Fresh Bread
# 19
TAKE THE STING OUT
OF DEATH
ENJOY
LIFE
“To
every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens: A time to be born,
and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to weep,
and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
(Ecclesiastes
3:1,4).
“Whew,
Lord. This is a big one”,
I told the Lord this morning. But I knew it was very important. Someone really needs this today, as did
I last night. So, in obedience I am sending it forth.
As
I cried before the Lord last night for so many of my friends who are being attacked unmercifully by Satan
in so many different areas of their lives, I was saying. “What
Lord? What is going on? The Saints are feeling weak. I sense the lack of power in their prayers and
in my own too. What is happening?”
“It’s
a new day,” He said. “You need a new weapon.” Of course when He gave it to me, I knew
it was not new…but had not before become rhema (revelation) in my spirit. Today it is a strong revelation
for me and I pray for you. It is one of the mightiest weapons to be used against Satan and his attacks
on the children of God.
The
Holy Spirit reminded me: FEAR has it’s root in the FEAR of DEATH; fear of death for yourself
or someone else. No one can pluck you out of God’s hands. There is a season for all things. A time
to be born and a time to die.
If
you knew it was God’s will to take you home tonight, could you find peace in that? Have you
given Him Lordship even over your death? If you have, then death has Lost it’s STING…and
FEAR has no more Power over you.
What
are you afraid of?
A
friend calls and asks for prayer because they have been diagnosed with cancer. You know cancer has no
legal right to be in that Christian’s body because Jesus died so they could live…and
live life abundantly. He has given you the authority to use His name to cast out demons, heal the sick
and raise the dead.
Does
it bother you, when asked to pray and you feel your faith is weak? Remember: “Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. So you go to the Written Word and to thee Word (Jesus) Himself
to find a double agreement. You will feel your faith rising to the point that often the Holy Spirit will
speak to your spirit about the person’s healing.
But,
greater than seeing the manifestation of that healing, immediately or gradually, the first thing you
should get across to that person is the answer to: “Are you afraid to die? Does the ‘Fear
of Death’ hold you captive?”
When you
are no longer afraid of death, then you will not be afraid of anything. Fear is of the devil and can be
defeated when you square off with him and tell him to his face, that you are NOT AFRAID TO DIE…because
you have asked God to do what is “Best” for you life. And you have given
God power (permission) over both your LIFE and your DEATH. You do not give Satan this power but you do
release your will for God’s will.
Your
goodness cannot keep you and your family alive, but God can.
And
He will…until the FULLNESS of His TIME.
I
Corinthians 15:26-27a…”The Last Enemy that shall be destroyed is DEATH. For HE hath
put all things under His feet.” Of course this refers to more than the present, but I believe it
is a powerful word from our Lord as we each go to battle against the forces of the enemy who makes plans
to see us lose our Faith. I take the liberty to use this verse as a weapon for us today. “The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is the (Fear of Death).”
“Oh
DEATH…where is thy STING? O Grave, where is thy VICTORY? Thanks be to God, which giveth us
the VICTORY
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:55,57).
And
as Paul said in I Corinthians 15: 30 and 31, “ And why stand ye in jeopardy every
hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I
die daily.
I
haven’t used a commentary before, but I think I will add the commentary from my Bible this
morning. It explains what Paul meant when he said “I die daily”. “This does not teach
that Paul mortified the flesh every day. The context tells us that he, in effect, faced wild beasts every
day. Paul’s life was in such constant jeopardy that he never knew when he might be called on to
give his life for the gospel.” If His LIFE as well as His DEATH were not both trusted
to God for God’s appointed season, then he would never have stepped one foot outside his house
and he would have remained in a constant dread, trying to save his own LIFE.
As
Paul’s physical life was in constant jeopardy, so is our Faith Life. This is what Satan is
attacking. Some of you have already faced natural Death and the Fears that came with it. As a Christian,
you have probably already made peace with this issue which puts you ahead of those who have not come
so close to physical death. Your testimony can be a blessing and assurance to others. Do you see the
importance of showing a friend who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness the release that comes
when they first decide that God is TOTALLY in control of the life of His Children? So that whether they
live or die, (in the natural) they are always His. Then you move on in FAITH for their healing. The STING
has been taken out of death even for your friend. It no longer has control over them. The likelihood
of their healing will become so much easier…because FEAR has been knocked out of the battle. And
we are always VICTORIOUS in Christ Jesus.
If
you have ever given God permission to change you in any way; if you have ever given God permission to
use your Life for Him, placed your life totally in His hands…daily. Would you consider not
only placing your Life in His hands daily, but also your death? That is really LETTING GO!
He
is going to do what is BEST for you anyway, but this gives you the release to ENJOY LIFE every day.
As
Ecclesiastes 3:4 says: There is a time to laugh; and this is a TIME
to
DANCE. So, let’s do a VICTORY DANCE today
because God has shown us one more strong weapon to use against our enemy and His.
