There are NO DEAD ENDS in God. The world is full of dead ends - Frustration and Famine. Jesus is the new and living way.

The ways of God are very different from our own. 


People say he is a last minute God.  
Yes. Sometimes a perfect situation seems to be set up for God to come in a the very last moment and deliver us.  

http://www.bible-history.com/art/redsea.htm

 Backed up against the Red Sea, Israel had no options but to trust in the great God who had delivered them.  You know in that crowd many predicted in their hearts that this was the end.  They had no ideas.  No options.  No hopes of surviving the Egyptian army barreling toward them. 

Moses struck the water and the whole sea parted.  One of the most mind boggling miracles occurred.  Our God has NO DEAD ENDS.  There is always a way in him.  This is one of his ways.


 A woman came to our church.  She came back because the Lord had healed her knee some time earlier.  Now she had a serious illness and needed healing.   She came forward for prayer but was not comfortable explaining the illness.  We waited on the Lord and prayed.  The Lord said "Endometriosis" to me.  I didn't even know what it was.  I said, "I am hearing Endometriosis. Is this the problem?"   The answer was "yes".  We prayed for her and she was healed.   
In God there are NO DEAD ENDS. 

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
    I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
    When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
    it won’t be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you..."  Isaiah 43

The world is full of dead ends - Frustration and Famine.  Jesus can free us from these things and so much more.  He opened a new and living way.  
Hebrews 10:19-21

A few dead ends of the world..... 

"When people tell you, “Try out the fortunetellers. Consult the spiritualists.Why not tap into the spirit-world, get in touch with the dead?”Tell them, “No, we’re going to study the Scriptures.”

People who try the other ways get nowhere—a dead end! Frustrated and famished, they try one thing after another.When nothing works out they get angry,cursing first this god and then that one,Looking this way and that,up, down, and sideways—and seeing nothing, A blank wall, an empty hole. They end up in the dark with nothing.  Isaiah 8:19-22

 20 On that Day men and women will take the sticks and stones They've decked out in gold and silver to look like gods and then worshiped, And they will dump them in any ditch or gully...

Isaiah 1:20 

 "What a generation you turned out to be! 

Didn't I tell you? 

Didn't I warn you? 

Have I let you down, Israel? 

Am I nothing but a dead-end street? 

Why do my people say, 'Good riddance! From now on we're on our own'?  

32 Young women don't forget their jewelry, do they? 

Brides don't show up without their veils, do they? 

But my people forget me. 

Day after day after day they never give me a thought.

Isaiah 2:31-32

THERE ARE NO DEAD ENDS IN GOD.  The spirit of the world would seek to swallow us alive; Cause us to forget the wonders of our own testimony.  It hungers to remove the glory of God from us and cause us to forget him in the confusion and panic of seeking a way out.  

I have good news for you.  
In Jesus their is a way out.  There are NO DEAD ENDS in GOD.
There is a new and living way in Jesus Christ that opens the very heavens up.  Jesus opened the way to the Father's heart for us.  We share his relationship with Abba!  


What if you began looking for God's deliverance everywhere?  
What if you believed there was a way out?  
Believed that in our God there is never a dead end?  
You would seek, ask, knock and find the open door. 

Have you ever adopted your perception of the situation or your prediction of the outcome as reality?  
Why not believe the Scripture testimony and let the God with no dead ends show you the doorway to deliverance and freedom?  
Our God is always perfectly on time?  
He lives outside of time and wonderfully works within it.  
He is timeless and ageless.  
We are filled with the dread of time.  Fears That it is running out.  
God has no such fears or worries.  
He is always on time for the highest grace and glory in Jesus. 


IN Christ Jesus we are living forever.  NOW.  Today is forever's beginning.  

"Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; 

And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, 

For He will abundantly pardon.  

8"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.  

9"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 

So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.…"  

Isaiah 55:7-9

Testimony?  Testimony?  
Remember the stories of his awesome deliverance.  Remember what he has done for you.  Remember stories and things he has done for others.  Remember the scriptures stories of Jesus and his healing power.  

What can you share about how the goodness of God has erupted into your life?
Find the latest story.  Dust off any old one you may have.  They are still good stories.  They still say the same things.  Let them speak fresh understanding to your current circumstances.  

