Life Plan Devotion #94 [God's Armor--Helmet of Salvation, Part XII]

Once you know what God's Word has to say about sickness and disease (attending to the Helmet of Salvation/Deliverance given to you), you have its power to back you up, whenever Satan comes at you with his third most common fear, the fear of sickness and disease.
Jesus Christ is "the exact representation of [God's] being" (Hebrews 1:3), and "...The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works of the devil" (I John 3:8). The very first work of the devil was to bring sin, sickness, disease, and death into the Garden, with Adam and Eve's permission.
During Jesus' early ministry, we are told, in Matthew 8:16, that "When evening came, they brought to [Jesus] many who were under the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word and restored to health all who were sick." He was fulfilling His Father's will.
Jesus is our example. He speaks to each believer, when He says, "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these" (John 14:12). Remember that, when the enemy comes at you with the fear of sickness and disease.
Just as Jesus drove out spirits "with a word," that is what you must do. When the enemy comes at you with the fear of sickness and disease, whispering thoughts of, "You're going to get cancer and die" (or something similar), lift up your Sword of the Spirit and speak aloud to him, with all the power of God's Word backing you. Personalize II Corinthians 10:5, and say firmly to the enemy, "I demolish [all your] arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God!" and then say, "Get behind me, Satan!"

Psalm 103:2-3 [NIV]
"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases."

What this has to do with weight loss: I know that many in the weight-loss community have suffered or are suffering from co-morbidities and illness (whether weight-related or not). If you are a believer, I beg you to pay attention to Psalm 103:2-3, and know that God offers you "benefits." He offers forgiveness of sins and healing of diseases. Not just some of them...all of them. In faith, make a "demand" on those benefits, knowing that God will be most pleased to forgive and heal you. How do I know? "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" (Numbers 23:19). No, whatever God says, He does, and He fulfills every promise, if you will believe and receive.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, whenever I'm presented with fear of sickness and disease, I'm going to recognize where it's coming from--from the enemy, and I'm going to open my mouth and rebuke him and the fear, the sickness, the disease. I'm going to use Your Word to do that, Lord, because it has the power to demolish Satan's schemes and bring healing to me. I thank You for that, and I pray that I will always believe and receive. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

Go forth today, speaking God's powerful Word, knowing that the enemy's scheme to put fear of sickness and disease on you will be thwarted.

Life Plan Devotion #79 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part VII]

Last time, we looked at the 3 most commonly used "darts of the evil one" (doubt, discouragement, and depression). Today, let's look at the first of 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan. How do you "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16)?
To extinguish every dart, you must think faith. You must "take every thought captive to the mind of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:5). The enemy will try to whisper thoughts that are counter to the Word of God, because if he can plant a seed of doubt, discouragement, or depression in your mind, he knows that thought can become a feeling, that feeling can become an action, that action can become a habit, and that habit can shape your character (who you are) and your life (what you experience).
To take every thought captive, you must think the thoughts of Jesus, and those thoughts are contained in the Word of God. Spend time in the Word, and be "washed by the cleansing of God's Word" (Ephesians 5:26). Do that, and you will think faith and be able to extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan.

Philippians 4:8 [NLT]
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

What this has to do with weight loss: Every pound of excess weight is gained or lost in the mind first. Follow the trail from the scale to the mind and you will see that is so. The enemy wants you to think thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even about your weight. The Lord wants you to think thoughts of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which thoughts will you attend to today?

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I know it is crucial that I think faith, that I wash my mind in the water of Your Word. Help me to do that today, Lord, so that every thought I think this day will bring honor to You and victory to me. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

Go forth today, and think the thoughts of faith, to defeat the thoughts of doubt, discouragement, and depression.