Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.Abraham submitted himself to God. Christians need to make a decision to submit themselves to God if they want to have a strong spirit.
(Romans 4:18-22)
You can submit yourself to your wife, your children, your employer or your friends. But if you don't submit yourself to God, your spirit will always be weak. Without God's help, you won't be strong enough to resist the devil.
God wants your spirit to be strong. By faith, men and women of the Bible were strong and able to accomplish much for the kingdom of God. Men and women such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac and Jacob, Joseph, Moses and Rahab, Gideon, Samuel and David. Here are some of the things they accomplished through strong faith:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.Run the race. Endure. Press on. God wants you to resist the devil so the devil will flee from you. For example, if you have cancer, you need to resist it and say, "Cancer, you can't stay in my body." But you will never be able to do so if your spirit is weak.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
(Heb. 11:33-34 12:1-3)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9). The devil wants to distract you. I hear Christians who say they believe Jesus will heal them sometime. But with God, "sometime" never comes.
Faith is now, or it is not faith. Hebrews 13 explains it clearly. You can't have that kind of faith unless you have a strong spirit. Read James 4:7 again, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
Your spirit must first be strongly submitted to God before you can resist the devil. You must remember that for your spirit to be strong, you must first submit yourself to God.
• Have you done that?
• Have you told God everything you have is His if He wants it?
• Have you told God that you will give Him your money?
• Have you told Him you will give Him your life?
• Have you told God you will cast out devils in Jesus' name?
• Have you told God you will lay your hands on sick people and obey the Gospel?
When He says, Submit yourselves therefore to God, He is talking about obeying the Word. God and the Word are one. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
If you submit yourself to God, God's power will begin to work for you. Your spirit will become strong. It won't be weak any more.
Be strong and of a good courage...be thou strong and very courageous...turn not from it [to] the right hand or [to] the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.Submit yourselves therefore to God, and the devil will flee from you. Your spirit will be strong, and you won't be walking around in a world of weakness wondering who you are. You will have the realization in your mind and in your spirit that you are a child of God.
(Josh. 1:6-9)
"For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end" (Heb. 3:14).
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Conclusion
God wants His children to be delivered from any oppression that the devil brings their way. God desires for His peace to rule in your heart and mind. Although you may be a born-again Christian and a church member, you may need to come to a deeper understanding of the plan of God for your life.
He has made provision through His Word and through the Blood of Jesus so that you can be set free from worry, mental confusion, fear, condemnation and a weak spirit. If you allow God to shine His glory in your life, you will live a victorious life.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers