My Dear Friends in the Faith:
Hell is best defined as any place where the forces of darkness and the spirits of evil are permitted to rule, reign and have regency. Hell is not just some burning inferno that exist in the afterlife, but hell is an occurrence. Hell happens every single day whenever and where ever our adversary the devil breaks loose, gains grounds, wreaks havoc, and seeks to destroy what God seeks to build.
If you are married and your spouse is filled with a spirit of lust and jealousy you could have hell in your marriage. If you have a child that is filled with a spirit of rebellion and no matter how much help and love you have shown them they are still wayward and cantankerous you may have hell in your child. If you have been attacked on your job for no reason at all to the point where it causes chaotic conditions to exist trust me on this one, you have hell on your job. If your money always seem to be short no matter how much you steward your resources here's a word of caution for you, watch out you could have hell in your check book. If you worry about everything and doubt the promises of God every chance you get, more than likely that is the work of our enemy and you could have hell on your mind. And if you are one of those people who can hold a grudge forever and thirty minutes the enemy could have your peace in his prison and you end up with hell in your heart!
The great news of the day however, is the fact every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus, who has been washed in the blood of the lamb, saved by the power of the cross, and sealed by the redemptive sacrifice of our God has access to the throne room of our Lord. In short, we can pray. Okay, are you shouting yet? Well, maybe it's because you don't know what happens when you pray. You see, prayer is best defined as a Christians right to put heaven where hell is. So when you stop in your day to pray in the midst of hellish conditions and occurrences you use your God-given right and authority to tell hell no and put heaven in its place.
Okay, are you shouting now? If not, then perhaps this will bless you and increase you a bit. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ there is some part of your life that is under attack whether you know it or not. But, here's the shouting news of the day you have a right to pray and when you petition God it simply says to the enemy HELL NO. Declare these statements with passion and I will guarantee you a release in your spirit is going to take place. Say this, "HELL NO, the enemy cannot have my joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength (Neh. 8:10)!" "HELL NO, the devil cannot have my family! We belong to God (I Cor. 3:16)!" "HELL NO, the forces of evil cannot have my victory it is guaranteed (Exodus 14:13)!" And, "HELL NO, satan will not discourage me. I know how to encourage myself in the Lord my God (1 Sam. 30:6)!" "HELL NO, HELL NO, HELL NO!"
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica and he gives them the secret to spiritual power and total victory. He tells them to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). Why? He knows that if the people of God pray hell does not have a chance. So here's our devotional question for the day, so what do you do when hell is happening all around you?
The first thing that you must do is PRAY. Prayer is cart blanche access into the essence of the eternal. Prayer gives you access to the very throne room of Almighty God. When you pray heavenly corridors touch earthly real estate. When you pray angels are dispatched and demons are dismissed. When you pray the hand of God moves, the spirit of God rules, and the presence of God becomes visible. When Paul says pray in the text he means it. The term used for pray is written in the imperative mood which is defined as a command and not a suggestion. In short, he says do it! Pray and do it every chance you get. In fact, have you prayed today? If you haven't done it, do it now. And, if have prayed already, pray again! It is your right and way of telling the enemy Hell NO!
Secondly, what you need to do it PRAY. Often times we are guilty of praying one short prayer a day and that's about it for most of us. But, that will not get it. There is an old church saying that I was raised with that says, "no prayer, no power; little prayer, little power, but much prayer, much power." If you want to see miracles happen and hell become heaven I dare you to pray all of the time. The text says "pray without ceasing." The Greek phrase here is one word and it is adialeptos. It is a term that refers to the involuntary activity of the body to do what it does without you telling it to do so. In other words, you should pray like your lungs breathe. You should pray like your eyes blink. And, you should pray like your heart beats. Pray so much until you pray about everything. Cover your life, your children, your family, your desires, your relationships, your goals, your destiny and your resources with prayer. And when you do it, hell doesn't stand a chance against you!
