A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of April 19-23, 2021
MONDAY
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.
2 Timothy 3:8-9
Christians are not instructed to be passive people. Being nice usually gets us into a whole lot of trouble. One of the lies that the enemy has told us is that Christians must always “be nice.” It’s kind of a perversion of the Lord’s teaching on forgiveness. Being nice is the extreme of turning the other cheek. But what about the things that one cannot be nice about? Are Christians compelled to stand by while the world parades its values, deeds, and misdeeds? We can examine the scriptures for the answer.
The Bible tells us to resist the devil and he must flee. We are actually allowed to resist something! To resist also means to oppose or withstand something. It looks like God expects us to take a counter-position and stance to the devil’s wiles and tactics. His devices are aimed at causing us to feel wrong for taking a courageous stand.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Isaiah 58:8 ~ Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
April 19: Leviticus 23, Psalms 30, Ecclesiastes 6, 2 Timothy 2
April 20: Leviticus 24, Psalms 31, Ecclesiastes 7, 2 Timothy 3
April 21: Leviticus 25, Psalms 32, Ecclesiastes 8, 2 Timothy 4
April 22: Leviticus 26, Psalms 33, Ecclesiastes 9, Titus 1
April 23: Leviticus 27, Psalms 34, Ecclesiastes 10, Titus 2
April 24: Numbers 1, Psalms 35, Ecclesiastes 11, Titus 3
April 25: Numbers 2, Psalms 36, Ecclesiastes 12, Philemon 1
TUESDAY
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9
How do we resist Satan? We do it with our faith in God’s word. We are to resist him steadfastly. This means consistently and without fail. We are never to bow to or agree with Satan’s devices. The bible says that we are not ignorant of his devices.
When we resist with our faith, we must first make a declaration of our position, what God’s word says, and to speak God’s answer to the problem. It can be a fearful thing to take a position against the devil. He will try to resist you back. He will use accusation, intimidation, fear, and all kinds of scare tactics to cause us to move from our position. This is why the Bible says to be steadfast in our resistance. Once we take a stand, we cannot waver.
WEDNESDAY
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Our adversary is subtle. This means that he is not eager to reveal himself as the force behind certain words, thoughts, or actions. When we know the wiles of the devil, then it becomes easier to discern his activities and take our stand. Satan’s mission is threefold: to kill, steal, and destroy.
We are not ignorant of his devices, so we must stand against the taking of life. We must stand against any power that robs humanity of its basic rights of life and liberty. We must stand against any power that wants to destroy human potential, either through drugs, disease, oppression and poverty. We know that God commands us to resist these things, so we must do that.
THURSDAY
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:38-39
Are there things we are admonished not to resist? Of course there are. Jesus teaches in this scripture that we are not to resist evil. Yet in another scripture we are told to shun the very appearance of evil.
What is the difference? The word translated as “evil” here can also be translated as “hurtful.” In other words, Jesus is telling us not to resist people who have hurt us.
Remember when that was the best you could do? In trying to preserve yourself, you allowed yourself to avoid people who had hurt you. Jesus sets a new standard for the Christian. He tells us to turn the other cheek, allow yourself to become as Christ would be.
We are to love our enemies, which makes us vulnerable to hurt again. When we obey God, we find that in our vulnerability is great strength. Whatever God requires of us is for our good.
FRIDAY
You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:38-39
This is far different than being just a “nice” Christian. Love is a powerful force that will win that person over. Once we learn to love, it will be no effort to turn the other cheek when necessary and to resist the devil and take a stand against him, not matter what form he takes.
This is the power of love. It is strong when necessary and gentle when necessary, but knows when to be each and is not confused about its motive. Love is God, and God moves us to believe the best under all circumstances and about all people.
Resisting evil is just as much a part of love as is turning the other cheek. Let us pray that God will teach us how to apply these truths in our everyday activities.