STRIVE AGAINST SIN
Friday – July 6, 2018, Tamuz 23, 5778
Greetings and welcome back to the Friday edition of The Three Minute Word. Perhaps some of you have thought that this name did not really capture the time necessary to ingest and make these studies your own. Each of you come to these articles for a variety of reasons, it is my hope and prayer that they in some way strengthen each reader promoting success in the Kingdom of God. The featured picture today of Patti and I was taken in October of 2012. Again, I was very blessed of God to have such a beautiful and elegant lady at my side for nearly fifty-four years. Thank you, Lord. Now, let’s prepare to dive into todays Bible Study from the Book of Hebrews by first reading our primary Bible text.
Hebrews 12:3-5 (KJV)
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Once again let us consider the perfect example of faith, Jesus. Jesus is the Word which is the source of our faith. By placing our faith in the Word, in Jesus, and exercising His authority delegated to us we can expect to see the performance of the Word. Now, let’s consider the third verse in yet another translation of the Bible.
Hebrews 12:3 (AMP)
3 Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.
If Jesus could be unwavering throughout His ministry on the earth then what is our problem? Jesus said we were to do the things that He did and even greater things (John 14:12). We must be taught right from birth the value of the Word of God. There is absolutely nothing in our lives that is more valuable than the Word of God. When we are in a hard spot we tend to get very focused inward, upon ourselves, and not upon the Word of God, upon Jesus. I think it was Joyce Meyer that used to do this little robot thing saying “what about me, what about me?” Remember, Bible love is not about us, it is others whether that be God or another person(s). In the Kingdom of God, loving another person is always an expression of love toward God. God has taught us, even commanded us to love one another just as we do in our families. If one of our children does good (loves) toward another of our children it is also an act of love (obedience to our word/teaching) towards us.
This third verse ends cautioning us not to “be wearied and faint in your minds.” He plainly tells us that focusing on Jesus (“consider him”) and what He was able to endure for us will help us to endure the minor by comparison sufferings of this life. Before I move forward I want to deal for a bit with the word “minds”. This word that is translated in our English Bible as minds is the Greek word transliterated as “psyche” according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. The psyche is a part of the immaterial part of man as opposed to the material part being the physical body. Just as our physical body has many parts which work together so does the immaterial body or soul. It would seem that this part of our spirit man is a part of the soul which includes the mind verses that part of the spirit man quickened and inhabited by the Holy Spirit at the new birth. Our battles are fought in our minds, our thinking, our beliefs. The enemy directly and his agents indirectly bring ideas contrary to the Word of God and try to convince us to make them our own just as the Serpent did Eve and Adam. By staying focused on Jesus, His life, and the whole counsel of the Word of God we can identify the counterfeit and walk away unscathed just as our Lord Jesus did until the day of the Cross. Only when we accept the lie as light do we open the door for defeat (stealing, killing, and destroying) and we close the door for the abundant life Jesus paid for.
As we enter the fourth verse of our primary text it seems that the author is for a moment at least a little sarcastic. Seems like the author is saying “stand up and be a man” others have suffered far worse for example Jesus. Whenever we are exercising Bible faith, the faith of God, our faith in God, there will be opposition of all kinds from all directions, however all from the same demonic sources. This opposition will seem like a flood, like it is overwhelming but it is not. Faith exercised in love led of the Holy Spirit will overcome all things. As a friend of mine recently wrote, the Lord told her in a still quiet voice “there are no giants”. Remember, there is nothing bigger or stronger than God, not even close, and we in Him are seated far above all demonic powers with the Resurrection Power of God at work on our behalf and that of the Kingdom. Next week I will pick up with corrections from the Lord. Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (KJV)
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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