Abiding – Hope for Complete Healing

Spiritual Warfare 1: HOW TO DISCERN THE TRUTH

When you think of spiritual warfare, what do you think of? One thing is for sure, we all face assaults from unseen demonic spirits. One of those assaults is deception, which is why we need to know the truth. What is truth? Some people say truth is relative to what you want to believe. One of Satan’s greatest offensive tactics is to deceive us because he is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Satan began his deception in the Garden of Eden. The Apostle Paul said in 2Corinthinas 11:3, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Have you known Christians who walked away from their devotion to Jesus Christ because of a false belief? One clue you are believing a lie is when you are mentally struggling with an issue.

We need the belt of truth to discern the truth from falsehood and unhealthy beliefs. You hire a detective to find the clues that lead to the facts. But what facts do you want to believe? Would you trust the facts presented by journalists, entertainers, friends, or the Bible? Our personal detective is the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 states, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” We need to rely on the Holy Spirit to understand the truth in God’s Word. If the Bible makes little sense to you, then you may not have the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit dwells in us when we believe and ask Jesus into our hearts (Eph. 3:17). Remember, the Holy Spirit is one part of the Trinity nature of God. The three parts of God are the Son, Father, and Holy Spirit. So, to ask Jesus into your heart, you get all three parts in one Spirit. For example, Romans 8:9-11 states, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” With the help of the Spirit, we can know the truth. John 14:26 states, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Discerning the Truth

The best way to increase your ability to discern truth is to apply God’s Word to your life. Putting on the belt of truth secures your beliefs, so you are stable and not easily influenced by empty philosophy (James 1:8). So, if you doubt God’s Word is the truth, then you will be unstable and tempted to believe all kinds of false teachings and philosophies. Being devoid of truth leaves you feeling empty and despairing. So, learning and applying biblical truth is crucial for victory over the evil spirit rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers over this present darkness (Eph. 6:12). We quickly forget so we need to meditate on His Word day and night. Joshua 1:8 states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Also, read James 1:22-25.

Through prayer, I humbly ask God to reveal my false beliefs. Then, I yield my mind to the truth of God’s Word and resist the devil’s devious enticement to please my deceitful, corrupt desires. Jeremiah 17:9-10 states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? ‘I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.’” Ask God to search your heart and mind for false beliefs or corrupt desires and to transform them with the truth, so your efforts will produce good fruit. Psalm 119:11 states, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Reading your Bible every day, memorizing scriptures, participating in Bible studies, and attending Church services all strengthen the belt of truth.

Truth Sets You Free

Not only does the belt of truth secure godly beliefs in your mind, but it also sets you free. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Abide means to dwell, remain, or stay. So when we stay in God’s Word, we will know the truth and become free from our old nature based on false, unhealthy beliefs.

Truth Sanctifies You

Another function of truth is to sanctify us. John 17:17 states, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” According to Webster’s dictionary, sanctify means to be made holy or set apart as holy and made free from sin. Jesus Christ sanctified us when we believed (2Cor. 1:2). Sanctification is the process of putting off your old sinful thoughts and putting on a new way of thinking and behaving (Rom. 6:19). Ephesians 4:21-24 states, “Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Evidence You Have ON The Belt of Truth

Do you practice the truth? 1Jonn 1:6 states, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” John. 8:12 states, “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” How do we know if we walk in darkness? Ephesians 5:8-9 states, “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” If you do what is right, practice the truth, and your heart wants to please God, you know you are in the light and not in darkness.

The Bible also says to put on the armor of light and walk in the light of Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Believers in Rome to put on Jesus Christ, the “armor of light.” Romans 13:12–14 states the following:

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off [loose, let go] the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

When you put on the armor of light, it protects you from evil. The light also exposes your sinful desires (the works of darkness), so you can repent and put your mind on the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5–8). Remember, the devil accesses your mind through the weakness of your flesh. Satan also gains access through our resentment from offenses, forgiveness closes that door.

Proverbs 4:19 states, “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” Ask God to search your mind and show you the sins or resentments waging war against your soul (1Pet. 2:11). The soul is the origin of our thoughts and will, which determines all behavior. And the soul is considered the moral or emotional nature of man. So, the unseen battleground is for your soul.

John 3:20 states, “For everyone who does wicked [evil] things hates the light, and does not come to the light for fear that his works [deeds] will be exposed.” When God shines His light on your sin, then pray and verbally put off what He has shown you, in Jesus’ name. If He exposes resentment, forgive those who caused the resentment and loose the painful emotions in Jesus’ name, and then be thankful for something to transform the memory. Jesus set you free from the control of sin (Rom. 6:14, 18), but you still need to take captive the thoughts that lure you to sin or to be resentful (2Cor. 10:5).