And REMEMBER....
THERE are NO DEAD ENDS in our GOD.  

Comments are awesome.  Stories.  Testimonies are amazing.  
Thank you for sharing your love for the Lord in comments and encouragements.  
+1's are wonderful. Thank you so much.
Re-shares are amazing.   


Love in Jesus,
Brother Jeff
Jeff Reynolds Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com

Who has all the Treasures, Wisdom and Knowledge of the World?

"...resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Col 2:2-3

As diverse as the world is, there are millions of amazing things to focus on, delve into, explore, and search out.   We can be forever learning, growing in knowledge and insight all our lives.  

In the vast ocean of wonder there are thousands of crashing waves calling for our attention but not leading us to the one relationship, focus and passion that is changing everything forever.  

Jesus

St-Takla.org Image: An ancient mosaic of Jesus Christ face

Jesus is the Way
Jesus is the Truth
Jesus is the Life
Jesus is the Bread of life
Jesus is the Word (logos)
Jesus is the Firstborn
Jesus is the First
Jesus is the Last
Jesus is the Alpha
Jesus is the Omega
Jesus was dead and now is alive
Jesus the beloved Son
Jesus is the Bridegroom
This list could go on for up to 200 names.....

His NAME means the deepest connection with the Father's heart for million upon millions the world over.   Direct connection to a freedom words can scarcely connect with or express.  Nearly every tribe, language, country, geography has been touched by his love, grace and mercy.  


He has touched, healed, changed, blessed, renewed, restored, forgiven, cleansed, encouraged, built up, upheld, lifted up, redeemed, ransomed, millions of people and he continues to do so as you read this.  

IN CHRIST.....
Are the treasures of Wisdom
Treasures of Knowledge

Jesus knows everything there is to know about....
Physics
Math
Language
Laughter
Joy
Compassion
Craftsmanship
The Arts
On and on into every discipline, grace in the mind of humanity,  the God who made all things...

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  Col 1:16

is pouring out love, relationship, wisdom, knowledge, treasures for humanity through Jesus Christ.  

Believers have direct access to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...
Those reaping the benefits of the work and rule and reign of Jesus Christ by faith have access to the very heart of the Father in Heaven, the throne of glory, the heavenly temple in which Jesus, Our High Priest, is eternally calling forth a witness of all he accomplished to every heavenly host.    Rev 4


Remember the crashing waves.  

This image, from a church in Rome, dates from AD530.

The world is consistently screaming for us to look away from the Christ.  Even our day to day doctrine and understandings of walking in Jesus' Kingdom are not complete enough to constantly remind us of our one true connection, focus and joy - abiding in the presence of Jesus Christ.    Wave after wave seeks to drive us into the sandy beach of wandering, confusion and distraction.   

He has given us a simple way.....
"I am the Way"  John 14:6
"Follow Me"

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.…"  Matt 16:24-25

Follow him.  He is Risen.  He is alive.  He communicates.  He speaks.  He encourages.  He loves.  Follow Him.    

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.…" John 15:4

Your life is hidden in him 

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."  Col 3:2-3

How many treasures are hidden in him that are intended to be poured into your life???

How many secrets of wisdom?

How many key pieces of knowledge - treasure knowledge - knowledge that alters the flow of humanity and changes whole families forever - are waiting to be handed to you? 

How many treasures for Business...

Commerce

Government

Science

Family

Relationships

are hidden in Him, waiting for someone to pursue Him with an abandon and faith that pours out these treasures on the world.  

The Kingdom rule and reign of Jesus is....

Not what we don't have but what we have -  Two fish and some bread were enough.  Mark 6:30-44    

What do you have?  

Access to all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  

The greatest joy, a joy that fills every cell of your body, every nook and crany of your mind, every mysterious crevasse of the soul, every vast and heavenly expanse of your spirit, is seeing the face of Jesus.   

He is the treasure of heaven.  

Expend extravagant Faith.
Use all your energy.
Spend all your desires on him first.  


Life, Truth and the Way will unfold out of that face to face.   
Ps 27

Comments?  Thoughts?  Testimonies?  

