01/01/2024
Monday Jan 1, 2024
This is such a good day to remember a very important truth.
I heard the Lord say “smile” -so i did.
Then this filled me.
Going forward into 2024 will be less draining mentally and emotionally because of it. It will build up our joy and gratefulness and give us the upper hand in dealing with the ememy’s plans to rob you of your peace and trust in the Lord Jesus.
It put a big smile on my face this morning when it hit me. and the words “all oppression shall cease” came to mind in that instance.
Of course those words are part of the song “Oh Holy Night” written as a french poem in 1843 and set to music that has thrilled us ever since.
The song and the reality of it all will allow us to “keep Christmas all the year as Scrooge post redemption says so boldly and confidently, vowing to never forget the lessons that he had learned from the night of facing his sins and shortcomings.
****The truth is this, I have sinned, actually we all have. And the devil loves to oppress us with that thought. He desperately needs to bring us into shame and guilt because that “seemingly” allows him to rob us of our joy and peace with God.
It isnt real, please realize that. He cant take it away in reality, he can only make you “think” that it’s gone.
**Forgiveness is the truth that removes all oppression of the enemy over our minds and hearts.
Once our eyes were opened by God, and we realized that the devil blinded us to our sin and was able to open that door to sin and shame the Holy Spirit then made a way of escape.
And that place of repentence was the turning point. We clearly saw how our sin separated us from a Holy God. The heaviness of that is where the enemy wants us to live. He doesnt mind you seeing your own sins for what they truely are. He knows that it will crush you if you believe his lies that there is no way to escape that. He doesnt mind you believing the truth that you can’t fix that. He doesnt mind you knowing that there are consequences for sin, and that there is judgement, he doesn’t mind you fighting the shame by hardening your heart and conscience so that you block out the feelings of shame and guilt. What he does mind is you knowing that God made a way of escape.
**He DOES mind if you find that place of godly sorrow that leads us to a real and true repentance (turning around and going in the opposite direction) he does mind if you stop blaming other people, or circumstances and allow the reality of sin to drive you to the savior to receive forgiveness. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, anything- no matter how big or how small. Have you ever heard the lies in your head that your sin was too great to be forgiven? or it was so small it doesnt need forgiveness? If they didn’t do that first I wouldn’t have done “xyz”? They are from the same voice. All sin is sin and separates us from God, and it ALL needs to be and it CAN be and WILL be cleansed by Jesus. Isa 53 tells us that he carried away all guilt and shame…if the sins are gone and the shame is gone there is no weapon in the enemy’s hand to use against us. The rest is just in his influence in our minds. That is why we have the helmet of salvation and our minds are renewed by the truth of Gods word.
*My heart is filled with satisfaction and overwhelmed by His love for us that all of our sins are forgiven and under the blood, and this year when the enemy brings them up to bring guilt and shame say loud and joyfully “ thanks for reminding me of that sin and that shame I have even more joy now and more gratitude for my Savior and the forgiveness that He paid for because He loves me that much.” “He that is forgiven much loves much”
Let’s make 2024 a year that our minds are free of the enemy and his tactics to rob us of our peace, joy and gratitude. Let’s use his taunts to grow in our love and appreciation of Jesus. That is way more powerful than “when the enemy reminds you of your past, remind him of his future” No, I’d rather remind myself of my present condition of being made righteous and my future of living with God for all eternity never to be separated again!! he chose his path. I’m choosing mine, to keep a heart eager to repent, eager to obey, eager to walk in forgiveness, eager to relinquish everything that can bind me or hinder me, eager to let go of the shame that Jesus has already carried away, eager to tell others that the Love of God and His gift of salvation through Jesus is really good news. Conviction of sin is beautiful and it is the kindness of God in action. Repentance is a wonderful thing. The joy and peace of being right with God and at the same time being free from the bo***ge that sin and shame bring is exhilarating and worth celebrating. It produces gratitude which brings overwhelming joy.
When I say have a joyous new year I mean it, and I know that it is possible.
The disciples were happy about things going on around them, really good things. But Jesus said “rejoice not that demons are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in the lambs book of life.”
Happiness depends on circumstance, joy is a position we have in the kingdom. “The kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost”
Love you all~ Susan Herron Moniz
