Too often, we humans, think we can do it ourselves.
I have learned I can't trust in myself. Instead, I learned to trust in God. I'm sure God can save me and change me and nothing can hide from God so if perchance a devil or two has hidden in me God sees the problem and casts those devils out of me by HIS Holy Spirit.
God caused me to be born again on August 5, 1975, by the word HE gave me: "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making all these years? Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins."
"SINS?" I thought they were mistakes.
God changed me instantly that night.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
God caused me to be a new creature, born again, that same night that HE spoke to me when I was 37 years old.
I had gone forward when I was 15 and was baptized in water because I didn't want to go to hell.
But I couldn't change myself by what I did.
Neither can I change my heart by my efforts or by reading self improvement books.
God can change me instantly by what HE does and nothing hides from God.
After I was born again, I was sleeping in the night. The Holy Spirit cast 3 devils out of me. One was a double minded spirit which was skipping through my chest cavities (smart alleky) and ran directly into the Holy Spirit. The devil tried to dart back and hide! The Holy Spirt said, "I see you... You must go from her." The devil tried to stay in me. And the Holy Spirit said, "YOU MUST GO ... YOU MUST GO ... YOU MUST GO." I felt devil tear out through my throat. I began coughing. He left through my mouth.
There were 2 other devils that were cast out of me but their names were not revealed to me.
Certainly the Word, the Bible, can also make devils leave ... especially when we do scripture shown us by the Holy Spirit.
God can do this!
💥💥💥
When she was a teenager, God revealed to Pam Padgett that if she died that night she would go to hell and that her only hope was God. (I don't believe any church saves us. God saves us by HIS will and HIS word in HIS timing.)
Pam cried out to God for help. HE helped her, causing her to be born again and to be saved. And HE gave Pam HIS Holy Spirit to live in her.
Pam said she knew after that "something" of God was in her. Years later she came to know it was God's Holy Spirit that was in her.
I Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
I Corinthians 12:27-28 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church as ministers), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
28 And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church as ministers), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Each person born again by God has the Holy Spirit living in him to teach him, and to guide him.
Jesus says:
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.
I Corinthians 2 (The Holy Spirit searches the heart of God to reveal to us the will of God)
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit (NT testament church where believers are given Holy Spirit (Hebrews l): for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
💥💥💥
But even when devils are not within us, devils speak thoughts to our minds to try to lead us and destroy us. Our own flesh speaks thoughts to our mind to fulfill desires of the flesh, often to destroy us. God speak thoughts to our mind also, but to keep us from destructions of flesh and devils.
John 10:10 Jesus says: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
So which thoughts are of God?
I John 4
(Evil spirits often bring thoughts to you that tell you what will happen if you do "that" which God told you. Those spirit speak opposite to what God says.)
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
I often say to that spirit that brought that thought: "Do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?" And I will have brought to my mind: "Yes" or "No"
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
I often say to that spirit that brought that thought: "Do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?" And I will have brought to my mind: "Yes" or "No"
Sometimes we try the spirit by scriptures which tell you the characteristics of the Word from above.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Matthew 11:30 Jesus says: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The devil tries to imitate God and make you think he is God speaking to you. Many, especially young Christians, fall into that trap.
💥💥💥💥💥