Testimonies are powerful means of releasing the grace of God. 

What happens for one of us reveals what heaven can do for all of us!  

Share yours in a comment. 

Thank you for re-shares and +1's.  

Your encouragement had kept me writing and working at this.  

We are:

Nothing is impossible people

Carrying the Presence of the Lord everywhere

Bringing the Culture of His Love

Proclaiming, Declaring and Announcing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. 

Brother Jeff

Jeff Reynolds Sr. Leader

Capstone Christian Fellowship

www.mycapstone.org 

www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

Lights, Camera, Action - 5 reasons Jesus Appears Dull in the Entertainment Church

The entertainment industry spends billions every year creating amazing, entertaining, powerful works of art that at times completely overwhelm.   That's the gig.   We love it. 

Is that the gig the church is in? 
Does Jesus' kingdom originate and translate through the normal means of the entrainment industry?
Overwhelm?  
Entertain?

Consider these thoughts....  

What if it all was stripped away.  Would we still have a powerful time together?  
Or is that not possible without the excellent band polished speaking and an amazing building?   Ie... is excellence power in the Kingdom?

Could people encounter the Lord Jesus and the love of his family without any of this? 
What if there was no band.  Lights.  Sound system.  Is God still around? 
Stupid question right?  
Yet how many believers are so immersed in the consumer culture of the day that they choose churches, messages, etc...out of taste, style and crowd volume?  

Where did mission, identity and assignment(Calling) run off to? 
Granted there are some shining lights.  But overall?

Jesus said to Pilot, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."  John 18:36

Years ago we opened the door for entertainment.  Yea, OK.  Seemed like a good idea.  I mean we are people, live in a culture, and we want to do more at church than spiritual things right?  

So here are 5 reasons Jesus could appear dull in our entertainment church culture of today.  


1) Jesus doesn't need anything but himself to save the world. 
The early church didn't have any of this stuff, money, glam.  Most of it gives amplification.  So what are we amplifying?  When Jesus died he had a cloak and garment that was divided among the soldiers.  Yet the wealth of his mission forgave the sins of the world past, present, and future in him if you believe.  He united us with the Father in him forever and he released the rule and reign of his Kingdom that will never end. (Isaiah 9:7)  His inheritance was not in this world.  His victory sealed it's fate and it started fading immediately.
 

 "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. 2"Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.…Isaiah 55:1-2

He and his Kingdom are the Source of life, the Way and the Truth.   John 14:6 
In his Kingdom defining teaching from the mountain he started with, "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 5:3   Nothing in the world adds to his Kingdom and it reaches the highest highs and deepest lows of the human condition.  Humanity can access it with no worldly means at all. 


Has American Christianity sought to gain voice and audience through the means of the world?  What if the corporate church had no money one day.   Would they still have a compelling and powerful gospel; encounter with God and people loving God for God himself?  
 

2) Jesus is low tech.   
People and face to face are his desire (Ps 27:8).  The poor finding life and family in Him, God's heart.   Powerful spiritual reality vrs comfortable understanding and all things natural his revelation.   Jesus is supernatural.  And so are we.  Do we shine more in the natural these days? 
As much as we love the lights, artistic backdrops, awesome sound systems, they don't translate the Kingdom directly.  They create an environment that we know and understand.  Is that a problem today?   We know and understand so much about entertainment environments and so little about spiritual power, being face to face with God and being in a church with the poor?  What do we know about Kingdom environments?  What do we know about sustaining grace and power in peoples lives?  



3) Jesus keeps saying the same things over and over.    Or does he?
We have become board with the content of what we believe to be the gospel.  The problem is we lack revelation of the Lord Jesus (Eph 3:17-19) The words of the gospel are not magic.  The bible words by themselves are not magic either.  Jesus told the Pharisees this very thing.  

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.…John 5:39

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  A person.  A living God.  Not a Book.  His revealed word shines a bright light on HIM.  It throws out keys, doors and pathways of knowing God.  It is not an end in itself.  If we don't move toward Jesus, find deep need in Jesus, and increase in hunger and thirst for him in our Scripture teaching it is missing the mark. 
When we link the person (logos-the Word) with our scripture and see the Lord Jesus nothing is ever the same.   When we recite over and over the words of Jesus without the person, the secret, his power and presence, we build religion.   Frankly the world is wise to avoid this.   It's making Pharisees.  Sons of hell, Jesus said.  Worse off than ourselves.   Not good.  


