Thinking too much and naming names
“There I go again…Thinking.”
“Don’t do that! It’s a dangerous pastime!”
“But, can’t it also be insightful?”
“Yes. Yes it can be. But only when used while not operating on assumptions. Take daily as directed…don’t operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.”
“But…what about what ifs?”
“No…nope the what ifs are side effects…be careful with those…and consult your Doctor.”
“Doctor . . .”
“Who’s Name happens to be the counterpart of ‘I think, therefore’ . . .”
“I Am. Whose Name is–? Oh.”
“God’s got a lot of awesome Names.”
“Like Elishama or something . . .”
“Yeeeah, umm . . . I’m pretty sure that’s not one of His Names, but I mean, you can ask Him about it. A lot of people in the Old Testament tagged Him with Names like, El-Roi, the God Who sees, and stuff like that.”
“El-Roi. Sounds like a car.”
-_-
“Anyway, His other Names . . .
God, Mighty Creator – Elohim
God Almighty – El Shaddai
The Everlasting/Eternal God – El Olam
The Lord will Provide – Yahweh Yireh
Lord, Master – Adonai
The Lord Who Heals – Yahweh Rophe
The Lord my Banner – Yahweh Nisse
Consuming Fire – Esh Oklah
The Lord is Peace – Yahweh Shalom
The Lord of Hosts – Yahweh Tsebaoth (armies)
The Lord my Rock – Yahweh Tsuri
The Lord is my Shepherd – Yahweh Roi
The Name – Hashem
King – Melek
Living God – El Chay
Dwelling Place, Refuge, Shield, Fortress, Strong Tower – Maon, Machseh, Magen, Metsuda, Migdal-Oz
Judge – Shophet
The Lord our Righteousness – Yahweh Tsidqenu
God Most High – El Elyon
The Lord is there – Yahweh Shammah
Father – Ab, Abba, Pater
“God’s a lot more than we think He is.”
“No kidding.”
Name list taken from Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler
Who am I?
Take a trip over HERE to see more devotions like this one.
Your head reels . . . again . . . this time the torture is like the rocking of the sea sloshing about in your brain–lightning, roars of thunder, a tsunami of thoughts that just don’t belong. Trying to paddle through the waves seems like a lost cause; the driftwood of those ships have sailed. You feel like you’re drowning in the tossing and turning of all the crashing clutter. The devil loves nothing more than to steal our joy . . . our peace . . . our self. Are you giving him a foothold?
The battlefield of the mind. Like a chess board. You make a move, the devil analyzes and counters. But, we’re not seeing the whole picture. God. He’s right next to us. Forget about Him, did we? He’s much more powerful than the one who is in the world, and He’s the one fighting inside us . . . He fought for us and died for us because we are worth dying for. And, He already conquered what’s tying us down–our thoughts. I challenge you to read through 1 John. Yes, the whole book. Don’t roll those little spiritual eyes at me! =) Just grab this link, and read a few verses a day. 1 JOHN CSB. I feel like the CSB version really helped me when cleaning out my thought closet and replacing the dirty clothes in their for Christ’s garments. “Ay, that’s the rub,” replacing those thoughts the devil thinks for you with God’s glorifying thought process. Remember something. Think intentionally, with a purpose. Because empty space is a place in your head where the devil will think something for you if you don’t fill it with whatever is “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.” -Phil. 4: 6-8. Think upon such things.
Let me tell you, Scripture is the best sword and the only sword with which to counter the devil’s attacks. And, we do not wage war as the world does. If we did, we have lost already! But, on the contrary . . . the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world; they have divine power . . . excuse me, let me re-emphasize . . . DIVINE POWER (in you because of Jesus . . . take it and use it!) to demolish strongholds. We demolish every argument and pretentious thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. AND WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT TO MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST! Wow. -2 Corinthians 10:3-5. It’s a war out there. Are you ready?
Here’s some “whatevers” to get you on your way to spring cleaning in your brain and equipping you with the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith with which you can and will extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. -Eph. 6:10-18.
Let’s put on some armor:
Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” So remember that “Who I am and what I struggle with are not the same thing.” The truth is, you are a child of God (period, no counter arguments hold water when it comes to this truth). You may be struggling with _______, but that doesn’t mean you are _______.
Zephaniah 3:17, one of my favorites: “The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.”
“The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” 2 Cor. 10:3-5
Okay, I’m going to make you do some work now: =)
Psalm 40:5
Psalm 92:5
Psalm 139:17
Isaiah 55:9
Jeremiah 29:11
Colossians 3:2 tells us where to fix our minds.
And some truths to pin on your wall, your door, or wherever you look. Pretty soon, wherever you think will be wallpapered with these guys:
YOU ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT . . .
New creations… 2 Cor. 5:17
Forgiven Eph. 1:7-8
Gifted with power, love, and a sound mind! 2 Tim. 1:7
Chosen to be fruitful! John 15:16
Complete!!! Col. 2:9-10
Secure…that’s an awesome one.
Rom. 8:31-39; EVEN MORE THAN a conqueror in Christ!
Confident! Phil. 1:6
Free!!! from the bonds of Satan and this world. Rom. 6;18; 8:1
Capable… Phil. 4:13 through Him who is able to give us strength!
Spiritually alive!! Eph. 2:5
God’s workmanship Eph. 2:10 created to do His good works, which He prepared in ADVANCE for us to do! He has a plan!
Welcome in God’s presence! Eph. 2:18; Hebrews 4: 14-16; 1 John 5
Sheltered/protected in God…under His wings… Col. 3:3
Valuable to God… 1 Corinthians 6:20 and Zephaniah 3:17
Member of God’s family 1 John 3: 1-2 and Eph. 2:19
God’s TREASURE 1 Peter 2:9-10
Dearly loved! Col. 3:12
Being transformed…that’s process! Sometimes we slip…then we overcome in Him 2 Cor. 3:18
An heir of God. Whoa. Talk about being royal . . . Rom. 8:17
A FRIEND of God John 15:15
God’s DELIGHT! Zephaniah 3:17!!! (Can you tell that this is one of my favorite verses?) =)
We are welcome to DRAW near to God . . . Ephesians 3:12
!!! Let’s just add a few more of those to get the point across–these Scriptures and these truths are BIG DEALS!
What verses help you in the battle against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms?
Post them below!
