How To Break That Chain

(Dedicated to those who have tried before and failed.)

The word of God had the ability to deliver you from temptation and sin. It can break the chains of your habits, and free you from bondage to your earthly nature.

We will show why this is true and present a method that puts the word to its most effective use.

God's word does have power! God said, "Let there be light: and there was light" (Gen. 1:3). His word can transform your life; "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32). "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth" (John 17:17). Put another way, "Make them holy, by means of your word, your word is truth."

The word is not passive, it has the attributes of personality; "The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12 N.A.S.). The word lives!

Jewish writers of the past often personified the Torah (Word of God). There is an old Jewish tradition that the Torah existed in heaven before the creation of the world. Akiva called the Torah, "the precious instrument by which the world is created." Rav Hoshaiah identified the Torah with the preexistent wisdom of the book of Proverbs. Philo wrote of the preexistence and role in creation of the word of God. Not only did God take counsel with the Torah before He created the world, but, according to one interpretation, the plural in "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness" (Gen. 1:26), refers to God and the Torah (From the Encyclopedia Judaica pp.1236, 1238 1972 edition).

The Apostle John wrote, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God… all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:1,3-4).

"And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet, Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

And he began to say unto them, 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.' And all bore him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth" (Luke 4:16-22).

"As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father, so he that eats of me, even he shall live by me" (John 6:57). "He sent his word and healed them" (Psa. 107:20).

Jesus speaking of himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me" (John 14:6).

John wrote, "He who was from the beginning, the one whom we have heard, and have seen with our eyes, have looked upon, and have touched with our hands, we declare to you is the word of God." (1 John 1:1 Lamsa). In a vision John saw heaven opened and one sitting on a white horse, "and his name is called the word of God" (Rev. 19:13).

There is a supernatural relationship between Jesus, the word, and the Holy Spirit. "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). Paul called the scripture, "the word of truth" (11 Cor. 6:7).

Preparing to leave his disciples, Jesus said to them, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter (helper), that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16,17).

Jesus, the truth, lives in us in the person of the Holy Spirit of truth, "We know that we abide Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." (1 John 4:13 N.A.S.)

The word of God is empowered by the Spirit of truth.

The word is called, "the sword of the Spirit" (Eph. 6:17). The Holy Spirit energized the word when he gave it and he quickens it to our hearts as we receive it. "Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (11 Peter 1:21).

The word carries with it the strength and authority of its author, and it will change your life. "As the rain comes down, and…waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud…so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth; It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:10-11).

The word is a cleansing and purifying agent. Jesus said to his disciples, "Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3).

"How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed…to thy word" (Psa. 119:9).

Paul wrote that Christ gave himself for the church, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27).

The word is the spiritual food we need to strengthen the inner man, that we might live a victorious Christian life. "Nourished up in the words of faith" (1 Tim. 4:6).

"Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom" (Col. 3:16). Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; he that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in me…for without me you can do nothing…If you abide in me, and my words abide (live) in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:4-7).

Living in the word and letting the word live in you, is the equivalent of having Christ live in you.

We will have victory when we can say in truth, "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee" (Psa. 119:11).

Defeat is good evidence that we have neglected God and his word. "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number" (Jer. 2:32).

The average American watches more than three hours of television each day; and most of them still have time to read the newspaper. The majority of them have never spent that much time in God's word, even once.

Like Lot, who lived in Sodom, we are continually "Vexed with the filthy conversation (life style) of the wicked, (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds" (11 Peter 2:7-8).

It was said recently that, "If the world gets any worse, God will have to dig up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize."

We have all the wisdom of God's word to help us; but instead, we spend most of our time filling our minds with the "wisdom of this world" and/or the lies of Satan.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I have rejected you." (Hosea 4:6). "I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hos. 6:6).

An elderly woman was found dead of malnutrition, yet stashed away in her old, decrepit house was several hundred thousand dollars. She could have lived like a queen but she died like a pauper.

It is time to dust off our Bibles and start living. Why die like paupers when we can live like kings?

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:10-12).

The battle is in the arena of the spirit and we need supernatural assistance to be victor. If we will use God's word as He tells us to use it, we will have supernatural help.

" Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

"These words with which I am now charging you shall be written on your heart; and you shall talk of them when you lie down, and when you get up; you shall bind them as a token on your hands, wear them on the door posts of your houses and on your gates" (Deut. 6:4-9). We could sum this up in one word – memorize!

God expects us to take Him and His word seriously. When we neglect the word of God, we neglect God.

"They that feared the Lord spoke often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that Day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him" (Mal. 3:16-17).

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the way of the ungodly, nor abides by the counsel of sinners, nor sits in the company of mockers:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law does he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by a stream of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season" (Psa. 1:1-3 Lamsa).

"If anyone keeps looking steadily into God's laws for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does" (James 1:25 L.B.).

The word is the antidote to temptation and sin. Sin keeps us from the word and the word keeps us from sin.

"Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:7-8).

Draw near to God's word and you will be drawing near to God.

When we store the word away in our memories, it works for us – even when we are not aware of it.

"I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also you received, and in which you stand; by which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain" (1Cor. 15:1-2).

Keeping the word in both our hearts and our minds will break that chain. Let us not be "forgetful hearers" (James 1:25).

None of us, regardless of the position in the church we hold, or the spiritual experiences we have had, can do without God's word. We need it for victory, for growth, and for Guidance.

We have included a number of verses that would be good for you to memorize. Spend time in the word and jot down additional verses of your own choosing for future memorization.

Don't avoid any strong verses because of doctrinal prejudices, "Making the word of no effect through your tradition…and you do many such things" (Mark 7:13).

"Quench not the Spirit" (1Thess. 5:19). Let God have his way. Be open to the word.

The things of God should have first place in our lives for, "The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (desires) of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes un-fruitful" (Mark 4:19).

At the first sign of discouragement read the first part again. Perhaps you should memorize Hebrews 4:12. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

Always memorize the scripture reference; then the verse really belongs to you.

Write down the scripture you wish to memorize so you can carry it with you. Doubel check yourself now and then during the day and by night time you will have the verse pretty well committed to memory.

When temptation comes repeat your verse for the day several times; or select a new fresh one to memorize – asking God to bless it. By the time you have done so Satan will have gone on to greener pastures.

Memorization gets easier (not harder) as you go along. God has provided us with a brain of unlimited (in human terms) capacity to hold information. Even if we lived 969 years like Methuselah, our brain could easily handle all the information we would want to memorize.

The old saying, "Repetition is the mother of learning", still holds true. In one week you will notice that it's beginning to be a little easier to remember, and you will have a sense of coming victory.

Nothing gets you down like defeat and there is no joy that can compare with the joy of victory! You have nothing to lose but your chain!

Unless otherwise stated we will use the King James version, changing careth to cares, ye to you and hast to has, etc. You can always use your own favorite translation or paraphrase.

"Don't you know you are God's temple and God's Spirit lives in you? If any man destroys God's temple, God will destroy him, because God's temple is holy. And you are that temple." (1Cor. 3:16 -17) Beck.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

"You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as immorality, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idol worship) because of such things God's wrath will come upon those who do not obey him." (Col. 3:5-6)

"Rejoice evermore" (1Thess. 5:16).

"Pray without ceasing" (1Thess. 5:17).

'In everything give thanks" (1Thess. 5:18).

"Quench not the Spirit" (1Thess. 5:19).

"Test everything. Hold fast to that which is good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1Thess. 5:21-22, N.I.V.)

"Walk worthy of God, who called you to his kingdom and glory." (1Thess. 2:12)

"Take no part in the sins of others keep yourself pure." (1Tim. 5:22 Good News)

"Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world." (11 Tim. 4:41)

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (11 Tim. 4:7-8)

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him he will deny us." (11 Tim. 2:12)

"I beat my body and make it my slave so that, when I've called others to the race, I myself will not somehow be disqualified." (1 Cor. 9:27)

"I die daily" (1Cor. 15:31).

"I have some what against you because you have left your first love." (Rev. 2-4)

"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. 3:21).

"I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have – let no one deprive you of your crown." (Rev. 3:11 Phillips)

"Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." (1 Peter 2:11 N.I.V.)

"The end of the world is coming soon, therefore be earnest, thoughtful men of prayer." (1 Peter 4:7 L.B.).

"May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world." (Gal. 6:14 Beck)

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. 5:24)

"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust," (Gal. 5:24).

