Podcasts about god ephesians

Series: Big GodWeek: 4Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22Preacher: Kevin Weisman

Jesus Delivers Us (13) (audio) David Eells – 8/31/25 Saints, I'm going to continue with our teaching on how Jesus delivers us and our authority over the demons. I'm going to pick up where we left off last time about the true and false manifestations of the Spirit and begin by sharing the following testimony called:   More Than We Can Imagine or Think by P.O. I was one of thousands of people who wanted to experience "revival" in Brownsville and Toronto. As a fairly new Christian, I wanted the excitement that I thought should come from living a life for God. My prayer during that time was: "Father, do whatever You need to do so that no man or no devil can ever quench my desire for You." The first few visits there, I came away somewhat frustrated. Every time a minister approached me, he would veer away and start the laying on of hands in another direction. I recognize now that this was the grace of God, keeping me from receiving wrong impartations. But one time when we were leaving, I forgot my cape. I returned for it and tried to walk through a large lobby full of people writhing on the floor. Something invisible hit me. I fell to the floor and felt heat, like electricity, start at my feet and work all the way up to my head. I became temporarily but totally paralyzed. A friend who had followed me reported afterward that he saw my eyes roll. This man, a medic in the army, picked me up in his arms to remove me. But the strapping, six-footer made it only to the outside steps. There he, too, was taken down to the ground by this spirit. When he dropped me, I rolled under a small tree. Looking up, I saw the stars like diamonds and trees in 3-D as if "the trees were indeed clapping their hands" as the Word describes. I wanted to praise God, but I was rendered incapable of doing anything but baying like one of my uncle's hound dogs. My heart goes out to my friends who visited the "revival." Three of them died prematurely. Another four of them divorced within a year. Several of them now have serious health concerns. In short, these people are anything BUT revived. With some of these friends, I tried gently to get them to look at the falsehoods. But no. It was like the old saying, "You can lead a horse to the water, but you can't make him drink." The times I tried, I encountered upturned noses, so to speak. My dearest friend, whom I met thirty-eight years ago, lived at one of the revival venues for months. She no longer returns my calls. I don't know why this is the case, since we aren't talking. But I suspect that she just couldn't handle the upturns that my life, and my children's lives, kept taking as opposed to her own. I'll always love her. She prayed for me when I wasn't even a believer. God will save her from this deception. At first I thought the experience had been the Holy Spirit. But, sparing the details, my life began to fall apart. I kept crying out for truth, the truth, nothing but the truth. Somehow, I was led via an internet science site to the e-book called "Sovereign God." I "inhaled" it. God's truth revealed in that book healed me of lifelong bouts of severe depression. Then, via the internet, I saw that people around the world were getting their vision healed. I thought, "God is no respecter of persons. Father, would you heal my vision?" It was a progressive miracle, full of dialogue with Him. After a trial of several months, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles pronounced me as having near-perfect vision. Father God also engineered that my unbelieving daughter would be present to hear the verdict. All my life, I'd had progressively poorer vision, ending with 20-200, which the state of Indiana considered as legally blind. God is able to do abundantly over and beyond what we can imagine or think. In His sovereignty, Father brought me through into the truth. He has orchestrated major periods of repenting and casting out of spirits revealed to me. By the grace of God, my marriage is thriving like never before. My blind eyes are healed. My depression is gone. I have hair now. I actually feel beautiful, but it's not of myself. It's Jesus, coming from the inside out. My children are fighting and winning for their marriages. I'm no longer fat. I have a room with a view. In this room, I help build God's Kingdom with the gifts He's given me. I'm welcomed at foreign airports with bouquets of flowers, like I'm some royal person. I'm surrounded by a vibrant company of other believers who cherish one another every day of the week. None of these blessings came as a result of the revival movement that so many people, including myself, touted for a while. All of these blessings are just "by-products" of a graceful God who loves me. He gave me the hunger and the unction to seek and find Him. Reading that blessing list, an unknowing person might say that I've won life's lottery. But it is all nothing compared to the fact that ... I have Jesus. I hope and pray you do, too. And here is another awesome testimony of God's amazing grace, called:   Delivered & Made Whole by C.M. As a young adult I was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr, chronic fatigue syndrome. For almost two years I would have to sleep at least twelve hours per day to barely function. Having visited every specialist, I was given no hope, other than just to deal with it and get rest. As a child I was taught about the Lord, even experiencing a vision of heaven at the age of seven years. I had been healed of a toothache during that vision. But when my dad left, our family fell apart, and our faith slowly faded away. By the time I was twenty-one years old, the Bible was in my closet, unread in years. One night I cried out to the Lord while remembering a story told to me when I was a child. A woman in the Bible was healed of her blood flow of twelve years. As I was begging the Lord to let me touch His garment just like that woman, I felt such a hot flow of heat through my body! I knew I was healed. The Lord let me feel that heat to help my faith. Within twenty-four hours, I felt completely better! I told everyone. People said it was just psychological—I had healed myself. But I knew better. I started reading my Bible as a babe in Christ. Almost two years later, I did join a church. I was reading the Bible regularly, but I started practicing yoga. I even became a yoga instructor, certified in sport yoga. I knew yoga had Eastern philosophies, but I thought if I just did the exercise part, I would be okay. I even asked my pastor. To my surprise, I had his support as long as it was just for exercise. Another elder even encouraged Tai Chi, another Eastern philosophy of exercise. Yoga was the pathway to all of the other Eastern philosophies: Tai Chi, hypnotherapy, and Reiki, the bringing of "energy" from the universe into your body. After two years of practicing yoga and getting involved with Reiki, I met a bold woman of Christ named Jane. She informed me of my backsliding. Jane insisted that I pray and get right with God and speak to her husband. He had knowledge of the occult. The word "backsliding" kept ringing in my ears from this woman. I had thought exercising was okay. After looking up the word "backsliding" in the concordance, I was directed to Jeremiah Chapters 3-6. The Lord showed me that night that I had left the Lord for the harlot. I felt the Lord's anger with me for what I was doing. After the Lord opened my eyes that night, I discarded everything that had to do with yoga: the music, clothes, DVDs, my teaching certification, books, equipment, mat, candles, etc. I quit teaching the next day. I visited Jane and her husband, who further explained how yoga is an occult practice. They prayed over me and anointed me with oil. We claimed that I was forgiven and that all the effects of this practice had left me. Praise God for His forgiveness, mercy and love. Now I have given my life to the Lord and have been walking with Him ever since! An undeserved blessing He gave me was a daughter, as I had not been able to have a child. According to the specialists, for fourteen months, I was not ovulating. Within two weeks of giving up yoga, I was pregnant. I am so grateful for God's love and forgiveness. David: Amen! Praise God for all His goodness towards us. It's important to remember that we must continue walking in Christ to obtain the fullness of His salvation. (Mat.24:13) But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved. We have to continue in Him to receive what He's laid hold on us for. (Php.3:12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. He laid hold on us to manifest the fullness of Christ, and if we believe the Word, and we keep holding fast to the Word, we're going to enter into more and more of Christ. He is the Word. When we walk in Christ, we have faith to exercise the authority that He's passed on to us, but notice that although Jesus totally conquered the devil (Ephesians 1:20-22), we still see him. Why? It's because the devil still exercises authority. You may ask, "David, how is that possible?" Well, let's look at how that authority has been passed around. God never took back the authority over all creation that He gave to Adam in