Think now of the things that we have which were freely given. First of all salvation, abundant grace, unending mercy, peace, joy, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, instant access through prayer, truth, forgiveness, and resurrection power to name a few. Hopefully this will cause you to add more.

One of the devil’s greatest ensnarements is when we allow fiery darts to penetrate. They are designed to attack and destroy our faith. An internal stronghold is built and our battle becomes internal instead of external. They seep into our thought processes. They intrude when we want to be still before the Lord. They are distractors and disruptors!

Paul closed out Romans 8 with God’s inseparable love. Any thoughts to the contrary are lies from the pit of hell. Ephesians 1:13 says that we are sealed until the day of redemption. Possessing truth will keep you free from the devil’s hidden ensnarements.

If you will recall, the children of Israel were given land to possess. Joshua 18:3 says, “…How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you?”

Romans 8:31 asked who could be against us since God is for us? The answer is the enemy of our soul. He hates us because we are made in the image of God. Satan uses his unsuspecting wiles to entrap us.

Romans 8:32 says, “…how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Considering John 10:10 we know that the thief comes to steal, kill, and to destroy. Yet Jesus came to give us abundant life.

The thief uses: too much stress, wrong thinking, toxic relationships, anemic faith, adversities, etc. Use this partial list to discern what part of God’s abundance you might have neglected to possess.

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God is for us! What an amazing truth that the enemy hates! He brings all kinds of fiery darts against us ~ targeted to destroy our belief that God is for us! It is true now and will be throughout eternity. It is unchangeable, inalterable, steadfast, and absolute.

Any thought you have ever had against yourself is a fiery dart. I love to think about when the Lord formed Adam. He breathed His life in that dust form. Instantly Adam was a fully functioning man. Our body is so astoundingly amazing. All cells communicate with one another. Every cell has a laminin ~ the shape of a cross in them.

Colossians 1:17 says, “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Consist means to hold together. Laminin is what holds our body together. Louie Giglio was introduced to laminin through a molecular biologist. 

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14.

How many times have you been down on yourself over the years? Have you ever thought because you failed at something that you were a failure? Have you spoken derogatory words over yourself or others? I could ask a lot more questions along this line. We only fell into negativity because we didn’t really believe God’s word. Let me explain.

Romans 8:31, 33 says, “…If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” What right do we have to speak against ourselves if our Creator doesn’t? We only do it because we have bought into the enemy’s lies.

Stop right here. Ask the Lord to forgive you for bringing a negative charge against yourself. Then renounce the lies that you have believed, and affirm, “I believe that God is for me! I am free from my false accusations!”

Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” How does something get conformed? Through pressure.

I think of a wheel potter. Water is laboriously worked into the hard clay before it can be moldable. As the wheel is spinning, the potter applies intense pressure to center the clay in order to shape it. If it doesn’t get centered, the intended vessel will be uneven and collapse.

The Lord uses our trials to center us on Him. Once we are centered He is able to conform us to His image. I think of the words used in Hebrews 12:11. In the Amplified it says, “For the time being no discipline brings joy…but afterwards…(righteousness—in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thoughts, and action…”

Walking in the fear of the Lord is reverential trust. We live as partakers of His nature. 2 Peter 1:4. We breathe in His Presence with every breath we take. Proverbs 3:32 Amplified says, “…His confidential communion and secret counsel are with the (uncompromising) righteousness…”

Abiding, dwelling, and vitally united are intimate communion words. John 15:7 Amplified says, “If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”

Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.” Colossians 2:3 says, “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” His wisdom is imparted during our intimate communion with Him. We breathe it into our spirit man and walk in spiritual vitality.

I like to pick up the definition of the fear of the Lord from Psalm 25:14 in the Amplified. It says, “The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning.”

Walking in the fear of the Lord is a lifestyle of worship. It is companionship with the Lord that satisfies our deepest longings. The Lord gave general information to the multitudes through parables. Then during intimate communion with His disciples He gave them the deep inner meaning,

I love Proverbs 9:10. I often visit it in my mind. It says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” I encourage you to read “Knowledge of the Holy” by A. W. Tozer if you never have. He goes into many aspects of God’s attributes.

I have begun to meditate through the book of Proverbs. In chapter two there is a progression of when we do something, then there will be a result. I like to read it as though the Lord is speaking. 

Verses 1-4 are the when: you receive My words, treasure My commands within you, incline your ear to wisdom, apply your heart to understanding, cry out for discernment, lift up your voice for understanding, seek her as silver, search for her as for hidden treasures…verse 5 says, “Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”

Verse 10-11 says, “When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul…Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you.” Put verses 12-19 in parenthesis. Verse 20 says, “So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness.”

As we continue to dissect this word, let’s look at the scene in John 8. The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who was caught in adultery. Verse 6 says that they were testing Him that, “…they might have something of which to accuse Him…”

Their plot fell apart when He called them out. Verse 7 says, “…He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Verse 9 says, “…being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one…”

Jesus then asked the women in verse 10, “…where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” In verse 11 He said, “…Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

It is easy to “accuse” others of wrongdoing, when we ignore our own sin. We are called to build one another up. Ephesians 4:1-2 says to walk worthy of our calling, “With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another.”