Stand Firm in the Holy Spirit

Good morning, Happy Souls!

Bill Keller wrote a devotional today that I
recommend to you.  He has given me permission to
copy his e-mails, and I'm sure he would be happy if
you would share this with people you know as well.

Do you ever feel tempted not to share your testimony
and not to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit?

Bill Keller has written a moving devotional about his
personal experience in that regard. 

Please read on.

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL   FRIDAY APRIL 7, 2006
( Ephesians 6:11-17, 1 John 4:4 )

Satan will attack where it hurts you the most.  Breaking
news!  Satan doesn't play fair!  Like many boys growing
up, I used to watch "professional wrestling."  This was
before Vince McMahon and the highly polished and
produced sports entertainment of today.  In the old days
of Bobo Brazil, Gorgeous George, and the pioneers of
wrestling, they had what was called a "lights out" match. 
After the last match they would blink the lights and the
two combatants would fight without rules.  There were no
holds barred, anything was OK, it was simply a fight
until one person was left standing.

That is EXACTLY what fighting satan is like, no rules,
no holds barred, anything goes.  He will fight dirty, he
will attack you where you hurt the most in his attempt
to destroy you.  Make no mistake about it, his goal is
to destroy you!!! Jesus told us in John Chapter 10 that
the stated goal of the enemy is to "kill, steal, and
destroy."  His number one objective is to take out those
who serve Jesus.  If you know the Lord as your Savior by
faith, satan can't have your soul but he can do his best
to kill you, steal your testimony, and destroy your
ability to serve the Lord!

Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborers
are few."  The biggest reason why there are not more
laborers is the voracious and never ending attacks of
satan.  Most people simply can't handle a confrontation
and don't want to be exposed to the relentless and never
ending attacks in their life.  I understand that.  The
vast majority who do serve, do so from a distance or from
what I call "behind the wall."  Most churches and
ministries are fighting "behind the wall" which affords
them security and protection from many of satan's
attacks.  The problem with fighting "behind the wall"
is that you can only do so much.  The real battles to be
fought and won are outside that wall.

Let me make this real easy to understand.  Have you ever
wondered why today we have more churches, more Christian
TV stations and programs, more Christian radio stations
and programs, more Christian books and magazines, more
Christian music, more ministries of every kind, yet at
the same time we have a world that is more lost and
depraved than ever.

We have the better percentage of two-full generations that
have never even been to church.  We have a nation and
world that for the most part has rejected God, rejected
is Word as Truth, and rejected His Son.  Quite a paradox
isn't it?  The explanation?  Most who serve God are
serving Him in the safety and comfort "behind the wall"
and are simply limited in what they can accomplish.

Listen, I fully understand.   Life is a challenge just
dealing with the day-to-day issues we all have to face. 
Health problems, relationship issues, school or our job,
financial difficulties, raising children, people we love
who die, not to mention the weaknesses and bondages
everyone of us has to confront at times.  On top of that
we all have to find our own personal relationship with
the Lord, make time to pray, read and study His Word,
and be involved in our local church.  Additionally, we
all have gifts and talents God has given us to fulfill our
purpose in life to serve Him.

So as we try to allow God to use our life and serve Him,
along comes satan and his attacks.  He sees someone
serving God and they become a target.  When you make the
choice to serve God not only do you get a bulls-eye
pasted on your back, you now have a very real adversary
who will do everything to discourage you and make your
life miserable.  Satan becomes like the wicked witch in
the "Wizard of Oz" going after Dorothy with everything
she had.  So it is no wonder most people simply don't
have the stomach or will to serve God knowing that they
have to battle satan each step of the way.

When I was being released from Federal Prison in 1992, my
wife and I had nothing left.  Everything we had went to
lawyers and for her to live on the 31 months I was
incarcerated.  God opened the door for me when I was
released to work at TV38 in Chicago and start preaching
in area churches, sharing my testimony and holding
evangelistic meetings.  At this time, I had the
opportunity to go back into the business world.  It
would have been easy to justify going back into that
world.  I had nothing left and needed to survive, so it
made sense to take that option even for a while to "get
back on my feet."

However, that was NOT where God wanted me.  He wanted me
serving Him full time.  Despite the opportunity to make
mid-6 figures again, I chose to trust God to provide.  It
was a huge transition from living on the 62nd floor of
Lake Point Tower on Navy Pier in downtown Chicago to a
tiny one-bedroom apartment in a dangerous part of the city. 
I had my own car since I was 16, but for the first 6
months had to get back and forth to the television
station and to preach by using the trains and buses.

I'll never forget on a very cold February morning while
waiting for the bus, satan came to have a chat with me. 
I was used to him coming after me as I was waiting for
the bus or train.  I would see a nice car and satan
would remind me that I could be back in a nice car in
just a few hours if I would go back to the business
world.

That morning he told me that even though I made the
noble choice to serve God, if I really loved my wife I
would go back into the business world for a year or so
for her.  After all, she had been through so much
herself, stuck by me through all of the legal problems
and 31 months of prison, she didn't deserve to live like
we were.  He told me God would understand since I was
responsible for her care and provision and I would be
honoring my role as her husband.

Never forget, satan is the great justifier.  All he said
sounded right.  Then the Holy Spirit started to speak to
me and remind me satan is a LIAR!  All of a sudden I
realized how dirty, how low, how nasty satan was.  He
knew was committed to serving the Lord so he tried to use
my wife to get me to leave the ministry and go back into
the business world.  My friend, satan will always attack
you where he can hurt you the most!

I love you and care about you so much.  Is satan a very
real enemy?  Yes!  Is satan going to attack you for
serving the Lord?  Yes!  However, God already knew this. 
That is why we have the full armor of God spoken of in
Ephesians 6.  That is why we have the abiding power and
presence of the Holy Sprit within us.  That is why God
promised us in 1 John 4:4 that "greater is He that is
within us (the Holy Spirit) than he (satan) that is in
the world."  We don't have to fear the attacks of satan,
just expect them and know they are part of the price of
serving the Lord.

Know in advance satan is coming after anyone who serves
the Lord.  Fear not because he is a defeated foe, a
toothless lion who can roar but not bite. God has
promised you victory over your enemies and that includes
satan.  Don't let the attacks of satan keep you from
fulfilling your purpose in this life which is to serve
the Lord.  There is NOTHING that satan can do to you
unless you allow him to.  Going back to the "Wizard of
Oz."  Dorothy lived in fear of the witch when all the
time she had the power of the ruby slippers to give her
victory over that wicked witch.  You have the power of
the Holy Spirit that gives you victory over satan!

So live your live without fear, knowing that God is by
your side to protect you and help you withstand the
attacks of the evil one while you faithfully serve Him. 
It is time for those who are serving the Lord to leave
the safety of the "wall" and attack!  WE ARE THE VICTORS! 
VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN WON!  WHY ARE WE HIDING BEHIND
A WALL WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW WE HAVE WON!

It is time for the children of God to take back the
territory we have given away and get serious about
battling with satan for the souls of men.  He is going
to attack us anyway so why wait, let's attack him
first!!!  I can only speak for myself but I am not
interested in sitting in the comfort and safety behind
the "wall."  Time is short, the real battles that need
to be fought and won are outside the "wall."

Sixteen years ago I made my choice to serve God and I
have not backed down or retreated one inch, but have
steadily pressed forward.  I already know Satan will
attack where it hurts the most, I am prepared for that. 
Rather than sit back and wait for his attacks, I am going
to attack him first where it hurts him the most, and that
is snatching souls off the conveyor belt to hell and
re-directing them to Heaven!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

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(C) Copyright 2006, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved


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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell