DEVOTIONAL INSIGHTS & REFLECTIONS

Come Into Proper Alignment - June 12

We must know the Word… Jesus. Though our enemy is sometimes brazen (self-evident), he is more often subtle, slowly reining us in with lies, contrary to the truth.

When we believe the enemy, we side with him against God (albeit unknowingly), opening a door for him (the enemy of our souls) to come in and wreak havoc, hold us down, keep us from fulfilling our God-given destinies.

The enemy brings deception, strife, contention, ill-will and ill-health, etc.

What we allow to enter our eye-gates, ear-gates---our spirit---defiles us or keeps us clean, in right-standing with God.

If we have opened a door and allowed the enemy in, we must repent and renounce him and his lies, close the door and turn back to God. Then ask Jesus to come in, forgive us and cleanse us.

When Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, the enemy came twisting the truth with subtle lies. Jesus defeated him EVERY time by declaring the scriptures. He knew the Word. We must do likewise; our only saving grace is knowing the Word. (See Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; see also John 8:32; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:105, etc.)

We take care of our cars, trucks and vans---keeping them in alignment, balancing our wheels and tire pressure. We change the oil, regularly. We get tune-ups. These things keep our vehicles in good working order. How much more important is it that we align ourselves with God, regularly, in the same way.

Jesus is the incarnate Word. When we believe Him, His Word, we bring ourselves into alignment, right-standing with God and man. (See John 1:1-18; Isaiah 53.)

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We're also ensnared, entrapped by negative words. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks... (See Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45.) The words we speak show (give evidence of) the condition of our hearts---whom we serve, give allegiance to, where our focus is... If we are right with God, our words will line up with that---His Word, what He says. If our words aren't lining up, there may be a problem that needs addressed.