Having Bible knowledge and understanding is great, however if the scriptures are not living and active in our lives, it is all in vain (Hebrews 4:12-13). The life application selections contain thoughts provoking, real life challenges that will prayerfully transform us to be more like Jesus in our spiritual journey. James 1:23-27 challenges us to not just merely listen or read the scriptures, it says “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” Do not miss your blessings my friends!
They went across the lake to the region of the Gadarenes. [When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
As you read this passage above, what goes through your mind? The obvious might be going through your mind which is the man was possessed and Jesus set him free which is a fact from the story. Let me ask you a deeper question, do you believe the demons that Jesus encountered during his ministry are amongst us today? That same story is referenced in Matthew 8:29 when the demons asked Jesus a profound question, “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” When Satan was hurled down after he lost the great battle attempting to overthrow God, the scriptures say his angels were hurled down with him (Revelation 12:9). Throughout the Bible from Old to New Testament, God is warning us about Satan and his demons and the war they are waging against our soul. The Devil knows his time is short and his time is coming. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus reinforced that an hour is coming and warned us He and the angels do not know when the hour will arrive but only God.
Next there was a battle in heaven — Mikha’el and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But it was not strong enough to win, so that there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown out, that ancient serpent, also known as the Devil and Satan [the Adversary], the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now have come God’s victory, power and kingship, and the authority of his Messiah; because the Accuser of our brothers, who accuses them day and night before God, has been thrown out! “They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood and because of the message of their witness. Even when facing death they did not cling to life. “Therefore, rejoice, heaven and you who live there! But woe to you, land and sea, for the Adversary has come down to you, and he is very angry, because he knows that his time is short!”
This month of October 2024 begins a journey that compels me to step into my spiritual destiny until I meet Jesus’ face to face again. The next few months’ reflections will echo the essence of my journey. I did not understand what Jesus meant when he said to me in a vision between the age of nine and ten, while giving me a Bible, I will one day understand. As I have done for many years during my prayer and supplication, in January 2024 I asked Jehovah to reveal my next step in this season of my life. I pleaded with God if he is done with me, I am ready to go home. Jesus Showed up again and reminded me the reason he rescued me from the bondage of Satan as a little girl. Jehovah showed me why I must stay a little longer in this temporary dwelling and charged me to go warn the world about Satan’s campaign against their souls. Read my newest Devotion on heisthelight4you.com titled “The Call to Obedience: Yes, Lord I will Go!”.
“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”
Do you remember who you were when Jesus Christ rescued you? The need to be saved involves being captive or enslaved by someone or something? Jesus says those he sets free are free indeed (John 8:36). I remember the day that I came out of the water of baptism, it was a Sunday afternoon when I declared Jesus is Lord. I recall the room where I was when tears of joy flowed down my eyes to have learned that Satan has no authority in my life unless I give it to him by rebelling against God’s will for my life. To know that I no longer live but Christ lives in me as my Lord and savior (Galatians 2:20), compels me to fight against Satan and his demons’ schemes from becoming an enemy of God (1 John 3:1-6). Have you taken the time during your journey with Jesus to take a pulse about where you are in your relationship?
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
There was a time in my life as a young Christian when I had the concept of God’s Salvation twisted in my mind. I thought that there is something I could have done to stay free from sins when I said Jesus is Lord and surrendered my life to him. I will never forget the day that the Holy Spirit convicted me. He said Annaika, if you were perfect and able to keep yourself from Satan’s pollution you would not need Jesus’ blood. This was about the time I began to understand and process what apostle Paul meant when he declared what a wretched man, he was in Romans 7:24. Paul understood that his earthly body is subject to death and there is nothing he can do within his own strength, knowledge and will to get to heaven.
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I would like for you to imagine the worst thing you have ever done in your life. Maybe nobody knows about it but you. You feel ashamed and worthless. You feel unforgiven or rejected by your own conscience. Or maybe people know, and they are always ready to shame, reject, ridicule you or write you off as hopeless and remind you no redemption is available to set you free. Perhaps, this might not apply to you but there is someone you know who is drowning under Satan’s bondage because of their past mistakes or decisions. Maybe like the sinful woman, your community wants to stone you to death. Maybe not physically but by their words and actions toward you. You feel alone and seek different ways to fill the void that is swallowing your existence. The more you try to fix it, the more disconnected, helpless, confused and angry you feel. You might get up every day after drowning in tears through the night or during your private moment.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Have you seen the old cartoons where there are two figures on each shoulder of a character trying to convince them the right actions or path to go? One is depicted as an angel, and the other as a devil. This visual picture is a daily battle for every human being in this world. It is easy to say that we believe in God. The question is, do we believe in God or know of God? What does it mean to profess that God through Jesus Christ is our only source of life? I would like you to think about this passage, “Thou believes that there is one God; though doest well: the devils also believe and tremble (James 2:19- KJV).
