A few centuries ago, people often complained about, about the persecution on their part, about the suffering they are subjected to due to the influence
Of course, they were always worried about the question, how to kill a demon. There are many theories about how to kill an evil being. Unfortunately, these versions cannot be verified in reality, since it is almost impossible to meet a demon on the street.
Many sources claim that the demon is a bunch of negative energy that takes on a frightening appearance.
However, this creature does not consist of flesh and blood, so it will not work to kill it with some kind of weapon. Of course, we are talking about conventional weapons: a pistol, a machine gun, a knife.
In mythology, there are many options for special weapons that can destroy an evil spirit. Aspen cola and silver bullets immediately come to mind, but these weapons are more characteristic of murder.
Demons, on the other hand, do not succumb to such attacks and simply evaporate to move to a safe place.
And still, how to kill a demon? There is no definite answer to this question. Many demonologists believe that the demon is able to take over the body and mind of a person, moving into him.
An evil spirit cannot live on its own. If the situation is critical, then it is much easier to kill a creature that is in the human body. It will not be possible to do this with a simple weapon, and here various effective methods come to the rescue.
Demonic mythology claims that there are special alloys, the blades of which are capable of destroying evil spirits in the human body. Even if this is true, then the problem will not be solved - the demon will die and leave the body, but the person will die with him. This method is the simplest, but with sad consequences.
There are several other methods by which you can destroy the demon. One of them is a spell in Latin. They are used to exorcise a demon from a human body, but there are also those that are designed to kill an evil being.
Of course, it will not do without artifacts. There is a so-called Ruby sword, which was just created to kill demons. However, not everything is so simple here.
First, it's too hard to find.
Secondly, with the help of this sword, you need to destroy the demon only in battle.
But not every person can fight evil, since these creatures have tremendous power. But if you already have this sword in your hands, you can try.
Another way to permanently get rid of the demon is to seek help from the angels. They are the personification of good, therefore, in the battle with evil, in most cases they win.
However, there is also a small snag here - angels come to the rescue only to those who really deserve help from Heaven. Those who actively resist the forces of evil will find it easier to ask for help.
The easiest and most affordable way to get rid of demons is prayer, holy water, crosses. Previously, these funds were quite effective, helping not only to drive out the evil spirit, but also to kill him.
Now it is believed that the demons have evolved significantly, and it will not work to kill them in this way. Holy water can cause injuries that heal quickly, and prayer will help drive away evil spirits. But these rituals are only a temporary defense against evil, since they are much more complicated than they seem.
If you have been attacked by a demon, the best way to get rid of it is to call an exorcist. In the modern world, finding such a specialist will not be easy, so it is better to get to know such a person in advance and keep in touch with him in order to protect yourself in the future.
You must stand against the devil before he can stand against you. You are standing on the battlefield (it is no longer the one you were standing on at this time last year). Perhaps you are standing in the middle of an army, or perhaps you are standing all alone.
Are you going to just stand there waiting to see what happens? Or do you intend to do something that will allow you to gain and maintain superiority?
King David left us a psalm that must become ours in order for us to become real conquerors: “I pursue my enemies, and overtake them, and do not return until I destroy them” (Ps. 17:38). He was a real winner, determined to finally end his enemies, but he was always aware that he needed help to do it.
Many of you are aware of my experiences in the past few years. I was knocked down in the ring, but I got back up, because those who love God are not weak. And I intend to never, never, never give up!
book of wars
In the book of Numbers I found one interesting phrase: “That is why it is said in the book of battles (wars from English.) of the Lord” (Numbers 21:14). What is this book? The Lord's Book of Wars is neither part of the canonical Scriptures nor any other books mentioned in the Bible, such as the "book of remembrance" (see Mal. 3:16) or the "book of tears" (see Ps. 55:9) . Perhaps we can consider the Book of the Wars of the Lord as a book that is not yet completed, and that we ourselves can help complete it, since we ourselves are involved in the fight against the enemy.
For each of us, the battle will not end until the end of our days. Born in the midst of battle and for battle, we follow our Commander-in-Chief whose mission it is to destroy the works of the devil. We do not fight against our spouses, our children, our bosses, or our pastors. We are fighting against the constantly pursuing spiritual forces of darkness.
I like to think that our constant war is a sign of life and proof that we are not defeated. The Lord of Life wages war through us. Our efforts come (or should come) from the predominance of the Son of God in our personal lives.
While we are engaged in one struggle after another, we are not only subduing Satan, but we are also being transformed personally and as a Body as a whole. The entire Church is in the process of changing, becoming a new creation in Christ, growing and becoming mature and overcoming the darkness of the old regime.
Why is Satan persecuting you?
First, you are a friend of God. God created you for His enjoyment, and He delights in you (see Rev. 4:11). He finds so much joy in you that He sent His Son to redeem you from the hands of His enemy, to take you as His child. He takes such pleasure in you that he beautifies you and enables you to reflect His image, which is what you were created for.
And since Satan cannot attack God directly, he attacks His friends. He is trying to cut the ground from under your feet. The devil is trying to paralyze your plans, abort your dreams and dissolve your hope. He resists everything that can help you get close to God's heart.
The true position is that the devil is terribly jealous of you. Who do you think you are, giving glory to God, submitting yourself to Him as your Father and Lord, and resisting evil at every turn?
What are Satan's favorite tactics?
He carries out his evil designs in certain predictable ways. With his limited range, all he can do is mix the standard ingredients of the same recipe differently.
Here is a short list of his favorite tactics against human beings:
1. Delay. Weaken and exhaust you. Make you go astray (see Dan. 10:2-14).
2. Cunning. Foil God's plans by turning principles into law. To move you from the stability of truth to the instability of error. (see Rev. 12:9).
3. Absent-mindedness. Knock down your focus. Make you focus on only one side of the issue. A time of great intimacy with God can turn into a great struggle (see Pr. 4:27).
4. Disappointment. Exaggerate the weaknesses of others, offend you and embitter you.
Delay, cunning, absent-mindedness and frustration - each of these tactics is slow-acting. You may not even see it right away. Sometimes it seems that Satan is more patient than you as he encroaches on your world inch by inch. It cannot hit you instantly, although it may seem sudden when it does.
How do I overcome these strategies?
For each of the enemy's tactics, there are certain steps we can take in reverse. Like an antidote to snake venom, these strategies will help you counter and defeat the devil's tricks:
1. Act on God's Promises (Versus Delay).
As a friend of mine said, "Successful people act quickly and change their minds slowly." God's promises are true today and every day. So while the timing of some promises is important, you can always act on what you know is true. Proclaim His promises aloud until they take root in your soul. And then act on the eternal aspects of God's character that He wants to manifest in you. Focus on showing love (and all other fruits of the Spirit) in your relationships with others by spending time in prayer, testifying of God's goodness to those around you. These actions are always acceptable and block the delay effect.
2. Dive into the Word of God Daily (Versus Cunning).
There is no substitute for having the Word of God in you. This is one of the most important ways to recognize the artful lies of the enemy. Bank tellers are effectively trained to recognize counterfeit money by examining genuine money. And so when something fake comes along, they immediately see the difference. Spend time in God's Word and keep it in your heart. Then it will be much easier for the Spirit to be able to excite and warn you about the deception of the enemy.
3. Focus on the Lord and His Commands (counterbalance to distraction).
What was the last thing the Lord told you to do? You do it? When we are waiting for a particular promise to be fulfilled, the more time passes, the easier it is to become disappointed. A useful antidote is to focus on the Lord Himself and then actually DO what He has already told you to do. I remember Jehoshaphat's petition to the Lord when the enemy came against him in Par. 20:12 “Our God! You judge them. For there is no power in us against this great multitude that has come upon us, and we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You!”
