Sunday, May 12, 2024 – Apostle BILLEY
The mind and the Word of God (4)
Thoughts must be aligned with God’s Word. They are a blessing from God.
But the Christian can lose his victory if he does not know how to control his thoughts, and this on the very same day.
Thoughts are part of life, and we have to take them seriously.
All conflicts begin with thoughts, in an insidious way. All outdoor battles begin indoors.
Those in hell have been defeated in their thoughts. And those in heaven have been able to control their thoughts.
Ahab was king of Israel at the time, but he didn’t follow God’s way; he followed Baal.
Beloved, if he who is at the head of a nation does not have God, he will bring the people to perdition.
And the spirit is of Baal is still in this world, but the SPIRIT OF GOD is also in this world. And our God is Strong, He is Mighty.
Elijah stood up to King Ahab and challenged the prophets of Baal and Astarte.
While fire could not be kindled on the altar of Baal’s prophets – But on the altar for God prepared by Elijah – Fire consumed everything down to the water on the rock. (1Kings 18. 17-40)
Beloved, it was your God who lit the fire on the altar that Elijah had prepared.
Don’t let yourself be intimidated any longer and learn to respond to the enemy to stop him – Jesus is in you!
And all the while Jezebel was away, and Ahab reported to her all that had happened.
1 Kings 19:1-3
After hearing Jezebel’s threats, Elijah was discouraged.
Which means that the serpent’s words entered him – and he became so fearful that he asked for death.
1 Kings 19.4
For his part, he went into the desert where, after a day’s walk, he sat down under a broom tree, and asked for death, saying: Enough is enough! Now, LORD, take my soul, for I am no better than my fathers.
Elijah went into the desert, a symbol of drought.
Why did he go? Who was chasing him?
It was Jezebel’s voice that tormented him. The word of his enemy entered him, he considered it – He began to think about it, imagining the suffering, imagining himself dying while God was with him.
Let’s learn to act according to God.
Between Jezebel and Elijah, who should tremble?
The prophets of Baal have been destroyed, where can she draw her strength from? It’s gone!
Whenever you see that you’re discouraged, that you’re oppressed by negative thoughts, it’s the words you’ve heard or seen – things that come from your enemies that you’ve been considering.
These are manipulative thoughts when dwelling in them – they lead to discouragement, and even suicide.
It’s a suicidal spirit in which the person thinks: “It’s no longer worth it, nobody loves me, I’m failing everywhere, nothing works, my life is useless, it won’t work out…”.
Brothers, as long as we are on this earth, what happened to Elijah will happen to us too.
That is, you’re going to hear words from the enemy, from Jezebel… You can’t stop this.
But you can stop the effects of these words by resisting with the Word of God.
Elijah was depressed and confused, despite the fact that he was a man of God. So even he who is great in the Lord, if he does not guard his thoughts, he will fall.
Which means that thoughts are essential in our walk with God.
How does the fall, the temptation begin?
A pagan man meets an unmarried Christian woman and pays her compliments. And he promises to call her the next day.
Then she’ll start thinking that… But not pure thoughts.
But this gentleman who doesn’t come from God, but from the devil – if you, a Christian, don’t block that out, you’ll start to think of it as praise. You are giving the enemy access to your heart.
Behind Jezebel is the devil, for she is an agent of the devil.
Even if it’s through a human being, everything you hear or see that discourages you – pollutes you – comes from the devil.
We don’t walk by thoughts.
Brothers, Let’s imagine a 4-bedroom house, for example. No matter how many rooms, it’s a whole house in its entirety.
All the laws of this house are governed by the owners of the house who are in the master bedroom. And all the other rooms in the house must be subject to the same law that has been established in the master bedroom.
If people, children or guests in other rooms start following other rules – there will be chaos in the house.
We are the temple of God, the body of Christ.
Everything that happens within us must be under God’s law.
The master bedroom is like our heart. And the other secondary rooms (thoughts, desires, will…) must depend on this main room – i.e. the heart.
And who lives in this master bedroom? The Word.
It is the Word of God that we receive – that must dwell in our hearts.
Ephesians 3.17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that you may be rooted and grounded in love,
Brethren, do not let your thoughts be outside God’s law.
God dwells within us, and we allow our thoughts to be invaded by Jezebel?
God said: “I’m with you; don’t worry…”. That’s what I have to think about.
God’s voice must take over my thoughts, not the voice of the enemy.
When you’re in hospital and you get a bad report and fear comes over you – it’s the same thing. It’s the voice of the enemy – It’s the same thing that happened to Elijah.
Beware of the love of money – which leads to fear, depression…
** When your boss doesn’t say hello, what do you start thinking?
Immediately to something bad: “Maybe they want to fire me; what have I done wrong again… etc.”
