February 4 ~

... consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but [that you are] alive to God - living in unbroken fellowship with Him - in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore rule as king ... Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me ... Joshua said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings ... Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. And afterward Joshua smote them and slew them ...
Rom.6:11,12 (Amp); Josh.10:22,24,25,26 (KJV)

If totally to Self Thou'd have me die
then ne'er should I take personal offense:
with all such thoughts should ne'er identify:
defend myself against all Self-defense!
Whenever I feel Self's been put upon
- when poor Self others do not rightly treat -
and I with injured feeling would respond ...
to give such leeway to Self is defeat!
Self-Pity, Anger, Bitterness, Dismay?
Such spirits dark dost Thou, O Lord, call forth:
out from the cave that I each one might slay
by Thee - The Sword of Truth! - till in due course
from all of them my soul is fully free.
Poor Precious Me is my worst enemy!

... our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against ... spiritual forces of wickedness ... taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ... the Word ... the only begotten from the Father ... put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh ... My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you ...
Eph.6:12,16,17 (NAS); Jn.1:14 (NAS); Rom.13:14 (KJV); Gal.4:19 (KJV).

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