Tool Box for Christians by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 If you were a plumber, your tool box would include pipe wrenches, Teflon tape for sealing pipe connections, a plumber's snake for cleaning out drains, perhaps a Milwaukee Sawzall for cutting pipe. If you were a carpenter, you'd have saws, hammers, a power saw, a nail gun--either pneumatic or electrically powered, a level, a plumb line, a carpenter's square. An electrician would have his hand tools, conduit benders, power screwdriver, a voltmeter or a Wiggy for checking voltage. The Wiggy has a voltage rating on it. Do not try to measure with a Wiggy a high voltage that exceeds the limit printed on the device. There have been one or more cases of a Wiggy exploding because someone tried to measure too high a voltage. When in doubt, use a digital voltmeter. But I remember when we were checking the color TV picture tube high voltage at TV repair shops, we used a special voltmeter with a very long probe that had resistors in it to act as voltage dividers. Whatever tools you use in your vocation, God has given us Christians tools to use against our enemy, the devil and his demons. Ephesians chapter 6, verses 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so you'll be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against princedoms, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places. 13 So, take to yourselves the whole armor of God, so you'll be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins clothed with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 And for shoes, the preparation of the gospel of peace, 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and staying awake regarding that, with all perseverance and supplication for all saints, Verse 12 gives us the four categories of demons: princedoms, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in high places. Verse 12 also tells us that we're not wrestling against flesh and blood (people) but against those demons. Even if you seem to have a human adversary that means you ill, it is no doubt the demons that are stirring up that person against you. In verse 16, our shield of faith, if we use it, will quench all the fiery darts of the enemy. We can't operate properly without faith. And "faith comes by hearing the word of God." (Rom 10:17) So everyday we should take in the word of God. It goes in through the eyes and through the ears. Another way to strengthen our faith is by praying in the Holy Ghost (in unknown tongues) (Jude verse 20), which you can't do until and unless you're received the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. (Acts 1:8, & chapter 2, & chapter 10, & chapter 19) Another way to strengthen faith is prayer and fasting-- In Matthew chapter 17, verses 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately, and said, "Why couldn't we cast him out?" 20 And Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief, for truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you'll say to this mountain, Move from here to that other place, and it shall go there, and nothing shall be impossible to you. 21 But this kind doesn't go out except by prayer and fasting." So prayer and fasting strengthens faith and minimizes unbelief. Another way to help faith is Gal 5:6, which tells us that faith works by love. So, if we get our love and compassion working for people, that helps our faith. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John we are told that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. So, if you're a Christian, ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Ghost. You'll know that you have it when you pray in a language you never learned. When you pray, believe you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them. (Mark 11:24) God doesn't make you talk. The Holy Ghost gives you words to say in a strange language, and then you add your voice and speak those words out loud. You'll be praying in unknown tongues. It's an unknown tongue, or language, because the person speaking it doesn't understand what he is saying. But God understands all languages. Romans 8:26 tells we pray more effectively in the unknown tongue. In Matt 16:19, Jesus said, "...whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." The binding and loosing we also do with our words. You say, "I bind all powers of the enemy that would hinder me in any way. Me and my family, in Jesus' name." You can loose ministering spirits to go and fight for your finances. The ministering spirits are the angels. I learned about this from the book, "How God Taught Me about Prosperity," by Kenneth E. Hagin. See www.Rhema.org But of course, I'm mainly speaking here to Christians. If you're not a Christian, step 1 is become a Christian according to John chapter 3 and Romans chapter 10 verses 9 and 10. You confess with your mouth Jesus as your Lord, and you believe in your heart God raised him from the dead. Jesus won't say no when you ask him to be your Lord and Savior. Though he's in heaven, he'll hear your prayer to him. In Matthew chapter 5, verse 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they'll see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. So Jesus wants every Christian to be a witness for Him. Chapter 2 There's binding and loosing. And there's also speaking into existence. "For truly I say to you, that whoever shall say to this mountain, be removed, and be thrown into the sea, and doesn't doubt in his heart, but believes that the things that he says shall happen, he shall have whatever he says." (Mark 11:23) You can use this to command a mountain to go. But you could just as easily speak something into existence. If you have a problem, that's your mountain, command it to go. But believe that what you're saying will happen, and don't doubt in your heart. In Gen 1:26, God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." We are made in the image of the God who spoke the worlds into existence. So, we also have some power to speak things into existence. Charles Capps said the Lord told him, "I have told my people they can have what they say, but instead they are saying what they have." Saying what they have is how a lot of people pray. "Lord, here's my situation..." But of course, the Lord already knows your situation. (Matt 6:8) Instead of saying what your situation is, why not just speak into existence what it is that you need. Do you need more money? Say, "I call there plenty of money for me. I have abundance of all things, and want of nothing, in Jesus' name." After you do that, of course, you need to stay in faith, and "keep the switch of faith turned on." (K.E. Hagin) The devil will try to talk you out of it. But we must resist him. (James 4:7) Do you need a job? Say, "I call into existence the good job God has for me. It's mine. I have it. I'm doing it, and getting well-paid, in Jesus' name. The wages due me are paid me. (Prov 12:14)" And also, Jesus gave us power to cast out demons from people in Luke 10:19, and in Mark 16:17,18. In that Mark passage, Jesus says the casting out of demons is one of the signs that are supposed to follow believers. God wants us Christians to cast demons out of people. The Lord told Kenneth E. Hagin, "People who are praying for me to do something about the devil are wasting their time. I gave you (the Christians) power over the devil, and if you don't use it, the job won't get done." You don't ask the Lord to do something about the devil. You use the authority he has given us in Luke 10:19 and in Mark 16:17,18 and take care of it yourself. You command the demons to stop doing what they're doing in Jesus' name. Of course, you must put your faith with your words. Look up those verses for yourself. When you see that you do have the authority from Jesus, use your authority against the enemy. After Moses passed on, Joshua took over as leader of Israel. In Josh 1:8, God tells Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, so that you'll observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then you'll make your way prosperous, and then you'll have good success." When it says the word should not depart from our mouths, it means we should keep on speaking the word of God out of our mouths. You can stop while you sleep. You can stop while you're eating, but then go back to speaking God's word, if good success is something that appeals to you. Scriptures quoted are from the Holy Bible, Hoehn Version and the New Testament, Hoehn Version, copyright 2011, both available as ebooks for the Kindle readers from Amazon.com. The Lord bless you. Frederick Hoehn ___1 Peter chapter 1 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the knowing ahead-of-time by God the Father, through making holy by the Spirit, to obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has fathered us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that doesn't fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation ready to be revealed in the end times. 