April 20, 2024

Say Amen

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

This life is a journey we walk by faith
And there will always be the mountains in our way
But right here in this moment, may our strength be renewed
As we recall what God has done and how we’ve seen Him move

If there’s anybody here who’s found Him faithful
Anybody here who knows He’s able
Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Just Say AMEN!

Sometimes through the darkness, it’s hard to see
So just be brave and follow where He leads
‘Cause greater is the One who’s in us, than he who’s in the world
So, child of God remember, the battle is the Lord’s

And if there’s anybody here who’s found Him faithful
Anybody here who knows He’s able
Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow
And seen it time and time again
Then just Say AMEN!

Even in the valley of the shadow
When you feel alone in the unknown
Just say Amen, Just say Amen
Even when the storms are raging,
Stand and know you’re not forsaken
Just say Amen, Just say Amen
Is there anybody here,
Tell me is there anybody here
Come on and Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Come on and Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow
And seen it time and time again
Just say Amen, Just say Amen!

Finding Favour
David Neesmith, Michael Farren, Kenna West, Jason Cox

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Blessed (affectionately and gratefully praised) be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)
Psalm 106:48 AMP

This song makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.  It takes me from the mountaintop to the valley and back up again.  It fills me with such a rush of emotions—despair and joy, desperation and hope, distress and peace.  But most of all it reminds me to be thankful for all He has done.

Reading through the lyrics brought many of my favorite Scriptures to mind:

For we walk by faith, not by sight,
2 Corinthians 5:7 HCSB

You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north….
Deuteronomy 2:3

He renews my strength….
Psalm 23:3 NLT

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched,
nor will the flame kindle upon you.
Isaiah 43:2 AMP

For I will turn their mourning into joy
And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow
Jeremiah 31:13 NASB

He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

…For the battle is the Lord’s.
1 Samuel 17:47

These Scriptures serve as reminders not only of God’s promises but of all I have seen Him do in my life.  Looking back over my past gives me hope for the future.  I know He is able and I am so grateful. So let me ask you, have you…

  • walked through the valley of the shadow and made it through to the other side?
  • taken refuge under His wings until the storm passed?
  • found Him faithful, seen His power?
  • been brought through the fire?
  • found joy in the middle of sorrow?
  • and peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow?

Then testify it is true in your life.
Take time to gratefully praise Him.
‘Say Amen’ and rejoice that it is so.

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Father God, I will never, ever be able to thank You enough for the times You have been faithful in my life.  For the times I have seen Your power…the times You brought me through the fire…the times You have given me peace in the storm.  Thank You that I can look back and see Your hand upon my life.  It gives me hope for tomorrow.  In Your name I pray – Amen, it is so!

This Week…1 John 4:4

SeekingHimLogo

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He who lives in you
is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

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This week, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, our sisters have been encouraging us with this Truth.     Here are a few highlights from the devotionals that Tina, Laura, Cynda, and Ahmee wrote earlier this week.

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In Success, Cynda did a Biblical word search on ‘success’ and shared a number of verses with us.  She wrote of a common struggle we have:

“All of us want success.  Yet so many times we get bogged down and frustrated.  Why?  We forget to let God lead.  We forget He is always with us.  We forget He is greater than anything we could come up against.”

(And then reminded us of the truth:)

“Who brings about our success? God
Why? Because we seek His guidance and leadership
How? Because God is Greater than he who is in the world”

In Who You Are, Ahmee shared some things that have been happening in her life and the struggles she has been going through.  She shared some good encouragement about what we choose to believe about ourselves.

“Be mindful of the spoken words you choose to believe about yourself. John 8:44 says that the devil is ‘the father of lies’.  The people we encounter may not be of the devil or demons, but their words can be used to plant seeds that Satan will use against us.  Anything time you choose to believe words spoken about yourself, first test it against the Word of God.  God has the final say about who you are, because He made you.  God is greater than Satan.  He will always be greater than Satan. Therefore, His Word is always going to be greater than anything Satan could have to say about us.  Test the words you hear, against the Almighty’s words. ”

In Living In Us, Tina  shared a very good question:

“How to be in the world but not of the world.  We strive everyday to live in a fallen world…surrounded by hate, mistrust, deception, malice, negative thoughts, and backbiting.  We are guilty of it no matter how hard we may try to remove ourselves from it.

