A PREPARED PEOPLE 21st January 2018
To discern the will of God...Jesus said my food is to do the fathers will.
Put our lives in the hands of God.
It's time ....to let arise and his enemies be scattered.
"Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack--rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]."
??1 PETER? ?5:8-10? ?AMP??
http://bible.com/1588/1pe.5.8-
Garden of gethsamane...could you not wait for me one hour...watch and pray that you do not fall into temptation
The scenario...
"Then the LORD said to Gideon, "There are too many people with you for Me to hand over Midian to them, otherwise Israel will boast [about themselves] against Me, saying, 'My own power has rescued me.' So now, proclaim in the hearing of the people, 'Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'" So twenty-two thousand men returned [home], but ten thousand remained. Then the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many people; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go." So he brought the people down to the water, and the LORD said to Gideon, "You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels down to drink." Now the number of those who lapped [the water], putting their hand to their mouth, was three hundred men, but all the rest of the people kneeled down to drink water. And the LORD told Gideon, "With the three hundred men who lapped I will rescue you, and will hand over the Midianites to you. Let all the other people go, each man to his home." So the three hundred men took people's provisions [for the journey] and their trumpets [made of rams' horns] in their hands. And Gideon sent [away] all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but kept the three hundred men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. Now on that same night the LORD said to Gideon, "Arise, go down against their camp, for I have given it into your hand."
??JUDGES? ?7:2-9? ?AMP??
http://bible.com/1588/jdg.7.2-
...don't only pray....but watch and pray.
1) "I WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN." Lucifer wanted to mount up or scale to the heavens. He desired to occupy the highest heavens: to probe, and to penetrate the kingdom of the infinite God. He wanted to have a very HIGH position!
2) "I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD." Lucifer's position and service before God's throne was not enough. He wanted a throne from which he could exercise final authority and make decisions pertaining to the angelic host ("the stars of God"). He wanted to rule over all the angels. God had made him an exalted angel, but Lucifer wanted to be exalted even more. (He was not content to shine as the "morning star"; he wanted to shine as the star of stars--with a brilliance that would far outshine all the other stars (even as the sun's brightness makes all the other stars fade away so that you cannot even see them during daylight hours).
3) "I WILL SIT ALSO UPON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION." He desired to sit or be enthroned in the highest place having all the angelic assemblies in submission to him. He wanted to be the center of attention. He wanted to be IDOLIZED by all.
4) "I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHTS OF THE CLOUDS." "Clouds" are often used in the Bible to speak of the glory of God (see Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:9; Rev. 1:7). Lucifer coveted God's glory for his own. He failed to acknowledge that his glory and beauty all came from and was dependent upon God. In his sinful pride, Lucifer wanted a glory that would impress and dazzle all creatures.
5) "I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH." He wanted to be EQUAL with God and to take God's place as Possessor and Ruler of all. He wanted to become a completely independent creature, responsible to no one.
o Pride causes us to put self on the throne instead of Christ our Savior.
o Pride causes us to not own our sin, nor be broken over it and the damage it causes
others in and out of the church.
o Pride keeps us from apologizing to those we have offended.
o Pride keeps us from authentic biblical repentance and restoration.
o Pride is deadly to our personal and spiritual life, and to the life of the church.
o Pride is as ancient as the fall of Satan, and is still one of his favorite tools.
"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." -Proverbs 16:18
"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." -1 Peter 5:5-8
Jesus said ...I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
I will look to the hills from where does my help come...my help comes from the Lord.
The Prize...marriage supper.
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.""
??Matthew? ?26:26-29? ?ESV