(John 14:12-15) “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Up until the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit would only rest on people or fill people temporarily...
(John 14:16-17) “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you."
Now, not only does the Holy Spirit indwell all believers (as soon as someone becomes a believer)...
(John 14:26-27) “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
Jesus mentions that Satan, the ruler of the world, has nothing in Him - meaning - Satan has no power over Jesus! Jesus is holy (sinless)...
(John 14:28-31) “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here."
Jesus, being God, is holy and sinless, and therefore Satan has nothing "in" Him. BUT when people are born into this sinful world, they are born with a sinful nature. Therefore Satan would have something "in" everyone - UNTIL someone becomes a believer and the Holy Spirit enters their soul to seal them for all eternity.
As Christians, God considers us righteous. And having God in us, we have authority over the demons. Although we will still struggle against the demons and temptation. So what exactly should we do? I've seen Christians go out to "fight" evil spirits. But here Jesus tells says, as He is praying for us (note verse 20 - even then, He was praying for all believers)...
(John 17:13-21) “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me."
Jesus not only prays for us, but He taught us how we should pray. The Lord's prayer covers all the basic things that our prayers should include...
(Matthew 6:9-13) “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
(Matthew 6:22-24) “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
From this we see:
- Satan, the ruler of the world, has nothing in Jesus, and so Satan has no power over Jesus! (John 14:30)
- Jesus prays for us, that He will keep us from the evil one (John 17:15)
- we are to pray that God delivers us from evil and temptation (Matthew 6:13)
- we need to pick a side because we cannot love and serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)
- as believers, we should be in the world, but not of the world (John 17:14-18)
- the Holy Spirit indwells believers to help us (John 14:16-17, 26)
- the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17)
Personal experience: we are in the world, but not of the world. Anything of this world belongs to Satan. This would include anything that takes our focus off of God (as our priority in life), causing us to rely on something or somebody else, or even causing us to rely on ourselves.
The pursuit of wealth is a tough one, because we have to earn a living to survive. It's the same as trying to lose weight, because we still have to eat in order to survive. So it comes down to our motives, our attitudes, and the amount of dedication towards these things.
Today's takeaway: everyone has to choose who they are going to love and serve. When we choose God's side, the indwelling Holy Spirit seals us for eternity. For our daily walk, we need to keep choosing God's side. To help with that, we need to be praying that He delivers us and keeps us from temptation and from evil. At the same time, we are not to worry!
Basically - continuously - set our hearts and minds on seeking out God's will...
7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
(Matthew 6:19-21) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:31-34) Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
(1 John 2:15-17) Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
(Colossians 3:1-4) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
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