“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33

What a bold, yet comforting statement from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  It doesn’t matter what is taking place in the way of chaos, uncertainty, fear, or pandemic, Jesus has already overcome it all!  He is our all in all!

I am so glad my faith and trust is not in a worldly system that is operated by fallible man.  Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

As a former dope infested, alcoholic, promiscuous, wretched heathen sinner, I learned the hard way, that the only thing this world has to offer is jails, institutions or death.  Scripture puts it this way in I John 5:19:  “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

Lately I have been praying harder than ever to resist the wiles of the devil and this spirit of lust that invades our minds.  I’ve discovered that every time I make a conscious effort to do what it says in James 4:7 (Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you) that’s when victory comes!  This business of submission comes from abiding in His word.  I find every time I get lax with His word, I open a door to worldly lusts.  Jesus said we have to abide in Him; and His word has to abide in us (which means we have to literally conform to it) and it is then that we are able to ask what we desire and it shall be done for us. (John 15:7)

I don’t know who may be reading this right now, but I have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to encourage you.  There is a spirit of lust upon us like never before.  I can’t look up the word “fruit” on my device without, bam, right in my face, some sort of soft pornography!  It’s everywhere you look, and hard porn has never been more accessible.  If you are battling this spirit of lust, know this:  God says that He will always make a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13), and He does it by way of His word when we abide in it.  So, I admonish you, in the name of Jesus, to take hold of His word.  Read James 1:12-15 (drawn away by selfish desires), then 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (taking every disobedient thought captive, bringing it into obedience to Jesus Christ).

God’s word tells us we cannot love the world or the things in the world.  “Do not love the world or 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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” ~ I John 2:15-17

Hallelujah to abiding with the One who has overcome the world!

Chaplain Steve