4. Thank God for all the victories He has already won in your life (counter to disappointment).
There is nothing like thanksgiving to break the spirit of depression (something that frustration can lead to if left unchecked). God loves a grateful heart, and it enlightens the spirit. Don't wallow in something that hasn't even happened yet - list all the paths the Lord has already walked in the past! You will find your heart strengthened and your soul empowered as each story is remembered. God loves a grateful heart!
Don't you think the devil is already on the run as these truths take root in your heart? Don't take these antidotes as just a passing thought. Deepen and root them in your daily life. Act and suddenly you will see the backs of enemies running away from you.
So who is the winner?
The enemy is always trying to frustrate the plans of God. Even with only partial knowledge, he knows when someone is destined for greatness. Likewise, the enemy strikes desperately hard when a special miracle comes from the hand of God. When you make an effort to stand up, the degree and intensity of the spiritual struggle can be proportional to the territory you are about to take over.
From day to day by faith put on the spiritual armor of God: “Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that you can withstand and not retreat in the evil day (danger) and having overcome everything (that the crisis requires) stand (firmly on the spot)”(Eph. 6:13 Amplified).
So, be on the lookout! You are winners, the devil is not! What you are going through is only temporary. And know that you and I are not fighting for victory - we are provided with a victory that has already been won. We are already overcomers in Christ Jesus!
And this applies to you too!
Get into position!
translation by Tatiana L. for
The state of constant anxiety and worry is a dark and negative mental prison that many people live in almost daily. Some of them feel anxiety when faced with stressful situations, while others suffer from such conditions almost continuously. People feel trapped in ongoing anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem, mental exhaustion, and perpetual relationship problems. Fortunately, there are many recipes for anxiety victims - you can resort to specific methods to stop this demon before it wakes up and becomes poorly controlled.
1. This too shall pass
When something happens that makes you overly anxious, or anxiety creeps in for no apparent reason, stop and focus on your mind games. Take a deep and slow breath in and out. Then immediately tell yourself (or even out loud) that this is only temporary. Repeat this procedure as many times as you need to calm down and convince yourself of this. Think about the difficult times that have been in your life, and comfort yourself with the fact that in the end everything always ended well. Don't try to ignore the worry, acknowledge that it's there, and confidently tell yourself that everything will be fine from now on.
2. Focus on your inner self
Learn as much as you can about anxiety and what it entails. When anxiety begins to actively awaken within you, you will at least begin to understand the mechanism of manifestation and development of such a state, you will be ready to deal with all changes so that they do not get out of control, and you will be able to resist it. Learn about deep breathing techniques, self-talk strategies, and other forms of emergency care and see what works best for you.
3. Inner dialogue and affirmations
Never underestimate the power of positive self-talk and affirmations as they can truly work wonders. When you practice them correctly, they work instantly and bring much-needed peace of mind in many situations. Pick up quotes and sayings that are relevant to specific situations, write them down on sticky notes and stick them in visible places to remind you how to “cure” everyday problems. Life is rarely magically easy, and ways to deal with stress are highly individual. For example, you can force yourself to look into the essence of things that led to an increase in stress levels. You can let stress destroy you, or you can let it help you grow, coming to the realization that you don't need a reason or excuse for inner stability. You may feel good for no reason.
4. Maintain physical health
It would seem that striving to maintain health is natural, but for some, even such an action is difficult. Many people who are prone to anxiety and worry may have specific bad habits that supposedly mask the problem, but this is just self-deception. They only aggravate the condition or have a temporary effect. Trite but true: a healthy diet, adequate sleep and exercise are your friends in terms of controlling anxiety. Load up on vitamin B-rich foods (beef, chicken, leafy greens, nuts, and citrus fruits) and don't forget to constantly "refuel" yourself with clean drinking water.
5. Relaxation and quality sleep
For many people who suffer from anxiety and constant feelings of restlessness, getting a good night's sleep can seem like an impossible task. They tend to stay up late, thus allowing both body and mind to overwork, making them more vulnerable and susceptible to anxious thoughts the next morning and afternoon. There are many techniques for relaxing and accustoming yourself to a restful and sufficient sleep - and this is an absolute reality, even if it sounds fantastic. If you learn to switch off from problems and let yourself get enough sleep, then your anxiety will decrease and you will be able to think much more clearly and realistically.
The state of constant anxiety and worry can be debilitating and destructive, so it’s worth learning to work with yourself and find those ways that will be effective and effective for you, that can help you stay active and fight against any unnecessary and negative feelings that penetrate into your intelligence. Keep anxieties under control and your life will be more productive, healthier and happier.
So, devilish machinations - what is it? In 2 Corinthians 2:11, Paul writes that Satan cannot do any damage if we know his intentions. In any war, when the enemy is preparing an attack, the other side must prepare and prepare a counterattack. Information about everything that is planned against them is always very important, and therefore the best scouts and spies are being trained to obtain valuable information. If the attack comes unexpectedly, and it is not known on which front line, the battle can easily be lost. But if you prepare well, you can easily hold back one attack after another.
We know that there is a very serious spiritual war going on between Satan and evil forces on the one hand, and God, His host and us on the other. In order to be able to resist the devil, we need to study well his goals, methods and where he is going to attack. , we will be able to see that he does not have thousands of different ways and methods that we cannot even prepare for, but only 3 main plans that he uses throughout history. Just as Satan tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6), just as he tempted Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4), in the same way he tempts each of us (John 2:16). The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are the 3 areas in which we can always expect an attack, but let's study them well and prepare for battle.
Lust of the flesh
God has given each person different wants and needs that He wants us to satisfy in a normal, natural way. But when we satisfy needs in perverted ways, or not only satisfy, but satiate the need, this is already lust.
Any person has physiological needs (food, water, shelter, rest, sexual needs), needs for security and confidence in the future (when a person does not worry about what awaits him), social needs (a person needs to be part of a family or some kind of group ), needs for respect (everyone needs, especially men, to be respected and recognized for their competence and significance), self-expression needs (people need to realize their potential and personal growth).
God does not want to make us unsatisfied and unhappy, but He sent us Christ so that in Him all our needs would be met in abundance (Gospel of John 10:10). In the Garden of Eden, God showed great bounty to the people by saying, Eat from every tree (Genesis 2:16-17) except one. Interestingly, the devil focuses a person not on what is possible, but what is impossible. He convinced Eve that the fruit of the tree was good and tasty (Genesis 3:6), but he never talked about the disastrous consequences of any disobedience to God.
Whatever our needs, we can meet either God's methods or the terrifying ways that the devil offers.
God wants to feed us, give us drink, give us shelter and rest, but He does not want us to live only for this. In Luke 21:34 Jesus says:
“Look after yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with revelry and drunkenness and worries.”
God wants to give us a wonderful family and close intimate relationships, but only in marriage. He hates it when sexual desires are gratified in various unbiblical, perverse ways that may provide only apparent temporary gratification, but have horrendous consequences for mental and spiritual health. In Matthew 5:28 he said that if I look at a woman with lust, the consequences for my heart and brain will be the same as with adultery.