Gen.1:28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. But God didn't have to take it back; Adam gave it away to the devil! He gave it to the devil by virtue of the fact that he obeyed the devil. (Rom.6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves [as] servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? He made the devil his lord and gave him that authority. We know that the Bible says, "What we bind on earth is bound in heaven," so if the devil can talk us into believing he has authority, then he has it because we gave it to him. We loosed him by believing him, and we bound God by not believing Him, because God made the condition for receiving His benefits, which is our faith. Today, Adam's children have lost their authority because he gave it to satan. However, Jesus is called the "last Adam" because He is the father of the born again creation. Because He refused satan's authority He gained authority back and passed it on to His spiritual children. (1Co 15:22)  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But Christians need faith to exercise this authority. What does the Bible say? (1Jn.3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; (22) and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. When we walk in Christ, we have faith to exercise our authority, faith to believe what the Bible says about the authority given to us. Adam was a natural man who was given authority over this natural creation. Jesus Christ was called a spiritual man, and He was given authority over this spiritual and natural creation. We just read about the authority God gave to Adam over this natural creation. Most Christians haven't entered into the authority that Adam had as a natural man, much less the authority that Jesus had as a spiritual man. We are supposed to have authority in both places, the natural and the spiritual. (1Co.15:45) So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. (46) Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual. (47) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven. (48) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, let us also bear the image of the heavenly. If your Bible has "we shall," it's wrong. There's probably a footnote that tells you the Greek says, "let us also bear the image of the heavenly." We have been given a command to bear "the image of the heavenly." God is not saying that "we shall" because that's not true. A lot of people are not going to bear the "image of the heavenly" because they're going to refuse to do that. We've borne "the image of the earthy" because we've been a natural man, like the first Adam, but to bear "the image of the heavenly" is to bear the Image of the spiritual Adam, Who is Jesus Christ. (Heb.2:5) For not unto angels did he subject the inhabited earth to come... If your Bible says, "the world to come," you probably have a footnote that says "the inhabited earth." This is the correct translation from the Greek according to the numeric pattern. Notice its "the inhabited earth to come" meaning the earth under and following Adam's authority.  (Heb.2:5) For not unto angels did he subject the inhabited earth to come, whereof we speak. (6) But one hath somewhere testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? What was "man"? That was Adam. And who was the "son of man"? That was Adam's children. Jesus was the Son of man and the Son of God. This is talking about both the natural Adam and the spiritual Adam. The spiritual "Adam" is Christ, and so then, who is the "son of man"? That is Christ's children. Adam and his children had authority, and if they hadn't fallen because of sin, they would still have that authority. Jesus has authority and all of His children have the same authority because He is an Adam. He's the Procreator of the whole race of the spiritual man. He's the (Rom.8:29) ... firstborn among many brethren. The Greek word there is adelphos, and it means "brothers." (Gal.3:26) For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. Through faith, we should be living up to our sonship; we should be exercising the authority of the first Son, Jesus Christ, our spiritual Father. (Heb.2:7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, And didst set him over the works of thy hands. We found that was true of Adam, and it's still true. Jesus exercised authority over the works of God's hands. Just as Adam did in the natural before he fell; Jesus did in the spiritual and natural. There's a natural creation, and there's a spiritual creation beyond the natural creation. Adam had dominion over the works of God's hands; he exercised authority over all the earth, the beasts, the fish, the birds, and so on. However, there are other works of God's hands that Adam didn't know much about: the principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness, the spiritual creation of God (Ephesians 6:12). Because of what Jesus accomplished at the Cross, we've been given authority over not just the natural creation, but the spiritual creation. (Eph.1:19) And what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might (20) which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], (21) far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: (22) and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Notice that Jesus was the head of His body the Church but He put all things in subjection under the feet of His body. We have this authority as we follow the Head. Our authority over the natural creation and the spiritual creation is given by right of two facts. We have come from the first Adam, and we have come from the second Adam. Both of those have been given authority, and that authority has been passed on to us, but the only way you can exercise that authority is to believe what the Word of God says. All of this has been put under your feet; you have complete sovereignty over it as you follow the Head. (Luk.10:19) Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Notice: "Behold, I have given you authority ... over all the power of the enemy." Here's another witness that God has put all things in subjection under His feet: (Heb.2:8) Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. (Primarily, He was talking about Adam and his children. Secondarily, He's talking about Christ and His children.) But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. In other words, it's a fact that Jesus conquered the devil and gave us authority over him, but it's also a fact that we haven't exercised that authority. (Heb.2:9) But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, [even] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every [man]. (10) For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory (These are His sons.), to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (11) For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one (We have one Father.): for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. So you see, we are sons of God first by faith and then by manifestation. Jesus, as the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47), received this authority from God over all of creation, and we are in Him. As end-time saints, we are in Him as His body and even the lowest member, the "feet," have been given authority to "stomp" on the devil's kingdom. (Rom.16:20) And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. We've been given this authority, so what's the holdup here? The holdup is for us to be convinced about what the Bible says in black and white. It isn't a deep revelation; it's in the letter of the Word, and we need to step out and start exercising our authority according to His Word by faith. We have dominion over all the works of God's hand! It makes no sense to think God would have given this dominion to Adam, a physical, natural creation, but would not have given it to His spiritual creation, sons born after the Image of Jesus Christ. Start imagining yourself as a son of God with authority. See yourself that way. (Psa.8:4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? (In other words, why would you pay any attention to man?) And the son of man (That's not only Adam, but his children. That's not only Christ, but His children.), that thou visitest him? (Psa.8:5) For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor. (6) Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: (7) All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field, (8) The birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, Whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. Do you remember when the disciples had been fishing all night without catching anything until the Lord commanded the fish into their net? (Joh.21:6) And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. And (Psa.8:9) O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! Our words and actions must agree with God's Word. Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2 are parallel in speaking about Adam and his children, and Christ and His children, both having dominion over the work of God's hands. Everything Jesus said agrees with this. (Mat.18:18) Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Because we don't understand this principle, we are continually loosing the devil to terrorize us. We are continually loosing the curse to take dominion over us. We are continually doing this because we are disagreeing with the Word of God. This is what happens when we speak contrary to the Word of God, and we act contrary to the Word of God. Many of God's people don't yet understand that they have this authority to loose the devil. They loose him when they disagree with God's Word. They loose him when they agree with these spirits that rule over the lusts of the flesh. If you agree with them, they are going to rule over you, as with Adam and Eve. We have authority over the work of God's hands. We have authority over the things that God has given us. We have authority over our automobiles and our washing machines; literally anything we have stewardship of. It doesn't make any difference what it is; we have authority. Some of you have exercised your authority and commanded healing for people, and God healed them, or you've commanded healing over broken appliances or cars, and God healed them, too. What we have to do is be convinced that we have the authority of creative power in us. (Joh.20:21) Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. This means that the Father sent Jesus with authority over the works of His hands, and everywhere He went, He exercised authority. And He said, "Even so send I you." He sent us with that same authority. (Mat.28:18) And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go ye therefore... Why did He say that? He said it because He was passing that authority on to His disciples. (Mat 28:19)  Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: (Just in case you believe this was only for the Apostles, He addresses all nations of disciples saying this.) 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you (so we all have the authority they had.): and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  And in another Gospel He said in (Mar.16:17) And these signs shall accompany them that believe... "Them that believe" includes every believer. Every believer has authority in the second heaven, too. That's where Satan rules, and he reaches from the second heaven into the first heaven to rule as prince of the powers of the air in this world (Ephesians 2:2). We can read that here, where Jesus talks to Peter and the disciples. (Mat.16:18) And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (19) I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven... What Matthew 16:19 actually says in the original is "the kingdom of the heavens." Over in Matthew 18:18, which we've looked at, the word used is "heaven," singular, because it's only talking about the third heaven, but Matthew 16 is talking about all the "heavens," plural. It says in the Nestle's Text, the three most ancient manuscripts, "the kingdom of the heavens." It says in the Numeric English New Testament, "the kingdom of the heavens." Other translations just haven't copied it correctly. This verse correctly reads, (Mat.16:19) I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens... That means you are binding in the second heaven too. But even in the third heaven we bind or loose by unbelief or faith. The devil is hidden from us in the second heaven, another realm, and he rules from there as prince of the power of the air in the first heaven, but we have authority in the realm of the second heaven when we obey the principles of God's Word. (Mat.16:19) I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens. That doesn't say that we are going to destroy everything the devil does because God doesn't want to do that. God sent the devil here to administer the curse, such as when apostle Paul turned a man over to Satan (1Co.5:5) ... for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. God still does this today, so He doesn't want to destroy the power of the devil. God wants to destroy the power of the devil in the life of the believer. Jesus didn't give the keys to just Peter, as some people mistakenly read this verse. Jesus was talking to all of His disciples. (Mat.16:20) Then charged he the disciples that they should tell no man that he was the Christ. What made Jesus speak of Peter in the first place? It was because of what Peter had spoken. (Mat.16:13) Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? (14) And they said, Some [say] John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. (15) He saith unto them, But who say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven. (18) And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. He wasn't talking about Peter alone. What was shown to Peter was the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. This was the rock. Everybody who is saved has gotten that revelation. It is a foundational revelation. Everybody with that revelation has authority if they believe. This is the "key of David." (Isa.22:22) And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. Everybody who is saved has the key of the Kingdom of Heaven but only a few will manifest it. (Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth. Jesus in the believer has the authority of the key of David. "And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church." The name "Peter" is the Greek word petros, which means "a small rock or stone such as a man may throw." We are all one of these. But the Greek word for "rock" in this verse is petra, and it means "a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff." All of us small rocks who make up the body of Christ could also corporately be this huge Rock. Peter himself said that Jesus was the Rock. (1Pe.2:3) If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: (4) unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, (5) ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (6) Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. (7) For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; (8) and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. Peter said that we are "living stones" and all of the disciples are "living stones." Peter didn't believe that he was the huge Rock. We are living stones in God's building, and that whole building is petra, a mass of rock. Jesus is the foundation of the building of the Body of Christ. He is the Chief Corner Stone, which is missing from the Great Pyramid because He is in heaven, but that Chief Corner Stone also looks like the rest of the building, which is the body of Christ. He is the Foundation and the Head, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8,11; 21:6; 22:13), and the many stones are His body, just like the Great Pyramid represents. [Note: According to Josephus, the Great Pyramid is a prophecy built by Enoch and his sons.] Peter didn't exercise any more authority than the rest of the apostles. God gave all of His disciples the authority to bind things in the second heaven (Ephesians 2:2), things in the third heaven (Matthew 24:31; 2 Corinthians 12:2), and things in the first heaven (Mark 13:27). God's peopare not doing the works of Jesus Christ because they don't realize this authority is also theirs. We need to get this understanding down in our hearts because the devil's been given authority from God to make war on the saints. God sent an adversary so that not only would we learn to fight, but we would learn to fight and win! Did you know that if you fight the devil, you are going to be warring with your flesh? When you fight the spirit of fear, you are going to conquer fear in yourself. If you fight the spirit of lust, you are going to conquer lust in yourself. God has to send the devil because he reveals to you what is inside you. When you come against him by faith, you are not only consuming the lusts, you are not only plundering the devil's kingdom as far as the ground that he has taken in your life, but you are plundering him (Matthew 12:25-30; Mark 3:20-27; Luke 11:14-23). You are overcoming his spirits. Take your Promised Land. Conquer the carnal man that lives in it. Use the authority God gave you! This is your God-given right! Praise the Lord! Now, let me share another wonderful testimony with you called:   Faith in God's Word Plundered the Devil by sister L.W. About a year ago, the Lord showed me that I had a spirit of rejection. I received it through the bloodline of my dad. My grandparents tried to abort him. His siblings constantly reminded him that he was not wanted. The spirit of rejection took all my life experiences and twisted them in my head. It made me take everything personally and made me perceive its version of the truth instead of reality. Kids are cruel in school, and everybody is picked on in some way. They picked on me because I'm a redhead. So I saw my hair as a physical disfigurement. I thought if I were pretty, people would like me despite the color of my hair. When I would get beaten up by the boys after school, I thought I was the only one getting picked on. I didn't have any black eyes but there was a lot of hair-pulling, kicking, biting, scratching, and punching. I thought it was all because of the color of my hair. And I thought because I was different, I would never be accepted; and I hated myself and my hair. During this time, I developed nervous facial tics. My mom told me to stop, but I told her that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. I told her my face would feel extremely funny and the only relief was to allow the tic. She told me to rub my face every time I felt that and I did. The Most High God had mercy on me and broke the nervous tics that very instant, and I was immediately delivered.  