THIS IS WHY MANY CAN’T RESIST THE DEVIL

Dear Folks,

It was late at night or very early in the morning, probably 1:0oam, I just discovered the truth about the believer in a new way. ‘RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.’ James 4:7. Imagine my joy. Hulala! Suddenly I became a little taller, I felt like a giant – in fact like a bulldozer – ready to bulldoze the devil not only from my life, and ministry but if possible from the world.

So I began to exercise the word of God in prayer – ‘devil get out of my ministry, you have no permission in my spirit, soul and body…I began to blow tongues…common now’. After staying in prayer battling with God’s word for like an hour. I heard the spirit say to me, ‘READ THAT VERSE AGAIN’. Why? I mean by now I can quote it. When He kept pressing me, I read it, and then it was the same. ‘Resist the devil, and He will flee from you’.

By now I was familiar with that verse. But how many times have we missed out on God’s mind, treasure and revelation because we are used to that verse? So, He said, ‘the whole verse’. Then I saw it… ‘SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’. James 4:7. THEN I SAW IT. FIRST, YOU MUST SUBMIT TO GOD! Immediately I stopped praying – I was on to something new – Rev!

Many times, believers are exercising so much energy resisting the devil, and you can see for yourself that instead of the devil fleeing, he is building strongholds and pavilions around you. We must learn to do the first thing first, which is to submit to God – then resisting the devil will be like a stroll in the park. But we must learn to do the first thing first – the first thing is not resisting the devil, it is submitting to God. God doesn’t help you to submit, it is you that submit – ‘submit yourselves’ – it’s a decision you must make. No need to be spiritual about that.

THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD! The reason the devil has given Christians so much hell, is because most Christians are not submitted to God.

The question I asked which you should ask is how do I submit to God? Especially a God I cannot see, and I cannot walk to His office to take order? THE WAY THAT YOU SUBMIT TO GOD IS BY BEING SUBMITTED TO HIS WORD, because God and His word are one. This means that if you submit yourselves to the Word, then and only then can you have the right to resist the devil. The Bible does not say fight him. It says resist him. And the Bible says, he will flee from you. So you are in a faith fight – but that fight is dependent on submission to God’s word.

The Greek word submit ishupotasso. The hupo means "under" and the tasso means "to arrange." This word and a root of it are also translated by the words subject and subjection. The word's full meaning is "to obey, put under, be subject to, submit oneself unto, put in subjection under or be under obedience or obedient to." The word was used as a military term meaning "to arrange troop divisions in a military fashion under the command of a leader." 

In order to resist the devil therefore you must put yourself under the Word of God. The word of God is the leader and you must obey it. You must be subjected fully to God’s word – in complete obedience! IF (note the word IF) you live such a word controlled and dominated life, then you will resist the devil and he will flee.

The devil is not as powerful as he seems, it is just that we have refused to live in subjection to God’s word. The Bible says concerning Jesus, ‘WITH BURNT OFFERINGS AND SIN OFFERINGS YOU WERE NOT PLEASED. THEN I SAID, ‘HERE I AM—IT IS WRITTEN ABOUT ME IN THE SCROLL. I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL, MY GOD’. Hebrews 10:6-7. He was submitted to doing what was written concerning him in the scroll. We also must stand and be committed to that which is written in the eternal scroll of God – His word!

Again submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will be on the highway – fleeing! Be sure to keep the devil at bay – keep him fleeing by submitting to God’s word, THEN RESIST HIM. Amen!

Your Greatness is Assured!

FA

Fisayo Adeniyi

Pursuing Purpose...

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ONE PERFUME, TWO FRAGRANCES

I have always being enthralled by perfumes; their varied fragrances and packages. I remember a friend of mine in the university once wore a perfume I had earlier come across, I told her the name of what she was wearing and she smiled because I was right. A brand of a perfume always comes with the same fragrance. I have never seen one with two fragrances.

Perfumes have been worthy compliments of men from time immemorial. Anytime I read Esther 2:12, I am amazed at the vast preparation these beautiful ladies were subjected to for a whole year, “The young women were given beauty treatments for one whole year. The first six months their skin was rubbed with olive oil and myrrh, and the last six months it was treated with perfumes and cosmetics. Then each of them spent the night alone with King Xerxes.(CEV)”  But even after this treatment, the beautiful virgin would still have one sweet, strong fragrance.