Psychologists believe that the satisfaction of a need is like 4 stages:
- impatience
- excitation
- satisfaction
- sedation
For example, a person wants to drink. At first, it becomes difficult for him to endure thirst, then thirst reaches such a level when it seems to a person that if he does not drink, he will immediately die (although in fact he can live for a long time without water or food). Then the person begins to drink, satisfies his need, and calmness sets in. The devil knows what stage I am at and offers me his own version of satisfaction. It may seem to me that if I do not satisfy my need right now, I can not stand it and even die, but this is all just a lie of Satan.
When Satan decided to tempt Jesus, he came to Him at the moment when Jesus fasted for 40 days and became very hungry (Gospel of Matthew 4:1-4). He offered Him his plan to meet the need, but Jesus used God's plan. Jesus showed that the satisfaction of all our needs must be sought in the Holy.
Recently, many different worldly theories have appeared that if some, for example, sexual needs are not satisfied, there will be harm to the human body. But in fact, these are just false assumptions, not confirmed by any scientific facts. Jesus and Paul did not have physical relationships with women, but this did not negatively affect them in any way. On the contrary, when people have unbiblical promiscuity, it leads to serious physical and mental illness (many different venereal diseases, and the appearance of abnormal sexual orientation and various perversions).
In 1 Samuel 13:8-14, we see how King Saul waits for the prophet Samuel for 7 days, and when he does not have enough patience, and he sees that people are starting to leave him, he himself makes a sacrifice. And it is interesting that it is at this moment that the prophet comes, who denounced the king. If Saul had endured the temptation and waited a little, God himself would have satisfied his need and strengthened his reign. But since he decided to succumb to Satan's temptation and began to meet his own needs, God said that his life would be destroyed and the kingdom would be taken from him.
God wants to satisfy our need for security and confidence in the future. He wants us to learn to rely on Him, and not on our finances, government, stability and economic growth, on other people.
God wants to give us a family and close brotherhood (Gospel of John 13:34-35). He wants us to look for these relationships not in the world, but in His Church, so that we help to feel love for all our brothers and sisters, and show how important we are to each other.
God wants us to feel respect and understand how precious and valuable we are in His eyes (Isaiah 43:4). He wants us to learn to respect one another and, in humility of mind, to put one another above ourselves (Philippians 2:3). God wants wives to learn to respect their husbands, and husbands to learn to respect their wives, so that children learn to respect their parents, and parents of their children, so that they learn to respect their mentors, and the mentors of the students.
God does not want us to stand still, but that we always continue to grow spiritually (2 Peter 1). God not only wants, but also requires that all our gifts and talents multiply and bring Him incredible glory (Gospel of Matthew 25:14-30).
But it is important to always remember that all our needs can only be met by God through Christ in His Kingdom (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Lust of the eyes
Genesis 3:6 tells how Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was pleasing to the eye. That is, the devil tempted and aroused desire through visual images. When Eve looked at the forbidden fruit for a long time, she could no longer resist the strong temptation, and forgot all the prohibitions and warnings of God about all the negative consequences.
Scientists have proven that hypnosis works in a similar way. The researchers brought small electrical meters to the entire surface of the brain. When a person was put into a state of hypnosis, either with monotonous words, or with various taps or clicks, they began to measure various electrical impulses over the entire surface. Interestingly, in some areas, the impulses became very small, which led to the conclusion that some parts of the brain were switched off.
They decided to conduct the same experiment with a person who watched television. In some parts of the brain, the electrical impulses also dropped very much, so some parts of the brain also turned off. Scientists have realized that due to the fact that on TV we see thousands of monotonous pictures in 1 minute, we seem to fall into a state of hypnosis. They also saw that a person can only be critical of the information provided for one and a half minutes, and then the brain simply gives up and turns off. That is, when we start watching or listening to something, we need to quickly decide whether to continue or not, otherwise we may succumb to Satan's attacks on our brain.
In Matthew 4:8-10, it is written how the devil shows Christ all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and says: “I will give you all this, if you fall, you will bow down to me,” but Jesus answered: “Worship the Lord God and serve Him alone ". Then Satan departed, and the Angels came to Jesus and began to serve Him.
In the same way, the devil comes to us, shows us something, and offers us various rewards if we compromise with the Word of God. He can offer us money, power, the satisfaction of all our needs, but in return he will ask for some small favor. We may have to cheat a little (or not tell the truth), steal a little (or take our own), violate someone's interests (just to achieve our goal), but we will always have to make a choice: either bow to the devil or bow to God. No matter how hard it is for us, but when we make decisions in favor of God, help immediately comes to us, and the heavenly powers begin to help us!
worldly pride
In Genesis 3:6 it is written that the fruit of the tree was desirable because it gave knowledge, and in 3:5 the devil said that we could be like gods, knowing good and evil. From what we know that Satan was in the beginning a good angel who loved and worshiped God, but in the book of Isaiah 14:11-14 it is written how his great fall began. “Thy pride is cast down with all your noise,” he said in his heart: “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will ascend on high, I will be like the Most High.” As pride was the result of the fall of the devil, so pride was the result of the fall of millions of people. Even many Christians, great leaders and missionaries have fallen because of just one thing - because of worldly pride.
Scientists have studied how people feel when they achieve great success and achievements in their lives. Interestingly, many people felt only short-term joy, and then a feeling of dissatisfaction set in, and they wanted even more. People who acquire some expensive things that they have long dreamed of also feel themselves. People think when I have it, I'll be the happiest person in the world, but the joy of buying something goes away very quickly.
When great spiritual victories occur in our lives, we always have a choice: give glory to God or take it for ourselves. I can think that I am doing everything, I am so talented, strong, spiritual, but I can forget that everything happens only by the will and grace of God.
Even the great Apostles struggled with their pride. In the Gospel of Matthew 18:1-4 and Matthew 20:20-28 we see how the Apostles and their mother were interested in who already now has more and even more power in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes Christians may think that the more position I take in the ministry, the more significant I am. But Jesus compares great men to servants, slaves, and children. Great people are not those who occupy great positions, but those who are great servants. John 13:1-17 says that Jesus, not by word but by deed, showed his love for his disciples. He began washing their feet, doing the work that slaves were supposed to do.
In what ways am I willing to show my love and modesty to my brothers and sisters? Am I willing to sacrifice my time and meet all the needs of my loved ones. Am I ready to serve in any ministry: if necessary, I will serve in the children's programs of the church, or in the protection, or I will just warmly welcome all brothers and sisters. When I come to various Christian meetings, do I come to give or to receive? Acts 20:35 says that the person who gives more than he receives is happier.
In John 3:30, John said, “Christ must grow, but I must decrease,” but in the life of Christians sometimes the opposite happens, people grow in their pride, and Christ is seen in them less and less. I can ask God and my brothers and sisters what they think of me, whether I am humble or proud. But it is important for us to remember that great people are those who have great modesty.
In Matthew 4:4-7 we see how Satan tempts Christ, offers to throw himself down so that everyone can see who He really is, but said: "Do not tempt the Lord your God." When we want to show our best side to people, we can become hypocrites and tempt God. It is important that people always see and know who I really am. The more I grow in humility, the harder it will be for Satan to attack my proud nature.
We know that the devil attacks us through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Let us, like Christ, resist him with firm convictions from the Holy Scriptures!
Prologue
I dreamed of winning. I wanted to win. I won.
For many years I thought about whether it is possible to stop sinning? Can the devil be defeated? How to come to this and what needs to be done for this? And I did it.
For nearly twenty years of my Christianity, I have been familiar with Bible texts about victory, such as these: to the victorious I will give you to sit with me on my throne, as I won and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21), “They won by his blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their own lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11).