A couple of years later in the summer, I woke up and the left side of my face was paralyzed and felt heavy. When I would blink, my left eye wouldn't close. When I smiled, only half my face would smile. My dad thought I was just making funny faces and told me if I didn't stop my face would stick. But very quickly, he realized this was a serious medical condition. The doctors discovered I had Bell's Palsy and informed us there was no cure and that I would have to live with this the rest of my life. Later, I asked my parents if that was really true. Would I have to live with this the rest of my life? I felt ugly enough having red hair, without adding a paralyzed face to the equation. And they said, "We serve a God who heals. He is a healing God." Being a child, I thought my parents were smarter than the doctors. So I put my faith in what they told me and ignored what the doctors said. The Lord completely healed my face within seven days. The doctors were stunned. The healing was so complete, there is not even the slightest trace even to this very day, despite the doctors' report. When my parents became missionaries to Swaziland, I was so ecstatic, looking forward to a fresh start. Maybe there they would accept my red hair. Little did I know that the country we were going to believed people with red hair were witch doctors. Now, not only did the color of my hair stand out, but the color of my skin, too. I was really different. I felt I would never fit in. I didn't know the language and couldn't understand their accent—even when they spoke in English. The Swazi kids were actually loving and gentle, unlike the American kids, and they were intrigued by me. They wanted to touch my hair and skin and smell me, but I felt intimidated. (After my sister read this testimony, she told me those Swazi kids loved me and loved playing marbles with me during recess.) The love they gave me, the spirit of rejection stole from me. I thought I was the dumbest one in my class. The standard of schooling was much higher than in the States, and the kids laughed at me because I didn't know the answers when the teacher called on me. Inevitably, there was always somebody who had pity on me and whispered the answer to me. The spirit of rejection twisted my thoughts. Once again I felt rejected. I was a loner. I thought there was something wrong with me because I was dumb. I wanted to be anybody else but me. Because there was no high school in the country we lived in, I was forced to go to boarding school. I went to an all-white, all-girls high school in South Africa. Suddenly, my hair became my greatest asset. I became interested in fashion and beauty and surrounded myself with prim and proper British tea-drinking girls who were gossips and snobs. I was the queen of beauty secrets, sharing them with everybody. Even during my short-lived popularity, inside I still felt dumb and ugly. I felt I was the object of gossip and that the girls were looking down their noses at me. After three years of boarding school, my family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. I was finally able to live at home with my parents and go to a public school. No longer was I surrounded by prim and proper British girls, but fighting Jezebels. My sister and I rode the school bus. The Jezebels would not allow us to sit, even though there was a vacant seat. They said the seats were reserved. I was determined to sit because I didn't want to have to stand through high school. The girls converged on my sister and me. They pulled our hair, tore our dresses, kicked, scratched, bit, punched and burned us with their cigarettes. I stood up for myself and protected my sister. At that point in my life, I didn't know to turn the other cheek. I prayed and asked God to give me strength. After a while, they gave up. After I graduated from high school, I returned to the States to go to college. Before school started, I lived a few months with relatives. During those months, the spirit of rejection made me feel more alone than ever. Even though I had returned to the land of my birth, I realized I had become a foreigner. I was stranger than ever. My clothes were the latest in fashion in Europe, but they just didn't go in Wyoming. There was nothing indecent about them, but a pastor's wife wrote a letter to my parents stating I looked like a streetwalker and carbon copied it to the church headquarters. Apparently, nothing but jeans, cowboy boots, or tennis shoes was accepted. My clothes were too colorful and different. The day finally came when I was able to go to college and move into the dorm. God blessed me with a fabulous roommate and we became immediate friends. She helped me adjust to the American way of life. I became more confident. I finally started having fun, but didn't study enough; I got kicked out of two church colleges with which my parents were affiliated. I was labeled a rogue missionary kid who dressed like a streetwalker. In my shame, I went back home to South Africa. All my life I was judged by my hair and now I have begun to judge other people by their hair. One night I dreamed I was walking on a busy sidewalk in a big city. The sidewalk was crowded with people walking to and fro. There was a long, green snake gliding at shoulder level. When our eyes met, he immediately came at me and coiled himself tightly around my ponytail. I grabbed him with my right hand and tried to pull him out of my hair, but he was coiled so tightly, he wouldn't budge. I woke up. At this time, I didn't know anything about the importance of dreams. But it was so vivid that I never forgot it. Eventually, my head started to itch and burn. I thought to myself, "Whatever you do, never itch in public." I didn't want to act like the baboons in Africa, always scratching. A couple of years went by and ridges started to form on my scalp, but I ignored it. Later, I got married and moved into my husband's house. Within a week, I realized I had made a huge mistake. He became physically abusive and would often kick me out. In an effort not to worry my parents and hide my shame, I spent the nights at a hotel and kept going back. The abuse became more frequent. I felt like I was having a nightmare and couldn't wake up. It became increasingly difficult to hide the abuse from my family and from work. I found out he was addicted to pornography (that's why he would kick me out). I thought I had married a Christian. One morning, he came at me with full force. I couldn't get away because he was so much bigger and stronger. I grabbed the phone and dialed 9-1-1, but he slammed the receiver down. "God, get me out of here. Help me!" I cried. A few minutes later, a police car pulled up. Shocked, I didn't recognize myself when I looked in the mirror that day. Somebody else was staring at me! We had only been married four months, four days. This was the ultimate rejection and betrayal. For the next two and a half years, we were separated, but trying to work things out. Even during that time, he was physically abusive. My family was afraid he was going to kill me. When I was with him, they would often call. If I did not answer, they would call the police. It ended in divorce. I went to my mom's beauty shop for a haircut. She told me I needed to see the dermatologist because the ridges at the crown of my head had turned a reddish purple. The dermatologist did a biopsy and discovered I had a rare condition called Pseudopelade of Brocq. She gave me little green pills to take. The first morning I took one, I was doubled over in pain within 20 minutes. No matter how hard I tried to take those pills, I was never able to keep them down. I called the dermatologist to ask her what the pills were supposed to do. She said they wouldn't cure my scalp condition—they would only stop the burning and itching. I threw those useless pills out. They were not going to free me from the green snake coiled up in my hair. The name of that snake is Jealousy. When the LORD showed me the root cause of the problem, I repented from my sins of pride and vanity. (Isa.3:16) Moreover, the Lord said, Because the daughters of Zion are proud And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, And go along with mincing steps And tinkle the bangles on their feet, (17) Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs, And the Lord will make their foreheads bare. (24) ... Instead of wellset hair, a plucked-out scalp. I lived under a mountain of condemnation. No matter how much I forgave and repented of my sins, I always felt like God was mad at me. I am the elder of two girls and I felt like I was Esau and my sister was Jacob. (Heb.12:17) For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears. (Rom.9:13) Just as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. I was jealous of my sister. I felt like I was Leah and my sister was Rachel. I was unloved and my sister was loved. I was the one who had weak eyes and couldn't please my Heavenly Father, while my sister was given wisdom and favor with God and man. The LORD gave me: (Gal.3:27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. This verse changed my life. A year before this, my dad baptized me into Jesus Christ, which