As believers we must have only one single source of instruction. That would be God and His Word (Bible) which has been around since the beginning. (John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God). Our God is a God of truth and He does not lie (Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began). It is important to understand that we have no choice but to believe whatever is said in the Bible if we are true believers. We stumble when we believe in the lies of Satan who will do everything is his power to make life miserable. His whole method of operation is to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” John 10:10. Jesus says in this same verse “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Satan will always do the opposite of God and will lie to convince you that God is not telling the truth. 1 John 2:21-22 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
There is a basic way to determine what is from God and what is from Satan. God brings you love, joy, and comfort. Satan brings guilt, condemnation and torment. Easy to recognize the difference here but harder to overcome when in the heat of the battle.
Let’s touch on the area of sin. We are all sinners and fall short of the Kingdom. Fortunately, God sent His only son to die for ALL our sins from the beginning of time to the end of time. We simply confess our sins to Jesus and we are forgiven. There is no other payment required for our sins. They are forgiven. God does ask something in return. He asks us to make every effort to not sin again. If we slip up, we confess our sins to God and we are forgiven. Eventually, that particular sins goes away and that is what God wants. He knows we are not perfect.
God’s promises:
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Next, we will talk about guilt and condemnation. What did we say earlier about Satan? Satan wants us to feel guilt and to blame ourselves for our sin. Satan brings great condemnation. God wants the opposite. God wants you to feel His love and his comfort. God does not want us to feel bad after we have confessed our sins and we cannot let Satan or anyone convince us otherwise.
Again, God will forgive us for all our sins if we confess our sins to Him. We go on with our lives in this regard because our sins are forgiven. One key to avoid condemnation is to understand that we also need to forgive ourselves for sinning and not take on the burden of feeling horrible for our sin. There is no reason to feel bad if God has forgiven our sin.
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
It is only when we don’t believe in God’s Word and His promises that we open the door for Satan and his dark kingdom to wreck havoc in our lives. Take authority (Mark 16:17) and rebuke Satan when he attacks you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came in the flesh. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee James 4:7.
Jesus loves you and will protect you. BELIEVE!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Spiritual Warfare
The subject of spiritual warfare that we are about to discuss is the most neglected and unknown subject in the Christian world. The church does not educate the flock to the degree that is necessary to overcome the enemy. This subject is virtually ignored. One quarter of the ministry of Jesus Christ was casting out unclean spirits. Not only was Jesus busy casting out demons but he had to deal with everyone from Satan to the Pharisees to doubters coming against him. We will discuss this later in a story about Jezebel.
Satan and his dark kingdom are always at work trying to destroy us. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. He comes at us in so many ways and we don’t know how to stop it because of our lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Yet, if we read God’s Word we would find our authority to be able to battle the enemy.
Mark 16:17 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
John 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
My wife and I began studying spiritual warfare and deliverance seven years ago out of necessity. We wanted to understand why things were happening to us that had no rhyme or reason. Through research, studying and meditating in the Bible, and getting revelation from the Lord, we have started to understand how the enemy works. There is so much we don’t know. With that knowledge, attacks from the dark kingdom began and it has been intense for my wife and I. Understand, Satan does not want you to know about him. He does not want you to learn the authority in Jesus name that you have over him and the dark kingdom.
A special note to consider. When God chooses you or chooses someone to do work for God’s Kingdom such as church ministries or standing in the gap as intercessor, you can expect Satan to do everything in his power to stop it. The attacks could come from temptation, doubts, worry, incurable diseases, and pride to name a few. Finally, some of the biggest attacks come from people in your private (especially families) and professional life.
Elijah the prophet was a great man of God who came against Jezebe’ls hundreds (1 Kings 18:22) of false prophets in a showdown of their gods and the God of Israel. Long story short, Elijah won out and destroyed the false prophets (1 Kings 18:40). Jezebel did not like this and 1 Kings 19 shows how Satan can work through people like Jezebel to come against God’s people.
1 Kings 19:1-4
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
Satan used Jezebel to come against Elijah who was so distraught (spirit of depression) that he wanted to kill himself. As you can determine, Satan is very powerful and we are at risk. He never rests and he is relentless.
Things to remember about Satan:
New believers in Christ have a special place in the kingdom. Understand that we have to nurture them and protect them because Satan will work to get them to go back to their old ways.
He will go after your family to get to you.
He will use other people to come against you.
He will always use your areas of weakness (bondages) to attack you. We all have weaknesses.
He will always go after your mind.
He will attack your physical body as he did in Job. Most people attribute cancer and other incurable diseases to genetics or being exposed to different things but refuse to believe that Satan or spiritual forces may be at work. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. This is why Jesus gave us the authority to heal (Mark 16:18) because he knew we would need this authority to heal.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Do not allow yourself to be destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Don’t depend on anyone to educate or teach you. The Bible, The Holy Spirit, warfare books and knowledgeable people are available to show you how to overcome the enemy.
Believe and use The Whole Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10:16
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Satan and his dark kingdom are always at work trying to destroy us. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. He comes at us in so many ways and we don’t know how to stop it because of our lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Yet, if we read God’s Word we would find our authority to be able to battle the enemy.
Mark 16:17 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons;
John 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
My wife and I began studying spiritual warfare and deliverance seven years ago out of necessity. We wanted to understand why things were happening to us that had no rhyme or reason. Through research, studying and meditating in the Bible, and getting revelation from the Lord, we have started to understand how the enemy works. There is so much we don’t know. With that knowledge, attacks from the dark kingdom began and it has been intense for my wife and I. Understand, Satan does not want you to know about him. He does not want you to learn the authority in Jesus name that you have over him and the dark kingdom.
A special note to consider. When God chooses you or chooses someone to do work for God’s Kingdom such as church ministries or standing in the gap as intercessor, you can expect Satan to do everything in his power to stop it. The attacks could come from temptation, doubts, worry, incurable diseases, and pride to name a few. Finally, some of the biggest attacks come from people in your private (especially families) and professional life.
Elijah the prophet was a great man of God who came against Jezebe’ls hundreds (1 Kings 18:22) of false prophets in a showdown of their gods and the God of Israel. Long story short, Elijah won out and destroyed the false prophets (1 Kings 18:40). Jezebel did not like this and 1 Kings 19 shows how Satan can work through people like Jezebel to come against God’s people.
1 Kings 19:1-4
Elijah Flees from Jezebel
Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
Satan used Jezebel to come against Elijah who was so distraught (spirit of depression) that he wanted to kill himself. As you can determine, Satan is very powerful and we are at risk. He never rests and he is relentless.
Things to remember about Satan:
New believers in Christ have a special place in the kingdom. Understand that we have to nurture them and protect them because Satan will work to get them to go back to their old ways.
He will go after your family to get to you.
He will use other people to come against you.
He will always use your areas of weakness (bondages) to attack you. We all have weaknesses.
He will always go after your mind.
He will attack your physical body as he did in Job. Most people attribute cancer and other incurable diseases to genetics or being exposed to different things but refuse to believe that Satan or spiritual forces may be at work. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. This is why Jesus gave us the authority to heal (Mark 16:18) because he knew we would need this authority to heal.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Do not allow yourself to be destroyed due to a lack of knowledge. Don’t depend on anyone to educate or teach you. The Bible, The Holy Spirit, warfare books and knowledgeable people are available to show you how to overcome the enemy.
Believe and use The Whole Armor of God
Ephesians 6:10:16
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
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