We’Re Almost There Now

By Terry Schlabach

This is a compilation of spiritual principals based on the examples written in the Old and New Testaments. It contains the teachings of the Word of God and how they can impact our lives today, resulting in power over the world, flesh, and the devil.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781973683094

Terry Schlabach

Terry has a unique way of explaining Bible stories and how they can be used to help us as Christians today.

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Copyright © 2020 Terry Schlabach.

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-8308-7 (sc)

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WestBow Press rev. date: 03/15/2023

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Contents

Trouble (Demonic)

Trouble (Satan’s Tactics)

Trouble (Godly)

The Power of Music

Stretch Out Your Hand

Haman

Call to Work

The Redemption Plan

A Threefold Trap

The Cave of Adullam

Spirit Led

Last Resort

Amazing Grace

A Servant’s Heart

Black or White

Psalm 42: O My Soul

Faith and Trials

One Little Girl

Number 10

Early Will I Seek Thee

First Things First

New Wine

Biblical Illiteracy

Friend of Sinners

Retaliation

Solomon (Peace on All Sides) Part 1

Solomon (Forfeiture) Part 2

Red Sea Lessons

Despise Not the Little Ones

The False Hope of Atheism

The Architect of Our Trials

Zeal

Gossip

Latter Rain

Snares, Traps, and Pitfalls

Christianophobia

Circle

Our Mighty God

Harvest

Time

Heavy

Fool

Whirlwind

David: A Man Apart

What about Them?

I Need a Miracle

Fearless!

Patience

Liar or Lord

Replacement Plan

Precious Soul

Pharaoh Lurking (Exposing Satan, Part 1)

The Battle Within (Exposing Satan, Part 2)

Give Him an Inch, and He’ll Take a Mile (Exposing Satan, Part 3)

The Evil Trinity (Exposing Satan, Part 4)

Seducing Spirits (Exposing Satan, Part 5)

An Honest Confession

Why So Few?

When Prayer Is Answered

Walls

I’ve Had Enough

The Natural Man

For the Joy

Abundant

God’s Guidance

Liberalism and God

Love Is the Greatest

Don’t Forget to Ask

Listen to Me

The Anointing of God

A Radical Change

Seventy Times Seven

Our Everything

Spiritual Bribery

Sacred Vessels

Our Daily Bread

How Much Is Enough? (Part 1)

How Much Is Enough? (Part 2)

Spiritual Surgery

Warning to the Wicked

Young Man

Walking on Water (Pt.1) The Waves and the Wind

Walking on Water (Pt. 2) Why Did You Doubt?

Sin at the Door

The Spirit Is Life

Blessed Assurance

Living Water

144,000

Lucifer

He Fights for Us

Call upon Me

He Hears You

Born Again

Blessed Hope

God’s Kingdom

Honoring Our Father

I’m Sorry

Purifying the Temple

Trading Up

Paul’s Prayers

To Be with Jesus

Too Late

Epitaph

Blinded

We’re Almost There Now

And Finally …

City Lights

As we travel down this narrow road,

We all struggle with these heavy loads.

Jesus makes our burdens so much lighter.

We keep our eyes focused straight ahead,

Forget the past and the things we did.

Each step brings us nearer to our destination.

I can see those city lights;

They are glowing.

We’re almost there now.

Heaven is just around the bend.

There will be no slowing down.

We’re almost home; we’re almost home.

The world travels on a road that’s wide.

Anything goes; no rules apply.

But that road only leads to destruction.

I prefer this path I’m on.

Peace, joy, and a victory song

Accompany me as I grow closer.

I can see those city lights;

They are glowing.

We’re almost there now.

Heaven is just around the bend.

There will be no slowing down.

We’re almost home; we’re almost home.

I can see those city lights.

I can see the lights,

And they’re glowing.

Trouble (Demonic)

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against

principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness

of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

—Ephesians 6:12 (KJV)

Why would a Christian encounter trouble? Many false teachers proclaim those with faith will have an easy life. This is not true according to the Bible. Many are the afflictions [troubles] of the righteous (Psalm 34:19 NASB).

You have become a threat to Satan’s kingdom for you possess the words that can set the captives free by guiding them to Jesus. And that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26 NIV). The devil covets souls more than anything else and clings to them tightly. In the book of Exodus, God rained ten plagues down on Egypt before Satan released them, as if each plague caused one finger at a time to be lifted.

Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1 KJV). For forty days and nights, Jesus fasted and prayed as his Father gave him all the power, gifts, and abilities (healing, prophecy, discernment, etc.) he would need to complete his mission on this earth—securing salvation and liberty for the enslaved human race. Satan knew if he could tempt the Lord to sin, just once, our hope of eternal life would be lost forever. Only a sinless and perfect Lamb of God could meet our Father’s standards as the sufficient sacrifice. Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:18–19 ESV).

As Christians, our mission is to tell others of the Lord’s great salvation so they too can have eternal life. Satan knows sin will diminish our effectiveness as soul winners, so he attacks. The devil doesn’t kick a sleeping dog. You are awake now. Get ready for trouble!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)

Trouble (Satan’s Tactics)

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the

eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

—1 John 2:16 (KJV)

Times change, and the devil evolves with the times, but his tactics still have the same purpose (inciting disobedience to God) as they did when he first tempted Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [lust of the flesh], and that it was pleasant to the eye [lust of the eyes], and a tree to be desired to make one wise [pride of life], she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Genesis 3:6 KJV). Today the modern sins imprisoning mankind are still rooted in the lust of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life.

• Flesh. Illegal drugs caused the deaths of over 70,000 Americans in 2017. Cigarettes kill nearly 1,300 Americans each day. Food (obesity related) causes nearly 3 million deaths worldwide each year. Sexually transmitted diseases cause at least 23,000 US deaths per year. (CDC statistics, 2017)

• Eyes. It is with the eyes one sees and then wrongfully desires something or someone that belongs to others. Thou shalt not covet (Exodus 20:17 KJV). Adam and Eve were perfectly content until they saw the forbidden fruit, which led to their downfall.

• Pride of life. Anything of the world that evokes arrogance, boasting, or elevation of one’s self. Abundance of wealth, education, physical appearance, fame, or pedigree can cause one to think one is somehow better than others. Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18 NIV).

• All temptations leading to self-indulgent sins have the same demonic design: to separate us from our Creator. Hebrews 11:25 (NIV) explains how the pleasure of sin is fleeting. People sin for enjoyment, but God calls sin lawlessness (1 John 3:4 NIV) and warns us of the consequences.

• Physical consequences. There is no health in my bones because of my sin (Psalm 38:3 ESV).

• Spiritual consequences. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear (Isaiah 59:2 ESV).

• Eternal consequences. The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:41–42 KJV).

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)

Trouble (Godly)

Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.

—James 1:2 (NASB)

James and the other New Testament authors spoke several times about how we should rejoice in trials. They had encountered many troubles in their lives and spoke from personal experience. Here are a few reasons for their optimistic view on trials.

• Change. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10 ESV). We realize God can transform us into the image of Christ much more during the hard times than the easy times.

• Stronger relationship with Jesus. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 KJV). We know we will grow closer to Jesus through this process.

• Peace. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27 ESV). A new level of peace is found.

• God’s power. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV). We cling to God through renewed prayer and Bible study—releasing his power in our lives.

• Deliverance. Many are the afflictions [troubles] of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:19 NASB). Like Moses, we can say with confidence, Fear thee not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today (Exodus 14:13 KJV).

• We are God’s children. "For the Lord disciplines those he