A Meditation For Peace Transcending Understanding

This week I rediscovered a wonderful spiritual practice that I would like to share with you. Worshipping the Lord can be joyfully all encompassing, but I personally have a very difficult time prying my attention away from all of the stressors in my life. Worries and fears steal our attention until it is hard to give the Lord our focus. I encourage you to find a quiet place, close your other tabs, and spend a little time entering into God's transcendent peace.

1. Find a Quiet Place.

   "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." -Matthew 6:6
2. Place your heavy concerns in God's hands (prayer and petition). Pray, “ Dear Jesus I give you ______.” Start with the big relationships, responsibilities, and ambitions. Feel yourself lighten as your burdens are lain down.

   "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." -Philippians 4:6

3. Place your lighter concerns in God's hands with the same prayer, “ Dear Jesus I give you ______.” Continue to feel your burden lifted

   "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" - Matthew 11:28

4. Place your blessing in God's hands with the same prayer, “ Dear Jesus I give you ______."

    "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:29

5. As you've surrendered your defence mechanisms and securities you may begin to feel vulnerable. When you're ready, and have laid down as many burdens as you can think of, lay down in the hand of God. Pray, “Dear Jesus I give you myself.” 

   "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:30

6. Rest here. (Be still and know . . . )

   "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" - Psalm 46:10

   
   

   

   Quiet, Please by: Umberto Fistarol

Concerning Demons

The forces of hell are a real thing. Scripture is not ambiguous about the existence of the devil and his devils. They exist today and I want to be exquisitely clear on one point in regards to these devils: They are unimportant. Faith in Christ is necessary for salvation; faith in devils is not. I have not observed that faith in devils is even beneficial. Those friends of mine who pay particular attention to scripture that concerns demons, usually have done so to their own detriment. I hope to briefly show here that no special study of demons is ever necessary.

This devil is so unimportant that a bird pooped on it.  Photo by eisenbahner

Imagine two young Christians are being demonically harangued in identical ways. What happens is this: when they retire to their bedrooms they are bombarded with anxieties about work and school, and they have no peace in mind or in body. At times they even hyperventilate and succumb to anxiety attacks. Lets say that between these two Christians, one believes in demons, and one of them does not. There is no compelling reason they need to behave differently in response to their problem.

The Christian who has faith in Christ but none in demons, if he or she is wise, ought to place each anxiety before the Lord in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7), and meditate on God's word (Psalm 1:2-3) so that he or she can take each thought captive (2 Corinthians 2:5). It may also be wise to read a pleasant book or decorate the room with a serene theme (Philippians 4:8). This first Christian, by acting in godly faith, and by putting the word into practice, will create an intolerable environment for hell's messenger. The unwelcome roommate will leave. 

The second person, believing in and recognizing a devil, should do everything the first Christian did. This second person, wise or not, may address the demon directly to declare Christ's lordship. If they do all that the first Christian did then it makes no difference, but if they neglect engaging with God through prayer and the word, then their exorcism will fail. A verbal declaration isn't necessary, and in some cases it may even be detrimental. If it is done without faith it is ineffective (Acts 19:13-15). If done with faith, but the Christan doesn't fill their heart with the things of God, then it will again be ineffective (Luke 11:24-26). An exorcism is either a reassuring but unnecessary addition, or it is a destructive distraction.

Scripture promises that if we resist the devil he will flee us (James 4:7). Resisting the devil comes quite naturally to a practicing Christian. Any pursuit of God is resistance to the devil. According to James 4:7, a thankful prayer should be as effective as an exorcism. A simple act of submitting to God will either be as effective as, or more effective than, a verbal “casting-out.”

Verbal exorcisms are carried out in a myriad of reasons, many of which are bad. In my experience exorcisms tend to be sensational and dramatic, inflating the importance of utterly insubstantial spirits instead of directing attention and glory to the Spirit of God. “Resisting the devil” is a natural byproduct of what we call, “following Jesus.” No special procedure is necessary to “cast out” a devil; all devils, real and imagined, readily flee from simple Christian living.

There is no reason to avoid exorcisms. Exorcisms, like demons, are not important. If it seems prudent, and you have faith, verbally declare God's dominion. We oughtn't hesitate to verbally declare God's dominion, whether or not we have a demonic audience. If, however, you have announced God's truth and power, but a devil persists in its pestering, it is silly to just make another speech. 

No one's speeches are effective if their works aren't convincing. Put God's word into practice. Praise your God. Think about something excellent and praiseworthy. Practice hospitality. Thank Jesus for something. Read the Bible, and mediate on it. Honor your parents. Consider the lilies of the field. Each of these is as or more effective in defeating the kingdom of hell. Having this thorough education on the subject, please go read something else today. Like demons and like exorcisms, this post is not important. Have a nice day.

RE: Psalm 34 And The Fear Of The Lord

 

I was parallelized by fear. I had been praying in a field, weeping profuse apologies to a God I thought was too just to listen to my prayers. Then in an instant I felt the mighty presence of the Lord, and he told me to be quiet. I actually stopped thinking thoughts because I was afraid that thinking would violate God's order to be quiet. In the silence that followed, I began to listen.

After about an hour of silent fear, someone else spoke to me. They mentioned a story I'd heard before about unconditional love, and in a single moment my fear evaporated. I comprehended something greater than my inadequacy: the vast and immeasurable love of the God that died to forgive me. Fear left me. My life has never been the same.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” - Proverbs 1:7

Since I first met the Lord I've been surprised to hear Christians speak affectionately of the fear of the Lord. While fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, it is just that, a beginning. Fear of the Lord made me crave reconciliation with God, and I was not disappointed. God reconciled himself to me in Christ Jesus. Since that day fear has held no place in my relationship with God. I have had bouts of fear to be sure, but no more than I have had bouts of sin or doubt. The fact is that I am now God's son, and if he redeemed me when I was corrupt, he will do more now that I am redeemed (Romans 5:8-9).

Photo By Babasteve

The fear of the Lord was the beginning of my journey with him, but as I've gotten to know God my fear has sharply receded. Fear is, after all a lousy basis for any relationship. When a leader is feared we call them a tyrant; fear of a spouse is a sign of abuse, and so too is fear of a parent. God is not a tyrant and God is not abuse; God is love (1 John 4:8). John says perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Do you fear the Lord? If you do, then I have some great news. You don't have to be afraid any more. You must have faith in order to fear the Lord. Take that faith a step further and lay your fear down. Once God's people had reason to fear him, and were commanded to fear him (Psalm 34:8-9) But I do not believe that fear must be part of our redeemed relationship with God. Jesus called his disciples friends (John 15:15). I'm not afraid of my friends, and I'm not afraid of my God. God loves me, and there's no fear in love.