The second evidence you have the belt of truth on is loving others in deed and truth? 1John 3:18-19 states, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him [God].”

The third evidence is keeping the commandments of God. 1John 2:4-6 states, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

Conclusion

The truth is the opposite of deceit or falsehood. If you doubt the truth of God’s Word, then you will be unstable and influenced by any false doctrine. You need the Holy Spirit to dwell in you and help you know the truth so you can be set free from the bondage of demonic deception. The belt of truth helps secure healthy beliefs about yourself, others, the world, and God. The truth also changes us from the inside out, so we can love from a pure heart and do what is right. You know you have the belt of truth on when you desire to meditate on Scripture and please God. The belt of truth is necessary to have on if you are to remain secure in godly beliefs and not be deceived by the devil.

Pray:I put on the BELT OF TRUTH and will ponder scriptural truths day and night so I don’t sin against You and to succeed in all I do. I will depend on the Holy Spirit to lead me in truth, so I am not deceived. I humbly yield my mind to the truth of God’s Word and resist the devil’s temptation to sin through my deceitful, corrupt desires. (Josh. 1:8; Ps.119:11; James 4:7-8; Jer. 17:9-10; Eph. 4:22.)

Spiritual Warfare 3: HOW TO BATTLE FOR PEACE

Spiritual Warfare 4: How to Protect Your Mind

Spiritual Warfare 5: HOW TO ANNIHILATE UNSEEN ATTACKS

Spiritual Warfare 6: HOW FAITH OFFERS FULL PROTECTION

HOW TO DESTROY THE DEVIL’S WORK IN YOUR LIFE

All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family; hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

If you find this website helpful, you will benefit from the latest book. You can order Breaking Mental Strongholds on Amazon.

Also, check out my book called Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. I would love to hear what you think. To learn more about my book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

The End is Coming: Part Three—Are You Ready?

Matthew 24:44 states, “Therefore, you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 1Thessalonians 5:2 states, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” How should we be ready for Christ’s return? In Part One, I explained why the New Testament writers thought the end was close. In Part Two, I explained how the Apostle Peter thought we are to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ and how to complete our life’s race in victory. In this blog post, I will explain why you are to stay alert and sober-minded for the purpose of prayer until Christ’s return.

Why do we need to be sober-minded to pray?

1Peter 4:7 (NIV) states, The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert (ESV says, be self-controlled; NAS says, be of sound judgment) and of sober mind so that you may pray. The Modern King James Version says, “But the end of all things has drawn near. Therefore, be of sound mind and be sensible to prayers.” A sober-minded person is rational and sensible; who can reason with sound judgment and good sense; thus, they understand and grasp the meaning of what to do. The reason we are to be sober-minded is so we can pray rationally and sensibly.

Ephesians 6:18 states, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” The Apostle Paul told the Ephesian church to pray all the time and keep alert with perseverance as they petition God on behalf of fellow believers. First, how do you pray all the time? I learned to turn every thought into a prayer. When I think of someone, I pray for them. If I get anxious about something, I pray and give it to God. I ask God for the right thoughts to encourage someone. You get the idea. Praying all the time is a mental discipline, which is why you need to be self-controlled. It is easy to let your mind give in to a pleasurable temptation or complaining. When you are self-controlled, you take responsibility for your thoughts and choose the right views that please God. To learn how to have godly thoughts, read Victorious Thinking to Live a Successful Life and Thoughts That Create Peace Within and Without.

Why does praying help us be ready for Christ’s return?

First, prayer keeps your mind on the things above where Christ is seated and not the worries and allurements of this world. Colossians 3:1-2 states, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Why should we not think about the things on the earth? Read What Will Cause You to Lose Your Inheritance. How do we keep our mind on the things above? Read How do you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

Second, prayer is how you abide with Christ Jesus so you can produce good fruit. John 15:5 states, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” And 1John 2:28 states, “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.” When you are abiding with Jesus then you won’t shrink back in shame when He comes back.

Third, prayer is how you stay submitted to God and remain alert to the devil’s temptations and oppression. 1Peter 5:8 states, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” And James 4:7-8 states, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” Be alert and aware of when the devil is influencing your thoughts, if you have unholy thoughts, give them to God in prayer then dwell on His truth. You resist the devil through prayer and speaking the truth in the Word of God. To learn how Jesus is our example, read Matthew, chapter 4.