I read them for many years, but I was an outside observer of their greatness. Christ conquered, those who conquered conquered. And I was still a slave to sins and thoughts. Where is my victory? When will I be the winner? So I thought for months and years, winters and summers. I believed and waited that someday it would come true.
And God visited me. Now I'm a winner too. I managed. God could!
* * * * * * * * *
In this text I will try to describe the course of my life, reflections, mental anguish, efforts, defeats and, finally, complete victory over the devil, his sins, addictions, thoughts.
Now I know from personal experience that it is possible to win and it can become a reality of life.
Maybe someone who also strives for victory, my path will be useful. And if all these words help someone free themselves from the devil's fetters and become a winner in the great struggle, then I will be immensely happy.
It is possible that some of the words spoken here will cause laughter or ridicule from someone, but I am ready to endure this for the sake of at least some who will benefit from all these words.
essence
What is the right place to start? I will try to put everything in some chronology. The main thing is what happened in the last few months, and especially in the last thirty days or so.
For almost all the years of my stay in the Church, I was engaged in something, constantly carried out some kind of service. Served as deacon, youth leader, senior deacon, elder, Sabbath school leader. And now I'm also in charge of the Sabbath School department.
Very often I saw my inconsistency with the principles that I taught other people. And that gave me a certain anguish. I read about love in the Bible, but I do not love myself; I read about meekness and patience, but I myself am not meek, not patient, and not a saint. I often refused to give a sermon because my heart was bad and disgusting - I did something sinful, I said something offensive to someone, and my conscience did not let me into the pulpit. And so many years, and service and torments of the mind.
At times I tried to keep a righteous lifestyle, but these were short-term moments, because the sinful essence broke through the barriers and showed its true face. I understood that I was not completely free. I realized that in some ways I was still a slave to the devil and his sins.
Even so, I enjoyed deep Bible meditations. I wrote articles on the Internet on various topics. It was analytics, and criticism, and Bible analyzes, and news stories. Who was wrong, he immediately became the hero of an article or note.
And in the Church, I was very scrupulous about the subject of compliance of church members with their membership in the community. Don't you believe like everyone else? - exclude! Badly done? - for advice! Like a kind of punitive eye, I watched over everyone. Without mercy and compassion. I was indignant at those who tried to show kindness and patience to those who stumbled. However, somewhere deep inside, I asked myself the question - why do they have this kindness, but I don’t have a single gram of it?
It is already now that I understand that justice and fairness must be intertwined with goodness and patience - this is perfection. And then I had only justice.
Needless to say, I've always enjoyed the Sabbath School debriefings. I always went to teachers' meetings and then wrote a lesson analysis for publication on the Internet and sent it by e-mail.
The writing of the analysis article itself was not easy enough. As an imperfect Christian, I understood that one can write only under the guidance of God, completely surrendering to Him. But, having sins and thoughts behind me, I felt my inability to carry out my plans. And I especially prayed always before writing a lesson analysis that God would take me, give the Holy Spirit and I would be able, for the benefit of other people, to write a good biblical article.
And the Spirit descended on me, sent revelations and thoughts, I wrote the text, published it and… was left alone again. The spirit departed, and I continued to live the bifurcated life of that source from which flows sweet and bitter water. And there is pain in that.
This is almost exactly what Paul wrote about – “ There is no fear in love...because in fear there is torment"(1 John 4:18). So it is here - a divided life is torment.
I lived according to the texts of the Bible, where Paul describes the life of a person who seems to want to do good, but turns out to be evil. Life is not a winner, but a slave - “For I do not understand what I am doing: because I do not do what I want, but what I hate, I do, ... it is not I who do it, but the sin that lives in me. I know that it does not live in me, that is, in my flesh, good; because the desire for good is in me, but to do it, I do not find it. The good that I want, I do not do, but the evil that I do not want, I do. But if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Rom. 7:15-20)
So I lived for many years, as the Apostle accurately described. But I wanted the best, perfect. I wanted complete victory and a holy life here and now. I tried to achieve this, but it didn't work.
I know that God, seeing my thoughts and desires, was looking for ways to touch my mind and grant me absolute freedom - “ If the Son sets you free, you will be truly free» (John 8:36)
Without the radical intervention of the Son in a person’s life, all his freedom will be like the existence of that demoniac who was bound, fettered, but this could not curb his nature and sooner or later the inner essence broke the chains, and the person rushed through deserted places in the torment of demonic slavery.
I think that a split life is a consequence of the power of demons over the will and mind of a person. It pulls on some thread, enters some hidden hole, holds on to something in the human soul.
So I lived as described above. Year after year. Day after day. I sincerely tried to do God's work, worried about the Church, tried to protect her from the devil, to protect her from satanic wiles.
About a year ago, I saw how on the Internet one person defended the truth and himself so fiercely that I was horrified and thoughtful. I saw that simply, truth and truth, but without goodness and humility - this is a devilish hydra. I was scared by what I saw, and I knew for sure that I definitely didn’t want to. Looking at all this, I wrote a small note "Kindness". I began to think about myself - who am I? what am I?
Christ carries lambs in His arms and shepherds flocks of sheep. He does not carry crocodiles in his arms and does not herd herds of bull terriers. Better to be a lamb than a toothy pit bull.
I began to think more and more about the goodness of God. I began to wish to be kind like God.
« Therefore, be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.» (Mat. 5:48)
A little more than six months later, from the above, I received a blow to the very heart from the same person. They attributed to me something that I did not even think of, and they accused me of something that I did not even think of doing. They defamed my name and slandered me.
Attention! From this moment begins my decisive battle with myself and the devil.
I immediately wanted to take revenge! But he didn't. There were opportunities to answer doubly, everything was in my hand, but I resisted. It was incredibly difficult. It seemed to me that I was in the middle of the arena and God and the devil were looking at me, and everyone was waiting for their own from me. I was like a thing to which two hands rushed and which both seized, and each one vomited in his own direction. The fight is not for life, but for death. But the wildest paradox is that I wanted to do as each of the two wanted.
I wanted to do as the devil urged - to take revenge in full, and I could do it.
And I wanted to do as God begged me to leave vengeance to Him and calm down.
I repeatedly made attempts to pay back the deeds myself, but at the very last moment I stopped and made a different decision. And so it went on for quite some time.
It is hard to imagine what mental anguish and torment I went through. It seemed to me that my whole chest would burst outward now, so resentment and diabolical suggestions ate me.
But even in all this there was a good grain! I was able to see how much evil is present in my soul and how disgusting I can really be. I saw and felt the incredible power of the devil over myself. I got to know myself. And the fact that I did not take revenge and did not surrender into the hands of the devil depended on the fact that God in me turned out to be more than just a few millimeters, which tipped the scales in God's favor.
I terribly wanted to defeat the devil. I understood that revenge is a temporary victory. Everything secret will become clear, if not here, then at the eternal judgment for sure. I imagined shots where Satan stands before God, laughs, pokes his finger at me and tells the whole truth about me and what I have done, and everyone is standing and watching. And I'm ashamed, and God.
But I imagined another picture, where God looks at the devil and says - "Look, he wanted to do evil and did not, he defeated you, he is Mine!". And I wanted to win. I wanted God to win!
I realized that victory is theoretically possible, and that defeating the enemy is a reality, but I was afraid to engage in battle with myself and the devil. I was afraid of failure, failure, that I would fight, I would do my best, but nothing would come of it, and that everything would be in vain.
But Satan so tormented me with his suggestions, twisted my soul so much that I gradually began to try to resist him.
I constantly read the following text of the Bible - “And I will put enmity between you and between the woman, and between your seed and between her seed; it will bruise your head, and you will bruise its heel” (Gen. 3:15).
