Gifts and Talents

          No one likes resistance in our every day life. We have a flat tire on the way to work. We did not want to go to work anyway because our boss saw our last report on our sales. We guys, always want to do things that our wives said ‘not to.’ We have many restrictions in our everyday lives. And we don’t like it.

      There are many types of resistance. One is when we want to build up our bodies. We lift weights to build up our muscles. We go for a run to push our bodies for a marathon. The resistors in an electrical circuit smoothes out the electricity and the amperage of that circuit. We need all kinds of resistance in our lives. When man tried build a replica of our atmosphere, the Biosphere, everything grew very well. But the trees would grow to a certain height and then they would fall over. The problem was there was no wind inside the Biosphere so the tress had no resistance to gain the strength needed it to grow stronger. We need resistance.

      We have an enemy that puts up resistance in everything we do. When Daniel prayed, the enemy stopped the Angel that was bringing the answer to his prayer for 21 days. Another Angel had to come to help the first Angel. But without the resistance the enemy gives us we would not have any faith. The Devil is there for a reason; to help us build up our faith in God. We need the Devil in our lives to help us have faith in our God. We need the resistance that the Devil gives to raise our faith to a higher level to put our trust in our God.

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      New King James Version
Luke 21:15 "for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

      New King James Version
1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

      New King James Version
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

      New King James Version
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
41 "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
42 "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
43 ¶ "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.