Hi, I'm Susie Larson. Thanks for listening to this podcast from Susie Larson Live.

It's only just a matter around. Welcome to Susie Larson Live.'ve got you welcome to susie larsen live i'm

always honored to get to spend this time with you in fact i look forward to bringing you

conversations every single day that hopefully inspire you in your faith walk that deepen your

understanding of god's word and that heightens your awareness of his amazing and real and tangible presence

in your life. I've been pondering this statement for about a week now. I read it in Ephesians 2

verses 1 through 10. Now listen to this. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many

sins, you used to live in sin just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the commander

of the powers of the unseen world. He is the spirit at work like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the commander of the powers of the

unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

That's what hit me. The devil is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey

God. And I just started to think about that. I mean, just in practical terms, we have an enemy,

a very real enemy who's right now working and increasing his influence in the hearts of those who refuse

to obey God. I just want you to ponder that for a minute because, you know, he's a legalist. And

if we give him access, he works. So he's not only working in those who are unbelievers. He also is able and does every day work in the lives of believers. And that's almost more painful because that's when the world gets a mixed message. If we're not dealing with the junk and our soul, if we're harboring on forgiveness or bitterness or whatever, if we don't allow the transformative, pur work of the Holy Spirit and we think we can

just hold on to some of our stuff without consequence that's the place where the enemy will land

and work and bring a real confusing message to a world in need but then you've got this in

Ephesians 3 and this is where Paul is talking about God's wonderful plan about bringing the Jews and

Gentiles together under the blood of Christ. And he says, God's purpose and all of this was to use

the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to the unseen rulers, all of the unseen rulers

and authorities in the heavenly places. So it was such a radical day for Paul

to say, this gospel is not just for Jews, but for Gentiles too. It was absolutely revolutionary

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