meant I fulfilled the beginning of the verse. If I was baptized into Jesus Christ, then I was clothed with Christ! I was bouncing off the walls! I was firmly convinced I was clothed with Christ. I told my family about that verse, confessing I was clothed in Christ. My dad and sister said I still had to manifestly be clothed in Christ. I told them that's not what the verse said. It was a very plain and simple verse. I understood it perfectly and I wasn't budging from my stance. I was so ecstatic over that verse and I told them with a huge smile on my face, "Nobody can talk me out of that promise." My mom turned to me and said, "Grab onto that promise with your stubborn mentality and don't let go." The next morning, something flew out of my left nostril with extreme force, waking me up. I heard the sound of a loud rushing wind and physically felt the force. Whatever it was hit my window and caused it to rattle. I jumped out of bed, expecting to see a broken window, but it was completely intact. That had never happened to me before, but I knew I didn't imagine or dream it. I told my family what happened. My dad said a demon was evicted because of my believing that verse. I was so happy! I became obsessed with cleansing myself from all defilement of flesh and spirit. By this time, my dad and sister were listening to me. A few mornings later while sleeping, my whole body cramped up painfully and then relaxed, causing me to wake up. I called my dad, crying on the phone, because I was afraid the demon had come back. He said the demon hadn't come back, but another demon had left and wracked my body on his departure. He said demons typically do that when they leave. I was so happy, jumping up and down, praising Jesus. A few days later, my chest still hurt. I had a big bruise on it to remind me of my deliverance. It was simply a gift Father gave me to believe His Word. His Word is true. When you submit yourself to God, the devil will flee from you. (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God: but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. I learned the importance of meditating on the word. Each night I would pick a verse. I came across (Sol.4:1) ...Your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Mount Gilead. Because of my hair and scalp condition, I was always attracted to any scripture that dealt with hair. I knew there was a spiritual meaning, but I didn't know what it was. Despite not understanding this verse, I was going to meditate on it anyway. I imagined my hair being like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. As I meditated, I heard a voice that sounded like my own say, "Don't do that!" I flew out of bed and turned on the light. I looked under my pillows and tore my whole bed apart looking for something, but I knew not what. I realized it was a demon using my voice. He didn't like me meditating on that verse. I thought, "Stupid demon. If that verse is causing such an uproar with a demon, I'll meditate on it every waking moment!" The next day as I was meditating on the verse, I heard another voice squeal my name. The Word of God is alive! A few weeks later, my mom commented that there was a huge improvement while cutting my hair at the beauty shop. She said an amazing thing was happening—my hair was growing in thick and long. (Sol.7:5) Your head crowns you like Carmel, And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads; The king is captivated by your tresses. It's easy to see the faults in other people, but it's difficult to see the faults in yourself. I decided to ask my sister what my problem was because I knew she would be brutally honest. She told me I had a spirit of rejection. She said that a demon was the cause of my scalp condition, and that I was easily offended and it manifested in my scalp being irritated and tender. I decided to take her at her word and fight the spirit of rejection. My sister showed me this scripture: (Luk.21:12) But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake. (13) It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. (14) So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; (15) for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. (16) But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, (17) and you will be hated by all because of My name. (18) Yet not a hair of your head will perish. Suffering rejection is a part of taking up your cross and following Jesus. It's forgiving those who do you wrong and turning the other cheek. A few weeks later I was at the mall with my family. I saw a really neat soap dispenser that I thought my mom should buy, but she said she didn't like it. Then I saw a perfect soap dispenser for my sister's bathroom, but she didn't like it either. The words, "So what's wrong with MY soap dispenser," flew out of my mouth! I was hearing them for the first time myself. I realized what I said was so outrageous and so unreasonable. For the first time, I saw how easily I was offended. I finally saw for myself the spirit of rejection in me. One night, I asked Father for a scripture by lot: (Luk.9:42) While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. I thought Jesus did it for the boy only and I wanted Him to do it for me. But then my sister showed me Jesus' words: (Mar.13:37) What I say to you I say to all. I was ecstatic! Jesus rebuked the spirit of rejection in me and healed me and gave me back to my Heavenly Father. The spirit of condemnation would overwhelm me. One night while meditating on (Rom.6:11) Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, another demon flew out from behind my right ear with force. I felt and heard a major vibration. I couldn't wait to tell my family. And I said to my sister, "You wouldn't believe what happened to me last night!" She asked, "Now what flew out of you?" (Luk.11:20) But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. I devoured the audio series, "The Curse of Unforgiveness" and I followed along in my Bible, highlighted scriptures, wrote notes and searched my heart for any unforgiveness that may have been lurking. I also devoured the audio series, "Overcoming Sin." I was on a mission to completely rid myself of the spirits of rejection, judgment and condemnation. I became obsessed with (2Co.7:1) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Early one morning I dreamed I had bloodstains all over me. A little boy with blonde hair said to me, "Let me help you." I woke up, desperately wanting help! Immediately, when David Eells started the Bible study, "Deliverance from Rejection and Its Fear," I knew he was talking to me! The Man-child was helping me. My deliverance was already accomplished! I was set free from the spirit of rejection and condemnation! The mental torment has been removed from my mind. My family will no longer have to tread lightly. My Heavenly Father poured His love into me. I finally felt His acceptance. I was no longer rejected, but accepted. (Isa.43:3) For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. (4) Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. How can I possibly feel rejected? (Rom.8:31) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? I had been burnt to a crisp. But I learned the ashes of burning the wood, hay and stubble mixed with the water of the Word was a potent purifying cleanser, which is exactly what I needed. (Num.19:9) Now a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place, and the congregation of the sons of Israel shall keep it as water to remove impurity; it is purification from sin. (Act.11:9) But a voice from heaven answered a second time, What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy. L.W.'s Prayer: Father, Have Mercy ... Father, I ask You, for anyone out there who is in bondage to sin, needing a healing, needing a restoration in their family, needing a restoration of fellowship, that You will convict them of their sins. Convict them to go and make things right with their brethren. If they've done sin, if they're unforgiving, whatever, convict them to go and make things right with their brethren and then come to You for their benefits: healing, deliverance, blessing, whatever, Lord. We thank you, Lord, for putting Your faith and conviction in hearts. Some are very hardened in their heart, Lord. We ask you to have mercy. Restore their consciences. Grant them this gift to be bold to confess their sins so that You may bless and preserve them and heal and deliver them. Father, we ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen. David: Yes, Amen! Our Lord Jesus has said in (Mat.6:15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Without the Father's forgiveness, we are living under the curse. (Mat.18:32) Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: (33) shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. The tormentors are the demons who administer the curse, which is partially described in Deuteronomy 28. Many are living under this and think it normal, but Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us... (Gal.3:13). Therefore, it would be of great benefit to you, saints, to also read or listen to these teachings. Deliverance From Rejection and its Fear https://ubm1.org/?page=deliverance   The Curse of Unforgiveness http://www.ubm1.org/books/pdf/TCOU.pdf https://www.ubm1.org/?page=sabs-onehour