« It will hit you in the head I looked upon these words of promise as my only hope. I read them over and over, day after day. Prayed for their fulfillment in my life. I dreamed not to hit me constantly in the head, but I was able to hit the snake in the head, decisively and uncompromisingly.
« And I will put enmity between you and the woman”- these words were also the object of intense reflection and prayer. I was grateful to God that in me there is some semblance of enmity towards the devil and rejection of his obsessions. And I prayed to God to grant me absolute enmity to the serpent and its temptations. So that enmity towards him would reach that climax at which it would become more unbearable and impossible for him to be a slave.
Around the same time, I wrote a short note "Killer for the Devil", here is its text:
« Once upon a time, I attended a meeting where a young girl, of a rather impulsive nature, after a sermon on the deceitful temptations of Satan, in the heat of the moment, said: “Now, if this Satan fell into my hands, I would just ... I would just took and killed!
Of course, the pastor reassured the sister that even killing Satan is not good and you shouldn’t even think like that, it’s in God’s hands.
But it turns out that already here, in this life, you can punch Satan in the face!!!
It's worse than Tyson's hit, it's worse than a control to the head. This is the worst thing you can do to the devil on this earth.
So, how can you personally, right now, punch Satan in the face?!
So, attention!
Here it is, the way - you need to stop sinning !!!»
I posted it on the internet. Readers laughed, asked how I was doing in this, and whether I had stopped sinning myself. I did not argue with them, but continued to dream that it would come true one day.
I even tried all day not to do or think any evil. I managed to stay in it for only an hour or two. For thoughts came again, and my sinful essence defeated all my intentions.
Gradually, the thirst for revenge faded away, although sometimes the old feelings surfaced, but they were able to be extinguished.
But this was not a complete victory over the devil and himself. I remained almost the same. Of course, I was no longer tough and harsh, some semblance of God's goodness visited my soul and something began to happen in me. However, the devil still had his rights over me and darkened my soul with his power over me - periodic evil thoughts, harsh words, bitterness. All this was still my content.
In fact, this situation in which I found myself helped me see all the ins and outs of my essence, and became the catalyst for the beginning of opposition to the devil and his army.
Therefore, I am incredibly grateful to God that he allowed all of the above to happen to me. For the more the devil trampled me into the mud and the more he pulled out of me all base thoughts and deeds, the more I felt my only need in God and His salvation. And the more people insulted me and jumped on my back, the more I wanted to cling only to God and only in Him put all my support and hope. I saw the true face of the devil and all the horror of sin.
The tangible changes in my soul I owe to the Sabbath School. The last two lessons of Sabbath School I consider the most important in all recent years. I have been incredibly happy to study the book of Numbers and today's lessons on the fruits of the Spirit. These themes have had a huge impact on me. In fact, by studying them, I began to become a different person.
Studying the book of Numbers, I understood God's view of the internal structure of the entire society of God's people and the principles of God's leadership. While studying the current topics about the fruits of the Spirit, I understood what I personally need to be in order to take my place in God's body.
These lessons, “Fruits of the Spirit”, are turning points in my life. I realized, for myself personally, that by going through these topics, each one separately, I must be transformed in the likeness of the truths being studied. I tried every week to think on a given topic about the fruits of the Spirit and pray that each of the fruits of the Spirit would become my personal possession.
Studying one of the lessons about the Fruits of the Spirit, I finally understood, especially clearly realized, WHAT Christianity is!
I read the text of Scripture - "Abide in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it is on the vine, so neither can you unless you are in Me” (John 15:4)
And further - " I am in my Father and you in me and I in you"(John 14:20)
« In me... I am in you..." how can it be? What is it - "in Me"? How to achieve this? How to abide in God and what needs to be done for this? I thought about it endlessly.
And then a picture of what true Christianity is appeared in my head.
There is God and there is man. God is full of all love and goodness. Man is sinful and empty, full of filth.
And the man says to God - "Send me love ...", "make me good ...". But nothing happens. Yes, it can't happen. Because it's impossible. God remains good, but man remains sinful.
A person thinks as follows: “There is a separate God and there is a separate me. You God, pour your love into me, and I will become loving. But you are on your own, and I am on my own. And You will be good and true, and I will be good and loving.” But this is a dead end. This is a prayer that will never be fulfilled.
It is in such thinking that the Christian hopes of millions of Christians collapse.
Attention!
The only way to be good is for a person to abide in the goodness of God! The only way to become loving is to abide in the love of God! " Stay in my love"(John 15:9)
God is not able to pour all His qualities into a person if a person is outside of God Himself.
A person, in order to be filled with all the nature of God, must be placed inside God Himself! This is the heart and essence of Christianity and the life of all living beings in the universe - to be inside God.
But a sinful and defiled person cannot be placed inside God. God is holy and pure, He cannot defile Himself. Therefore, it is necessary first to expel all evil from a person, and then, already purified, place it inside God.
And already in this case, the person will be in God and God in him. Like a glass placed in a large container of water, it exists in two dimensions - the water in it and the glass itself in the water. This is the fulfillment of the words - " Abide in Me and I in you».
I understood all this, but I myself was still outside of God. But I already wanted to be in God and that He would be IN me.
During this time, I attended several sermons where the pastor talked about what could be the reason for the power of Satan over a person, even when a person would not seem to want it. It helped me a lot to understand the vector of the correct fight against the devil.
« There is no compulsion in the work of redemption. No external force is used for this either. Under the influence of the Spirit of God, a person freely chooses whose servant he wants to be. When the soul submits to Christ, changes take place in it, signifying the highest consciousness of freedom. Rejection of sin is the action of the soul itself. It is true that we are not able to free ourselves from the power of Satan, but when, striving to end sin, exhausted, we pray for help from above, then the efforts of our soul merge with the divine power of the Holy Spirit and by doing our own will, we are actually doing the will of God.» (DA51:19)
« I was shown that Satan cannot possess people unless they submit to his authority. Those who stray from the truth put themselves in grave danger. They separate themselves from God and from the caring care of His angels, and immediately Satan, always ready to destroy souls, begins to deceive them. They are in grave danger; and even if they understand their delusions and try to resist the powers of darkness and free themselves from satanic networks, it will not be easy for them to do so. They ventured into Satan's territory and he lays claim to them. Satan will not hesitate to use all his energy and call on the help of all his evil host to wrest even one person from the hands of Christ. Those who have tempted the devil to tempt them will have to make desperate efforts to free themselves from his power. But if they make an effort, the angels of God whom they have grieved will come to their aid.. Satan and his angels do not want to lose their prey. They wrestle and fight with the holy angels, waging a fierce battle with them. But if the lost souls continue to pray and confess their sins with deep humility, the good angels, with superior strength, will prevail and snatch them out of the hands of the evil angels.. » (STs18:125)
« Jesus does not command the holy angels to release those who makes no effort to help themselves.
If Satan sees that he is in danger of losing even one soul, he will gather all his strength to keep it. When a person gradually realizes the imminent danger and begins in his grief to zealously ask Jesus to strengthen him, Satan, fearing to lose the prisoner, calls for additional reinforcement of his angels, so that they surround the poor soul with a dense veil of darkness from all sides and so that the heavenly light does not reach the person. But if the one who is in danger persists and in his helplessness relies on the merits of the blood of Christ, our Savior accepts the sincere prayer of faith and sends reinforcements of angels, stronger than demons, to deliver the seeker. Satan cannot bear it when people turn to his mighty Rival for help, for fears His power and trembles before His majesty. All of Satan's host trembles when they hear fervent prayer. He continues to call on legions of evil angels to achieve his intended goal. But when mighty angels, clad in heavenly armor, come to the aid of a desponding, oppressed soul, Satan and his host retreat, for they know that the battle is lost. The subjects of Satan are faithful to their master, active and united in one purpose. And although they hate each other and are at enmity with each other, nevertheless they do not miss the opportunity to jointly defend common interests. But the great Leader of the heavenly and earthly hosts limited the power of Satan.
