Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

I want to quote something to you from our MAYO CLINIC FAMILY HEALTH BOOK. It is the definition for a fever. It says, “Fever is one of the body’s reactions to infection. Although the mechanism is incompletely understood, a fever apparently plays a role in the way the body adjusts to and fights off many infectious diseases.”

A fever is a built-in fighting mechanism that God created within the body. A fever happens when the body is attacked with something that it thinks is trying to hurt it. We can feel the fever as it raises the temperature of the body. We can also see that much of the body’s focus goes to fighting the attacker.

We should learn from God’s creation of the human body and realize that our spirit was designed by God to do the same thing. If your body was passive when you got sick, it would be overtaken and die. Under normal circumstances it isn’t passive. It’s a fighting machine. It’s what you were also meant to be. God says this to you. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) The word resists from the Greek means to oppose or to stand against.

I think it was John Wayne who said, “Them is fighting words!” So is every evil report that is contrary to God’s will and tries to steal your hope and discourage you. This includes the evil reports about your health, your livelihood or job, or whatever. I’m not saying that we are to oppose or attack a doctor when he or she gives you a negative prognosis. The doctor is on your side and he is trying to help you from a medical perspective. But the evil report is designed to discourage you and steal your fatih. The same is true when you are given a pink slip and laid off from work. You don’t attack the boss but we do attack the devil trying to steal your livelihood in whatever way he comes against you. Every time you get an evil report your are faced with the words of Isaiah in Isaiah 53:1. “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” You’ll have to decide, “Whose report will I believe?” Then you will have to ask yourself, “Am I going to let the devil eat my lunch again?”

A few years ago, there was a song written that was sung in many churches world wide written by Becky Fender. The song is named, “Whose report will you believe?” It’s a great song.

We weren’t designed by God to be passive as the devil attacks our life. We were designed by God to fight demonic attacks and evil reports. We don’t fight people. We exercise our faith in God’s promises and stand against the evil report. Do principalities and powers really exist? Eph 6:10-12 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Then in 2 Cor 10:3-5 we read about spiritual weapons. It says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. For the weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” What is a stronghold? A stronghold is an untruth that we have believed and put faith in. To some it feels like an unshakeable fear. But it’s not unshakeable! The Bible says we demolish these strongholds. You taking hold of the truth and promise of God’s Word is the beginning of that process.

The devil is on the attack all the time. Like a fever, we stand against the lies that are contrary to God’s will and we praise God for what His will is to be in our life. Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose (satan) is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”(John 10:10) You won’t believe and have faith in a matter until it’s a settled issue in your heart. First we have to know and be convinced of the good God wants for you. Then you’ll be ready to be that fighting machine resisting the devil and his lies.

Isaiah 53:1 says, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” Isaiah was speaking this to God. He was saying, Lord we have told the people what you said but who has believed us? Who really understands you, your promises, and what you are saying?

It is God’s will that we know of Jesus’ abundant love, mercy, and grace, and of His covenant of precious promises.
God wants us to believe His report!

Ask yourself: Is the devil ripping you off? Get mad about it. Find out what the promise of God promises you! Put it before the Lord in prayer and resist and rebuke the attacks and lies of devil. Remember, as you resist the devil and his lies, he will flee from you!

Here is one of His precious promises! Psalms 103:2-3 (NIV) “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits– who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases..”

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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