Thursday, September 27, 2012

Outwitting the Devil



In the book, ”Outwitting the Devil” the author claims that he was able to force the devil into honestly answering questions. This may or may not be true. However, if you can get past the question of the source, you can learn to think about your thoughts in a whole new way.
            The book states that the devil does not dwell in some cave or other dwelling that is called hell. He lives in your thoughts and fears. He grows in strength when you do something he calls “drifting.” He has no actual physical body. No horns and red skin like in all the movies.  He is simply negative energy that lives in the minds of those who fear him. The devil claims that the 6 most effective fears for controlling human thought are poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and death. The biggest lie he uses is that, “I am standing just beyond the entrance gate of the next life, waiting to claim them after death for eternal punishment.” Then he points out, “Of course I cannot punish anyone, except in that person’s own mind, through some form of fear..” When we die and go to hell, we don’t just roast in a fire. We are, “taken over be me and their mind power is added to my being.” The devil is constantly working to control our minds so that later they will become his.
            I said that the devil grows in power when you “drift.” Let me try to define this word for you. Drifting is a habit.  “A drifter is someone who permits himself to be influenced and controlled by circumstances outside his own mind.” “A drifter has lots of opinions, but they are not his own. Most of them are supplied by me.” The devil says, “I enter the minds of people through thoughts which they believe to be their own.” In other words he starts when you are young and whispers little negative lies to you until you start to take them as truth. He tricks you into going through life without direction or purpose.
            Here are some examples of drifting: 1. Going into a marriage without a plan on how to live in harmony. This causes arguments over money, nagging about chores, and arguments over social activities. 2. Drifting from job to job or in and out of school. This causes a fear or poverty and keeps you with a lack of purpose. 3. Not saving and budgeting. This takes away hope for the future and really causes a fear or poverty. 4. A thought process dominated by negativity. This causes a snowball of negative actions and makes people constantly feel like a victim.
            The sad part of what the devil does is that he enslaves people. In my last post I said this post would explain how people can act contrary to their soul their whole lives because of fear. That is because they have been drifting their whole lives. For example, once I did something clumsy and my mom said, “Geez, you are so clumsy.” Then the devil came into my head and repeated that to me over and over. Without me realizing I adopted that as a personal trait. I would describe myself that way! It made me expect to drop things and trip up. Then the world delivered what I asked for until I was convinced that it was true. When I learned the power of words I realized what had happened. I have since started dancing and catching balls and playing game that require coordination. Guess what, I’m pretty good. I am not calling it a talent (gift given by God so you can fulfill your purpose in life). Still, all that time I was giving power away to the devil!
            So my plea to you is simple. Please realize the power you have over your world through your mind and use it. Don’t give it away or let it be used against you. Remember, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as
your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2.

Monday, September 3, 2012

September Word of the Month: ASSOCIATE

          The reason that this word is powerful is because who you chose to do it with defines who you become as a person. It doesn't shape your soul. People can act contrary to who there soul is all their lives. This is usually done out of several fears. My next post will explain this in detail. But who you chose to ASSOCIATE with determines your thoughts, desires, interests, and goals.
          Lots of people seems familiar with the phrase, "You will be and average of the 5 people you spend the most time with." But writers all over blogs and websites are giving credit to the speakers that used it. Let me first set the record straight and point out that it was Napoleon Hill in the book "Think and Grow Rich." Secondly, let me point out that the book is called "THINK...and Grow Rich." If you master your words and therefore, your thoughts, you can succeed in anything!
          So let's talk about ASSOCIATION and how it affects who you are as a person. People are just wired this way. Remember in high school. Didn't everyone have small groups of friends. Football players all hung out together. Cheerleaders at my school were like the "it" crowd. All guys wanted to date them. Later you go to college and you have fraternities, sororities, and all the pot heads. You get into the real world and you get a job. You start hanging out with co-workers. Or you have college buddies over to watch football/NASCAR. You get older and you have kids. Now you hang out with all people with kids and talk about kids. When you are old you have friends over and play bridge or go to book clubs. When you make a friend you are looking for what you have in common.
          If you start hanging out with someone for a book club you may discuss things about the books. But then, you start to pick up each others speech patterns. Perhaps you don't have kids yet but all your friends do. How long will it be before those cute clothes, smiles, and sappy stories make you want kids too? If you hang out with people that are on unemployment and don't want a job. People who trash talk the government but want government to pay for everything. You will eventually develop a little entitlement mentality or start to dislike the government as well. You might hang out with a wiccan person and suffer some doubt about your christianity.  I'm not saying that you can't be christian and have a wiccan friend. I'm saying that if your do, you need to be positive of your beliefs. You need to be able to hear that friend and still keep your thoughts centered on your principal beliefs. Decide what is open for debate in your mind and what is not.
          Just as having someone be negative around you can hurt you by ASSOCIATION. Having someone positive around you can help keep you positive. It can give you a place to explore possibilities. John Maxwell once said that he doesn't build his weaknesses. He builds his strengths. Then he surrounds himself with people that are strong in the areas that he is weak. This method of ASSOCIATION is amazing! It makes you constantly feel as if you can do anything. It frees you up to just be the best you that you can be.
          Given all the we have just said about ASSOCIATION, I want you to stop and think for a minute. First, who are the 5 people you ASSOCIATE with the most? Is that really the ASSOCIATION that will get you what you want? Second, are you on someone's top 5 list? What impact is your ASSOCIATION having on their life?...