» (STS19:106,107)
There I also heard a quote from The Great Controversy about Jacob's troubled time. She impressed me very much and showed me my need - to get rid of all sins and have nothing to do with the devil even for a millimeter.
I came home and read the whole chapter in full, the following words were especially important - “ In addition to anxiety and fear, he was also tormented by remorse, he understood that it was his sin that exposed everyone to such danger ...»
« It is not the fear of persecution for the truth that will lead them to despair, but the fear that there may be some unforgiven sin left.»
« If Jacob had not previously repented of his sin: fraudulently obtaining the birthright. God would not have heard his prayer and saved him in a gracious way. So it will be during the time of trouble: if the children of God leave their sins unconfessed, sorrow and fear will overcome them. Despair will undermine their faith, and they will not be able to confidently plead with God for deliverance. But, deeply aware of their unworthiness, they have no secret sins. Their sins had already been judged and blotted out before, and they can't remember them »
« Those who call themselves Christians, not prepared for the last terrible battle, will confess their sins in despair, and the wicked will only mock at their sorrow. Their confession will be similar to Esau's or Judah's.».
And I became acutely aware of the need to get rid of past and present sins long BEFORE the time of trouble. For if I do not do this, I will be defeated and doomed.
I was in such a, in my opinion, bad and hopeless situation that once I even told God everything that I think about Him, in connection with His, as I saw it, indecisive actions to deliver me from the power of Satan. I said to Him, not in the least embarrassed, approximately, since I don’t remember exactly, the following - “ You're lying! Stop cheating and lying to me! Either you are God and you do something with me, or leave me alone!»
It must be said that at home sometimes things are not going smoothly for me. I usually get spoiled at home at the wrong time. Of course, it's my fault too. But usually the devil set my house on me on Thursday, when I have to write my Sabbath School review. I noticed this tendency and systematicity and realized that Satan not only torments me from those who are far away and from within myself, but even through my family members he drives his arrows into me. And this is especially excruciatingly painful.
So it was on the eleventh of February of this year, on Thursday. I came home and thought about writing a lesson review. At dinner, out of nowhere, a quarrel occurs again and Satan again thrusts his claws into me. Dejected, in the evening I sat in my room and thought about life, about this situation, about the devil's cunning. I especially resented that Satan had chosen an instrument against me in my own home.
This angered me incredibly, and I decided to try to fight the devil, his demons and the power of God to defeat them.
Attention! Interchange.
That evening was the beginning of the final struggle with the devil and complete victory over him.
I sat and looked at the monitor. The words of analysis did not go in any way, and I myself did not particularly want to write something. Disorder and despondency. But still, I pulled the keyboard up and started typing.
I felt that this was already the bottom of my patience and the boundary of the unbearability of being in a divided life. I decided not to try to fight the devil, but to declare war on him and win it.
And I wrote the following lines:
« Thank God for the lessons on the fruits of the Spirit. Looking at the lesson book, at the list of all topics, I see, as in a mirror, all my moral ugliness. And this is not a crooked mirror - it's me crooked.
As I study these lessons, week by week, day by day, I see how far I am from these beautiful ideals of God, and that my fruits are rotten pears.
I do not love, I am not glad, I have no peace and no patience, I am not good at all and not very merciful.
But I want another. And I want to win.
This week, in my twentieth year as an Adventist, I just realized what Christianity is...
And that's the kind of Christianity I want.
Dear friend devil, you are not my friend at all. Although you dominate people, torture them, fool them, break lives and destinies, but know that I will definitely defeat you. I am your enemy. I do not love you and declare war on you. Not to the people you manage and use, but to you.
The power of Jesus Christ, His righteousness and blood, the strength of the Holy Spirit - can you resist it?!
« And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it will hit you in the head and you will sting him in the heel» (Gen.3:15)
« And the devil that deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever» (Rev. 20:10) »
Having finished writing the lesson review, I went to bed and went to work in the morning. But vseravno inside annoyance and despair.
Friday passed in the thunderclouds of the soul. I even went to the toilet at work, shut myself up, knelt down and told God everything I want, think, and desire. I broke at the door of His house and asked to be allowed into His Kingdom. I hit my forehead against the tiled wall and repeated - " let me in, open me up, change me, help me, let me into Your Kingdom of Heaven here!»
It definitely made me feel better and something inside clicked.
I also want to say that for some time until February 11, I prayed out loud, just out loud, approximately in the following words: “Lord, I want you to be the God of my whole life and own all my being. I renounce the devil and his demons and do not want to have anything to do with them. Please protect me and save me. I believe in You as the only God and Savior who shed His Blood for me. Devil go away, I don't want to have anything to do with you. For the sake of the name of Jesus Christ and His shed blood. Amen!"
And so, on the twelfth of February, I decided to do something that, in my deep conviction, was to free me from the devil and crush all his power over me. I absolutely believed in it and waited for Saturday evening, so that when everyone went to bed, I could carry out my plan.
The final.
By that day, I understood one very important thing - the power of Satan's power over people, even already Christians, lies in the connection of people with their past sins! Even if you have the misdeeds of childhood, the sins of youth, youth, and the forgotten bad deeds of a mature life, and even those already done in a Christian life - know that the devil has rights over you and you are slaves of his passions and intentions! And you will always have a divided Christian life. You will always do what you don't want to do.
If you have at least one unrepentant sin, unconfessed thought or intention, then your will will be enslaved by the ancient serpent.
And in order to get out from under the yoke of the devil over you, it is necessary to cut off every thread that connects you with past sinful deeds, in which he also involved you.
I understood this and took action.
Once I heard a story about how one reformer was sleeping, and at night he had a dream in which Satan held a scroll with his sins, pointed to them and said that he was his slave forever. But he did not show him the signature below the list "forgiven, washed by the blood of Christ."
And I decided to cut off all the threads of the past, for which the devil pulled me and made me his puppet on the ropes.
I decided to write this list myself, show it in the face of the devil, his demons, show it to Christ and His angels and renounce every sin, admitting my guilt, call on the saving blood of the Lamb and testify my faith in the merits of Christ and the desire to be His subject.
When evening came after Saturday, when everyone went to bed, I closed myself in my room and began to carry out my plan.
I took a blank sheet of paper and began to write the following:
« I believe that one God is the Creator of heaven and earth and is the true God. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for me at Calvary and suffered for all my sins, accepting the retribution of the Law for me.
Therefore, I confess all my sins, past and present. I confess that I am guilty and that I deserve to die.
And therefore, I believe in the Savior Jesus Christ, I ask you to forgive me all the following sins, cleanse me from them and grant forgiveness and eternal salvation.
I repent of serving the devil throughout my life, I renounce him and any of his domination over me.
Please forgive me for…”
Next, I wrote all my sins, bad thoughts and intentions. In three columns, on both sides of the sheet.
I tried to remember everything and not miss anything, whether it was very old or something that you can say “come on already ...”
It turned out to be very difficult to write all my sins, starting from childhood, youth, youth and downloading that day. I didn't expect it to be THIS difficult. I didn’t even want to remember some sins, let alone write them down. But I listed them in a column and was horrified. Even writing out the letters of the words of those sins and reading your sins yourself, it was unusually terrible. It seemed to me that my hands were going numb, so ashamed, I had to write something down. But I wrote without skipping anything. Surprisingly, I was able to remember a lot.
In the end, I held in my hands a piece of paper on both sides finely written in three columns by my hand.
All my sins for thirty-four years that I could remember.
At the end, I attributed the following - "I ask you to include here those sins that I could forget, due to the imperfection of my memory."
I looked at this sheet and thought - “what if someone comes in and reads it now?” But no, no one will come in, the door is locked. But the very thought struck me as terrifying. And I imagined the last court of God, where I, suddenly not saved, stand and the Book with my sins is opened before everyone, and with those that I forgot. And there is not just a list of sins, but video frames, pictures of thoughts and desires. What a horror it is.
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved, because with your heart you believe unto righteousness, but with your mouth you confess unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9,10)
I knelt down in prayer, took a sheet of paper and began to read everything from the very beginning - the confession of faith, and the list of sins of which I repent. This was the hardest part. It was difficult to write all this with my own hand, but even more difficult to say it all with my own lips.
And I began to read aloud a list of all sins, reaching some, I was silent, because even aloud it was terrible to say them. It seemed to me that someone was looking at me from behind, that everyone was looking at me, and everyone was hearing everything.
But I read everything aloud and did not hold anything back. Having finished reading the list of sins that I repent of and renounce, I once again repeated my confession of faith in the Son of God, in His redemption and forgiveness.
After that, I got up from prayer, took a felt-tip pen from the table and wrote across the sheet, on both sides - “Forgiven by Jesus Christ and washed by His blood! I believe!
« If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and just,
forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness» (1 John 1:9)
« When I was silent, my bones became dilapidated from my daily groaning for day and night weighed heavily
Your hand is over me; my freshness has vanished, as in a summer drought.
But I have revealed my sin to You and have not hidden my iniquity.; I said:
"I confess to the Lord my transgressions", and you took away from me the guilt of my sin
» (Ps.31:1-5)
Then I took this sheet, went out onto the balcony, put it on a chair, struck a match and ... burned it.
In front of me lay a small black lump of ash, gleaming with the last sparks.
All my sins, all the power of the devil is now something small, black, non-existent.
I mixed the rest of the ashes with water in a bucket and pulled it off. Once again he offered up a prayer of thanksgiving and went to bed.
There was complete peace. Mental clarity and serenity. For the first time in a long time I went to bed in complete peace and peace of mind. Nothing disturbs and nothing burdens the soul.
I managed. I won. What I wanted for many years, which did not work out for so long, is now my property. I have killed the dragon in myself, I have killed myself, done away with all sin, thought and vice.
True freedom is in Christ, it is beautiful, desirable and charming. This freedom is worth fighting for and laying down your soul for. The enemy can be defeated. This is reality.
« Thanks be to God who gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"(1 Corinthians 15:57)
I ask you to understand me correctly when I say the words "I won." It may seem to you that I have won the victory with my own hand and that I exalt myself. No and no again. All merits and all power and all forgiveness are from Jesus Christ and from the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance and righteousness.
But I am writing the words “I have won”, with the aim of making it clear that without the participation in this struggle of the whole nature of man, all his strengths and all his desires, it will not be possible to win victory. Only with the accumulation of absolutely ALL the forces of a person, physical, mental, mental and spiritual, only then, in union with Christ, it will be possible to defeat the devil, his angels, and even later over the beast and his image.
Many people think they don't have to do anything at all. God has done and will do everything for them. But this is deception.
In Revelation we read the words of Jesus Christ to the seven Churches. And what is very important at the end of the appeal to each of them, the Son of God says these words:
“To the overcomer I will give to eat from the tree of life…”
“He who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death…”
“To the overcomer I will give to eat the hidden manna…”
“Whoever overcomes and keeps my works to the end, to him I will give power over the Gentiles…”
“He who overcomes will put on white clothes; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life…”
“He who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out any more…”
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with the Father…”
“He who overcomes inherits everything, and I will be his God, and he will be my son”
From this we understand that trying to win is not enough, you need to join the battle and not give up until you win. Only the winner takes it all.
Try and start the battle with yourself, your sins and the devil. Believe me, it is possible to win.
Let it shake you all over, let blood begin to flow from your nose, let it tear you apart from the inside, but just don’t back down.
Each of Jacob must become Israel. Before you enter Jacob's planetary tribulation and live without a Mediator, you already now, before that time, must go through your own, personal tribulation of Jacob and, even at the last exhaustion, win.
One more explanation. There is nothing magical about the leaf itself, writing words on it, burning it, and I did not put anything like that into it. The point was to remember and analyze your whole life, write down, so as not to forget in prayer, all the sins that you repent of, and confess them aloud. This is the point.
The ending
Since that Saturday night, I have been living a normal Christian life. I do not sin, I do not think lust, I do not think evil. It's amazing, but it's a daily reality.
So, the victory is won and the enemy is defeated. But this is not the end. Now it is necessary to keep clean your inner home of the soul, it is necessary that it be now completely filled with God and the Spirit.
Even now the text about our abiding in God comes to life, for we are now pure for this, and God in us. This is already the daily life of a saved, purified and victorious person.
Before that, I had been thinking for a long time about the following text of the Bible:
“The lamp for the body is the eye. So if your eye is clear, then your whole body will be bright; but if your eye is evil, then your whole body will be dark” (Mat. 6:22-23)
And this is what I clearly understood - the eyes of a person are searchlights that shine inside the human mind. It's inward, not outward.
With what we see, we illuminate, like the rays of a lantern, our soul and heart. What we glance at and what we look at is projected by our eyes onto the matrix of our mind, is imprinted there and remains there forever.
It's like a slide projector or a movie projector, but on the contrary, the image is not projected outward, but inward.
The words of Christ can also be paraphrased for the ears: “The lamp for the body is the ear. So if your ear is pure, then your whole body will be light; but if your ear is evil, then your whole body will be dark.” It is also important what we hear and listen to. Our ears also project pictures into our minds and shape our thinking, just like our eyes. But the eyes are bigger.
No wonder the following words are written:
« He who ... closes his ears so as not to hear ... and closes his eyes so as not to see evil"(Is.33:15) And if you closed your eyes, so as not to even look at the evil and filthy and empty, then" Your eyes will see the King in His beauty, they will see the distant land"(Is.33:17). What we look at on this earth affects whether we see God, or look at the rocks, longing for them to fall on us.
Also written:
“Do not look at the wine, how it turns red ... later, like a snake, it will bite, ... your eyes will look at other people's wives, and your heart will speak depraved" (Prov. 23:31-33). The principle outlined in this text works in all other areas of life.
What we look at is what we will do! What we hear is what we think!
You look at the holy and pure - you will be holy and pure. You hear the sanctified and noble - you will be perfect and blameless.
Equally and vice versa. You look at evil, deceit, abuse, indecency - and you yourself will become like that. You hear obscenities and empty things with your ears - and you yourself will gradually become like that. This is the law.
And being cleansed by the Lord, having victory over the devil, and realizing this principle of eyes and ears, I immediately decided to follow it and put it into practice. The cleansed house should be populated with shrines, God, then the demons will not return there.
I also thought about the parables of Jesus Christ about the treasure in the field and the found pearl of great price. They tell how those who have found the treasure and the pearl go and sell everything they have and buy the field with the treasure and the pearl. Each of these two sold EVERYTHING.
