God Is In Control?? As Christians we have become comfortable using the phrase "God is in control". Yes, that brings us comfort and reminds us of a sovereign and Omni-present God that can bring us through a rough situation, but what does that tell non-believers about our God? A puppet master in the sky controlling everything we do, say, and think does not sound alluring. And with all the bad that happens in this world, saying that God is in control inadvertently puts the blame on Him when things go wrong.  What would be a better way to talk about God's sovereignty without giving the impression that He infringes upon our free will? What Does Controlling Mean? To be controlling means that a person attempts to conform another person to their own needs or desires through some form of manipulation, threat, or physical overpowering.  The Bible actually uses the words 'controlling' and 'manipulating' to describe the character of a demonic spirit. This spirit is th...

Spiritual Warfare: A Practical Guide - Part 3 In our last part on Spiritual warfare, we took an in depth look at the full armor of God and how to apply it daily. Below is a bonus thought to add even more fuel to your fire for God. Praise & Worship The Bible teaches us that the devil is  “a roaring lion, roaming around, seeking whom he may devour” . This is a daily thing. Especially if you want to be effective for God’s kingdom, you will have daily resistance, which is why putting on this armor daily is so important.  In addition to putting on the armor, the following will aid in success against the enemy.      I recently had dinner with a group of amazing women and picked their brains about what they do daily to stay close to God in the midst of their busyness. What was their daily training?  Full time mom of three, single mother working more than full time, recent empty nester working full time, and a full time working mother of two college kids and tw...

Spiritual Warfare: A Practical Guide - Part 2 In Part 1 of Spiritual Warfare: A Practical Guide , we reviewed what spiritual warfare is and some of the tactics that Satan uses against us. Now let's look at what we can do to stand against the devil and his minions in battle. Our Help From God: Even though the devil and his army is against us, Scripture has two valuable promises for us. That while these forces are admittedly powerful (Satan is described as a “roaring lion,” looking to devour people),  they are ultimately subservient to our almighty and omnipotent God. We also have immediate assistance. If we don the full armor of God—the full array of his promises for us, which are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word, prayer—we can stand firm against any attack. We are not meant for weakness, we are meant for strength.  James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefor to God. Resist the devil (**Resist his authority**), and he will flee from you.”. ...

Spiritual Warfare: A Practical Guide - Part 1 We've heard about Spiritual warfare in church and in the religious circles, but what exactly does it mean? Who are we fighting? What is the battleground? How do we fight?  Keep reading to learn more. What is Spiritual Warfare? Spiritual warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of *preternatural evil forces.  *Preternatural means something existing outside of or beside the natural. So why are we fighting in the first place? We all know that in this world there is a constant struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. Even those who do not believe in God or the devil still believe that there is good and evil in this world and they are constantly at odds.  As Christians, we know good to be God, and we know evil to be Satan. The devil is constantly trying to corrupt and ruin God's creation and God's purposes. Out of pure hatred, he has committed himself to a never-ending battle to discourage hu...