Guidelines for Knowing the Will of God Ephesians 5:17

Series: Big GodWeek: 3Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10; Genesis 3:1-6; Lamentations 3:22-23; 1 Peter 4:10-11Preacher: Brian Lowe

Rev Gareth MacLean

Title: The Sword of the Spirit Scripture Reading: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” — Ephesians 6:17A sword is both for defense and for advancing in battle. 

Title: The Helmet of Salvation Scripture Reading: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” — Ephesians 6:17 The helmet of salvation protects our thoughts from fear, lies, and confusion. 

Series: Big GodWeek: 2Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16Preacher: Brian Lowe

Sunday, 17 August 2025   He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Matthew 12:30   “The ‘not being with Me,' he is against me. And the ‘not gathering with Me,' he scatters” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of binding the strong man before his goods can be plundered. With that thought complete, He now poignantly states, “The ‘not being with Me,' he is against me.”   There is a great deal of dissension about who Jesus is speaking of in this verse. Some say it is a word against the Pharisees, others say it is referring to Satan, others that it is anyone at any time as they interact with the cause of Christ, etc. Checking the surrounding verses gives us the answer.   A man who was demon possessed, blind and mute, was brought to Him. He healed the man (vs. 23). The people asked if He could be the Son of David (vs. 24). He was accused by the Pharisees of casting out by Beelzebul (vs. 24). From there, Jesus gave His words on kingdom division, authority to cast out demons, and binding a strong man (vss. 25-29).   In verses 31 & 32, He will speak of blasphemy against the Spirit, stating that speaking a word against the Son of Man is forgivable, but speaking against the Holy Spirit is not. But Jesus has said in verse 28 that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has come upon them.   He is clearly stating that He and what He does are in accord with the Spirit. Therefore, when someone speaks against His actions, they are speaking against the work of the Spirit. As anyone opposed to the Spirit is under the authority of the devil, those opposed to Christ's works are not in accord with the Spirit.   The general words, “the not being with Me,” indicate the devil and those who are his. There is “what God is doing,” and “what the devil is doing.” That is the totality of what is happening in the universe around us. Understanding this, He next says, “And the ‘not gathering with Me,' he scatters.”   A new word, skorpizó, to dissipate, is introduced. It is derived from skorpios, a scorpion. A scorpion penetrates its prey, causing a dissipating effect. One can think of a grenade being tossed into a room, and those in the room scatter, causing a dissipating effect.   When the Spirit of God is present, there will be one effect. When the presence of the devil is present, there will be another. Bengel rightly ties the thought of gathering to the word qoheleth, Teacher or Preacher, found seven times in Ecclesiastes. The word is derived from qahal, to convoke or assemble.   Through the teaching of the Teacher, there is a gathering effect that takes place in the kingdom of God. Through opposition to it, there is a scattering effect. God is teaching us through the work of the Spirit. As Jesus is filled with the Spirit of God in the fullest sense, what He does is the ultimate gathering for the kingdom that can be realized.   Life application: Jesus' words are not speaking of the general state of any of us on a given day. One day, we may be on fire for Jesus and out telling all about Him and His goodness, handing out tracts and blaring Christian music from our car stereo. The next day, we may be in a grumpy mood and completely ineffective in our witness.   This is the normal way of life. Being a Christian does not change that. We are physical, chemical, and biological beings. Variations in those aspects of us can change our whole attitude. But this does not change our state in Christ. If we have accepted the gospel, we are sealed with the Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13, 14).   Those who have not believed the gospel are incapable of being “with” Christ because they do not have the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that testifies to Jesus Christ. He inspired Scripture, and all Scripture points to Jesus. Jesus' life is documented in Scripture. We can either accept that He is who Scripture claims or reject that. The gospel is given in the word, and it can be explained by man (Romans 10:14-18).   To reject the gospel is to reject what God is doing in redemptive history in and through His Son. The issue Jesus is referring to is being a part of one kingdom or another. If one moves from the devil to Jesus, he is with Jesus, and he gathers with Him because he has the Spirit of God.   If Jesus is rejected, the person who rejects Him is not with Him. Therefore, his being, his existence, stands in opposition to the work of the Spirit. This is an all-encompassing thought. It is not a Jew/Gentile issue. It is not a Russian/Ukrainian issue. It is not an “I support Israel” or “I don't support Israel” issue, nor a democrat/republican issue. And so forth.   We have our own divisions for various things we want or desire. At times, what we do may or may not align with God's plans as they are being worked out in human history. This may be because of stubborn rebellion, poor doctrine, etc. However, the main division of all things comes down to Christ.   Are we in Christ because of our acceptance of the Spirit's working in Him, or are we of the devil, having never been converted to accepting the Spirit's marking Him as God's chosen Servant to bring us back to Him?   “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3:8, 9   O God, help us to clearly identify the battle that is raging in the world. The devil has his kingdom, and Christ Jesus has His. Help us to effectively communicate the gospel for others to see this and to call out to You through Jesus. May You strengthen us for this at all times. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

In a world obsessed with information, Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3 offers an alternative vision— we don't need more information about God, we need a deeper, more intimate experience of His love. In this message, we explore what it means to be strengthened in our inner being, rooted in love, and filled with all the fullness of God. Because when you truly know His love—not just in your head, but in your heart—you then can extend that same love to others.