And so, having understood the principle of eyes and ears and meditating on his bed over the words “ goes and sells everything he has”I began to ask God - what is indecent before my eyes?, that I am not hearing what I need to hear? What have I not sold yet of everything I have?
And then I begin to understand something more distinctly and clearly, although I had thought about it before. It was as if I saw something that could defile me and harm my growth in piety, faith and holiness.
I immediately got out of bed, turned on the computer and went to the Odnoklassniki.ru website and left the groups and forums in which I participated. I clearly understood that for the most part these “Adventist” groups on classmates and forums in these groups are incredibly evil. I walked out of these groups and breathed a sigh of relief. I also made a decision not to visit other sites where my eyes could illuminate my soul in the wrong way. I stopped visiting the websites of some people that I previously visited and read. I have become mindful of what I look at on the internet and how it might affect my character and my relationship with God. Is this site sanctifying me, I began to think, or defiling.
For the most part, false Adventist forums on the Internet, false Adventist groups on classmates are a well of impurity, desecration and murder of every good principle in the human soul.
People sit there for hours and days to pervert the truth, insult opponents, blaspheme the Church and undermine the faith.
The discussions there have no end, and no one has yet changed his mind by participating in them.
And even if you are a sincere Christian and love God and the Church, and suddenly decide to get involved in a discussion with the defilers of the faith, then gradually you will notice that you yourself begin to become infected with the same spirit against which you decided to fight. And discontent with the Church, indignation with the brothers, and that you yourself begin to insult and humiliate the interlocutors begin to appear in you. This is a terrible evil.
Therefore, the best way to deal with the enemies of God and the Church is not to go to the sites of these opponents yourself.
It was not for nothing that Paul said the following words: “From foolish and ignorant competitions, avoid, knowing that they give rise to strife; but the servant of the Lord must not quarrel…” (2 Tim. 2:23,24), “Contests and disputes and strife… turn away, for they are useless and vain. A heretic, after the first and second admonition, turn away, knowing that such a one has become corrupt and sins, being self-condemned "(Titus 3: 9-11)
Convinced opponents of God cannot be persuaded or defeated on the Internet. The only thing that can be done is to save oneself from defilement and not enter the forbidden territory that takes away peace and holiness.
It is rightly written in the first psalm - “Blessed is the man who does not go to the council of the ungodly and does not stand in the way of sinners and does not sit in the assembly of corrupters” (Ps. 1:1) and more - “ Let not my soul enter into their council, and let not my glory join their assembly...» (Gen.49:6)
Everything that I applied to my life on the Internet, I also applied to my everyday life. I now think about where I look, what enters my mind through my eyes and what my ears hear. If it is obscene, empty, lawless in the slightest, then I avert my eyes from it and do not look.
And you know, now I can do it, and now I do it with pleasure, and not with effort. And being faithful to God now gives me incredible joy. Being faithful to God should be fun!
I take pleasure in keeping myself. Keep from any temptation, sin, thoughts.
Finally, the words of John, which I have been reading for so many years and thinking, “Well, when will I be able to do this too ?!” Now these words are the reality of my life - “We know that everyone who is born of God does not sin; but he who is born of God keeps himself, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18)
Now I like to delve endlessly into the truths of the Bible, prayers and spiritual reflections. I decided to pray to God almost every hour and I try not to miss this time, no matter where I am, at home or at work. And this is without self-compulsion. Now this is sweet.
This is the sojourn in God, and His sojourn in man.
Earth trembles with earthquakes, peoples rage, and kings plot in vain. It's time to prepare for the resettlement to Heaven. A little more and the Coming One will come and will not delay.
Today, I see the reality of God's alchemy, when a precious diamond appears from granite. Each of us needs to pray - “God, refine me seven times! So that all earthly things be removed from our souls and that we become pure gold in Your hands, in the purity of which You could see Your reflection. ”
Try to start saving yourself. It often worries us to the point of colic that someone does not understand something as it should be understood, or that a neighbor in a church shop does not think as it should.
But try everything, in the matter of eternal salvation, to decide first with yourself.
« You tested us, O God, melted us down like silver is melted down"(Ps.65:10)
« Many will be cleansed, whitened, and refined...the wise will understand» (Dan.12:10)
“And he will sit down to refine and purify silver, and purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and like silver, so that they offer sacrifices to the Lord in righteousness” (Mal. 3: 3)
It's about people.
And here's another, but about the Word of God: « The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purified from the earth in a furnace, refined seven times"(Ps. 11:7)
The man of God is refined and refined.
The Word of God is also refined and pure.
Therefore, the bearers and preachers of the pure Word of God, which has been melted down seven times, can only be people who have also been melted down by the Lord and purified.
I still incredibly like the following words of Job: As long as my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my mouth will not tell lies, and my tongue will not speak lies! Far be it from me to recognize you as just; until I die, I will not yield to my innocence. I firmly held my truth and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me all my days
"(Job.27:3-6)
To be blameless to death, not to lose your righteousness and to have a heart that never reproaches for anything is possible now.
I understand that the earthly battle is still going on and that Satan will attack and devise deceit.
I realize that there is still a difficult path ahead of life. I remember the words that Paul said - All ascetics abstain from everything: those to receive a crown of perishability, and we - incorruptible ... I subdue and enslave my body, lest, while preaching to others, you yourself be unworthy
"(1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
But I believe in the power of the Lord Christ and His power, supporting in me the fruits of His Spirit. And I myself will also try my best" to watch at all times and to pray, and to be worthy to stand before the Son of Man in holiness. (Luke 21:36)
And the last.
Let us remember once again that those saved during the tribulation will live without a Mediator and Advocate, which means that even one sin on their part will deprive them of eternal life. How long will the tribulation time be? A year, two, three? And all this time to live and never sin, neither in thoughts, nor in deeds, nor in deeds.
But will God's people automatically begin to live such a life when the time of tribulation begins? No. They will begin to live like this BEFORE the time of trouble begins. For at THIS time, they will enter ALREADY SUCH - immaculate
and do no sin. Before that time they have learned the holy life, and the life of heaven has become their life even now.
The righteous, during Jacob's grief, will never be able to utter the words "Lord forgive me for ..." not only for the reason that the High Priest is no longer in the Sanctuary, but because by that time all their sin has been forgiven and their conscience has been cleansed. No more asking for forgiveness.
Jesus Christ, while living on this earth, never once in prayer to the Father uttered the word “forgive…”, for he is pure.
Similarly, His follower must acquire such an experience with Christ, such repentance, such forgiveness and purification of the mind and heart, and so guard one’s path before God in order to achieve life with God according to the model of Jesus Christ, a life without “forgive”.
It may seem unrealistic and not fit into the understanding, but people who are thirsty for salvation, having approached the time of sorrow, should stop saying to God in prayer, “God forgive me for…”. For the old is forgiven, but no new sins are made.
And a person stands up for prayer, remembers the day he lived, checks himself against the measure of righteousness and sees that he has not thought or done anything contrary to the Word of God, his conscience is calm. And the prayer becomes full of praise, doxology, gratitude for the gift of salvation and purification.
“To the one who is able to keep you from falling and put you before His glory blameless in joy, to the Only All-Wise God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, glory and majesty, power and authority before all ages, now and forever. Amen" (Jude 1:24,25)
Anton Zaruba, 06-11.03.2010
P.S. 08/15/2010
As an addition, I propose an analysis of the topic "Victory over sin"
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