The question is, how do we live in the world but not of the world ?
By inviting the Holy Spirit to live in us.”

In Weapons of God, Laura shared an experience and how it reminded her of Who is living in her and how that protects us.

“This past weekend I had the joy of enjoying the Priscilla Shirer simulcast…her topic was on the armor of God.

God is greater than all in the world.  He is greater than man and greater than all disasters and sin on the earth.  It is hard to protect ourselves from the world.  Yet, when we accept God we are from God. He sends us to spread His message, and we must be prepared.  The armor of God is a set of weapons that we can use to protect ourselves with and be part of the one who is greater than us.”

 

Weapons of God

SeekingHimLogo

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,
because the One Who is in you is greater
than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

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This past weekend I had the joy of enjoying the Priscilla Shirer simulcast from Huntsville, Alabama.  I love Ms. Shirer; she is funny and she understands the Bible very clearly.  She has this way about her that makes you think about the Bible in a totally different perspective.  This past weekend her topic was on the armor of God.

God is greater than all in the world.  He is greater than man and greater than all disasters and sin on the earth.  It is hard to protect ourselves from the world.  Yet, when we accept God we are from God. He sends us to spread His message, and we must be prepared.  The armor of God is a set of weapons that we can use to protect ourselves with and be part of the one who is greater than us.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me
so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains.
Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:14-20

Our weapons are spiritual.  If we gird ourselves with the Truth of God we can’t be touched.  All we have to do is have faith in God and His Living Word—Jesus.  We are made ready when we get into the Word of God.  The Word of God is our Shield and Sword.  The Word of God protects us by teaching us how God wants us to live.  It is the Sword that lets us protect ourselves from the enemy.  Prayer is one of the greatest weapons…it is our direct line to God.  We can praise Him and ask Him for anything when we pray to Him.

All we have to do is become part of God and put on His armor.  His armor—truth, love, faith, the Word of the living God, and prayer—are the weapons that we are equipped with to protect ourselves from sin and to spread the good news about God to others.  The armor shields us from sin and allows us to be godly example to others.

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Dear Heavenly Father: I put on Your armor when I step out of the door every day.  I remember Your words and let them guide me.  I let Your truths wash over me and cleanse me.  Your Spirit is my Sword and salvation.  Without it, the world would consume me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Greater

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Bring your tired
Bring your shame
Bring your guilt
Bring your pain
Don’t you know that’s not your name
You will always be much more to me
Every day I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I’m not right
But that’s all right

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
Bring your fears
Bring your hurt
Bring your tears
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous, and redeemed

Every time I fall
There’ll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well that’s ok

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the Cross already won the war
He’s Greater
He’s Greater

I am learning to run freely
Understanding just how He sees me
And it makes me love Him more and more
He’s Greater
He’s Greater

MercyMe
written by: Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Barry Graul, Mike Scheuchzer, Robby Shaffer, along with David Garcia, Ben Glover

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Will you sing this truth along with me…

“…Greater is the One living inside of me than he who is living in the world!”

Declare it!  Confess it!  Proclaim it!  Believe it!  This truth needs to be deep in our hearts.  It has nothing to do with anything that you or I, my friend, can accomplish…it is ALL because of Jesus.

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

 I have been crucified with Christ;
and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20

There are times (and there will be more times) when we are tempted to deny this truth….  So you lost the battle today; not such a big deal!

Grace says that it doesn’t matter ’cause the Cross already won the war!”

When we are willing to accept this grace we can be free.  Free to be just exactly who God (in Christ) has made us to be!

  • We are set free from bondage and slavery to sin

It was for freedom that Christ set us free;
thereforekeep standing firm
and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

  • We are free from condemnation

Therefore there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
For what the Law could not do…God did: sending His own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin….
Romans 8:1-3

  • We are alive to God and dead to sin

  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead,
is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all;
but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin,
but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:8-11

  • We are seated with Him now…and for eternity

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air,
of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,
indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him,
and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
so that in the ages to come He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1-7

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Heavenly Father, how good and kind You are to us!  For all You have provided for us through Your Son, our Lord, we are so thankful!  Truly we are free indeed ’cause “greater is the One Who is living in us than he who is living in the world”!   We do get distracted and tempted to forget this Truth…please help us to remember!  Thank You for Your mercy and love and grace which has made us alive in Christ!  May we keep this Truth in our hearts and on our lips so that we can share it with others!  We pray thanking You and praising You…in Jesus’ name, amen.

Success

SeekingHimLogo

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He who lives in you
is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

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Each of us has dreams.  All of us want success.  Yet so many times we get bogged down and frustrated.  Why?  We forget to let God lead.  We forget He is always with us.  We forget He is greater than anything we could come up against.  (Plus, we often expect it to happen instantly.)
In Matthew 17:20 (NLT) Jesus tells us,

I tell you the truth,
if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,
you could say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’
and it would move.
Nothing would be impossible.

We read that and assume it will happen instantly.  But, what if God wants us to hang in there as He helps us move that mountain bit by bit…?  Matthew 17:20 doesn’t mention a time frame.  It does tell us that nothing is impossible because, as 1 John 4:4 reminds us, God is greater than the things of this world.  God will help us overcome that mountain.  He gives us success.  His way is perfect.  He is greater than all of our enemies put together.  (BTW, enemies aren’t always people—pride, fear, doubt are enemies as well.)

I did a Biblical word search on ‘success.  These are just a few of the verses I found:

…the Lord has made my journey a success.
Genesis 24:56 HCSB

…the Lord was with him, giving him success in everything he did.
Genesis 39:3 NLT

…for it is He who blesses you…and gives you success in all your work.
Deuteronomy 16:15 NLT

He will ensure my safety and success.
2 Samuel 23:5 NLT

The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success.
Nehemiah 2:20 HCSB

He stores up success for the upright….
Proverbs 2:7 HCSB

{And my favorite one:}
And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.
2 Chronicles 26:5b NLT

Who brings about our success? God
Why? Because we seek His guidance and leadership
How? Because God is Greater than he who is in the world

WooHoo!!!!
Doesn’t that just make you want to shout
and do a happy dance?

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Lord, I am so very thankful You are greater than the One Who controls this world. Remind me to seek Your leadership and guidance. When I do, You will ensure my success. And all glory and honor will be Yours. In Your Holy name I pray, Amen – It Is So!!!

Who You Are

SeekingHimLogo

You, dear children, are from God
and have overcome them,
because the One Who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

These past few months I have had a lot going on—constant sickness, tragic events, stress at jobs, quitting the preschool job, deciding what to do with my life, school, exams, papers galore, and, getting engaged.  During this time I have been struggling with my identity, or rather, a mixture of that and where I belong.  Life can be tough sometimes.  And I’ll be the first to say that I am not a happy-go-lucky person.  I’m often practical…not too emotional; but I do have my days.  Some would say I’m mean.  I say I’m just straight to the point.  Either way, I think we could all agree that I’m a little rough around the edges.

I used to struggle daily with self-hatred.  I have grown to like myself.  I love myself, but I also now like myself, too.  Others, though, are keen on trying to change me.  I know I have things that I need to improve, but people don’t change people.  God changes people.  And people constantly telling me that I need be this or that, does not work for me. I hear what people say. And I prayerfully consider what people say. But I work with God to improve me, and I strive to be the person that He created me to be.

I believe that you are who you are because of the things we have experienced and the lives we have lived and the hand we’ve been dealt and the families we are part of.  I also believe that who you are may not line up 100% with who God intended you to be.  Therefore, we must work hand-in-hand with Him allowing Him to transform us into the beings He intended us to be.  It’s a lifelong process.  Do I think I will ever reach that goal?  Nope.  But I will strive for it until the day I die.

I would say this is a long introduction to get to the point I am trying to make.  1 John 4:4 says,

You, dear children, are from God
and have overcome them,
because the One Who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.

This passage really does need to be read in context.  It goes on to say, “They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them” (verse 5).

