Don't Look Down

By Denise Amirante

There are times in our lives when the trials, traumas and challenges we face leave us dangling on the edge of broken faith. Before we know it, we've fallen far from the love that can save us. We may be blinded by daunting fear, debilitating depression, personal doubt, or the lie of unworthiness...at the bottom of a dark and lonely hole with only one way up.

Don't Look Down will breathe new life into dead places, bring healing into broken hearts, and lift you to a new-found crazy faith with the certainty of knowing you were born to live on purpose. It will help you...

• Develop a firm foundation to walk confidently in who you are in Christ despite where you've been.
• Discover that you won't have to worry about not being good enough anymore because your God is enough.
• Gain a heavenly perspective that will position you to overcome trials.
• Learn to love yourself the way Jesus loves you.

Today is the day to look up. As you let go of the fears that hold you back, you can change your perspective and your world forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Called Creatives Publishing
• Release date: Sep 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798987834367

Denise Amirante

After her early years working as a professional stuntwoman and television and film actress, Denise Amirante is ready to share from the pages of her life. In her first book, Don't Look Down, Denise writes about her call to follow Jesus and how it parallels her experience working as Jennifer Grey's stunt double, dancing with famous actor, Patrick Swayze, in the famous log scene in the smash 80's movie, Dirty Dancing. Denise has a Certificate in Biblical Studies and is pursuing an Associate Degree in Religion from Liberty University online. She is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, & Speaker and the founder of Use Me, Tuesday -- a prophetic prayer ministry where she sets up in coffee houses. Denise lives in Spring Hill, TN with her beloved cockatiel, Valentine. Learn more about Denise here: www.deniseamirante.com

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Don't Look Down

Copyright© 2023 by Denise Amirante

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Library of Congress Number: 2023910503 ISBN: 979-8-9878343-6-7 (ebook) | ISBN: 979-8-9878343-7-4 (paperback) | ISBN: 979-8-9878343-8-1 (print) 

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Any internet addresses (website, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement from Called Creatives Publishing, nor does Called Creatives Publishing vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved.  No portion of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form – electronic, printed, photocopied, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission from the author.  The use of short quotations is permitted.

Published in association with Called Creatives Publishing, www.calledcreativespublishing.com

Cover design: Called Creatives Publishing

Interior design: Denise Amirante

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2023 – First Edition

Introduction

Every non-fiction book tells a real story, and the Bible is no different. From the beginning of its historic pages when God created the heavens and the Earth to the fall of man to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the future prophetic judgment of the seven churches, God breathed His written word through Holy Spirit-inspired men. His story was penned for the whole world to read 2,000 years ago.

God made it very clear in the beginning through His written Word that He exists. He also made it clear that Satan exists. Not only do both exist, but both have a plan for our lives. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I (Jesus) came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV) Satan knows he can’t destroy God, but he can destroy what God has created, and that means you and me. And he will go to every extreme to accomplish his ends. In an interview with Larry King in 2005, Billy Graham stated, There are two great forces, God’s force of good and the devil's force of evil, and I believe Satan is alive, and he is working, and he is working harder than ever, and we have many mysteries that we don’t understand. Below is the story of how Satan came into the world and remains in the world that we live in today.

Who is Lucifer

It all started out pretty nicely in heaven when God created His most beautiful angel above all other angels and named him Lucifer. Lucifer was the most adorned angel in heaven. He was God’s chief angel, covered in gold and all kinds of jewels from head to toe. He was literally an instrument with harps, a tambourine, and the flute, all a part of his own body. The prophet Ezekiel reflects, You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of the fiery stones. (Ezekiel 28:12-14 NKJV) Satan was an instrument of music, most likely the director of music created to make music to worship God.

The Pride

All was well in Lucifer’s world until he wanted to be just like God. It wasn’t enough to be God’s angel above all angels. No. Lucifer wanted more power, and he didn’t stop going after it. Well, that only lasted for so long before God had no choice but to take action. Satan’s greed for control persisted until finally, God was left with no other choice except to throw him out of heaven.

Ezekiel also compares Satan’s pride with that of the prince of Tyre. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. (Ezekiel 28:17 NIV) Satan’s pride was his greatest downfall. Lucifer wasn’t the only one thrown out of heaven. Along with him wentone-third of the angels that followed him. And guess where they ended up? That’s right, here on Earth. At that point in history, Lucifer’s name was changed to Satan. The Earth is Satan’s domain. This is how Satan ended up in the garden with Adam and Eve.

The Perfect Life

When God made Adam and Eve in His image, they were the perfect people, had a perfect relationship with God, and lived in a perfect place. That all changed when Satan entered the picture. At the time of creation, God gave Adam and Eve one command: ...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it, you will certainly die. (Genesis 2:17 NIV) God was not talking about a physical death but a spiritual death. God gave Adam and Eve the gift of free will, and it was that very gift that led them outside of the boundary lines of God’s grace and protection. Although God gave them everything they would ever need, they still wanted more than God offered them.

The Fall

Satan opposed the very word of God and told Eve, You will not certainly die. (Genesis 3:4 NIV) Eve listened to the voice of Satan over God’s voice and was curious as to what would actually happen if she ate from the fruit. This is where the fall comes in. On the day when Eve took the first bite of the fruit from the tree, sin was born into the world. Everything that was once made perfect became broken, and with sin came fierce repercussions that the whole world would begin to face. Death is now introduced to the world and mankind.

Today, this is why there is every form of rebelliousness against God. Billy Graham said, Death wasn’t part of God’s original plan for humanity, and the Bible calls death an enemy—the last enemy to be destroyed. Satan is known as the prince of this world. Be careful that you are not so ignorant of his ways to the point that you turn your back on the God who made you in His image. Peter tells us, ...the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4) Satan is the reason evil exists, God is not.

The Warning

When Satan was thrown out of heaven, he didn’t get a second chance to get it right as we do through Jesus, and he is extremely unhappy about that! Satan has a counterfeit for everything God does. He will twist and pervert the word of God until we become deceived by him and eventually make choices in our lives that reflect his perversion. In the same way, God works in and through us, Satan also works in and through us if we allow him to. Satan cannot get inside our hearts; only God can do that. However, Satan works through our minds and has the power to harden our hearts which can influence the choices we make. Jesus warns us of Satan in John 8.

"If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God, and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but He sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father, the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character,