Brethren: adelphos - true brothers, comrades, and partners 

The word ”brother” emphatically declares that it’s not really how well you fight in life that counts.  What really counts is that you keep on fighting!  So don’t give up on yourself, and don’t give up on those believers around you who seem to be struggling.  As long as they keep on trying—as long as they stay in the battle—they’re worthy of your friendship! 

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.   (I Thessalonians 5:27)

More than conquerors: hupernikos = overwhelming conqueror; paramount victor; enormous overcomer

Nay, in all these thing we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)

This word is so power-packed that one could interpret it as a phenomenal, walloping, conquering force!  That’s precisely who you are in Jesus Christ!... Regardless of your past experiences, you must begin to look at yourself through God’s eyes and in the light of Romans 8:37.  This verse declares that you are always the winner and never a loser!

Afflictions: pathema + mental pressure: a war on your soul     

A spiritual fight usually does occur when you’ve been specially illuminate to the plan God has for your life… If you have been in the place…be encouraged!  This is probably your clearest signal that you’ve received a real word from the LORD…Just hang on and don’t give up.  You’re  clearly headed in the right direction.

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.  (Hebrew 10:32)

So easily beset us: euperistatos = Sometimes in order to make necessary changes in your life, you must physically remove yourself from an unprofitable situation.  Be honest as you consider your workplace, your friends, and your living conditions.  Is your environment conducive to your walk in Christ?  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Forsaking: (egkataleipontes)out, down, and behind   This word describes a person who feels left out, down, depressed, and far behind everyone else…  Church is the last place the devil wants you to go when you’re feeling low!  He knows if you go to church, you will be touched by the Presence of the Lord; you will get encouraged by other believers; and in the end, you’ll crawl out of that hole the enemy has put you in and rise up to a place of heavenly victory.

Not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as the manner of some is… (Hebrew 10:25)  So Cornerstone Folks - let’s not let the devil talk to us!  We don’t need his help with anything.  Positive thinking is not always easy in hard times, but it is possible thru Christ Jesus, that dwells within you!

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  (James 1:2)

LAY APART: to lay something down; to push it far away and beyond reach

If we are going to get free and stay free, it won’t happen by accident.  We must start taking steps to remove those negative things from our life—to lay them down and to push them so far away that we’ll never be able to reach them again!  Victory is possible!  Have you tried and failed?  Gotten discouraged?  It’s ok!  That was actually a step forward in the right direction.  Dust yourself off and go at it again…victory waits for all of us that believe it can be done.  Get a visual and see the end results.  Then write the plan out and work it one step at a time. Get information that will help you to be a success.  Remember the Words?—My people suffer for lack of knowledge--- Write the vision down. We are able to achieve our goals! Because of HIS WORD! Think positive!

From the book: "The Power of Your Words" by Don Gossett and E.W. Kenyon

*We walk in the light of our testimony-our faith never goes beyond our confession.

*The Word becomes real only as we confess its reality. The reason for this is, "we walk by faith and not by sight."

*Sense Knowledge would confess only what it had seen, heard or felt.

*The people who are seeking experiences always walk by the senses.

*Our testimony of the reality of the Word is feared by Satan.

*"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth." This reacts on our heart just as a doubt spoken by the lips reacts on our heart.

*You talk of your doubts and your fears, and you destroy your faith.

*You talk of the ability of the Father that is yours, and fill your lips with praise for answers to prayers that you have asked. Its reaction upon the heart is tremenodous: faith grows by leaps and bounds.

*You talk about trials and your difficulties, of your lack of faith, of your lack of money, and faith shrivels, loses its virility.

*Your whole spirit life shrinks.

*You study about what you are in Christ and confess it boldly.

*You dare to act on the Word in the face of sense knowledge opposition.

*Regardless of appearance, you take your stand; make your confession and hold fast to it in the face of apparent impossibilities.

*Prayer is never for the possible, but always for the thing that is out of reason.

*It is God who is at work with us, in us and for us.

*"How shall he not with him freely give us all things?"

*You are not asking for something you can do for yourself, but for something that is beyond reason. Then you refuse to take counsel with fear or to entertain a doubt.

Practice with faith---remember....HE is the ONE that gave you life, He is the ONE that put you here on earth, HE is the ONE that knew you BEFORE you were in your mother's womb.   HIS love will carry you through anything.

Use these steps and I guarantee you will encounter the LIVING GOD...your Heavenly Daddy.

Blessings on every good thing you do,

Pastor Petie  :)