Choose Life!

Lesson 4

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore, choose life, that both you and your seed may live.

That you may love the Lord your God and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cling unto him, for he is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land.

II Corinthians 10:3-5  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

If we approach any problem it should be in the Spirit realm as that is where the battle is. We cannot fight spiritual battles in the flesh, no matter how we try, we will loose. Our physical man is not capable of fighting a spiritual battle. God did not make us that way. We are spirit beings, living in a physical body, but are not limited to that physical body to fight our battles.

The enemy would try to tell us that we do not have a defense against him, but it just is not so. We have God’s weapons at our disposal and that is better then anything that Satan would try to bring against us.

But like everything in our spiritual walk, we must do something to obtain those weapons for our use. We can’t stand around wishing that something would happen. It just is not going to work. Wringing your hands is not substitute for prayer. We need to be serious with God and get with it and do something. Prayer is a mighty force, and should be used no matter how small or big the problem is.

This scripture says that the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God for pulling down strongholds. What is a stronghold in your life? Is it finances, overeating, smoking? Whatever it is, it needs to be fought with spiritual weapons. It is a battle that needs to be won. And without God, we will not succeed. So what do we need to do?

First we need to pray for will power and for strength. Then we need to cast down the imaginations that would come against our mind. 

If it is in the area of finances, all of a sudden you may have a flood of things that you need to buy….cast them down. Don’t listen to that voice

Another thought that might come is that you will not have the money to meet your bills…………cast it down.

What is your weapon?

Philippians 4:19 My God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in Glory

Use this weapon every time the thought of lack comes. Find other scriptures that have prosperity in them and claim them too.

If you are an overeater trying to lose weight.

Thoughts will come that this one piece just won’t hurt………cast it down

I can start my diet tomorrow…….cast it down.

Philippians 4:13  “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”

If you are a smoker trying to quit

Thoughts will come, just one more puff……..cast it down

Or I don’t need to quit smoking, it’s my only vice ……cast it down

Mark 4:10  Get behind me Satan!

Whatever battle you are facing, find the scripture to come against it. There is a scripture for every battle you face, you just need to find it. It may not specifically be for your problem, but like the ones above, it will fit and it will work.

We need to continue in the word. Discipline ourselves to do what it says.

John 8: 31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free

That is what we want! Freedom! Freedom from anything that has us bound. That is keeping us from having life to the fullest.

What is truth? It is whatever the word says about your situation. That is truth. It is the opposite of what the devil tells you, because he is incapable of it. He is the father of lies. He does not understand truth.

If we get the “Truth” in our spirit, it will set us free! But we need to continue in it. You can’t just read it and think you got it. You need to be (disciples) disciplined in it! Oh now there’s a hard word. That does not come easy does it. Discipline takes effort and determination.

It means you can’t give up. You have to make a determined decision to stick with it, no matter what. It means that you have to mean business. You have to tell your body…NO!!!!!! And our flesh does not like that. It likes to be pleased and pampered. It likes to have whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Discipline will not let it do what it wants. It makes it do what the Spirit wants.

So we have a decision to make. How bad do we want to win the battle? Do we want to please the flesh, or please God? Oh you say…does it really mean that? Yes it does! Because whatever the flesh wants is contrary to the Spirit and therefore, contrary to God. And if we walk in the spirit…it is guilt free

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

And how do we do it?

Matthew 18:18 Whatever you bind on earth, is bound in Heaven.

Bind up that thing and it will be bound in Heaven. God will take care of it, as we continue to walk in the Spirit. You may have got into this battle in the flesh, but you can win it in the spirit!

Ephesians 6:10-18 The Whole Armour of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Thank God he has not left defenceless in our battles.   

He wants the best for us, Spirit, Soul and Body. 

And he wants us to

Choose Life!

Lesson 5