Be mindful of the spoken words you choose to believe about yourself. John 8:44 says that the devil is ‘the father of lies’.  The people we encounter may not be of the devil or demons, but their words can be used to plant seeds that Satan will use against us.  Anything time you choose to believe words spoken about yourself, first test it against the Word of God.  God has the final say about who you are, because He made you.  God is greater than Satan.  He will always be greater than Satan. Therefore, His Word is always going to be greater than anything Satan could have to say about us.  Test the words you hear, against the Almighty’s words.

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Lord, I know that You are greater than anything this world could ever fathom.  Please help me to believe and live in this wonderful truth.  Amen.

Our God (Is Greater)

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Water You turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like You, none like You
Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There’s no one like You, none like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God

And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
What could stand against

Chris Tomlin
written along with Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman, Jesse Reeves

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Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

I was writing a devotional blog on 1 John 4:4 and this song got stuck in my head.  Such a great reminder that we have nothing to fear.  Our God IS greater than the enemy and anything he can throw at us.  The Scriptures repeat this over and over again:

Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods,
because He did wonders when the Egyptians acted arrogantly against Israel.
Exodus 18:11 HCSB

David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.
2 Samuel 5:10/1 Chronicles 11:9 NASB

And the temple which I build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.
2 Chronicles 2:5 NKJV

Be strong and courageous.
Be not afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him,
for there is Another with us greater than [all those] with him.
2 Chronicles 32:7 AMP

Look, God is greater than we can understand.
Job 36:26 NLT

Greater than the roar of many waters—the mighty breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is majestic.
Psalm 93:4 HCSB

For I know that Yahweh is great; our Lord is greater than all gods.
Psalm 135:5 HCSB

On and on it goes—our God is Greater.

  • Greater than any human being.
  • Greater than all of our enemies.
  • Greater than any obstacles or circumstances in our life.
  • Greater than any of our mistakes, our failures, our flaws.

To quote MercyMe:

“There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the Cross already won the war
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world.”

Our God is greater, stronger, higher than anyone or anything else.  Period.  His power is beyond our understanding.  Since God is for us, who or what could ever stop us?  Since God is with us, then what could ever stand against us?

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Thank You, Lord!  You are greater than any other and Your power far exceeds anything we could imagine. Thank You for lifting us out of the ashes and shining Your light on us.  In Your precious name I pray, Amen – It is so!

Greater – 1 John 4:4

SeekingHimLogo

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them;
because greater is He who is in you
than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

Bring your tired
Bring your shame
Bring your guilt
Bring your pain
Don’t you know that’s not your name
You will always be much more to Me

Everyday I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I’m not right
But that’s alright

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
Bring your fears
Bring your hurt
Bring your tears
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous and redeemed

Every time I fall
There’ll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well, that’s ok

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the Cross already won the war
He’s greater
He’s greater
I am learning to run freely
Understanding just how He sees me
And it makes me love Him more and more
He’s greater
He’s greater

MercyMe
Writer(s): Bart Millard, Mike Scheuchzer, Nathan Cochran,
Robby Shaffer, Barry Graul, David Garcia, Ben Glover

Child Forgiven

 Many of you have gone on Spring Break or are anticipating taking a vacation this summer.  It is a time to refresh spirit, soul, and body.  Over the next couple of weeks, our faithful bloggers will be taking a ‘spring break’ from writing so that they can come back to us refreshed and freshly anointed. 

However, Girlfriends’ Coffee Hour website won’t ‘go black’!  We will be revisiting some of our favorite blogs and daily devotions which have blessed us in the past.  We pray that each of you, our faithful friends and readers, will continue to start your day meditating on the devotionals and songblogs, and be encouraged and blessed.

Let’s give each of our bloggers a big round of applause, a hug,
and the rest they so deserve.  God bless you, ladies!

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
I thought I had my bases covered

My destiny was in control
But I could see I’d never reach perfection
The day I hit a slick spot in the road

After that I thought my life was over
But Jesus had a different point of view
All I did was confess, and Jesus did the rest
Thank God I’ve been released and made brand new

You’re looking at a child forgiven
You’re looking at a soul set free
You’re looking at a pardoned prisoner who’s walking now in liberty
I’m standing here because of wondrous grace
My sins are in the deepest sea
He washed me clean somehow
So what you’re seeing now
Is a happy, happy child set free

Now what you see is not a perfect person
What you see is not a faultless soul
What you see is someone who was broken
Until the hand of Jesus made me whole

What you see is not a finished product
What you see might sometimes miss the mark
But I know my Father’s eyes see only His sweet prize
The perfect holy children that we are

The Gaither Vocal Band
Songwriters: Suzanne Jennings and Bill Gaither

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Hey, before we go any further, would you do one thing, please?  Would you go look in the mirror….  Now, see there?!  There is a “child forgiven, a happy happy child set free”…you!

