Good Vs Evil
Ephesians 4 - Instructions for Christian Living
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Just yesterday, my neighbour's 5 year old son came over to my house to play with my kids. While I wasn't looking, my neighbour's son was not happy about some game they are playing and he started to wrestle with my 4 year old daughter and held her down by the neck on our couch. My daughter broke free, and he did it again. The third time, he pushed her down forcefully and sat on her neck and scolded her. My husband caught them when he sat down on her chest and stopped him immediately. Coincidentally, we have a camera at our living room, so out of curiosity, my husband played back the video recording and we got a shock. He usually a very sweet boy. He does play rough with his own older brother and boys cousins. This is the first time we saw him acted very violently towards a girl. The way he sat on my daughter was pretty dangerous, because when my husband stopped the wrestle, he saw my daughter's lips already slightly blue.
I have been very careful of spiritual attacks on me. I used to be angry all the time, I easily got irritated by people, I always think of ways to hurt people. Basically, I have an anger that is waiting to explode. But after God cleansed my spirit, I no longer feel any anger towards the world. When I saw the video of my daughter getting hurt like that, the anger and hatred towards the boy and the parents were starting to build up. While I tried my best to keep it from rising even further in my heart, my mother-in-law and my husband kept "pouring oil in the fire". But thankfully, I did not fall into sin in my anger. That night, before I sleep, I prayed and ask the Lord to take away my anger and hatred. I do not want to go back to that old lives again where I always angry with the people around me. I messaged my neighbour (the boy's mother) in a very calm and composed text. We are not best friends, but we chat pretty often. She is very apologetic and was shocked to hear what happened. Because all this while, the parents always thought that this boy is the most well-behaved among her three children. After my prayer, the feeling of compassion towards her is rising and the feeling of hatred is going away. Yes, I forgive her and her boy in my heart.
I want to encourage all of you to keep praying against spiritual attacks. Spiritual attacks comes in a form of anger in your heart, bitterness, wanting to hurt people with words or actions. God will send tests now and then, not to make you fall or fail, but to strengthen your spirit, your faith and your reliance towards Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is much more powerful that we thought. When you feel some anger or hatred in your heart, quickly pray against it. Do not let it brew in your heart. Most importantly, do not sleep before you resolve that anger.
The next thing we all should do, is to forgive those who have wronged us or those who have unintentionally hurt our feelings. It is difficult to readily forgive those who wronged us, that's why you need to ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage and the power to forgive others. God forgives you when we are still a sinner, so what right do we have to not forgive others? I received a very important lesson on forgiveness that lasted 2 months. But I will share about that if and when God is willing.
Be kind and compassionate towards one another. If everyone does that, what a beautiful world we live in. Do not think that we will not make an impact in the world. One person pay-it-forward will ripple through your family, to your neighbourhood, to the nations and to the world. We do the actions of doing good, but leave the effect of it to the power of God.
Self-Reflect
1. Is there anyone that you hold grudge against?
2. Why not make today the day that you forgive that person?
Let's Pray
Dear God, thank you for forgiving me while I am still a sinner. I admit that my human heart is incapable to love and forgive like You do. I want to let You know that I am willing to forgive those who have wronged me in the past and I want to let the hatred go out of my heart. Therefore, I want to invite the Holy Spirit to empower me to FREELY FORGIVE as I am FREELY FORGIVEN. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Just yesterday, my neighbour's 5 year old son came over to my house to play with my kids. While I wasn't looking, my neighbour's son was not happy about some game they are playing and he started to wrestle with my 4 year old daughter and held her down by the neck on our couch. My daughter broke free, and he did it again. The third time, he pushed her down forcefully and sat on her neck and scolded her. My husband caught them when he sat down on her chest and stopped him immediately. Coincidentally, we have a camera at our living room, so out of curiosity, my husband played back the video recording and we got a shock. He usually a very sweet boy. He does play rough with his own older brother and boys cousins. This is the first time we saw him acted very violently towards a girl. The way he sat on my daughter was pretty dangerous, because when my husband stopped the wrestle, he saw my daughter's lips already slightly blue.
I have been very careful of spiritual attacks on me. I used to be angry all the time, I easily got irritated by people, I always think of ways to hurt people. Basically, I have an anger that is waiting to explode. But after God cleansed my spirit, I no longer feel any anger towards the world. When I saw the video of my daughter getting hurt like that, the anger and hatred towards the boy and the parents were starting to build up. While I tried my best to keep it from rising even further in my heart, my mother-in-law and my husband kept "pouring oil in the fire". But thankfully, I did not fall into sin in my anger. That night, before I sleep, I prayed and ask the Lord to take away my anger and hatred. I do not want to go back to that old lives again where I always angry with the people around me. I messaged my neighbour (the boy's mother) in a very calm and composed text. We are not best friends, but we chat pretty often. She is very apologetic and was shocked to hear what happened. Because all this while, the parents always thought that this boy is the most well-behaved among her three children. After my prayer, the feeling of compassion towards her is rising and the feeling of hatred is going away. Yes, I forgive her and her boy in my heart.
I want to encourage all of you to keep praying against spiritual attacks. Spiritual attacks comes in a form of anger in your heart, bitterness, wanting to hurt people with words or actions. God will send tests now and then, not to make you fall or fail, but to strengthen your spirit, your faith and your reliance towards Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is much more powerful that we thought. When you feel some anger or hatred in your heart, quickly pray against it. Do not let it brew in your heart. Most importantly, do not sleep before you resolve that anger.
The next thing we all should do, is to forgive those who have wronged us or those who have unintentionally hurt our feelings. It is difficult to readily forgive those who wronged us, that's why you need to ask the Holy Spirit to give you the courage and the power to forgive others. God forgives you when we are still a sinner, so what right do we have to not forgive others? I received a very important lesson on forgiveness that lasted 2 months. But I will share about that if and when God is willing.
Be kind and compassionate towards one another. If everyone does that, what a beautiful world we live in. Do not think that we will not make an impact in the world. One person pay-it-forward will ripple through your family, to your neighbourhood, to the nations and to the world. We do the actions of doing good, but leave the effect of it to the power of God.
Self-Reflect
1. Is there anyone that you hold grudge against?
2. Why not make today the day that you forgive that person?
Let's Pray
Dear God, thank you for forgiving me while I am still a sinner. I admit that my human heart is incapable to love and forgive like You do. I want to let You know that I am willing to forgive those who have wronged me in the past and I want to let the hatred go out of my heart. Therefore, I want to invite the Holy Spirit to empower me to FREELY FORGIVE as I am FREELY FORGIVEN. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
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