4) Jesus does not dress for success or strive to impress.  He impresses the Father by fulfilling and doing his will as worship.  Welcome him and welcome the Father.  There are plenty of writings about Jesus showing up to our churches.  That we wouldn't let him in.  Yea.   Yet, he looks so sweet in all the paintings.  Reminder, he is the one who said in Revelation two that He would throw Jezebel on a bed of suffering and kill her children. (Rev 2:21-23)  The Lion of the Tribe of Judah doesn't parade for power.  He already possesses all authority.   Our monumental tasks seem to be of little value in today's entertainment church. 

• Manifest his NAME to the world - John 17:6 
• Go into the world the same as Jesus - John 17:18
• Be ONE in Him- John 17:20-23
•  Love the world as he loves the world - I John 3:16/ John 3:16

5) Jesus relies on things like prayer, relationship with the Father, walking in the Spirit and the spoken gospel confirmed with signs and wonders to save humanity.  His work is all sufficient.  Maybe these are the skills we should be focused on acquiring?

Abiding with the Father, consistent in prayer, strength filled weakness, don't make for entertaining, movies or constantly changing experiences.   Actually experiencing God's love, healing, encounter, and salvation seem to be what the New Testament points to over and over.  People encounter Jesus and his love and are restored by faith in him to relationship with the Father.   To encounter him in his love was to wake up.  

So am I advocating for dull, lackluster, mediocre?  
No, not in any way.  Things have come a long way.  That's good stuff.  I am hoping that whatever we do the power of God needs to be what shines brightest.  That Jesus encounters are the actual happenings of what we call church.   Hoping that we don't overwhelm the poor with our worldly success but rather make sure the gospel connects with them and our churches connect with them.   

The Kingdom is far more fascinating than anything Hollywood could ever conceive of.   I love movies and the creative arts industry a lot.  But compared to the Kingdom of God Hollywood does not hold a candle.  If all the entertaining factors of church were stripped away what would be left?  
If all the entertaining tech and phones etc...were stripped from us what would we have left?  There is a whole world out there waiting to be discovered in the realms of the Spirit.


Prayer, the quiet power, changes things.  Find it first in your life.  Col 4:2


Your comments are gratefully encouraged.  
I am going out on a limb a bit with this particular blog post.  Or may be not.  
What do you think?  
Re-shares +1's.. Thank you for those.  Very appreciated. 
The feedback is encouraging.  We all need it to keep going!


 Thanks for Reading.

Brother Jeff 
Jeff Reynolds
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

Kick these 3 Things out of your Life and Thrive in Jesus.

The Enemy is defeated along with Death and Sin, yet we consistently battle the Flesh, the World and the Devil.  

The Kingdom of God is in conflict with this world and will be until Jesus puts all his enemies under his feet.  

"then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be abolished is death.…"  I Cor 15:24-26

 In the mean time we are.....

Satan's capture at the end of the age

1. Welcoming the Kingdom in others - Phil 2:29; Matt 10:40; Mtt 18:5; Matt 25:40
2. Welcoming the Kingdom servants - Matthew 10:41
3. Honoring the Lord's Servants and Leaders - Rom 12:10;
4. Living in, by and through Faith - Hebrews 11:1,6
5. Patiently enduring with a vigorous Hope
6. Zealously serving the Lord -
7. And doing this awesome this from      I Tim 6:11  

"But you, man of God, flee all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love endurance and gentleness."  

 Paul goes on and give us more encouragement.  I Tim 6:11-21

Fight

Take Hold

Keep

Guard what has been entrusted to your care

Turn away

 An awesome reminder in words of action.  

Flowering of snow peas

 Weeds grow easy.  Fruit has to flower.

The enemy sow weeds into the gardens anywhere and everywhere he can.  Weeds grow easy and early.  They seems to require very little to sprout and grow fast.  Fruit on the other hand has to grow in a plant that matures to the point of flowering.  The delicate flowers put off a fragrance.  Worship and abiding in Jesus produce flowering fruit.  

