Sometimes I think that we as believers lack conviction in what we believe, we are tossed to and fro like a ship without a rudder. We are not enrooted in the word of God.
Definition of conviction:
Conviction is a state of mind of a person who is sure that what he or she believes or says is true.
If we believe something let us have the courage of our conviction. Let us be true to what we believe and not back down at the slightest opposition. Sometimes when we are on our own and we are surrounded by people who oppose what we believe it is hard to stand our ground.
I remember one day at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, in London, it’s a place with a long tradition where anyone can go and perch themselves on a tomato box and air their views whether it be religious or political. I liked going there to listen to people sprouting what they believed, but kind of loved watching when the hecklers would arrive give the speakers grief. There came a time when it was my turn to be the victim of their merciless onslaught. An acquaintance insisted that I stand on his little ladder and preach.As I did that, I found myself surrounded by hecklers,. It beats me as to where they all came from. One heckler was so tall that as I stood on the short ladder his mouth was centimetres away from my ear and just in line with it as he shouted into my ear. About a year later I recognised this same guy on the British reality TV show called “Apprentice”, he had given me such a hard time that my flesh couldn’t wait for Lord Sugar to fire him. It was no fun as I stood there attempting to expound my beliefs, but hardly getting a word in. An unsuspecting, naive American came to my rescue as he supported me only to find himself being heckled.
In 1990 there was a more serious occasion that would test my conviction. I had just come back from a Benny Hinn meeting and was standing in the kitchen talking to a friend about the meeting when suddenly I saw a demonic manifestation take place in her face and such hate exuding from her eyes. It was as though the devil himself was looking through her eyes. It traumatised me for a week or two afterwards. I just couldn’t forget that terrible hate that manifested, it was almost tangible. I had never encountered such evil. She picked up a carving knife and the demon spoke through its mouth saying: “I’m going to kill you”. I knew from experience that even though I was young fit and strong, in my natural strength I was no match for a demon manifesting through a person. I remembered the story of the sons of Sceva; lets read it. Turn to:
Acts 19:13 – 20:
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." Also, there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so and the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totalled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
I had a choice, I could either have the courage of my conviction and stand my ground or run with a demonised lady hot on my heals. In a split second I chose the former. I said: “in Jesus name I break your power, I command you to come out”.
Instantly she dropped the knife, relieved I ushered her into the drawing room where I sat her down. I commanded the demon to come out again. She shook her head too and fro as the demon spoke back and said: “My master says I must stay here”, I asked: “Who is your master?” The demon replied: “Karamatos”, I asked: “What does Karamotos mean? “The demon replied: “Self-destroyer.” I didn’t know it at the time, but she was unable to sleep for the last three months. Every night that she put her head on the pillow to go to sleep, her head would spin with dizziness. I spent about three hours clearing her home of ungodly things and delivering her from many demons. The bible says in:
Deuteronomy 7:26: Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.
When things like this happen you better be convicted in what you believe.
Parable of the sower
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower
"Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
In the parable there are 4 types of surfaces of the heart when the word of God is sown:
4. Worshipping Him and
5. Studying to show ourselves approved rightly dividing the word of truth and being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Conviction of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit convicts our hearts, He never condemns us, but always gives us a way of escape. To condemn someone means they have no way out. With the Holy Spirit He convicts us of our sin and says: “I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life”, He even gives you a hint of which to choose. He draws you into righteousness. Jesus is the way truth and life, therefore choose Jesus. God is saying: “choose today whom you will serve,” Make a conviction of your heart to serve Him with all your heart do not be like some who fold the minute trials come their way.
re to edit.
Definition of conviction:
Conviction is a state of mind of a person who is sure that what he or she believes or says is true.
If we believe something let us have the courage of our conviction. Let us be true to what we believe and not back down at the slightest opposition. Sometimes when we are on our own and we are surrounded by people who oppose what we believe it is hard to stand our ground.
I remember one day at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park, in London, it’s a place with a long tradition where anyone can go and perch themselves on a tomato box and air their views whether it be religious or political. I liked going there to listen to people sprouting what they believed, but kind of loved watching when the hecklers would arrive give the speakers grief. There came a time when it was my turn to be the victim of their merciless onslaught. An acquaintance insisted that I stand on his little ladder and preach.As I did that, I found myself surrounded by hecklers,. It beats me as to where they all came from. One heckler was so tall that as I stood on the short ladder his mouth was centimetres away from my ear and just in line with it as he shouted into my ear. About a year later I recognised this same guy on the British reality TV show called “Apprentice”, he had given me such a hard time that my flesh couldn’t wait for Lord Sugar to fire him. It was no fun as I stood there attempting to expound my beliefs, but hardly getting a word in. An unsuspecting, naive American came to my rescue as he supported me only to find himself being heckled.
In 1990 there was a more serious occasion that would test my conviction. I had just come back from a Benny Hinn meeting and was standing in the kitchen talking to a friend about the meeting when suddenly I saw a demonic manifestation take place in her face and such hate exuding from her eyes. It was as though the devil himself was looking through her eyes. It traumatised me for a week or two afterwards. I just couldn’t forget that terrible hate that manifested, it was almost tangible. I had never encountered such evil. She picked up a carving knife and the demon spoke through its mouth saying: “I’m going to kill you”. I knew from experience that even though I was young fit and strong, in my natural strength I was no match for a demon manifesting through a person. I remembered the story of the sons of Sceva; lets read it. Turn to:
Acts 19:13 – 20:
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." Also, there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so and the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totalled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
I had a choice, I could either have the courage of my conviction and stand my ground or run with a demonised lady hot on my heals. In a split second I chose the former. I said: “in Jesus name I break your power, I command you to come out”.
Instantly she dropped the knife, relieved I ushered her into the drawing room where I sat her down. I commanded the demon to come out again. She shook her head too and fro as the demon spoke back and said: “My master says I must stay here”, I asked: “Who is your master?” The demon replied: “Karamatos”, I asked: “What does Karamotos mean? “The demon replied: “Self-destroyer.” I didn’t know it at the time, but she was unable to sleep for the last three months. Every night that she put her head on the pillow to go to sleep, her head would spin with dizziness. I spent about three hours clearing her home of ungodly things and delivering her from many demons. The bible says in:
Deuteronomy 7:26: Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.
When things like this happen you better be convicted in what you believe.
Parable of the sower
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower
"Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
In the parable there are 4 types of surfaces of the heart when the word of God is sown:
- Receives the word by the wayside - never understood it.
- Receives in stony places - No root, no conviction, when trials & tribulation come, he stumbles.
- Thorny heart - the riches choke the word that is within him and he bears no fruit.
- Good ground - he hears and understands, he is convicted in his belief and he bares much fruit.
- Desire for God and His gifts.
- Faith – Faith comes hearing and hearing the word of God. Without faith its impossible to please God. To walk in faith is a decision. It’s a decision to choose to believe or not, unbelief is a sin. They didn’t enter the promised land due to unbelief. CHOOSE to BELIEVE.
4. Worshipping Him and
5. Studying to show ourselves approved rightly dividing the word of truth and being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Conviction of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit convicts our hearts, He never condemns us, but always gives us a way of escape. To condemn someone means they have no way out. With the Holy Spirit He convicts us of our sin and says: “I have set before you life and death, therefore choose life”, He even gives you a hint of which to choose. He draws you into righteousness. Jesus is the way truth and life, therefore choose Jesus. God is saying: “choose today whom you will serve,” Make a conviction of your heart to serve Him with all your heart do not be like some who fold the minute trials come their way.
re to edit.
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