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"Knowing Your Objectives" February 01, 2012 |
"Knowing Your Objectives" Published by Practical Spiritual Warfare web site, a division of Mission Miami Valley, 718 Stratford Dr., Sidney, Ohio 45365 and authored by Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford, president. This e-zine is dedicated to providing valuable, practical information for dealing with the chaotic and confusing times in which we live. Practical Spiritual Warfare Web Site Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford E-mail Contact at: budford11@gmail.com
Content 1. Strategic Advice for the Remnant – “Knowing Your Objectives” 2. Tips for Kingdom Living – “Loneliness” 3. Recommended Resources 4. Scripture Guidance & Inspiration 5. Thoughts to Meditate on – “Standing by Promises” 6. Articles Pointing to the End Times 7. About Me
1. Strategic Advice for the REMNANT – “Knowing Your Objectives”
In order to overcome evil we must understand the objective of spiritual warfare. That main objective is to bring all things under the authority of Jesus Christ. To achieve this, we must win individual victories over the enemy under Christ’s leadership.
We achieve victory in natural warfare by winning many short range objectives. Each of these individual battles contribute to the final goal of victory.
The same is true in the spirit world. Our long range goal is total victory over the enemy. But we must see this long range objective in terms of short range goals.
Here are some personal objectives you may want to set for yourself:
1. To be personally pleasing to the Lord in attitude, speech and lifestyle. 2. To find God’s will for you personally and for all mankind. 3. To love others and to learn to give and to receive. 4. To prepare for spiritual battle by putting on the full armor of God and to identify your weapons with which to fight such as prayer, worship and scripture reading and study.
2. Tips for Kingdom Living – “Loneliness”
I’m lonely. What can I do?
Recognize that you are not unlovable or deficient just because you are lonely. You have value because God made you, loves you, and promises never to leave you. (Psalm 23:4 & Isaiah 54:10)
Don’t give up on God when you are lonely. This will cause you to feel sorry for yourself, become discouraged, and fall prey to temptation. (Exodus 5:20-23)
Sometimes we feel alone in our stand for Christ. WE can take comfort in knowing that there are others who are equally committed and that God rewards our bold commitment. (Matt 11:2-3 & 1 Peter 4:19)
Put yourself in traffic with people. Get involved in a local church. (Rom 12:5)
Loneliness can cause us to be afraid. But God calms our fears. (John 14:1)
Has everyone deserted me?
People we depend on sometimes desert us, abandon us, and turn away from us. There may be only a few people we can truly count on – at times there may not be any. But one we can always count on is God; He will never abandon us. (Exodus 6:12; Psalm 27:10; Deut 33:27 & Psalm 147:3)
How can I help those who are lonely?
Invite them into your home and befriend them. (James 1:27)
3. Recommended Resources
Transformation: The Missing Piece (This is a book by the author of this site) Holidays
New Year's
Day
4. Scripture Guidance and Inspiration
Shut out suffering, and you see only one side of this strange and fearful thing, the life of man. Brightness and happiness and rest- that is not life. It is only one side of life. Christ saw both sides.
F. W. Robertson
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Daniel said: “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and mysterious things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for thou hast given me wisdom and strength, and hast now made known to me what we asked of thee, for thou hast made known to us the king’s matter.”
Daniel 2:20-23 The Revised Standard Version
5. Thoughts to Meditate on – STANDING BY PROMISES -- Joshua 9:18-21; 10:6-7 NIV
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them." They continued, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community." So the leaders' promise to them was kept. Joshua 9:18-21 NIV
The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us." So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. Joshua 10:6-7 NIV
As usual, Israel was in a mess. They had jumped in and acted first, without seeking God's will. Now they had sworn a treaty with a bunch of people who were on God's list of "bad guys." Just because the Gibeonites had tricked them into the treaty didn't nullify the treaty itself. Israel had given its word. God had commanded that all oaths, no matter how incorrect, be kept (Leviticus 5:4). Israel would stand by its word. They would keep the peace treaty with the Gibeonites.
And they kept the peace treaty well. The minute the Gibeonites got in trouble, Israel didn't fool around about going to their aid. Even though they had been deceived into making the treaty, they stood by their word and did it quickly.
God wants His people to stand by their word. He demonstrates this to us by standing by His word. He doesn't change His mind. He doesn't make promises lightly. And He doesn't take them lightly either. He wants us to realize that breaking a promise is serious. He wants us to be aware of how important it is when we make a promise, and how important it is that we keep a promise... no matter how or when the promise was made.
How quick are you and I to jump to the aid of someone who has deceived us? How well do we keep our promises? How often do we make promises lightly, without thinking them through? And how often do we regret those promises? God considers a foolish promise a sin (Leviticus 5:4). But He also says even foolish promises should not be broken.
The next time you start to promise something, remember God's attitude. Think about what you are about to do. Pray about it. Make no promise lightly.
"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37 NIV Dogwood Ministries
6. Articles Pointing to the End Times [NOTE: The number following End times Watch is the sequence number for the End Times Watch article and is inserted to assist the reader in locating the article.]
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End Times Watch 170 – “Pentagon Hopes to Develop 'Mother of All Bombs'” - By Chana Ya'ar – www.israelnationalnews.com
The Pentagon is reportedly working on the "mother of all bombs" -- a bunker buster to destroy an Iranian underground nuclear power plant.
The Pentagon is reportedly working on the development of the "mother of all bombs" -- a bunker buster than can destroy an Iranian underground nuclear power plant.
According to a report published by the UK-based Daily Mail newspaper, America's top military authority has secretly asked Congress for funds to create its largest bomb ever.
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End Times Watch 171 – “Israel says Iran 'drifting' toward nuke goal line” – John Heilprin – www.news.yahoo.com
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday the world must quickly stop Iran from reaching the point where even a "surgical" military strike could not block it from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Amid fears that Israel is nearing a decision to attack Iran's nuclear program, Barak said tougher international sanctions are needed against Tehran's oil and banks so that "we all will know early enough whether the Iranians are ready to give up their nuclear weapons program."
Iran insists its atomic program is aimed only at producing energy and research, but it has refused to consider giving up its ability to enrich uranium. ________________________________
End Times Watch 172 – “War of attrition brewing with Iran over Gulf oil routes” – www.debka.com
Military tensions in the Persian Gulf shot up again Thursday, Jan. 26, after Dubai police commander Gen. Dhahi Khalfan said on Al Arabiya television that an imminent Gulf war cannot be ruled out and first signs are already apparent. "The world will not let Iran block Hormuz but Tehran can narrow the strait to the maximum," he said.
He echoed debkafile's predictions that Iran will not shut down the Strait of Hormuz completely, but gradually cut down tanker traffic which carries 17 million barrels, or one-fifth of the world's daily consumption, through the waterway. Our Iranian sources report that the rule of thumb Tehran has devised for confront sanctions is to respond to the tightening of an oil embargo by having the Revolutionary Guards gradually narrow the tankers' shipping lanes through the strategic strait. This will progressively cut down the amount of oil reaching the markets.
7. About Me
Just so you will know something about who is writing this REMNANT E-zine and who is the author of www.PracticalSpiritualWarfare.com. I have also included a brief “About Me” page with part of my testimony.
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