These Three will hinder any garden and infest the soil of all you do.   Let the Spirit reveal their presence in your life and with his power and help - KICK EM OUT!



Kick these 3 things out of your life and thrive in the Kingdom, abide in his presence and grow at a rapid pace.  
I Peter 1:3-9


1) Fear - raw fear.   
It is deadly to walking in, through and by faith.  Which means its deadly to pleasing God. (Hebrew 11:6)  It comes in so many packages.   Fear hold us back.  Even from things we know that we know that we know God has asked us to do.   It is nearly impossible to RISK - Rise Into Significant Kingdom ACTION with fear running free within us.  It distorts our vision.  Tells us things about the future that are not informed by the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-14).   Fear sometimes causes us to simply freeze up.  To Stop.  To not do anything in the Spirit.   Fear has to go.   

Simple approach:   Ask this question to the Holy Spirit just like this.  (John 16:12-14; Ps 139)  It's not magic.  Just helpful.  

Make sure you have a journal or something to write with.  Write down what the Lord speaks to you.  Wait on him.  Work through the process and ID all the fears he chooses to show you.  

Then: Repent - specifically naming the fear and inviting the Spirit to give you new understanding to replace the fear. 
Then:  Search the Scripture for the truth - it sets you free.  (John 8:32)
Then:  Write the Kingdom truth that puts that fear away and kicks it down the road. 

Here is the question:

"Holy Spirit, are there any fears in my thoughts, heart, mind that I am allowing to hold me back from fully walking in all that you have for me?   

2) Unrighteousness 
Ok. So we stumble. We fall.  We fail.  We give in.  We know we should not do that stupid thing but our desire mixed with the flesh mixed with the world mixed with the enemies direct temptations mixed with disappointment, discouragement, sometimes stumble us.    At every stage of this process we can escape.  We need to know that.  There is always a way to escape and the power to do it through Jesus. 

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.1Co 10:13

  Yet, even knowing this we fall sometimes.  What happens next is so important.   I've learned that the Devil does not take off after we fall.  He sticks around and then tells us a whole bunch of other lies to keep us down.   Here is one that seems to recur. 

• You are not worthy of the Lord's forgiveness.  He has given you so much and blessed you so well and now you do this?    HUGE NOTE to SELF - this is condemnation.  (Rom 8:1)   
• Answer:  True I am not worthy of the blessings of Christ.  While I was a sinner Christ died for me. (Rom 5:1-5)  In the Blood of Jesus my sins are cleansed (I John 2:1) and I have an advocate before the Father that speaks in my behalf.  I can repent and receive mercy directly.  Right now in fact.   So do that. 
• Never delay repentance.  Run back to the light no matter how far you feel away from God.    
• The enemy knows you can be forgiven and restored in a moment.  
• He seeks to divert you from doing what started your salvation in the first place.....believing in Jesus -  confessing your sin - receiving his mercy and grace and forgiveness.  Believing grants you access to all the benefits of his work on the cross.   

 Watch out for possible roads that lead to religion here.  
 Agreeing with the Devil that you are not worthy and therefore to get back in good graces with God you need to beef up your acts of righteousness and save yourself through your excellent walk in religion will deposit a religious mindset into you directly.   


3) Intimidation -  
Many of the spiritual attacks that plague the believers these days relate to intimidation.  Meaning: 

INTIMIDATION (noun)
  The noun INTIMIDATION has 4 senses: 1. the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something
2. the feeling of discouragement in the face of someone's superior fame or wealth or status etc.
3. the feeling of being intimidated; being made to feel afraid or timid
4. a communication that makes you afraid to try something

(1/8/2015, http://www.audioenglish.org/dictionary/intimidation.htm)

Through people, the Enemy, difficult experiences, challenging circumstances we have come to a point of backing down in the assignment and calling the Lord placed on us.   We feel the fear of reprisal if we take that steps required to move forward or step out in faith.   This is a key tactic of the enemy.  Often it is successful and we don't recognize the reasons for our backing down.    