"Put off concerning the former conversation (life style), the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4:22-24)

"Since we have such promises, dear friends, let us cleans ourselves form everything that soils body and spirit as we try to be perfectly holy in the fear of God." (11 Cor. 7:1) Beck

"We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding that his Spirit gives. Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants, and always do what pleases him. (Col. 1:9-10).

"Now also get rid of all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, and dirty talk. Don't lie to one another, seeing that you have put away your old self and its ways and have put on the new self, which is continually renewed in knowledge to be like him who made him." (Col. 3:8-10) Beck.

"Come out from among them, and be separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (11Cor. 6:17,18)

"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts," (Rom. 13:14)

"Anyone who believes that something he wants to do is wrong shouldn't do it. He sins if he does, for he thinks it is wrong, and so for him it is wrong, anything that is done apart from what he feels is right is sin." (Rom. 14:23 L.B.) (It probably is too!)

"Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame." (1Cor. 15:34).

"Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path," (Psm. 119:105).

"It is high time to awake out of our sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore, cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light," (Rom. 13:11,12).

"It is God's will that you should be holy; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable." (1 Thess. 4:3,4 N.I.V.).

"God did not call us to live in immorality, but in holiness." (1 Thess. 4:7 G.N.)

"Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:2).

"Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity." (Rom. 12:2 Phillips)

"For if you live after the flesh, you shall die; but if you, through the Spirit, do mortify (kill) the deeds of the body, you shall live." (Rom 8:13).

"To have your mind controlled by what human nature wants will result in death; to have your mind controlled by what the Spirit wants is life and peace." (Rom. 8:6 G.N.)

"Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin, to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as men who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." (Rom. 6:12-13 G.N.)

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Rom. 6:22,23)

"Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein." (Rom. 6:1,2)

"Unfaithful people! Don't you know that to be the world's friend means to be God's enemy? Whoever wants to be the world's friend makes himself the enemy of God." (James 4:4 G. N.)

"When Christ appears, we shall become like him, because we shall see him as he really is. Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure." (1 John 3:2-3 G.N.)

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)

"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God:

For all these worldly things, these evil desires – the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance – these are not from God. They are from the evil world itself. And this world is fading away, and these evil forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17 L.B.)

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God… If the righteous scarcely be saved where will the ungodly and the sinner appear." (1 Peter 4:17-18)

"The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Rom. 16:20)

"Everyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ lived." (1 John 2:6 L.B.)

"The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Peter 3:12)

"Our old man is crucified with him that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin," (Rom. 6:6-7)

" I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

"Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph. 6:10-11)

"Stand fast therefore, in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Gal. 5:1)

"The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and all its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in all holy conduct and godliness". (11 Peter 3:10,11 N.A.S.)

"The most important thing about a servant is that he does just what his master tells him to." (1Cor. 4:2 L.B.)

"Have you forgotten that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you, and is God's gift to you, and that you are not the owner of your own body? You have been bought, and at what a price! Therefore bring glory to God in your body." (1Cor. 6:19-20 Phillips)

"If you, then, be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.

Mortify (kill), therefore, your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness (which is idolatry)," (Col. 3:1-5)

"Put to death, therefore, what ever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming. (Col. 3:8 N.I.V.).

"Now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice slander, filthy language," (Col 3:8 N.I.V.)

"If you have been raised to life with Christ. Set your hearts, then, on the things that are in heaven, Where Christ sits on the throne at the right side of God. Keep your thoughts fixed on things there, not on things here on this earth. For you have died, (to this world) and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. 3:1-3 G.N.)

"The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." (11 Thess. 3:3 N.I.V.)

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life…" (1 Tim. 6:11-12 N.I.V.)

"Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord, act like men; be strong." (1 Cor. 16:13 L.B.)

"Watch, therefore for you know not the hour your Lord will come." (Matt. 24:42)

"Forgetting what is behind and reaching out to what lies before, I push on to the goal for the prize of God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14 Berkley)

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death." (Phil. 3:10)

"Flee youthful lust, follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart." (11 Tim. 2:22)

"Let us be mindful to stimulate one another toward true and helpful activities, not neglecting our own church meetings as is habitual with some, but giving mutual encouragement, and all the more so since you see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25 Berkley)

"Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds, you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." (Heb. 12:3-4)

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." (Heb. 12:14)

"Jesus also died out side the city gate, in order to cleanse the people from sin with his own blood, let us, then go to him outside the camp and share his shame." (Heb. 13:12-13 G.N.)

