Tag: Bondage

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Reclaiming Surrendered Ground: Book Review by Jeff Bush

By Jim Logan

  • The devil has no authority in the Christian’s life, accept for that which has been surrendered to him.
  • If it is possible to give ground or place to the devil, as Ephesians 4:27 says, then it is also possible to reclaim that ground.
  • The devil wants to kill, steal, and destroy. The good news for us is that he is a defeated foe. 
  • We do not need to ask others if they have the victory, we need to ask if they are standing in the victory they already have. 
  • Since every Christian faces spiritual warfare, every Christian is also equipped with the spiritual tools needed for the war. 
  • If the Christian could not be influenced by the devil, then why are we told to put on the armor of God and stand firm (Ephesians 6:10), to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), and to resist the devil (James 4:7)?
  • The popular word that the world uses is “addiction,” but God uses the word “sin.” Addiction gives the idea that you’re a victim of something, but sin suggests you’re making a choice.
  • When you give ground to the devil, he can begins digging a foundation to construct whatever he wants.
  • When Lazarus was raised from the dead, he had life but was bound with grave clothes and needed help being unwound. 
  • Fathers, you have great responsibilities, and the devil wants to attack you, but you have great resources in God.
  • As a child of God, you’re calling is to get to know your Father, not the enemy. You should be aware of the devil, but not fear him because you are God’s child.
  • Getting free can be easy, but staying free is the challenge.
  • You are not fighting to gain victory, you’re fighting from a position of victory. The devil is a defeated foe!
  • We have been delivered from the power of darkness, but not from the presence of darkness. We still live in a wicked world.
  • Because Satan is already defeated, his only power is in deception.
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Pleasing People Book Review by Jeff Bush

By Lou Priolo 

  • The sin of pride is at the heart of people pleasing.
  • Codependency (best term used in society for people pleasers) probably best falls under the category of idolatry. It is loving the approval of men more than the approval of God.
  • There are two sides to idolatry; the first side is neglecting God, and the second side is replacing God with a cheap substitute.
  • Fearing God will keep us from sin, but fearing man will bring a snare (Proverbs 29:15; John 12:42–43).
  • People pleasing is not keeping the peace, rather abandoning the peace of God for peace with man. It is being a coward at heart.
  • People pleasers rarely confront or speak to others about the sin in their lives.
  • The people pleaser is unsatisfied with his own life, coveting what God has given to others.
  • Man pleasing causes one to have many masters.
  • People pleasing places one under bondage because they’re attempting to please man more than please God.
  • Trying to please man will cause you to lose rewards — Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
  • The inordinate desire to please men will blind you from sin — Matthew 23:16-26
  • Pride tempts you to change things in your life according to man’s priorities instead of the Holy Spirit’s agenda.
  • Pride focuses on changing the outward more than the inward.
  • Excessive love of what other think causes you to believe opinion of self over God’s opinion — John 5:44
  • People pleasing can cause to listen more to flattery of man than conscience and Spirit. Look into the mirror of God’s Word more than approval of man.
  • It’s not wrong wanting to please others as long as it doesn’t cause you to say no to the approval of God
  • People pleasing cause one to be indecisive.
  • People pleasing causes one to be a hypocrite.
  • The people pleaser depends more on his abilities to get friends than he depends on God to give him friends.
  • If pleasing God does not satisfy you, no amount of men’s approval will satisfy you.
  • If you want to stop being a men pleaser, work at being a God pleaser. You must have a stronger desire to please God.
  • The God pleaser is more concerned with what God sees on the inside, rather than what man sees on the outside.
  • A God pleaser programs his life by God’s Word instead of the world’s culture.
  • Ephesians 5:8–10 commands us to know how to please God. 
  • It is not wrong please others, but it is wrong to love the pleasure of man to the point it places you in bondage.
  • Instead of asking what would please others, ask yourself what would please God.