Check out our latest sermon in our 'Armor of God' series! 08/10/25

The real enemy we face, and the way our loving father protects us. Rev. Jon Hall | August 10th, 2025 ________________________________________________ We're Incarnation Tallahassee! Visit our website! www.incarnationtlh.org/
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Series: Big GodWeek: 1Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-14Preacher: Brian Lowe

Christ bought the Church at a steep price. How much is the Church worth to you? Pastor Jason Fest preaches. Listen above or download the audio file here. Photo by Kseniia Rastvorova on Unsplash The post Care for the Church of God — Ephesians 1:15–23  first appeared on Trinity Reformed Church.

"The Armor of God" – Ephesians 6:10-20 Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, August 3, 2025. Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

Check out our latest sermon in our 'Armor of God' series! 08/03/25

https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/devotional/Devotional07312025.mp3 The post Imitators of God – Ephesians 5:1-2 – July 31, 2025 appeared first on Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/imitators-of-god-ephesians-51-2-july-31-2025/feed/ 0 https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/devotional/Devotiona

The wisdom, love and power of God is displayed all throughout the Old and the New Testament. Paul recounts this in his letter to the church at Ephesus.Nathan Pearl Pearl continues teaching verse by verse through the book of Ephesians.Watch on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thedoormichaelpearl⁠ 

Do you feel alone in this world? Sometimes our decisions and habits in life leave us feeling lonely and stuck. But Ephesians 2:11-22 reminds us that we are not alone in this world. Christ has given us access to God and membership in His covenant community. 

Co-Lead Pastor, Pat Mulcahy continues our sermons series, — Ephesians: We are God's Poem.

Pray for an Ever-Deepening Intimate Knowing of God . . .I. Who do we Pray to? (15-17a)II. What do we pray for? (17b-18a)III. Why do we need that? (18b-23)Practical Implicationso What 5 names or qualities of God are most precious to you?o How can you prioritize and pursue knowing God deeply?o If you 100% believe this- what is one thing you would do different this week?

Check out thisisfoundry.com for more information about Foundry Church!Follow @thisisfoundry on social media for updates.

Check out our latest sermon in our 'Armor of God' series! 07/13/25

Check out our latest sermon in our 'Armor of God' series! 07/06/25

Join us as we listen to Paul's amazing prayer for the believers in Ephesus-that they would, by the Holy Spirit, allow God to cause them to comprehend more completely His limitless love in every part of their faith.Visit: abideatascadero.orgEmail: info@abideatascadero.orgInstagram: @abide.calvary_atascFacebook: @AbideCalvaryAtascadero

Check out thisisfoundry.com for more information about Foundry Church!Follow @thisisfoundry on social media for updates.

POWER THAT PERSUADES (PART 2) | PASTOR MARK BOER | JULY 6, 2025 — All throughout Scripture, we see a God who moves—who heals, restores, and empowers. The Church was never meant to run on words alone, but on the living power of God (Ephesians 3:20). So why do so many people never see that power? What if the power we read about is still available, still real, and still meant for you? Find out today in this message by Pastor Mark Boer. GOT SAVED TODAY? https://lcboise.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/290/responses/new SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY https://lcboise.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/171/responses/new CONNECT WITH US Website: https://www.lcboise.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeChurchBoise Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifechurchboise/

Check out our latest sermon in our 'Armor of God' series! 06/29/25

Ministers Rest | Jun 30, 2025 You must first understand that Jesus never used the word "church" when He spoke about building His community of believers. The English word "church" comes from "kuriakon," meaning a place for the worship of gods—any gods. This word was invented 500 years after Christ and imposed on His teachings by those seeking uniformity and control. You live in a world where countless practices have been imposed on Christianity that have no biblical foundation. These impositions include: - Ceremonial dress codes that supposedly convey spiritual authority - Worship styles copied from other cultures rather than flowing from authentic relationship with God - Hierarchical titles and positions that stroke human ego rather than facilitate divine government - Physical buildings and rituals that replace the reality of believers as God's living temple - Financial systems based on manipulation rather than kingdom principles These impositions exist because, according to Hebrews 9:10, certain things "stood only in meats and drinks and diverse washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation." The word "reformation" here is a medical term—orthopedic correction—meaning to repair broken bones and restore proper alignment. This is what the body of Christ desperately needs today. ## Learning from Hezekiah's Model King Hezekiah provides the perfect example of how reformation works. When he became king, he inherited a spiritual disaster: **The fathers had shut the doors** - Previous generations had blocked people's access to God's presence. Instead of facilitating intimacy with the Divine, leaders had become barriers between God and His people. **The lamps had been extinguished** - Prophetic expression had been quenched. God's word was no longer flowing as a lamp to guide the people. **No incense was being offered** - There was no ascending worship or prayer reaching heaven. The connection between earth and heaven had been severed. **Filthiness filled the holy place** - Where God's glory should have dwelt, corruption and compromise had taken residence. Hezekiah's response was immediate and comprehensive: 1. **He opened the doors** - Restored access to God's presence 2. **He relit the lamps** - Renewed prophetic expression 3. **He cleansed the temple** - Removed everything that didn't belong 4. **He restored the priesthood** - Put proper spiritual order back in place 5. **He reestablished proper worship** - Aligned everything with God's original design ## Preparing for the Inevitable Warfare Here's what you must understand: every attempt at biblical reformation triggers intense spiritual warfare. The moment Hezekiah established proper order, Sennacherib (representing demonic principalities) came against him. Satan considers anyone building according to heaven's pattern as a rebellious person threatening his established systems. He will respond through: - Economic pressure and financial attacks - Relationship conflicts and family discord - Health challenges and physical exhaustion - Accusations and character assassination - Institutional opposition and religious persecution ## Moving from Church to Ecclesia Your goal is not to build a bigger church or more popular ministry. Your calling is to establish ecclesia that actually governs according to heaven's principles. This means: **Teaching principalities and powers** - Through your accurate building, spiritual forces learn "the manifold wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:10). Your properly ordered community becomes a demonstration of divine government. **Binding and loosing with authority** - Using the keys of the kingdom to forbid lawlessness and establish righteousness in your sphere of influence. **Creating culture that counters corruption** - Instead of just preaching against societal problems, living in ways that demonstrate heaven's superior systems. **Facilitating others' direct access to God** - Rather than making yourself indispensable, teaching people to connect with Christ personally. ## Understanding the Cost Reformation is not revival. Revival resurrects what is dead along with all its corruptions and impositions. Reformation requires painful surgery to correct what has been broken and misaligned. This path will cost you: - **Comfortable religious traditions** that may have given you identity but hindered God's purposes - **Popular support** from those who prefer entertainment to transformation - **Financial ease** as kingdom principles often conflict with worldly success strategies - **Peaceful coexistence** with systems that oppose God's government But the alternative—continuing to build according to imposed human traditions rather than heaven's blueprint—leaves society unchanged and God's glory unrevealed. Cave Adullam: / caveadullam #STNG : / securingthenextgeneration Cave Adullam: Facebook Cave Adullam : / caveadullam.org Ministers Rest : / ministersrest Preparing His bride : / phbfellowship #STNG : / securingthenextgeneration Instagram Cave Adullam: / caveadullam #STNG : / securingthenextgeneration

Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor

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Dearest Mama, The most important prayer you could ever pray for your husband is for him to know the love of Jesus more deeply.The Bible says that Christ's love is so unfathomable that we even have to pray to understand it...“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” Ephesians 3:16-19. 

