Doesn't this sound familar?

Wow

Psalms 12

1 Help, O LORD, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth! 2 Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.3 May the LORD cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. 4 They say, "We will lie to our hearts' content. Our lips are our own—who can stop us?" 5 The LORD replies, "I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do." 6 The LORD's promises are pure,like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over. 7 Therefore, LORD, we know you will protect the oppressed, preserving them forever from this lying generation, 8 even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

John 14 - LET not your heart be troubled - Peshitta version - mouseover NASB

John 14:1 LET not your heart be troubled; believe in God, and believe in me also. John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to me, so that where I am you may be also. John 14:4 You know where I am going and you know the way. John 14:5 Thomas said to him, Our Lord, we do not know where you are going; and how can we know the way? John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life; no man comes to my Father except by me. John 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; from henceforth you know him and you have seen him. John 14:8 Philip said to him, Our Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough for us. John 14:9 Jesus said to him, All this time I have been with you, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who sees me has seen the Father; and how do you say, Show us the Father? John 14:10 Do you not believe that I am with my Father and my Father is with me? The words that I speak, I do not speak of myself; but my Father who abides with me does these works. John 14:11 Believe that I am with my Father and my Father is with me; and if not, believe because of the works. John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes in me shall do the works which I do; and even greater than these things he shall do, because I am going to my Father. John 14:13 And whatever you ask in my name, I will do it for you, so that the Father may be glorified through his Son. John 14:14 If you ask me in my own name, I will do it. John 14:15 If you love me, keep my commandments. John 14:16 And I will ask of my Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to be with you for ever, John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it has not seen him and does not know him; but you know him because he abides with you and is in you. John 14:18 I will not leave you bereaved, for I will come to you after a little while. John 14:19 And the world will not see me, but you will see me; because I live, you shall live also. John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am with my Father, and you are with me, and I am with you. John 14:21 He who has my commandments with him and obeys them is the one who loves me; he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him. John 14:22 Judah (not of Iscariot) said to him, My Lord, why is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world? John 14:23 Jesus answered, saying to him, He who loves me keeps my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make a place of abode with him. John 14:24 But he who does not love me does not keep my word; and this word which you hear is not my own but the Father’s who sent me. John 14:25 I have spoken these things to you while I am with you. John 14:26 But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name will teach you everything, and remind you of everything which I tell you. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my own peace I give you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:28 You heard that I told you, I am going away, and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would rejoice because I am going to my Father; for my Father is greater than I. John 14:29 And now behold, I have told you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe. John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you; for the prince of this world comes; and yet he has nothing against me. John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love my Father, and as my Father has commanded me, so I do. Arise, let us go away from here.

Enabled To Do

Faith is God's invitation to make the impossible possible. He is glorified when we are ENabled to do what we're UNable to do.

"I am Your dearly loved child. I am from You, Lord God, and have overcome the influences of the evil kingdom, because the One who is in me is greater than

the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4.)

You are the Lord, the God of all mankind. Nothing is too hard for you! (Jer. 32:27.)

Now unto You who are able to do immesasurably more than all I ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within me, to You be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen! (Eph. 3:20-21.)"

-from Beth Moore's devotional Praying God's Word Day by Day.

Pulling down the Stronghold/Fortress

Recently I heard a sermon on the radio discussing 2 Corinthians 10:3-5(KJV).

2 Corinthians 10:3 (Amplified)
For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

Some quotes and research on the subject I thought worth sharing....

A stronghold or fortress is “a place having strong defenses – a fortified place.” All strongholds begin in the mind. If we entertain any thought long enough, whether it is good or bad, it becomes established in our thinking. Paul says we do not fight with weapons of this world, but bring every thought in our mind into the captivity or obedience of Christ. the good news is that we do have spiritual resources that are categorically different. They are supernaturally powered as verse 4 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses (NASB).

We are first "destroying speculations," theories, or arguments, the rationalizations which act as walls around the fortress of lies and destructive beliefs. These rationalizations are based on false assumptions which buttress disappointment, discouragement, and depression. The walls prevent the mind and heart from seeing God's love and power and goodness.

Next is "destroying prideful arrogance," the pride and intellect that exalts itself and keeps people from seeing who God is. Paul is not attacking intelligence, because God gave us intelligence, but intellectualism, the high-minded attitude that makes us think we know more than we do. In Romans 12:16 Paul calls it being "…haughty in mind…" or "…wise in our own estimation."

"…taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." The concern here is destructive thoughts. I think it's important that we apply this final verse personally to ourselves. Think about our own sinful tendencies to fantasize, to imagine ourselves as successful and powerful, or to daydream that life or relationships are somehow better or different. Christ calls us to clear-minded realism. Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 10:5 calls it, "…fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ." It's allowing Christ to take control of our thinking and our feeling, constantly giving our minds and hearts, including all the loose ends, to him to conform them to the love, purpose and power of who he is.

Know the Voice of God – Philippians 4:8 You must recognize the voice of God and understand what the Bible says your thoughts should be. Read God’s word and meditate on it and they will be full of revelations for you. God’s word will stop harmful, negative thoughts that may be lodged in your mind and reveal how to counter the Devil’s onslaught.

If thoughts come to encourage you to be different so that you can make a name foryourself, those thoughts are originating with the Enemy. Jesus was a prophet and an intercessor, yet He was practical – Matthew 4:1-11; 14:23; Mark 6:46; Luke 9:28; 6:12. God is a practical God – an everyday kind of God. Be transformed by renewing your mind. – Romans 12:2 , Prepare your mind for action. – 1 Peter 1:13 ,Take every thought captive in obedience to Christ(2 Corinthians 10:4)