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Armed for Battle!!

by Joyce Johnson  
2/11/2008 / Christian Living

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 favourites) 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 whos; whats, hows, whens, wheres and whys; (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. I have regularly submitted articles in my Church's ma

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