Fourth, prayer is a good way to hide God’s Word in our hearts, so we don’t sin. Psalm 119:11 and 15 states, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 15) I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Joshua 1:8 states, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Meditates means to think deeply about and ponder. When we pray the Word of God, we are meditating on them. I recommend writing a verse from your morning Bible reading and review it throughout the day and make it a part of your prayer. In Joshua 1:8, he says to be careful to do according to all that is written, and it comes with a promise. James 1:25 also tells us, “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” The law of liberty refers to the work Christ did on the cross to show His love and set us free from sin’s control. The perfect law is to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Praying the Word of God helps you do the Word of God, so you will be blessed in what you do.

Conclusion:

The end was near over 2000 years ago, and we are that much closer, which is why we must stay focused in prayer on God’s Word, loving Him and others, and the gospel message of Jesus. We are to be ready and alert for Christ Jesus’s return because no one knows when it will be. The Apostle Peter said we are to be sober-minded so we can pray. A sober-minded person is someone who is grounded in reality and understands what they need to do and does it. Prayer keeps our mind on the things of God as we daily pray God’s Word into our lives. Praying all the times mean we turn every thought into a prayer to God, which includes praise and worship with a thankful heart.

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All verses are from the English Standard Bible. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected, and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, salvation for non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).

Unanswered Prayer? Are You Connected?

Nothing is more discouraging to our faith than not getting what we pray or hope for. The first two reasons why God may not give what you ask for are: 1) God may not be your Father and 2) what you are asking for may not be good. Read Reasons One and Two Why Prayer Is Not Answered.

Now, if you know for certain that God is your Father, and you believe what you are asking for is according to His will, then do you only pray when you are desperate or need something? God created us to be in relationships with others and especially with Himself. A healthy relationship requires spending time and talking with those we love. So, the third reason why you feel your prayers are hitting the ceiling is not being in the right relationship with God.

For example, if a lamp is not plugged into a power source, the lamp will not produce light. By faith, you expect the lamp to light when you plug it into an electric outlet, and as long as it stays plugged in, it will light. The power to the outlet comes from outside the building, just like our power source is from God. And as long as we remain connected to God, we will have power. Are you always plugged into God and the Bible?

John 15:7 states, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Are you abiding in God and are His words abiding in you?

Abide means to remain in something. We abide in God in the same way we rest in a place of shelter. When we abide in God, we trust He will protect us and provide for us. We remain in the shelter of God by faith through continual prayer with thanksgiving, praise, and pondering Scriptural truths.

Psalm 91:1 states, “He who dwells in the shelter (secret place) of the Most High will abide (rest) in the shadow of the Almighty.” Read my post called Psalm 91:1–How to Dwell in Heaven Now to learn more about how to abide in heaven with God.

When we pray with thanksgiving, praising God, and ponder Scripture, then our spirit draws near to Him, and He promises to draw near to us (see James 4:8). Do you only pray to Him and read your Bible in church on Sunday morning and maybe Wednesday night service? Do you say a nightly prayer after spending the day worrying or doing and thinking about worldly things? If your answer is yes, then you are not abiding in God.

Do you abide in God’s Word by reading it every day and memorizing it? If not, resolve to begin today. The mornings are the best time to read the Bible so you can meditate on what you read throughout the day. Writing out a key verse and reviewing it throughout the day will help you stay connected to God. 2 John 1:9 states, “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God (in their hearts). Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

How do I know if I am abiding in God?

1John 3:18-24 explains how you know if you are staying connected to God.

18) Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

19) By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;

20) for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.

21) Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

22) and whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

23) And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

24) Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this, we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you want to know if you have resentment towards anyone, then read How to Recognize and Eliminate Emotional Cancer.

If you have a hard time loving people, then read Love From a Pure Heart to become free to love others well. 1Corinthians 13:13 states, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1John 3:17 explains, “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees a brother (Christian brother or sister) in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does God’s love abide in him?”

Conclusion

Prayer is our connection to the living, almighty God, and is the channel through which we receive power, wisdom, direction, and healing. Prayer is not only asking for things. You must remain in connection with God through continual prayer with thanksgiving by faith, reading His Word, and loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. If your heart does not condemn you, then you have the confidence to be connected to God. Ephesians 3:11and 12 states, “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”

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If you find my posts and website helpful, then please share the links with your friends and family, hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected and no part of the posts or my book may be reproduced without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. Please leave your name so I know you are a real person making the request.

P.S.: Experiencing a lasting change in your life depends on having a right relationship with God the Father through believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying His command to love (1 John 3).