All across America Christians who are not persecuted or forced to stop have backed down in sharing the gospel and the love of God in the public square.  In any given city the number of active believers preaching the gospel and sharing the love actively with neighbors, family, work associates etc.. would probably stagger the mind.   

Find out if you are intimidated.   First sign fear.   Reach out with the express purpose of sharing the gospel with those around you.   Do you feel fear?   That is intimidation at work. 

Imtimidation tends to relate to the "possible loss of something" if we take a certain action. 

Like the loss of a job if we express our faith at work.   

Like the loss of friends if they really see us live for Christ.

Like the loss of family if we decide to make a clear commitment to worshiping and following Jesus before them.  

There are plenty of people willing to intimidate those who want to follow Christ with everything they have.  Surrendering all.  Obeying his teaching and abiding in his presence with an undivided heart.    

So how do we navigate intimidation?   

1) First identify it in your life.  Back to identifying fears and limitations based on fear.  Jesus spent everything so that we could know him in his fullness and walk freely in the Spirit.  God is not intimidating us.   The world, the flesh and the Devil all counter the will to surrender all to Christ.  

2) Get the right posture.  We are called to abide in the Lord.  Constantly be in prayer and to walk in the Spirit.  The first fruit of the Spirit is love.  God is love.  Everything he does produces the fruit of love.   So get centered in the presence of the Lord and put first things first.   LOVE is first.  

3) Get the right weapons to wage battle.  II Cor 10:3-5.  Anger, power/control,  condemnation, judgement do not save the world or help foster a true witness of the love of Jesus.   As much as we would like to "overpower" those who intimidate us this is using the world's weapons.  We need to join Jesus in "overcoming" the world not overpowering it with its own weapons.   The divine weapons are mighty through the Spirit and foster the growth of the Kingdom.    One of the greatest weapons in the Spirit is surrender and first love for Jesus.   A second amazing weapon is obedience to the leading of the Spirit.   I guarantee you that if you walk in the leading of the Spirit you will find yourself acting in ways that break intimidation off your life, open doors for your Kingdom assignment and provide avenues to exercise faith through obedience.   

As I got going on writing this it kinda took off on me.  I really enjoyed going farther than I expected on this one.   I hope it is encouraging and helpful.   There is much more that can be said about these topics.  Here are some books that I have found helpful.  

Breaking Intimidation - John Brevere  - link to my site if you like to purchase at Amazon. 

Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God - Francis Frangipane 

Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit - John Paul Jackson

Comments?  Ideas?  Feedback?  Thank you for re-shares and +1's.  
The comments and dialogue are exciting and amazing.  
We are in this together.  Any help, inspiration we can give each other as well as encouragement is worth it.  


Stand Strong in the Lord and Walk Boldly in your Heavenly Assignment.


With much love in Jesus,


Jeff Reynolds.  "Brother Jeff"
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com 

7 Things the Enemy (Devil) Doesn't Want You to Know About Him.

Ignorance can be costly when it comes to living in the victory of Christ Jesus. 
The Devil and his cohorts love it when.....

involutedgenealogies.wordpress.com

• People don't believe they exist.
• People believe they are responsible for everything bad and fear them.
• People think they are everywhere all the time.
• People believe all that the movies portray of dark spiritual things
• People play with mediums fortune tellers etc like they are not real or connected to familiar spirits. 
• When people believe he is a cute and jester like person with horns and a red suit. 
  

 

It is clear we have an enemy and his full intent is to devour us.  (I Peter 5:8-9)  But before we get to excited about that scenario check out these things he would rather you did not know. 

Jesus has all power and authority in this world and the universe for that matter and everything in it was made by him and for him.  That means it naturally serves him and not the devil.  His authority is expressed in every believing member of the household of God.   

1.  Don't fear him resist him and he will run.  "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  Jas 4:7

Great promise.  Try it.  Use it.  Live it every day.  It is powerful and effective against all kinds of spiritual attacks.  The path is simple and clear.  Surrender and stand.   The devil has such limited time and limited resources he can only work where he is welcomed or ignorantly ignored.   Grow your discernment in being a "living sacrifice" and through richly abiding in the word of Christ. (Rom 12:1-2; Col 3:16)

2. The Devil is a fallen Angel; he is a created being like us.  Though he once looked on God he is now perpetually drawn to fallen things and fallen ideas.  He is drawn to garbage and rotting things.  He cannot free himself from lies and rotting things he longs to be near.  Righteousness and walking in the Spirit are powerful weapons against his garbage life.  Let the Spirit lead you in growing righteousness in your life.   The Blood of Christ cleanses us from sin and the Holy Spirit clearly leads us to life and righteousness in Jesus. 