Daily, I see the miracle of a fragrance. From the dusty villages, to the dense street of Lagos to the market at Aka Offot in Uyo to air conditioned halls in Abuja; a fragrance.  Sometimes the fragrance comes from sweaty backs, sometimes from high flyers in gorgeous suits. Different, yet with no distinction. They are the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. They are Christians.

They are a fragrance, just one fragrance, one sort, one brand, one people. One united fragrance, but two outward savours. Their fragrance lasts forever, and differs in aroma depending on the man savoring it. To some, they are a scent of life leading to life, to others, a scent of death leading to death.

“But thanks be to God! He always leads us triumphantly in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of knowing him. To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a living fragrance. Who is qualified for this?” 2 Cor 2:14-16 ISV

The next time you see those folks with their permanent perfumes infused into their genes; understand that you have seen a spiritual miracle, men whose spirit can never die. God’s trademark in perfumery; they are Christians and they are special. Depending on who you are, they constantly stick in your nose, reminding you of your choice, witnessing to you of who you are, and where you are ultimately headed. The way of Death or Life!

Fisayo Adeniyi

Pursuing Purpose...

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DON’T BE UPSET

The sun was high, the road dusty and busy, this was typical of Besara Road at a time like this in Galilee. On a normal day, he would have sent a servant but this was no normal day for him and his household. He could remember 12 years ago when his daughter was born, oh what joy! But now death threatens. Jairus knew Jesus of Nazareth could help, but how do you nail down this miracle worker. Thankfully someone told him He just came to town. Hurriedly, he matched on to where he believed his 12 year old daughter’s salvation lay.

Jesus said, ‘Let us go’…His joy knew no bounds. Salvation comes with me. No one knows the pain of waiting for the conception of this girl – this dream. Then, the devil seeks to take her away. He mused ‘By God, Jerusalem will not mourn for me’. Just then he discovers the journey drags on; Christ was crowded, and the crowd would not allow God to move at Jairus’ speed. Can someone tell this people I have an emergency case?

Then suddenly He stopped, and looking around He said who touched me. My, my, this Jesus! Seriously, it would have been hilarious, but that laughter had no place in Jarius’ soul – ‘my girl is dying’, ‘my vision, my hope is losing life’. This must be a desperate miracle seeker – then a woman like a flash came into the scene, completely healed after 12 years of infirmity. Sincerely ‘is my daughter not 12 years old’. A flow of blood as long as his daughter had lived!

And just when they could break loose from that moment, he saw the man. Even before he spoke, he knew what had happened, ‘your little girl is dead’. It just got worse. ‘I believed she would live but now she is dead – she was losing life but now she is dead. Hopes vanished, dreams gone, thoughts disappeared. It was first the beginning of the end, but now it had all ended’.

Have you ever ran to Jesus with a situation, and instead of it getting better, it grew worse? The health situation deteriorated, the account went from red to fade; from little contract to no contract. It seems God is just interested in doing things for every other person but you; somehow He seems to have forgotten that you are there. You have done all you know to do, yet nothing is transforming for the better. Yet, the last time you were in church; the preacher kept jumping up and down passionately claiming that God is not partial, ‘What He does for one He does for all’ he roared.

Allow me to add to the preacher’s note by reminding you of The Message rendering of Jesus response to the sad, disgruntled, frustrated and tired Jairus, ‘Jesus overheard and said, "Don't be upset. Just trust me and everything will be all right." (Luke 8:50). It is still the same admonition He has for us, ‘don’t be upset…’ Don’t be jealous of the good of another, you need not worry nor fret. Let the faith that brought you to Him, keep you with Him. Though the moon may have faded away, and the night becomes darker, yet He who is the light will lighten your path. He is the light; He needs no source of light.

Only believe, don’t be upset with another’s miracle, God is on the march, He is doubtless coming to you. Yes, He might seem delayed in coming, but there will yet be a miracle. Your Vision will yet live; your baby project shall not die. Because He lives, you also shall live. Remember Jairus laughed at last. Hold on, don’t be upset; Trust Him, Cling to Him, Stay with Him, He will yet perform that which you seek.

Fisayo Adeniyi

Pursuing Purpose...

Twitter: @fisayospeaks

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