The Leading of the Holy Spirit & the Power of God's Word (5.29.18)

Faith Believers,
Christ was tempted in all ways like us, yet without sin.
He was tempted (1) physically, (2) emotionally, and (3) spiritually.

We will be tested at all three levels as well. There was one consistent defense that our Lord used. Filled with the Holy Spirit’s power, confronted by the false spirit’s power, Jesus quoted the Spirit-inspired Scripture, relying on God's Word. (From the Bible we know that Jesus’ mind was saturated with biblical truth.) It is striking to notice that Jesus didn’t merely rely on The Word in His thinking alone. He quite literally “spoke it aloud,” addressing the area of temptation and speaking directly to the tempter about it, using Scripture as His guide to countering satanic attacks.

Notice that Jesus was filled with the Spirit and secondly He used God's Word. This was accomplished through the context of praying against the temptation of an evil spirit. Both of these together — the leading of the Spirit and the power of God's Word — come together to direct us in our battle with temptation and the evil one, especially in the context of prayer. They are never to be separated.

Paul understood this when writing of dealing with satanic attacks: and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of GOD, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit - Ephesians 6:17-18.

In order to succeed against the powers of darkness we will need an attitude of reverence toward the Word of GOD. We must make a plan to learn it, read it, memorize it, and when confronted by any trial from the tempter to separate us from our relationship with GOD; to speak The Word aloud in our praying to defeat the influence of evil.

As we immerse ourselves in the Word, the Spirit of GOD will direct us to speak against the temptations we encounter.

  -  Marilyn

~ Proclaim ~
Living Word of GOD,
You alone are holy and I bow before You! 

Spirit of GOD,
Direct my heart into the depths of The Word whenever I face trials and temptations.

Give me a deep desire to read, learn, memorize and obey Your powerful Word, which is the sword of the Spirit!

May I stand upon the truth of the Word, recognizing its power to help me overcome anything the enemy would throw against me.

Living Word of GOD,
You alone are holy and I bow before You!