The devil is smart and knows how to appear as an angel of light, He is cunning, He is witty and He is downright deceptive and just…VERY CONVINCING.
Since I have been accepted on the race, I have been attacked non-stop. Refined by God, then attacked, strengthened, then attacked. It’s been war. I literally have to fight to hold on to the promises to those who love God!
Ephesians 6:13
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Deuteronomy 7:9
” Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
But the devil has been coming at me with scriptures talking about who I was in the past about how God hates liars, those that stir up community and stuff like that. Which I have repented of and gotten forgiveness for. He’s also even tried to make me believe it’s not biblical to go on the World Race.
Like, in Matthew 7, where it says “….I can see it now-at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here’.”
That scripture had me mortified. I kept having thoughts pop in my head, “You’re just doing the world race to make others think you’re a goody-goody. You’re just doing this to impress Jesus. You’re just doing this to get brownie points. You’re actually evil, and the World Race is a sham….”….and so on, and so on and so on.
And then this scripture in Matthew 23, “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned.”
And there was another scripture that disturbed me even more, but I can’t find it right now lol.
But I mean, I was feeling scared if I went on the World Race that I was going to Hell. No joke.
And I kept fighting to believe that God would not have given me dreams, sent people to tell me that they see me going to different countries and I would not have gotten a random gum wrapper that says “Would you be willing to leave a loved one for a year to travel the world.” if He was going to send me to Hell for going on the World Race. As a matter of fact, I was not too happy when I started getting prophetic words from people saying that I was going to be leaving from family and friends soon to go to different countries.
And then, a couple days ago I came up on a website where fundraising is in fact in the Bible. (I knew that but it was like I forgot lol) And the funniest thing is the title of the article is “Fundraising in the Bible: Funding your mission doesn’t mean losing your soul.”
Phew! Praise the Lord! (literally)
Moses, David, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Jesus and His disciples, and Paul all fundraised for their God-lead ventures. Phew.
I am guessing that the reason some people that do not go to Heaven because of doing “god projects” is because God was never the reason and it was all about them. God is all about the motives of our hearts. He does not like hypocrisy and facades. We all have battled with it, at least I have, and thank goodness He’s a forgiving God. And I can ASSURE you that me going on the World Race was NOT my PLAN. It wasn’t my idea. And I would not be fighting to go if I did not believe in my heart that I was supposed to. I’ve been so tempted to just say “No. I’m not going. I’m not good enough. God doesn’t want me to go because I’m a failure. I’m not a hard enough worker. I’m not this…I’m not that…”….so on and so forth.
But if I was not supposed to go, I know my parents would say a big no, my pastors would’ve said a big no. The Bible says there is wisdom in a group of counselors.
Proverbs 11:14
“Where there is no guidance, the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory.”
And after praise and worship, two times in a row, people have came up to give me money for the race.
And another thing is, I could care less about money. I hate asking for money. It really, truly bothers me to ask others for money. But from personal experience I know that you are blessed when you give to others, like Paul says here:
Philippians 4:15-19 (AMP)
15 And you Philippians yourselves well know that in the early days of the Gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church (assembly) entered into partnership with me and opened up [a debit and credit] account in giving and receiving except you only.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent [me contributions] for my needs, not only once but a second time.
17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].
18 But I have [your full payment] and more; I have everything I need and am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. [They are the] fragrant odor of an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.
19 And my God will liberally supply ([i]fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
So God is not against giving or fundraising, only if the person doing so is doing it to make themselves puffed up and to take advantage of others. And this also goes to show that the devil really knows the Bible, lol. I mean the devil appears as an “angel of light” and as the “accuser” and he even had the guts to tempt Jesus with the Bible.
So, friends, if God is calling you to do something, and it’s not all about you…be prepared for Satan trying to throw everything he can at you. Your past, your current weaknesses and EVEN THE BIBLE.
Matthew 4:1-11 (AMP)
Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil.
2 And He went without food for forty days and forty nights, and later He was hungry.
3 And the tempter came and said to Him, If You are God’s Son, command these stones to be made [[a]loaves of] bread.
4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil took Him into the holy city and placed Him on [b]a turret (pinnacle, [c]gable) of the temple [d]sanctuary.
6 And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said to him, [e]On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt, [f]test thoroughly, or [g]try exceedingly the Lord your God.
8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them.
9 And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me.
10 Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.
11 Then the devil departed from Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
God bless guys!
Sincerely,
Meraia