What does it mean that God's plan for salvation is predestined? As we explore the plan of God from all eternity, we see He had a plan to graciously save a chosen multitude of guilty sinners. God furthermore justifies and sanctifies those who by grace have faith in Jesus, and that He will one day glorify them—all to the praise of His glorious grace. 

2 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." This verse is a glorious declaration of the sovereign, saving work of God in the soul. It draws a parallel between the original creation, and the new creation in Christ. Just as in Genesis 1:3 God spoke light into the physical darkness--when the earth was formless and void--so now, in the hearts of dead sinners, He speaks spiritual light into the chaos of our moral darkness. This is not a mere invitation or offer; it is a divine act of sovereign grace. Man by nature is blind to the things of God--spiritually dead and alienated from the life of God (Ephesians 4:18). He does not seek God, nor can he grasp the glory of Christ in his own strength (Romans 3:11; 1 Corinthians 2:14). The unregenerate heart is encased in spiritual darkness. But then, by His own will and power, God speaks, and light bursts forth. This light is not from within man; it is the very light of God Himself--"the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." What is this knowledge? It is not the accumulation of facts, but the Spirit-wrought apprehension of God's glory as it is revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is to see, with the eyes of faith, the beauty of Christ crucified, risen, and reigning--the One who is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being" (Hebrews 1:3). This knowledge humbles the proud, exalts the Savior, and transforms the soul. It is the difference between knowing about Christ, and truly knowing Him. This miracle of illumination i

“You're not alone, you're not crazy—and with God's help, you can build confidence and walk in truth.” Have you ever felt like you weren't good enough? Like you didn't belong or couldn't trust your own decisions? Maybe you've wrestled with anxiety before speaking up, or feared being rejected in relationships. If so, you're not alone. In this special “Coaches Takeover” episode, Coaches Susan and Diana get real about a struggle that touches every woman at some point: insecurity. They peel back the layers to explore what insecurity really is, how it forms, how it shows up in everyday life—from career and finances to relationships and social settings—and how to move forward with confidence, clarity, and faith. With biblical insight, relatable stories, and practical tools, this episode will help you identify hidden roots of insecurity and take the first step toward freedom. Understanding the Root of Insecurity Insecurity isn't just a feeling—it's often a long-standing belief shaped by past wounds, trauma, criticism, or comparison. Susan and Diana explain how insecurity is usually built on perception rather than truth, and how that perception becomes a lens that affects everything from your self-worth to your ability to make decisions. Types of Insecurity—and Where You Might See Yourself From public speaking to parenting, marriage to money, insecurity shows up in many forms: personal, relational, social, professional, and financial. The coaches share vulnerable stories from their own lives (yes, even beach towel choices and Ph.D. paths!) to illustrate how insecurity can limit growth and paralyze action. The Body Keeps the Score Insecurity doesn't just stay in your head. It shows up in your body—through anxiety, overthinking, or even chronic stress. You'll learn how physical dysregulation can keep you stuck and how being curious (not critical) about your reactions can be a powerful path to healing. Shifting from Perfectionism to Purpose When insecurity drives perfectionism, it keeps you focused on your flaws instead of your impact. The coaches offer a mindset shift: let go of the need to be perfect and embrace being human. Showing up, even imperfectly, is powerful—especially when you focus on helping others rather than proving yourself. From Shame to Strength: A Biblical Perspective Going all the way back to Genesis, we see insecurity take root when we begin to question who we are and who God is. Susan and Diana remind us of the enemy's tactics and encourage us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–12), standing firm in truth and identity as beloved daughters of the King. You Are Not Alone Friend, insecurity may whisper that you're not enough—but the truth is, you are deeply loved, uniquely created, and equipped by God for purpose. You don't need to stay stuck in fear. With His help, you can show up strong, stand in your worth, and walk in freedom. We're so glad you're here. If this episode encouraged you, would you share it with a friend or leave a review? You never know who might need the hope and healing God has for them through your simple act of sharing. Until next time, keep leaning into courage, wisdom, and the One who loves you most.

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a cycle of “I know better, but I still mess up”? You’re not alone. Even the Apostle Paul wrestled with doing the very things he didn’t want to do. This devotional reminds us that the Christian walk isn’t about flawless performance—it’s about daily surrender and steady growth.

The desire to know God. It's the heartbeat of genuine faith, isn't it? More than head knowledge, it's a deep yearning for connection with our Creator. In this message, we'll explore the Apostle Paul's prayer for the Church: that we would have a desire to grow deeper in our knowledge and confidence in God and the people He has called us to be. Part Four Ephesians Series "A Desire To Know God” (Ephesians 1:15-23) Pastor Bryan D. Edwards May 17 & 18, 2025

In today's culture, intoxication and the reliance on substances like alcohol, marijuana, and other substances have become increasingly normalized, often portrayed as means of self-medicating, escape, coping, or recreation. For Christians, this presents a real challenge—how do we navigate a world where these substances are so accessible and even celebrated? In the first installment of a three-part series, we'll be exploring this topic and how it relates to alcohol and what the Bible has to say about it. The Bible mentions drinking alcohol almost 300 times. It repeatedly warns against drunkenness, lack of self-control, and the spiritual dangers of dependence on anything other than God (Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 20:1). Christians must ask: Am I using this to escape something God wants me to face? Is this substance mastering me in any way (1 Corinthians 6:12)? Does it hinder my witness, my clarity, or my ability to love others well? These aren't just moral questions, but deeply spiritual ones that call us to reflect on what rules our hearts and minds. So…who's up for a little candid discussion about a mildly controversial topic?

Have you ever asked, "Who am I, really?" Or felt stuck in an identity shaped more by past pain, people's opinions, or performance than by God's truth? In this powerful episode, we're diving deep into the heart of identity—and what it means to live from who God says you are, not for the approval of others.   You'll discover: ✨ How to recognize and replace false identities ✨ Why your spiritual identity shapes how you live, lead, and love ✨ Practical ways to reinforce your God-given identity every day We'll explore powerful scriptures like: