientists.   Many of those leading minds, rather than believing that religion and science are opposing forces argue strongly that Religion and Science are nearing ever greater points of intersection as humanity comes to understand more about life and the universe at both its most microscopic and infinite levels.
 
As Fr Frank Brennan points out, all citizens “need to concede that there are experienced, intelligent people of a religious disposition in our community, just as there are experienced, intelligent people who have no need or the desire for the religious sentiment.   That’s (the very point) why religious freedom is so important.” (Fr Frank Brennan SJ, McCosker Oration)
 
My final point here is that, rather than calling for people of faith to remain silent or remove themselves from the realm of public policy and debate, their opinions and contribution should be eagerly sought. The weight of evidence would suggest that they might just have a little bit of wisdom to contribute to public debate. It is for this reason as much as any other, that upholding and securing religious freedom is so vital for society as a whole, not just for believers.

Source: Bishop Peter W Ingham

I am complete in Him who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).

I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).

I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17,18).

 I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues.  I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17, 18; Luke 10:17,19).

 I have put off the old man and have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge after the image of Him Who created me (Colossians 3:9, 10).

 I have given, and it is given to me; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men give into my bosom (Luke 6:38).

 I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

 I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16)

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

I show forth the praises of God who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23).

 I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).

I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I am a spirit being¾alive to God (Romans 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (2 Corinthians 4:4).

I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25).

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

 I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9).

I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).

I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).

I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13).

I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).

I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9).

I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12;).

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11).

I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).

I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward         (Philippians 3:14).

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

Copyright © 2008 Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc.

Faith Builders A-Z  (C)

Challenging Your Fears

If the enemy can keep us fearful he will keep us from many great adventures with God.

Many Christians could make a major difference on the mission field, but they are unable to go because of a fear of flying.

Many Christians could go and heal the sick, but their fear of sickness keeps them from this wonderful ministry.

Many Christians could go and preach the Gospel in areas dominated by demons, but they are fearful of witchcraft.

Below is the inspiring story of someone who overcame a terrible experience that could have kept him out of the sea forever, but he challenged his fear and overcame it.

As Christians we have the Almighty God dwelling within us.

I believe the Lord searches for faith. He looks for people who will trust Him and believe that He will be with them no matter what happens.

A reading of Joshua 1 will demonstrate God’s desire for His people, and especially His leaders, to “Fear not, be strong and very courageous.” There was a Promised Land to be taken. Forty years previously the leaders had allowed fear to prevent them leading the people of Israel into the land.

What is God calling you to do?

Are there any fears that you need to challenge?

Fear not! Be strong and very courageous and do it!

Rodney Fox was attacked by a great white shark and badly bitten around the chest and arm in December 1963.  His story of the attack and escape has been published many times.  He is regarded as a miracle survivor of one of the world’s worst non-fatal shark attacks.

In the attack Rodney’s abdomen was fully exposed and all ribs broken on his left hand side.  His diaphragm was punctured, lung ripped open, scapula was pierced, spleen uncovered, the main artery from his heart was exposed and he was minutes away from his veins collapsing due to the loss of large amounts of blood.  Tendons, fingers and thumb in his right hand were all cut and to this day he still has part of a great white tooth embedded in his wrist.  Many stitches (462) were required to sew him together after the attack.

His wetsuit is credited with holding him together. One lung was punctured. His ribs were exposed and bone was showing along his right hand and arm.

RODNEY FOX’S OWN TESTIMONY:

December 8, 1963 is a date that I’ll never forget. I was the South Australian spear fishing champion, and I was trying to regain my title. Halfway through the competition, I’d swum off shore trying to find a big strong fish.

And I dived down, I saw one.  I was within split seconds of shooting it — when all of a sudden this huge crunch, and it hit me in the chest, knocked my gun out of my hand, the mask off my face, and I was hurled through the water faster than I’ve ever swam before.

It was just a nightmare.

In the hospital, they cut my wetsuit off me, and they found that there were these huge gashes and teeth marks, and every rib in my chest had been broken, hole through the shoulder blade, the lung had been punctured.

Another miracle is the main artery from the heart to the stomach was left exposed, together with the spleen. One nick and I would have died. Nothing was missing, so when they stitched me up, and I — I repaired, and I’ve really nothing wrong with me today, except the scars.

Amazingly, Fox returned to the sea and diving after his attack.  He went on to design and build the first under water observation cage to dive with the great white shark (white pointer shark), and for over 40 years has now led major expeditions to film and study his attacker.  He is now regarded as a world authority on the great white shark and has a great reputation as an expedition leader and producer of shark films.  Rodney was involved in some way with most great white shark films made in the 20th century.  Rodney’s life since the attack has involved consulting and coordinating film crews and arranging and guiding ecotourism adventure trips and expeditions specializing in great white sharks (white pointer shark) and other marine creatures.

Comment – Dealing with Fear

Rodney Fox returned to the same beach after his wounds healed and went diving again – to face the fear that engulfed him after the initial attack, and overcome it.