"Rid yourselves, then, of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you." (James 1:21 G.N.)

"Whoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4)

"Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." (James 4:7)

"Humble yourself in the sight of God and he will lift you up." (James 4:10)

"Obey God because you are his children; don't slip back to your old ways – doing evil because you knew no better. But be holy now in everything you do, just as the Lord is holy, who invited you to be his child. He himself has said, "You must be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:14-16 L.B.)

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

"Now consider this you that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver." (Psm. 50:22)

"If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness we lie, and do not the truth," (1 John 1:6)

"If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, like a roaring Lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

"There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not permit you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation, also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is good for me. Everything is permissible but I will not become a slave to anything." (1 Cor. 6:12 Williams)

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)

"For every child of God is able to defeat the world. This is how we win the victory over the world; with our faith." (1 John 5:4 G. N.)

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10:17)

"We know that no child of God keeps on sinning, for the Son of God keeps him safe, and the Evil One cannot harm him." (1 John 5:18 G.N.)

"Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Cor. 2:5 G.N.)

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presents of his glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 24)

"The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God." (1 Cor. 3:19)

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Cor. 5:7)

"For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." (Many are dead). (1 Cor. 11:30)

"For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Cor. 11:31)

"But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." (1 Cor. 11:32)

"There is not much time left, and from now on married men should live as though they were not married; those who weep, as though they were not sad; those who laugh, as though they were not happy; those who buy, as though they did not own what they bought; those who deal in worldly goods, as though they were not fully occupied with them. For this world, as it is now, will not last much longer." (1 Cor. 7:29-31 G.N.)

"If food makes my brother sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make my brother fall into sin." (1 Cor. 8:13 G. N.)

"And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9)

"Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you in prison, that you may be tried, and you shall have tribulation ten days; be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." (Rev. 2:10)

"Thou art worthy, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created." (Rev. 4:11)

"Men will be selfish, greedy, boastful, and conceited; they will be insulting, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, and irreligious, they will be unkind, merciless, slanderers, and fierce; they will hate the good; they will be treacherous, reckless, and swollen with pride; they will love pleasure rather than God." (11 Tim. 3:2-4 G.N.)

"The Lord stood with me and strengthened me." (11 Tim. 4:17)

"The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom." (11 Tim. 4:18)

"Exhort one another daily, while it is yet today lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb. 3:13)

"Speak to each other about these things every day while there is still time, so that none of you will become hardened against God, being blinded by the glamour of sin." (Heb. 3:13 L.B.)

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need." (Heb. 4:16)

"Let us lay hold of the hope that is set before us which hope is an anchor of the soul." (Heb. 6:18-19)

"We may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Heb. 13:6)

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13:8)

"Blessed is the man that endures temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him." (James 1:12)

"Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin when it is finished brings forth death." (James 1:14-15)

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." (Eph. 3:16)

"That you may know the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." (Eph. 1:18-19)

"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16)

"Obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to." (Gal. 5:16 L.B.)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psm 119:105)

"Walk as children of the light." (Eph. 5:8)

"Neither give place to the devil." (Eph. 4:27)

"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Eph. 5:11)

"Walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of the mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God." (Eph. 4:17-18)

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." (Titus 2:11-12)

(Spoken of Jesus) "You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity." (Heb. 1:9)

"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." (Psm. 2:12)

"Don't be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can light live with darkness? And what harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can the Christian be a partner with one who doesn't believe?… That is why the Lord has said, "Leave them; separate yourselves from them; don't touch their unclean things, and I will welcome you, and be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters." (11 Cor. 6:14-18) L.B.

Surely you know that the wicked will not receive God's kingdom. Do not fool yourself: people who are immoral, or worship idols, or are adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are law breakers - none of these will receive God's kingdom." (1 Cor. 6:9-10 G.N.)

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." (Psm. 19:14)

"Whoever says he belongs to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing." (11 Tim. 2:19)

Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he has done for you." (1 Sam. 12:24)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me." (Psm. 51:10)