3. The Devil is shut out from the mind of God.  He has to guess.  You and I do not.  We have the very mind of Christ with Jesus dwelling in us. (Col 1:27)  We have the Holy Spirit leading us (John 16:12-14) and as we abide in Jesus and walk in his commands we receive the love of the Father and the revelation of Jesus. (John 14:21; Eph 3:17-19)  As we abide in Christ Jesus we carry his presence everywhere.  He never leaves us or forsakes us.  Satan does not know the mind of God for you!  He guesses.  

4. The Devil cannot create anything.  He can only seek to distort the good things God has created.   Think about it.  All the sins and failures of humanity are generated from interacting with the powerful and amazing things the Lord created for us to experience and enjoy. Example Sex.  Outside of marriage it still works.  It is powerful and wonderful and uniquely brings together two human beings.   And it brings destruction, disease, distorted relationship, enslavement in pornography, prostitution and perversion outside of its intended purposes.  Yet God created it powerful and amazing for our enjoyment and good.   Sow to the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and you will overcome the desires of the Flesh.   (Gal 5:16)

4. The Devil can only be in one place at a time.   Unlike God his creator he is not omnipresent.   So, we are not all fighting the actual devil in our struggles.  We may be fighting a lessor evil spirit.  In the same way he cannot be in all the world cities at one time.  He is going to be where the rotting things are and where he can set up strongholds and cultural enslavement. 

 

5. He is outnumbered. The Devil has limited resources.  Only one third of the angels fell with the devil.  That means there are 2/3rds and 2 times their number of "Fiery ministers doing the Father's bidding".  He cannot confront all believers let alone seek to address the millions of advancing Saints around the Globe at one time.   Even when he does attack it is with limited resources.   Always outnumbered.  Completely outgunned.  Stand and resist him and he will flee!

The Capture of Satan at the Final Rebellion

6. The Devil has been stripped by the Lord Jesus of his key weapons.   Col 2:15 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross".   Jesus defeated Sin, Death and the Devil all in one massive victory on the Cross.  One of the key weapons the devil used to enslave was death and the fear of death.  Death has been swallowed up by life in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Those who put their faith in Jesus live forever.  

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jhn 16:33

7.  He has lots of history and experience but uses the same ploys over and over.  In our lives he seeks to attack us with the same recurring temptations and typically his attacks are aimed at destroying, hindering or stopping our identity and assignment in Christ.  The more you know who you are in the Kingdom of God and what the Spirit has marked you for in authority and kingdom advance the more you can consistently overcome the repetitive attacks of the enemy.  Scripture effectively warns us of his tactics and ways and how to resist and fight him.  He continues to do the same things over and over.     

Everything the Devil touches, uses and manipulates is fading away even as he tries to make it sparkle or shine.  

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever."  I John 2:16-17

How do I move forward with these things in mind? 
One of the best ways to move forward and begin overcoming is to "set your hearts on things above" and "set your mind on things above".  (Col 3:1-4)  Our call is to place Jesus and his Kingdom first in our lives.  He is our occupation and focus.  Our affections need to be centered on him.  We are called to abide in Jesus and walk in the Spirit.  (John 15)  We will surely run into the enemy as we advance in the Kingdom.  As the devil's work is made known we can apply all the blessings of the Lord to vanquish him.   


1Co 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Comments?  Thoughts?  Re-share this with friends that are struggling and think the Devil has the upper hand.     


Thank you for +1's and your comments.   
We are an amazing army in Jesus that is overcoming this fading world all across the globe with the victory won in Jesus our Lord.   Stand strong and stand firm in him.   


Blessings in Jesus
Brother Jeff 
Jeff Reynolds  Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
www.mycapstone.org
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com