And lastly what you have got to do is PRAY. Prayer is not just you talking with God but it is so much more. It is God in communion with you. Now I have always been told that association brings about assimilation. Birds of a feather flock together. And, you are the company that you keep. If this is true and I know that it is, to pray is to be in the company of the Lord and if you stay there long enough you start to think like Him, act like Him, walk like Him, talk like Him, and function as He functions. This is awesome news for those who believe!!! Our Lord moved mountains, heals the sick, raised the dead and turned water to wine. Jesus said "...and greater works shall you do because I go unto my Father." So when you pray and pray and pray, you actually become like the one that you are spending time with! This is why hell doesn't stand a chance against you. You have heaven in your possession!!! So like a trump card in the game of spades play it and gain the victory!!!
There comes a time when you should get fed up with everything the enemy has tried to do to destroy you. And, there should come a time when you get sick and tired of watching hell happen all around you. If that is you then stand boldly in the faith and pray like you are losing your mind and tell the enemy and all that he has to offer HELL NO! HELL NO to your way. It leads to destruction, but God's way leads to everlasting life! HELL NO to temporary happiness built solely on happenings. I would rather have total faithfulness and let happiness be my personal decision! HELL NO to hatred and holding grudges, forgiveness is the best way! HELL NO to complaining. I am learning that no matter where I am and what's going on in my life I can always be thankful! For after all, God has been really kind to me! HELL NO to selfishness. If I cannot do anything else I can always help someone else. HELL NO to pride. For I know that I am nothing without the Lord. HELL NO to quitting and giving up. I will persevere because I am more than a conqueror! HELL NO to doubt, worry and mistrust. God is good and His resume in my life says that I can trust Him! HELL NO to thoughts of suicide. My life is worth living because my history is not equivalent to my destiny. And, HELL NO to everything the enemy has planned for my life. The Lord's plans are much better and I know that He wants me to have heaven and not hell so I will just pray my way through! So PRAY and tell them enemy HELL NO!!!!
Your Friend and His Servant,
Hell is best defined as any place where the forces of darkness and the spirits of evil are permitted to rule, reign and have regency. Hell is not just some burning inferno that exist in the afterlife, but hell is an occurrence. Hell happens every single day whenever and where ever our adversary the devil breaks loose, gains grounds, wreaks havoc, and seeks to destroy what God seeks to build.
If you are married and your spouse is filled with a spirit of lust and jealousy you could have hell in your marriage. If you have a child that is filled with a spirit of rebellion and no matter how much help and love you have shown them they are still wayward and cantankerous you may have hell in your child. If you have been attacked on your job for no reason at all to the point where it causes chaotic conditions to exist trust me on this one, you have hell on your job. If your money always seem to be short no matter how much you steward your resources here's a word of caution for you, watch out you could have hell in your check book. If you worry about everything and doubt the promises of God every chance you get, more than likely that is the work of our enemy and you could have hell on your mind. And if you are one of those people who can hold a grudge forever and thirty minutes the enemy could have your peace in his prison and you end up with hell in your heart!
The great news of the day however, is the fact every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus, who has been washed in the blood of the lamb, saved by the power of the cross, and sealed by the redemptive sacrifice of our God has access to the throne room of our Lord. In short, we can pray. Okay, are you shouting yet? Well, maybe it's because you don't know what happens when you pray. You see, prayer is best defined as a Christians right to put heaven where hell is. So when you stop in your day to pray in the midst of hellish conditions and occurrences you use your God-given right and authority to tell hell no and put heaven in its place.
Okay, are you shouting now? If not, then perhaps this will bless you and increase you a bit. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ there is some part of your life that is under attack whether you know it or not. But, here's the shouting news of the day you have a right to pray and when you petition God it simply says to the enemy HELL NO. Declare these statements with passion and I will guarantee you a release in your spirit is going to take place. Say this, "HELL NO, the enemy cannot have my joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength (Neh. 8:10)!" "HELL NO, the devil cannot have my family! We belong to God (I Cor. 3:16)!" "HELL NO, the forces of evil cannot have my victory it is guaranteed (Exodus 14:13)!" And, "HELL NO, satan will not discourage me. I know how to encourage myself in the Lord my God (1 Sam. 30:6)!" "HELL NO, HELL NO, HELL NO!"