6 In which you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if necessary, you're in heaviness through many temptations, 7 So that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it's tested by fire, will be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, 8 Whom having not seen, you love, in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, 9 Receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 About which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, 11 Searching what, or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ that was in them meant, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow. 12 To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they ministered the things that are now reported to you by those who've preached the gospel to you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into. 13 So, strengthen your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 14 Like obedient children, not building yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, 15 But like he that has called you is holy, so you be holy in every aspect of living, 16 Because it is written, "You be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man's work, pass the time of your temporary residence here in fear, 18 Since you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your wrong lifestyle, received by tradition from your fathers, 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, 20 Who truly was preordained before the foundation of the world, but was made clearly visible in these last times for you, 21 Who by him, believe in God, who raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope would be in God. 22 Since you've purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unpretended love of the brothers, make sure you love each other with a pure heart fervently, 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, that lives and remains forever. 24 For all flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower of it falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that by the gospel is preached to you. ___1 Peter chapter 2 1 So, laying aside all hatred, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envying, and all evil speaking, 2 Like newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, so you'll grow by it, 3 If you've tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, like to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious, 5 You also, like living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Also it is contained in the scripture, "See, I lay in Zion a main cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believes on him won't be put to shame." 7 To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone that the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to those who stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, so that you will show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, 10 Who previously were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I ask you please, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul, 12 Having your lifestyle honest among the Gentiles, so that, while they speak against you as evildoers, they will, by your good works that they'll see, glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it's to the king, as supreme, 14 Or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of those who do well. 15 For this is the will of God, that with well-doing you'll put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of hatred, but as the servants of God. 17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the difficult. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it if when you're chided for your faults, you take it patiently? But if when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps, 22 Who did no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, 23 Who, when he was reproached, didn't reproach back, when he suffered, he didn't threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously, 24 Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, so that we, being dead to sins, would live to righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. ___1 Peter chapter 3 1 Likewise you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, if any doesn't obey the word, they also without the word will be won by the lifestyle of the wives, 2 While they see your pure living coupled with fear. 3 Let your adorning not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of wearing fancy clothes, 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God. 5 For that's how the holy women did also in old times, who trusted in God, adorning themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands, 6 Like Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are, as long as you do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7 Likewise you husbands, live with them according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, so your prayers won't be hindered. 8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion on each other, love like brothers, be pitiful, be courteous, 9 Not returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, but to the contrary blessing, knowing that you are called to that, so that you'll inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips so they speak no deceit, 11 Let him hate evil, and do good, let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 For 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 those who do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if you're followers of what is good? 14 But if you suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are you, and don't be afraid of their terror, nor be troubled, 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer to every man that asks you for a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear, 16 Having a good conscience, so that, although they speak evil about you, like about evildoers, they will be ashamed that falsely accuse your good lifestyle in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it's the will of God, that you suffer for well-doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, so that he would bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, 19 By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 Who once were disobedient, when previously the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The similar figure to which baptism also now saves us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 Who has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him. ___1 Peter chapter 4 1 Since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that has suffered in the flesh has stopped sinning, 2 So that he no longer would live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For what's in the past of our lives should be enough in doing the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, riotous living, excessive eating, and filthy idolatries, 4 In which they think it strange that you don't run with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil about you, 5 Who'll give account to him that is ready to judge the alive and the dead. 6 That's why the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that they'd be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is near, therefore be sober, and stay awake for prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent love among yourselves, for love shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality toward each other without grudging. 10 As every man has received the gift, minister the same to each other, as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God. 11 If any man speaks, let him speak like the oracles of God, if any man ministers, let him do it as of the ability that God gives, so that God, in all things, will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and always. Amen. 12 Beloved, don't think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you, 13 But rejoice, since you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, so that, when his glory shall be revealed, you'll be glad also with great joy. 14 If you're reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you, for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is spoken evil about, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16 Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of this. 17 For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begins at us, what shall be the end of those who don't obey the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous just barely get saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 So let those who suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as to a faithful Creator. ___1 Peter chapter 5 1 I exhort the elders who are among you. I'm also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed, 2 Feed the flock of God that is among you, taking the oversight of it, not because you must, but willingly, not for filthy bribes, but with a ready mind, 3 Nor as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you'll receive a crown of glory that doesn't fade away. 5 Likewise you younger, submit yourselves to the elder. Yes, all of you be subject to each other, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so he'll lift you up in due time, 7 Casting all your care on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, walks around, seeking whom he can devour, 9 Whom resist, steady in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brothers that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you've suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion forever and always. Amen. 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother to you, as I suppose, I've written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, greets you, and so does Marcus, my son. 14 Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.