In Christ - I am sealed with the Holy Spirit

I am sealed with the Holy Spirit...

Ephesians 1:13,14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory..

Daily Word

Pastor Jack Graham

January 7, 2010

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 2:38

“Are there struggles and sins that plague your life? Is there a bondage that you find impossible to escape?

“Well, in our own strength, it is impossible for us to overcome those things that bind us! But Jesus has given you and me a way to experience victory in every area of our lives! When we give the Holy Spirit command of our lives, we begin to experience His transformational power.

“The Holy Spirit gives you the strength to overcome. You will find strength in the midst of struggles, renewed joy and fellowship in Christ, and a passion for sharing the Gospel. And when you witness for Jesus, you will speak with His spiritual power, authority, and anointing!

“Isn’t this the kind of Christian life you want? Well, it can be yours! This is the gift of the Holy Spirit living in you! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome the sins and things that have you in bondage and help you live in victory. That’s when transformation will be within your grasp!

“Start winning life’s big battles! Give the Spirit of God command of your life… and be transformed!”

God has set us aside – marking us with the Holy Spirit – letting ever prince and principality know that we no longer belong to them – but to HIM!  That doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to have to continue to fight off our old nature – the sins that so easily beset us – and the attacks of the enemy.  It DOES mean that we have the power within us to fight – and more importantly, to WIN!  We will struggle every day of our life to be conformed into the image of Jesus – but the Holy Spirit is a deposit – a promise – that the price has been fully paid, and a day is coming when the struggle will be over!  And all because a child was born in a manger….

Sharon Pearce, Director

Silent Voices International

355 K Street, Suite H

Chula Vista,  CA  91911

619-422-0757

svoices@pacbell.net

www.silentvoices.org

I am more than a conqueror

I am more than a conqueror...

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Morning & Evening

C.H. Spurgeon and Alistair Begg

April 23

“We go to Christ for forgiveness, and then too often look to the law for power to fight our sins.  Paul issues this rebuke:  ‘O foolish Galatians!  Who has bewitched you?...Let me ask you only this:  Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with your faith?  Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?’  Take your sins to Christ’s cross, for the flesh can only be crucified there:  We are crucified with Him.  The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear that pierced the side of Jesus.  To give an illustration – if you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you go about it?  It is very possbile that you have never tried the right way of going to Jesus with it.  How did I get salvation?  I came to Jesus just as I was, and I trusted Him to save me.  I must kill my angry temper in the same way.  It is the only way in which I can ever kill it.  I must go to the cross with it and say to Jesus, ‘Lord, I trust You to deliver me from it.’  This is the only way to give it a deathblow.  Are you covetous?  Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil as long as you please, but if it is your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any other way than by the blood of Jesus.  Take it to Christ.  Tell Him, ‘Lord, I have trusted You, and Your name is Jesus, for You save Your people from their sins.  Lord, this is one of my sins; save me from it!”  Ordinances are nothing without Christ as a means of mortification.  Your prayers, and your repentances, and your tears – the whole of them put together – are worth nothing apart from Him.  Only Jesus can do helpless sinners good, and helpless saints too. You must be conquerors through Him who has loved you if you will be a conqueror at all.  Our laurels must grow among His olives in Gethsemane.”

You must be conquerors through Him who has loved you if you will be a conqueror at all. (Emphasis added!)  Do you want to be a conqueror?  Then you must be one THROUGH HIM!  Do you want to be MORE than a conqueror?  Then you must be one THROUGH HIM – and through Him alone!  You will never conquer any besetting sin in your own strength!  Too many “Christians” fail because they don’t understand the point of grace – that it’s a gift – something that can’t be earned but is given – and they spin their wheels trying to keep up appearances.  I have a friend who walked away from the Lord because she finally realized that she couldn’t do it – and sadly, instead of turning TO Him, she turned away.  Are you struggling?  Are you overwhelmed by sin?  You’re not alone!  Every other Christian is, too – whether they’ll admit it or not!  The answer is simple – place yourself squarly and completely “in Him” and trust HIM to save you.  In Him you ARE more than a conqueror!

Sharon Pearce, Director

Silent Voices International

355 K Street, Suite H

Chula Vista,  CA  91911

619-422-0757

svoices@pacbell.net

www.silentvoices.org