Strength, Boldness, Power to You From God

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

When I was in the fourth grade and nine years old, I was one of the smallest boys in school. The smallest boy in school is typically going to get picked on just because he’s an easy target. I worked out some by doing push-ups and lifting weights so that I wasn’t a complete pushover, but just my size made me feel like I was wearing a sign that said; I’m the smallest guy around. Come pick on me!

One of my very best friends at school happened to be the biggest and strongest kid in our age group. We were always together at school. Consequently, for anyone to get to me, they had to go through him. I wasn’t stupid. I knew that I was safe because of him, but I didn’t take advantage of the situation and antagonize guys just because I had a big friend. I was simply grateful that I did. I was extremely grateful for his friendship. Not only was he a great friend, but just him being with me saved me from getting continuously picked on.

That’s really the way it is with the Lord. We live in a world defiled by Satan and sin. To call Satan a bully would be to understate his evil impact on this world and each of our lives. I would compare him to a deviate—drive-by shooter that indiscriminately hates and will kill anyone. Jesus described him as the one who has come“to kill, steal, and destroy.”

I recently heard a Bible teacher on television say that God brings and allows adversity to test and grow our strength, character, and faith. I highly respect this person and his ministry but on this one point, he’s very wrong. God never brought adversity in the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve, nor would it have come if they hadn’t sinned. It came because of their sin. Sin and consequently death (and everything leading up to death) came to us all because of sin. It defiled the world! We read in Romans 5:12 TLB “When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”

Sin brought enough adversity for a lifetime for each person. God doesn’t have to bring adversity to us. It comes like weeds in a garden—with no effort or help from anyone. You never plant those weeds yet they somehow show up. You have to remove or kill them less they overtake your garden or lawn. And in the same way, you need to resist that trouble that comes at Satan’s hand in your life. It’s not people we fight. Its “…principalities, and powers and rulers of darkness,” (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). It’s also temptations revealing our weakest areas, trying to make us feel powerless, helpless and a failure at personal restraint!

All sin is rooted in lust and self-concern from wrong selfish choices. The ugly consequences of sin have touched all of our lives. It is the source of every evil in the world and that spills over into our lives creating a world of adversity. Again, like weeds in a garden, they just show up!

Jesus is the big friend we have in life. His Holy Spirit lives within us. He helps us become “…strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!” (Ephesians 6:10 KJV) Though sin came to all men and made us weak and Satan’s prey to be picked on, Jesus brought us righteousness to help us be as “bold as a lion!”

Romans 5:17 NLT says, “…The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God’s wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan impersonates a lion, but WE ARE TO BECOME AS BOLD AS A LION! Satan will seek whom he may devour (those that don’t know how to resist him.) We are to become the righteous and bold as a lion and tell him to flee in Jesus name! Read in your Bibles what demons did when Jesus showed up on the scene. They should cower when they see your boldness! A wicked or slothful man will flee or cave at the first sign of trouble or symptoms of sickness. When I feel the attack of the enemy working against me in my life, I remember to roar! We have a big friend named Jesus! The righteous will lift their head and roar saying, “No,flee in Jesus name!”

James 4:7 (NKJV) “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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