And yet maybe that manager has family problems – or something else – and hasn’t even seen you.
** When your child is sick, why do you start to panic?
This is how the enemy manipulates our thoughts and pushes us to all sorts of imaginings.
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were manipulated by the enemy in their thoughts.
Depression comes when you stop listening to God.
So what should you do if you receive a bad report?
Remembering that we don’t belong to ourselves. You are redeemed – you belong to your Redeemer Jesus. And resist Jezebel’s words.
The enemy won’t go away on its own.
It’s up to you to decide who you are, who called you, who’s inside you.
And the moment you remember this, you begin to speak – this is called prayer – to resist and destroy all the works of the devil.
As long as we’re on earth, we’ll hear Jezebel’s voice, but you can resist with the Word of God.
From now on, resist the enemy’s words.
Beloved, Jesus is in you. This world is a fighting world.
You don’t inherit this world, it’s all temporary.
There is only the Word in us with which we will leave.
We must resist the devil –
When he presented himself to Jesus – The Lord resisted him with the Word. (Luke 4.1-12)
Don’t be silent – resist with the Word.
1 Kings 19
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” .
7 The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the way is too long for you.
8 He got up, ate and drank; and with the strength this food gave him, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God at Horeb.
Which path is it?
This is not a physical path, but a spiritual one – that of walking with God. He had things to accomplish for God.
What food gave him the strength to walk forty days and nights?
It’s the Word of God that the angel came to give him.
** That’s why whenever you’re weak, remember the Word.
1 Kings 19 10 He answered, “I have been zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, overthrown your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword; I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.
Elijah’s words were filled with thoughts of loneliness. He saw himself alone.
Similarly, when you’re not yet married, you don’t yet have children…
The enemy will come and show you this – to manipulate your thoughts.
You must resist – you’re not alone! God is with you.
1 Kings 19 11 The LORD said, Go out and stand in the mountain before the LORD! And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
Elijah sought God outside – in the wind, earthquake…
or God was not there, but He was inside him, with him, Elijah was not alone.
He hadn’t paid any attention to the soft voice inside him.
Have you woken up with a desire to pray in the morning or during the day? Have you ever woken up to a song of praise?
God does that. A gentle voice inside you.
When you have the thought to pray for your brother/sister, as long as everything is connected to the Word of God, it comes from God. It’s a small voice.
Don’t neglect – don’t turn off that voice again.
What should be done?
Simply develop a relationship with God – and be One with Him.
Beloved, Jesus is in you.
When Elijah went up this mountain, God asked him to go and anoint people, including Elisha.
Because of this story, Elijah was replaced by Elisha in his place.
And as he was leaving, Elisha asked him for the double portion of his spirit.
2 Kings 2.9 When they had passed by, Elijah said to Elisha: Ask what you want me to do for you, before I am taken away from you. Elisha replied, “Please let me have a double portion of your spirit!
…
13 And he lifted up the cloak that Elijah had dropped. Then he returned and stopped by the Jordan;
14 he took the cloak that Elijah had dropped, and struck the waters with it, and said, Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah? He also struck the waters, which were divided here and there, and Elisha passed by.
Do you see that?
In fact, the one who thought he was weak was filled with power – with God’s grace – the one who wanted to commit suicide was filled with God’s power.
And that’s what you are – that’s what you have, my brother/sister.
It’s when you’re weak that you’re strong – Beloved even if you feel weak, God is there. (Phil.4.13)
The devil’s attacks embellish God’s greatness in you.
God knows everything, even before it happens. God could stop Jezebel – and her messenger. Because for Him, it was nothing.
So if for the Lord all our situations are nothing, why is it a problem for you?
We need to wake up and understand that Christianity is not weakness.
It’s action, Power in action, it’s the Presence of God manifesting itself.
When the enemy attacks your thoughts, you must counter-attack absolutely!
You are a child of God, the apple of His eye.
Lean on the rock, know that he who attacks you – attacks God himself.
Resist – Fight back and destroy every bad dream, every evil plan… ! Pray for all areas of your life: your prayer life, your family, your work…
It’s not a game, it’s serious – Strike! You have God within you – He is with you.
LET US PRAY →
In the name of Jesus,
May your voice be eternal in me.
Forgive me Lord for neglecting your voice.
From now on, let your voice be total within me.
Holy Spirit, help me to live God’s life.
Anything that goes against Jesus in me, against my life with Jesus be removed and destroyed.
Any spirit of suicide be destroyed.
Every attack returns to the sender in Jesus’ name.
I stand on the rock and declare that I am a conqueror.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.