Settled Forever: Trash Talk

I awoke this morning with pressures and problems circling my head like vultures. Worry was right there in my face.

Talking to me.

That's right, talking to me.

We know from the Word that faith always speaks. So does fear, or any of its cousins—worry, doubt, unbelief, anxiety.

They will talk to you until you tell them to shut up. Until you tell them what the Word says about it.

Things talk to you, too. Your car problems, your bank account, your health. You see images of your failure or your kids in trouble or car accidents or whatever your particular dread is.

If you don't believe me, consider the famous fig tree in Mark 11. Jesus was hungry, and the fig tree told him in no uncertain terms, "you're not getting anything to eat here." In fact, the King James and Young's Literal Translation say that Jesus answered the fig tree.

Do I mean that it actually spoke to Him, like the trees in the Wizard of Oz or Lord of the Rings? Not really. But it communicated to Him quite clearly that He was out of luck.

And He told it, or answered it "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" When He and the disciples passed by the next day, the tree was withered from its roots. The guys were astonished, but I don't think Jesus even looked at it. He knew that His words dominated physical reality and that was the end of it.

Oh Yeah...
Then it hit me—it's just trash talk! I am one Spirit with the Lord! I am born of the imperishable seed, which is the living and enduring Word of God. [1 Peter 1:23]

Jesus is the Word of God [John 1:1,14] and we are the Word multiplied, the Body of Christ. [Acts 12:24]

We are told to reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus, and we have authority in the earth.

According to the Word, there's a lot going on around us in the unseen realm of the spirit.

'For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.' [Ps. 5:12]
'You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs [or shouts] of deliverance.' [Ps. 32:7]
'...he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.' [Ps. 32:10]
'The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.' [Ps. 34:7]
'As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.' [Ps. 125:2]
Acts 6:16 tells us to take up the shield of faith, with which we WILL BE ABLE to extinguish ALL the flaming arrows of the evil one! Not might be able to do it sometimes, if God wills...the Word is His will, and He wills us to be more than conquerors, every time.
'But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.' [2 Corinthians 2:14]
'But in ALL THESE THINGS we OVERWHELMINGLY CONQUER through Him Who loved us.' [Romans 8:37]

Faith
Like all things spiritual [and natural, for that matter] we do everything by faith. We believe the Word of God over the word of the liar and we declare it boldly. He's a nasty, trash talkin' bully who really can't back it up unless we agree with him. He can only get us to use our own power against us—he was cursed in Genesis and thoroughly defeated by the Seed, Jesus.

'When He [Jesus] had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.' [Colossians 2:15]

In Deuteronomy 30, we are given the choice—choose life and prosperity, or choose death and adversity—the blessing or the curse.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that life and death are in the power, or hand, of the tongue. And Jesus Himself told us several times to talk to mountains, trees and sick bodies...He said we can have what we say.

The enemy is talking trash, and we don't have to put up with it one more minute.

Luke 10:18 tells us we have AUTHORITY over ALL the power of the devil, and Psalm 91 sys we can stomp him down. Resist the devil and HE WILL FLEE!

Where Am I?
Did you know that we are seated in heavenly places, in Christ? [Ephesians 2:6]

Where is that, exactly?

'...far above ALL RULE and AUTHORITY and POWER and DOMINION, and EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED, not only in this age but also in the one to come.' [Ephesians 1:21]

Wow. That's not later, folks....that's right now! No wonder God tells us to look at the unseen—it's fabulous! [2 Corinthians 4:18]

And don't fret if the exact scripture you need doesn't spring to mind...His name is called the Word of God! Sometimes all I can get out is JESUS, JESUS, JESUS!! And it works, every time.

Philippians 2:9 says His name is above EVERY name.

Talk about dropping names! It's time to drop the big one on the trash talker. Tell him to get out, and use the Name. It's your name, too!

And meditate on Psalm 91 [my comments in italics, my emphasis in CAPS]:

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High WILL abide in the shadow of the Almighty. [you choose where you live…see the next verse]
2 I WILL SAY to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!" [that's how you activate all of the following verses...it's already done according to Hebrews 4:3 but we must choose to agree with Him—see also Deuteronomy 30:15-19; Proverbs 18:21]
3 FOR IT IS HE WHO DELIVERS you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He WILL cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness IS a shield and bulwark. [not might be, is]
5 You WILL NOT be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it SHALL NOT APPROACH YOU.
8 You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For YOU HAVE MADE the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. [you made it when you said it...you choose where you live with your mouth]
10 NO EVIL WILL BEFALL YOU, nor will ANY PLAGUE COME NEAR YOUR TENT. [dwelling, home, habitation, the sacred tabernacle of Jehovah]
11 For He WILL give His angels charge concerning you, To GUARD YOU IN ALL YOUR WAYS. [not maybe, not if it's His will—He's saying right here what His will is]
12 They WILL bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
13 YOU WILL TREAD UPON THE LION AND COBRA, The young LION and the SERPENT YOU WILL trample down. [satan is the roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, and the serpent of old]
14 "Because he has loved Me, therefore I WILL deliver him; I WILL set him securely on high, because he has known My name. [Hallelujah...we know His Name, and His Son's Name, too! And we’re already seated in Him in heavenly places…]
15 "He will call upon Me, and I WILL answer him; I WILL be with him in trouble; I WILL rescue him and honor him.
16 "With a long life I WILL satisfy him and let him see My salvation." [v.14-16 is God speaking, telling us clearly what His will for us is]

So trample him down. Shut his trash talkin' mouth up with the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus and the Word of God.

Hallelujah!
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Saturday, August 18, 2012

Trash Talk