But for the grace of God, we would still be prisoners and slaves to sin. But for His wondrous and amazing grace, we would be without hope.  But,

This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace….
Romans 3:22-24

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,
and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13 and 14

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Ephesians 1:4

One of the joy-filled lines of this song is “But I know my Father’s eyes see only His sweet prize—the perfect holy children that we are…”.  Now I know we aren’t completely and totally perfectly perfect yet…but remember Jesus told His disciples (and us!) to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

The apostle Paul, who is such a wonderful example to us of how to live righteously, wrote of his own struggle with this Truth:

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on
so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;
and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
Philippians 3:12-16

It is so very important to remember the Truth of who you are in Christ.  Here are just a few aspects of this reality that, by God’s grace, He has made us to be.

  • I am forgiven; Jesus paid my debt

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us
and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the Cross.
Colossians 2:13 and 14

  • I am His child

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:12

  • I belong to Him

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him]
and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

  • I am chosen, holy

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people belonging to God,
that you may declare the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:9

  • I cannot be separated from His love

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35-39

  • I have been given strength to do all which God calls me to do

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me
[I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him
Who infuses inner strength into me…].
Philippians 4:13

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…Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come…
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead,
and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us
and released us from our sins by His blood—
Revelations 1:4 and 5

Greater

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Bring your tired
Bring your shame
Bring your guilt
Bring your pain
Don’t you know that’s not your name
You will always be much more to me
Every day I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I’m not right
But that’s all right

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
Bring your fears
Bring your hurt
Bring your tears
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous, and redeemed

Every time I fall
There’ll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well that’s ok

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the Cross already won the war
He’s Greater
He’s Greater

I am learning to run freely
Understanding just how He sees me
And it makes me love Him more and more
He’s Greater
He’s Greater

MercyMe ~ Bart Millard, Nathan Cochran, Barry Graul, Mike Scheuchzer, Robby Shaffer,  along with David Garcia, Ben Glover

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Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated
and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist],
because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 AMP

This is another of my favorite songs.  As I was researching it, I came across the story behind the song.  I LOVE the story behind this song…. In a nutshell, Bart Miller’s son has a stuttering problem.  Some of the kids at church were making fun of him.  Bart told his son, “You know what I’ve told you.  That’s not them.  The enemy may be using them, but these kids are good kids.  They’re not coming after you, it’s just the enemy is taking shots at you.  He’s taking shots at you because you’re something special and he’s afraid of something you may do.”

We have all been there, right?  Satan loves taking potshots at all of us, hoping to make us feel less than acceptable.  He distracts us from our purpose by making us feel unlovable and unworthy. atan throws the past in our face, points out our shortcomings and tells us we will never be enough.  But 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) states, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” And Romans 8:1 (HCSB) tells us,

Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus….

We have been given our freedom. We are redeemed.

The enemy loves it when we try to earn grace.  However, we don’t need to do anything for Christ to get right with God.  It has already been done for us.

It is through Him that we have received grace (God’s unmerited favor).
Romans 1:5a AMP

It is all about God’s grace.  We don’t have to try harder or be better to make Christ love us more.  Christ’s love for us is more than we can fathom and it will never change. We have something greater within us already and we need to understand just how He sees us—holy, worthy, redeemed!

So, the next time the devil starts taking potshots at you, remember…

There’ll be days I lose the battle
Grace says that it doesn’t matter
‘Cause the Cross already won the war
He’s Greater
He’s Greater

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Father, I am so thankful that You are greater than the enemy and that You see me as lovable and worthy.  When satan takes shots at me, remind me there is no condemnation in You—that Your grace is all I need.  In Jesus’ name – Amen, it is so!