September 16

We need not fear demons, although they often try to bring fear into our hearts. Never forget that those who are with us are stronger than those who are against us. The weapons of our spiritual warfare are the power of the blood of Jesus and the use of His wonderful name.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil land he will flee from you.

James 4:7

Thank You, Lord, that You have given us a divine artillery which silences the enemy and inflicts upon him the damage he would inflict upon us.

September 25

Faith is a

            Fantastic

                  Adventure

                         In

                             Trusting

                                   Him

Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in him, and he will act. - Psalms 37:5 

Lord, we may do wondrous things though trusting in You. Our lives become one continuous adventure, and we know that the safest place in the world is the center of Your will.

September 24

Four marks of true repentance are: acknowledgement of wrong, willingness to confess it, willingness to abandon it, and willingness to make restitution.

According to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

2 Peter 3:13-14 RSV

Lord, I am willing. Guide me with Your Holy Spirit to see my sins, to repent, to turn away from my sin, to confess, and to make it right with people against whom I have sinned and who have suffered by my wrong motives and wrong deeds.

September 23

When I worked behind the Iron Curtain it was often dangerous. Life seemed so hard and there were so many sorrows in and around me. Do you know how it feels when dangers are threatening and you are conscious of being weak while the dangers are so strong? I know, and you can know that you are never alone—no, never. Jesus was with me and is with me. Jesus is with you. You are not away from His constant care for one moment.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:1-2

Lord, sorrows and dangers can press upon us. You alone keep us secure. Thank You, Lord, that we stand on victory ground with our weak hands in Your strong hand. Hallelujah!

September 14

I possess no special gift that allows me to cast out demons, but there have been times when I felt I had to do it in obedience. I am only one branch of the vine; the blessings may flow through me, but it is God’s power that prevails.

In my name they will cast out demons . . .

Mark 16:17   

All our success is part of Your victory; we claim nothing but Your power, Lord. Show us clearly what Your will is so that we do what we must do.

September 13

The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus. So when you are filled with the Holy Spirit you speak about our Lord and really live to His honor.

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on his own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you.

John 16:13-14     

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are willing to fill us again and again with the Holy Spirit and that the fruit and the gifts are available to us. How we need them and how the world around us needs us.

September 12

"Be filled with the Holy Spirit," is a commandment of the Lord. The enemy is afraid of Spirit-filled people who have the gifts which you read about in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. He has had great success in making the matters dealt with in these chapters material for quarreling amongst Christians. Don’t argue—but obey, and never forget 1 Corinthians 13, for if you have all the gifts and no love—you have nothing.

If I were to speak with the combined eloquence of men and angels I should stir men like a fanfare of trumpets, but unless I had love, I should do nothing more. If I had the gift of foretelling the future and had in my mind not only all human knowledge but the secrets of God, and if, in addition, I had that absolute faith which can move mountains, but had no love, I tell you I should amount to nothing at all.

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 Phillips

Lord, I need the riches of Your gifts in the serious spiritual battle of this time. Thank You that I am living after Pentecost. Hallelujah!

J.B. Phillips New Testament—Copyright © 1962 edition by HarperCollins The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips

September 11

God’s children have power over Satan through the name of Jesus. As one lone policeman has the power to stop hundreds of vehicles, so one lone believer has the authority to stop Satan and his demons.

Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!

Luke 10:17   

Thank You, Lord, that You make such power and strength available to us.

September 10

Do you feel insecure when you talk to learned people about Jesus? They can ask such difficult questions! It is not your job to be wise. God has all the answers, not man. Be content to be an open channel for the Spirit of God. Be obedient and He will give you what you need to be victorious.

When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom . . . and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

1 Corinthians 2:1;4     

Lord, thank You that You gave us the Gospel, that the Gospel is for everyone, and that it has the answers for their questions and an abundance for their salvation. Lord, use us to share our riches with them; give us the fullness of Your Holy Spirit.

September 9

Sometimes I pray with an open Bible and say, "Father, You have promised us this, now I trust that You will do it." I know God likes that for He has meant every promise and He is pleased when we believe His promises.

And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

1 John 5:14  

When we ask You to act on Your promises, Father, we are as children asking our parents for food and shelter. We know You will provide for us, for You love us. But we also know that You, as a good parent,

do what You see as best for us.

September 8

From generation to generation, from small beginnings and little lessons, He has a purpose for those who know and trust Him.

For who hath despised the day of small things?

Zechariah 4:10 KJV

Lord, I know that even my most insignificant action is part of Your plan after You laid Your hand on my life and I gave my life to You.

September 7

We must bear the suffering of other Christians. We must not close our ears and eyes when so many Christians are persecuted. At present, about 60 percent of the Body of Christ are suffering tribulation. Our prayers for them are important and we can know by faith that God can lift their burdens from them through our intercession.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:2

Lord, keep us aware of the possibility of suffering before You come again. Take away our fear and make us willing.

September 6

The Bible is a book which has been written in order that God’s people may see God’s way through life. It is an extremely practical book.

Elijah had an attack of spiritual depression after his heroic effort on Mount Carmel (see 1 Kings 18-19). He felt sorry for himself. What he really needed was sleep and food. God have him both.

And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 6:9

Lord, You know how tired I am. Will You give me a good night’s rest and help me to discipline my diet? Show me if I have done my work in my own strength instead of working in the power of the Holy Spirit.

September 5

Don’t worry about anything. Tell God every detail of your needs, in earnest and thankful prayer, and receive the peace of God which transcends all human understanding.

I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace.

John 16:33   

Lord, what a joy that we may come to You with all our troubles. We cannot find peace by ourselves. Thank You that You are willing to listen and that Your telephone line is never "busy." 

September 4

Either God's Word keeps you from sin, or sin keeps you from God’s Word. When a man is truly in Christ, he is saved. All the devil can do is worry him. Say farewell once and forever to your past. It is blotted out in Christ.

Restore to me the joy of thy salvation . . .

Psalms 51:12       

Lord Jesus, the devil may worry us, but we are safe in Your keeping. Thank You!

September 3

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, or the kindly smile, or the joy of companionship. It is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15   

Lord, thank You for the trust You give us when You call us friends. Use us to show others the beauty of friendship for Your sake.

September 2

When I am talking to a new child of God, I avoid telling him what he should or should not do in his life. These decisions are better left to the Holy Spirit. It is my job to bring people to Jesus, not to a particular doctrine.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you

into all the truth.

John 16:13   

Thank You, Lord, that when we bring someone to You, we know that You will take over his guidance for us.

September 1

On the day which I thought was my last day, the Dutch girl who stood beside me asked me, “How do you know all this that you have told me about Jesus?”

“I know it from the Bible,” I answered.

The girl accepted the Lord Jesus as we stood together that morning. I thought she was the last one I would bring to the Lord, but that morning I was set free, not killed.

. . . lo, I am with you always, even unto the close of the age.

See Matthew 28:20     

Lord, we do not know what this life has in store for us, but be it good or bad, we are willing to be used by You. Use us until that moment comes when we go from service good to service best—when You begin to use us in glory.

September 22

When I was there in Moscow, my suitcase was the last to receive the attention of the Russian customs officer. "Is that your suitcase, lady?" he asked.

"Yes."

"It is a heavy one!"

"Yes."

He looked around. "Wait. I am done with my work. I can help you carry it to the Intourist car." He picked up the heavy suitcase and carried it to the car for me, never looking inside. How I rejoiced!

. . . he has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?"

Hebrews 13:5-6

Lord, give me the strength and wisdom to refuse to allow myself to be controlled by a difficult situation. I know that even the hairs of my head are numbered.

September 20

A woman facing a dangerous foreign-mission assignment, when asked if she was afraid to go, replied, "I am afraid of only one thing—that I should become a grain of wheat not willing to die."

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 12:24

Thank You, Lord, that when I lose my life for Your sake I find it.

September 21

I stood in the Moscow customs office, my suitcase full of Russian Bibles I was smuggling into the country. I saw how the officers ransacked every suitcase, and I was afraid.

I said, "Lord, You have said in the Bible that You watch over Your Word to perform it. The Bibles in my suitcase are Your Word, Lord. Watch over the Bibles."

At that moment I saw light beings around my suitcase. They must have been angels. It is the only time I have seen angels. I can't describe them, for the moment I saw them, they disappeared. But so did my fears!

Are (angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

Thank You, Lord, that those who are with us are more in number and stronger than those who are against us. Hallelujah!