CityLight Church’s One Year Bible Reading Plan
Saturday, January 16th, 2016
Genesis 32:13-34:31
Matthew 11:7-30
Psalm 14:1-7
Proverbs 3:19-20
For full text click here: http://bit.ly/1eMaaKt
Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. – Matt 11:12
‘Violent ‘ is the Greek biastes (Strong’s #973), which means strong and forceful. Jesus is not telling us to be violent with our neighbors; that would clearly contradict His command to love our neighbor as God loves us (Jn 13:34-35). He is telling us to be violent with the powers and principalities that would seek to rule over this world in place of Jesus. Jesus commands us to be forceful with Satan: to clearly establish the territory that belongs to God, and defend it in the name of Jesus.
Your body is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). Satan has no right to occupy your body in the form of sickness and disease. Will you push him out in the name of Jesus, and reclaim a healthy body for God’s glory?
Today is the day you stop letting Satan walk all over you! Our privilege as Christians is to retake territory from Satan that rightfully belongs to God, in the name of Jesus. Scripture says that creation groans in anticipation of the day when we will take the world back with prayers full of passion and purpose (Rom 8:22).
Don’t settle for luke-warm, powerless Christianity. Jacob wrestled with God for his blessing. He refused to let go, and he was blessed as a result of his persistence. You get to boldly approach the throne of grace (Heb 4:16), knowing that God will satisfy your every need! You get to cast out demons, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead in the name of Jesus! Because you are in Jesus, you get to tell Satan to flee; not the other way around!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth… – Phil 2:9-10
Prayer:
Father, make me passionate for the things of God! Encourage me to use the name Jesus in prayer with fervency and boldness. I am not going to let Satan have any part of my life, in Jesus’ name!
View today’s post on our website: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-16-violent-force/
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-16-dont-expect-the-worst/
See commentary from this day in 2015: http://intelligentcharismatic.com/day-16-the-least-is-greater/
© Michael D. White, 2016. All rights reserved.