When David encountered Goliath, a giant that had filled Israel’s finest soldiers with great fear, the Bible tells us (in 1 Samuel 17:48-51) that David ran quickly at him! 

There are times when we too must face our worst fear, and “run quickly at it” in some way – breaking its paralysing hold on our mindset and life.

Married parents 10 times more likely to stay together

New research from the UK has reinforced the importance of marriage in providing the best environment to raise children by revealing that married parents are 10 times more likely to stay together than cohabiting couples with children.

At a time when cohabitation is markedly on the increase in both the UK and Australia, the research showed that only one in 15 cohabiting relationships lasts until the first child turns 16, and that the stability of these relationships is on the decline.

In 2006 only 7 per cent of couples who were unmarried when their child was born were still together by the time their child turned 16 (down from 36 per cent in 1992), whereas 75 per cent of couples who were married when their child was born were still together when the child turned 16 (up from 70 per cent in 1992).

The comprehensive study entitled ‘Cohabitation in the 21st Century’ was carried out by Christian think-tank the Jubilee Centre and was based on almost 30,000 family cases.

Its findings should be of grave concern to Australians, with the proportion of children born outside of marriage here having almost doubled since 1988 – and one in three children now having unmarried parents. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures the number of children born out of wedlock reached 34 per cent in 2008, compared with 19 per cent in 1988.

The Jubilee Centre’s report also dispels some common myths about cohabitation serving as a good trial marriage or reducing the risk of divorce.

The report states that while two-thirds of cohabiting couples do go on to marry, cohabitation “forms a route into divorce and separation”.

“Cohabitation is typically a short-lived and fragile state on its own terms, and those couples who cohabit prior to marriage are at increased risk of divorce”, the report said.

The report has once more thrown the spotlight on the need for governments and the community to promote and advantage marriage because of its key role in building a healthy society and avoiding the heavy social and financial cost of family breakdown.

PRAYING GOD’S WORD

I received a email from Rodney Howard-Browne today and what he shared really recalled to mind something that is a key to great Christian living.

I really believe this. That’s why I wrote “Confessing and Praying God’s Word”.

Let me quote from Rodney’s email:

“Profession” is another word for “confession.” God’s Word never fails. God’s Word never returns to Him void – without producing or prospering. If we want to see God’s blessing on our lives, we need to pray God’s Word over our lives and our families.

Below are some of the prayers from the Bible that you can speak over yourself. You will renew your mind – change your thinking and take God’s Word and fill your heart with His Word – building up your faith.

Instead of praying the problem out loud – all you do is pray God’s Word. The Lord will hear your prayer and grant your petition. He honours His Word – He watches over His Word – Heaven and Earth shall pass away but His Word shall never pass away!

The prayers that Paul prayed are what you should pray over yourself everyday for the next 31 days – twice a day – and then, make it a way of life. These are so powerful and will change your life – they are the will of God for you – Heaven will answer these prayers beyond all doubt – You can know that these prayers will be answered – I want you to make these prayers the foundation of the 31 days of March and watch what God does in 2010.

Prayer # 1
Ephesians 1:17-20 AMP
Father, I pray that You would grant me a spirit of wisdom and revelation – of insight into mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of You. Flood the eyes of my heart with light so that I can know and understand the hope to which You have called me and how rich is your glorious inheritance in the saints – Your set-apart ones. And so that I can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of Your power in and for me, who believes, as demonstrated in the working of Your mighty strength which You exerted in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your own right hand in heavenly places.

Prayer # 2
Ephesians 3:14-19 AMP
I bow my knees before You, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for Whom every family in Heaven and on Earth is named. May You grant me out of the rich treasury of Your glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit, Himself indwelling my inner most being and personality. May Christ, through faith, actually dwell – settle down, abide, make – His permanent home in my heart. May I be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love. That I may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints – God’s devoted people – the experience of that love – what is the breadth and length and height and depth of it. That I may really come to know – practically, through experience for myself – the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience – that I may be filled through all my being unto all the fullness of God – that I may have the richest measure of the divine Presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!

Prayer # 3
Colossians 1:9-12 AMP
Father, I pray and make special request asking that I may be filled with the full, deep and clear knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom – in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God – and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things. That I may walk, live and conduct myself in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to You and desiring to please You in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God – with fuller, deeper and clearer insight, acquaintance and recognition. I pray that I may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of Your glory, to exercise every kind of endurance and patience – perseverance and forbearance with joy. I give thanks to You, Father, Who has qualified and made me fit to share the portion, which is the inheritance of the saints – God’s holy people in the Light.

FIRST BE RECONCILED TO YOUR BROTHER

Matthew 5:24

“…leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

• Reconciliation between people, in God’s realm, is so important that it proceeds using our gifts to serve Him!

Romans 5:8-11 – God’s Demonstration of Love – reconciliation
- He didn’t wait until we got our act together
- He died to make it happen
- He did it while we were still enemies
- He now lives to make us whole
He now gives us calls us to demonstrate our love in the same way