Christians’ most popular new year’s resolution is probably to read the Bible in a year. Here are some tips how you could achieve this:
Get some friends who are willing to do this too. You can encourage one another and remind each other using SMS and email to read the Bible. This can be done creatively. You could ask each other questions about the relevant passage and what they thought of it. Slowly those that are behind will quietly catch up and then maybe answer your questions
Get together to read your daily readings maybe once a month or something as an encouragement to one another.
Listen to the Bible in a year. Download your preferred version (if in doubt use King James) at www.audiotreasure.com
Pray and ask God to help you. Anyway, it IS His will for you to read His word so He will give you the supernatural power to do it J
Be consistent we forget things when we are not consistent in our approach. Therefore you should make it a daily habit to read the Bible possibly before something that you always do (such as breakfast).
Reduce distractions around you during the time that you are reading. The best way to do this is to get up early. After a few struggles waking up at the same time every day will be easier and easier. It was how our body was supposed to function anyway.
Follow a good program of Bible reading such as the plan by Our Daily Bread http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml which has the daily reading on the bottom of your page. It has you reading Old Testament during the weekdays with a few proverbs, New Testament on Saturday and Psalms on Sunday. This is a good variety.
Set an alarm to remind you every day of your commitment.
Got more tips?
Spiritual Warfare the Biblical Way
The Biblical understanding compared to charismatic understandings of spiritual warfare. (Notes taken from counseling course)
The devil must be biblically understood and biblically withstood. The Bible provides the only guide to spiritual warfare and since the Bible has everything that pertains to life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3) all we need to know to fight the spiritual war is in there.
Talking about unbiblical views of spiritual warfare – The Bible only talks about casting out of demons in Acts there are no instructions on commanding or engaging in exorsitic ministry in all the letters that Paul wrote to the different Churches from Romans – Revelations. This shows that it was only a messianic (Jesus) and apostolic sign gift (to prove that God was with them).
If we come across demon possessed people, it will be obvious – they will have
1. Some symptom of physical problem
2. The distinct presence of another personality speaking in a coherent and intelligible way
3. Supernatural knowledge particularly in spiritual matters.
When encountering a demon possessed person,
1. We should not talk directly to or attempt to command the demon in any way.
2. We are to engage in spiritual warfare through repentance, sanctification, submission to God and prayer asking Jesus to cast the demon out and to challenge the demon possessed person to put on Christ. Apart from putting on Christ, they will never be able to overcome future demonic attacks.
3. Have faith in God knowing that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Every believer has the privilege of praying for healing and praying for demon possessed people.
Spiritual warfare – the inner struggle for personal holiness not personal confrontation with demon
Demons and disobedient believers
People who are just disobedient believers, they continue in their state because they refuse to put on Jesus Christ in his life and walk.
Demons and obedient believers
If you believe that you may be under the influence of spiritual forces, you need to intensify the basics in Christian living.
· In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – prayer, submission to God, renewing inner man.
· In Job 1-3, 38-42 revelation of who God is, repentance
· In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus prayed for Peter
· In Matthew 24 Word of God, increased fellowship, increased time with God, prayer, submission to God.
References
Jim Berg “Biblical Counselling” Course
“ Demons: A Biblically Based Perspective “ - Alex Konya
