Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
There is an old Indian fable which tells of a mouse who was in constant distress because of its fear of cats. So a magician took pity on it and turned it into a cat so it would have no more fear. Now, as a cat, it was in fear of dogs. So the magician turned it into a dog. Now, as a dog, it was stressed out in fear of tigers. Then the magician turned the dog into a tiger. Now, as a tiger, it was shaking in fear of hunters. The magician finally said to the tiger, "Be a mouse again. You only have the heart of a mouse, and I cannot help you."
There is a lesson here -- if we never deal with the root of our issues, and ultimately the issue of fear ... we'll fail to walk victoriously in all that we do. If we fail to achieve victory, it is not because of a lack of resources or strength ... but rather a failure to confront our fears. Ultimately, the fear to overcome is the fear of death!
As Hebrews describes through Yeshua's (Jesus') death, "He might destroy the one who has power of death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to a lifetime of slavery." [Hebrews 2:14-15] In Revelation, the description given to those who were victorious ... "conquered by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives unto the death." [Revelation 12:11]
So the key is overcoming the fear of death, and once you have conquered the fear of death ... then it becomes an easy task to live for Him. This is one of the keys to walking victoriously. For the promise is given to us ... for we are more than conquerors and we can walk in triumph over any circumstance revealing Him in the process.
So, never allow your problems to define your heart attitude or crush your spirit. Whether you are a mouse, a tiger, or a man, through Messiah your victory is assured as His aroma fragrances the world around us.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Unless you’re up on your biology, you’re probably wondering, “What in the world is a coney?” I certainly was. After doing a little research, I discovered that a coney is a rock badger.
I ran across a profound story that shows what happens when the family structure breaks down — but this didn’t have to do with people — it had to do with elephants.
As some of you may know, a bomb exploded in a bus within blocks of our Jerusalem apartment when we first moved to Israel. That morning, my wife and I, along with our newborn baby, were heading to the city center to run a few errands when suddenly we heard the explosion. Within minutes, the sirens were screaming from every part of the city as officials quickly made their way to the scene. Later that month, the bus I was supposed to be on drove away as I watched it carry away the 50 or so people who would be critically injured and the 8 who would be dead seconds later, when that bus exploded before my very eyes. So, to put it mildly, we have seen firsthand how terrorism works and how it affects people.
Today marks Holocaust Memorial day here in Israel. At ten o’clock in the morning on this day, war sirens sound calling the entire Land to remembrance of the 6,000,000 Jews who died and many more who suffered under the Nazi regime during WW2. People in their homes and workplaces rise in silence; cars come to a halt, even on the highways; pedestrians stop where they are and pause… for one minute as the sirens wail, we remember.
We know a Christian woman who has struggled with her past for years. She rarely thinks or speaks of anything else. And as a result, her life has just spiraled downward, despite all our attempts to minister to her. It breaks our hearts to see.
Two hunters came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, the hunter in the cave came rushing out, almost ran into the waiting bear, hesitated, and then dashed back in again. The same thing happened a second time. When he emerged for the third time, his companion in the tree frantically called out, “Woody, are you crazy? Stay in the cave till he leaves!” “Can’t,” panted Woody, “there’s another bear in there!”
As Yeshua (Jesus) was about to begin his ministry, many were listening intently to John the Baptist as He declared, “Behold the Lamb of God!” [John 1:36]. Some of those listening to John were intrigued with the man he was pointing to, and they followed Yeshua. So He turned and questioned them, “What do you seek?”