Armed For Battle
By Joyce Johnson
So He
humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which
you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make
you to know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man
lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
(Deuteronomy 8:3 RSV)
God's Word was first spoken in Genesis He said "Let there be
light and it obeyed Him."
We observe through the book of Genesis that God created the
heaven and earth and within six days everything that He had
created was very good. Adam and Eve give way to the words of
Satan and 'Paradise was Lost' and can only be regained by
following the unchangeable Word of God.
God's Word includes- statement, information and His promises,
and much more; when He had completed His creation it was very
good and His intention was for it to stay that way. Well, man's
disobedience to God changed everything. But God had already made
provision through His Son, and also to through those who would
follow Him in obedience to recapture our lost paradise, not by
man's might or their power but by God's Spiritual force behind
His Word. The spiritual underworld is an imitation and also is
in opposition to God's spiritual world.
This article is about God's Word (which gives instruction for
our benefit) and it is written in form of a journal from page
two. It is just a brainstorming piece which was done today and
some of the material will likely be developed into another
article or two, according to the Lord's direction; this is
number one.
The devil sabotages God's spiritual world and sets in motion his
world of evil and deception. God's perfect plan which cannot be
broken came through our Redeemer, Jesus Christ the righteous
One, who made an open show of Satan on the Cross and went down
into his territory and took back the keys: of death,
destruction, devastation, to demolish the opposition's plans of
permanent hold on mankind.
Now Jesus gave back those keys to all believers to appropriate
them effectively through His Word, against all principalities
and powers in heaven and on earth, in His name; so that whatever
we bind or loose on earth is already bind and loose in heaven.
This declaration was already spoken by God to His Son; the Word
was with God way back in the beginning.
The Word of God captured my heart ever since I became a
Christian; I read it and committed it to memory (more difficult
now in my twilight years) at a very early stage in my walk. The
Old Testament and the book of Acts (were my special favorites)
especially observing in particular, how God and man
communicated; that to I craved, the relationship to speak to God
as they did and have Him speak to me, as He spoke to them, but
it was never to be. Fasting and praying to gain that privilege
and also stayed up all night, seeking God for unusual
experiences, but nothing unusual happened, so frustration would
resulted as a mark of disappointment.
Nevertheless, I learned to resign myself that God wanted me to
trust Him and not any outward manifestations because He was
maturing me as a result of spending time with Him. I faithfully
followed His Word and delighted in it throughout the years, and
believing that the Word of God is always within me, and it was
being engraved on my heart.
From time to time I would make a study on various topics and
today's topic 'the Word' was one of them. I frequently write its
teaching down and practice to use it as points in my prayers;
but I do believe, the time has come to do more than what I've
done in the past.
It's a feeling of urgency since the end of last year, God is
impressing on my heart, to value His Word more and to extract
the power behind it and the purpose is to equip me for what is
about to come (no doubt this urgency is for all believer).
As the revelation came, I was saying in my heart to Him, 'yea,
yea I know it Lord' but He continued giving Scripture texts
relating to using the Word effectively, which deepens my
conviction I had since November or December 2007. It dawned on
me that I must seriously study the Word in a much deeper way,
believing what I have read (although I though I was already
doing it). No! This is different, read it and expect what it
says to happen even though I had been confessing it, speaking it
out and using it in prayer; bar to 'the name it and claim it'
sort of thing.
During one of my quiet time I read; "Have faith in God,
---whoever say to this mountain ---" (Mark 11:23-24 NKJV
paraphrased).
This is where it all started as I dialogue with my Father and
asked Him questions, 'do I have the faith of God; can I speak
those words and see things happen?' I wrote out the two verses
before looking up the references. I looked at each line
separately to get maximum impact, I put them in categories (a)
'Have faith in God, (b) say to the mountain, (c) don't doubt,
(d) what things you ask in prayer, (e) believe that you receives
you shall have them!' I turned the texts around in many ways and
then came to the conclusion that 'Saying is Praying, and Asking
is Saying.'
Strange I thought I knew that before, I believe firmly that the
Lord wanted to get my attention; I wrote in a notebook pages and
pages as I put the texts with their references through a sieve.
The Scripture which seem to bring clarification and gave me an
answer was (Matthew 21:21-22 RSV) Jesus answered the question I
had asked.
"Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and never doubt, you
will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if
you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,'
it will be done. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will
receive, if you have faith." I know this text has major on
faith, but what had gained my attention was say and the
revelation is, saying is speaking, and those words had to be
verbally spoken from - my mouth.
As the earlier paragraphs stated I have been bombarded whenever
I read the Bible, watched Christian TV, listened to sermons, the
same words kept on popping up, which continued throughout the
end of last year up until I have decided to write about the
Word.
On Friday February second, as I began to meditate on the Word, I
wrote in my note book:
1. I can't expect God to work through His Word except I am
living by it
(a) I believe God's Word is what it says it is (ever since I
became a Christian I love the word of God and expect to do
whatever it says) I do get frustrated when it appears to me that
God is not working through His Word on my behalf but this is
only operating in the mentality of my timescale and not God's.
(b) I must literally live it out: Chuck Swindoll's famous quote
is information without application is 'fruitless' (or something
like that I heard years ago).
(c) I can use these words in my everyday life: So when I read it
(1) I must believe it
(2) Act upon it
(3) Live it
2. I said to God, How do I do that? I wanted a simple and clear
answer easy to follow; then my mind continued on overdrive. I
believe applying God's Word is the KEY. Lord I know that my
breakthrough comes by living Your Word. How do I do that?
How can I make it work for me? I made a statement, Lord, simple
steps first. Then a thought came:
Can you imagine if every Christian start to literally live out
the Word God gives them?
I questioned When do I start? Swiftly the word came
NOW! I replied-
Okay!
On Saturday February third, I was still meditating on the words
I had receive so far, still questioning mentally, and a word I
knew from Isaiah, I had read it a few days before without much
attention, as it was just another text. But the word of the Lord
was to them "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line
upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little---"
Isaiah 28:13&10 NKJV). This was one of God's warnings to Israel
because of their disobedience (not taking heed to His Word that
Isaiah the prophet brought to them, to inform them that they
were going to pay the consequences).
I had to follow the old landmark, this is God's calling to all
of us He hsd allowed to read this article,only you will identify
what He has already spoken to you.
I read the daily devotional WORD FOR TODAY and the text was on
'Be careful to obey all the law' (Joshua 1:7 NIV) God was
talking to Joshua about His law and I took that as a directive
from the Lord about continuing the theme.
On Sunday February fourth, I believe this was another one of
God's confirmation when I went to my Church's book stall and
someone talked highly about a book R.U.L.E.S of ENGAGEMENT by
Dr, Cindy Trimm. I was curious and I looked on the little book
and thought that it did not value the selling price (a little
larger than a small booklet), so I walked away and then I was
drawn back to the book, reluctantly I bought the book.
And said to myself, I do hope what's in it will be beneficial.
And to my utter amazement discovered that this little book is
littered with the Word of God, dealing with spiritual warfare,
praying and declaring our authority in every natural and
spiritual realm.
This type of prayer is new to me but I will become equip and
learn to gradually use it effectively. The material within this
little book has become a tool in my hand; to thrust me on the
word processor and to use some of my notes as a guide, and
therefore to obey and write what I felt the Lord wants me to
write.
On Tuesday February fifth, after brain storming who's; what's,
how's, when's, where's and why's; (is yet to be developed) I
have now begin in earnest to investigate the precious Word of
God simply but, I do hope effectively, to dissect the effect it
has to change circumstances in our individual lives and our
world. God want us to get back to His Word and unreservedly take
up our position and declare war, with our heads held up high and
to know that there's no need to retreat, knowing that no matter
what happens we win. Because God has already won the victory for
us and we are only going through the action replay. We know, we
know, we know!!
My name is Joyce Johnson, I have been a Christian since
1966. I accepted the Lord in a Billy Graham Crusade in Earls
Court, London, UK. I love to write every and anything on paper,
write letters to God also write my thoughts during my devotion.