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica and he gives them the secret to spiritual power and total victory. He tells them to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). Why? He knows that if the people of God pray hell does not have a chance. So here's our devotional question for the day, so what do you do when hell is happening all around you?
The first thing that you must do is PRAY. Prayer is cart blanche access into the essence of the eternal. Prayer gives you access to the very throne room of Almighty God. When you pray heavenly corridors touch earthly real estate. When you pray angels are dispatched and demons are dismissed. When you pray the hand of God moves, the spirit of God rules, and the presence of God becomes visible. When Paul says pray in the text he means it. The term used for pray is written in the imperative mood which is defined as a command and not a suggestion. In short, he says do it! Pray and do it every chance you get. In fact, have you prayed today? If you haven't done it, do it now. And, if have prayed already, pray again! It is your right and way of telling the enemy Hell NO!
Secondly, what you need to do it PRAY. Often times we are guilty of praying one short prayer a day and that's about it for most of us. But, that will not get it. There is an old church saying that I was raised with that says, "no prayer, no power; little prayer, little power, but much prayer, much power." If you want to see miracles happen and hell become heaven I dare you to pray all of the time. The text says "pray without ceasing." The Greek phrase here is one word and it is adialeptos. It is a term that refers to the involuntary activity of the body to do what it does without you telling it to do so. In other words, you should pray like your lungs breathe. You should pray like your eyes blink. And, you should pray like your heart beats. Pray so much until you pray about everything. Cover your life, your children, your family, your desires, your relationships, your goals, your destiny and your resources with prayer. And when you do it, hell doesn't stand a chance against you!
And lastly what you have got to do is PRAY. Prayer is not just you talking with God but it is so much more. It is God in communion with you. Now I have always been told that association brings about assimilation. Birds of a feather flock together. And, you are the company that you keep. If this is true and I know that it is, to pray is to be in the company of the Lord and if you stay there long enough you start to think like Him, act like Him, walk like Him, talk like Him, and function as He functions. This is awesome news for those who believe!!! Our Lord moved mountains, heals the sick, raised the dead and turned water to wine. Jesus said "...and greater works shall you do because I go unto my Father." So when you pray and pray and pray, you actually become like the one that you are spending time with! This is why hell doesn't stand a chance against you. You have heaven in your possession!!! So like a trump card in the game of spades play it and gain the victory!!!
There comes a time when you should get fed up with everything the enemy has tried to do to destroy you. And, there should come a time when you get sick and tired of watching hell happen all around you. If that is you then stand boldly in the faith and pray like you are losing your mind and tell the enemy and all that he has to offer HELL NO! HELL NO to your way. It leads to destruction, but God's way leads to everlasting life! HELL NO to temporary happiness built solely on happenings. I would rather have total faithfulness and let happiness be my personal decision! HELL NO to hatred and holding grudges, forgiveness is the best way! HELL NO to complaining. I am learning that no matter where I am and what's going on in my life I can always be thankful! For after all, God has been really kind to me! HELL NO to selfishness. If I cannot do anything else I can always help someone else. HELL NO to pride. For I know that I am nothing without the Lord. HELL NO to quitting and giving up. I will persevere because I am more than a conqueror! HELL NO to doubt, worry and mistrust. God is good and His resume in my life says that I can trust Him! HELL NO to thoughts of suicide. My life is worth living because my history is not equivalent to my destiny. And, HELL NO to everything the enemy has planned for my life. The Lord's plans are much better and I know that He wants me to have heaven and not hell so I will just pray my way through! So PRAY and tell them enemy HELL NO!!!!
Your Friend and His Servant,
Dr. John R. Adolph
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