10-22-11
I received an understanding this morning. I had just read the Word of God and was praying and out of nowhere I got the following. It is based on Luke 11:24-26, 24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” I hope I can properly convey in words this understanding. I had trouble understanding what the verse “seven other spirits more wicked than himself” meant.
Once we give ourselves to Jesus we begin our sanctification process. As new believers we make every effort to rid ourselves of our wickedness (sin). We become more mature and start to understand our authority in the name of Jesus. Therefore, we are now known to the dark kingdom and the battle begins. There is a breech and the dark kingdom is on alert and reinforcements are sent. In the Word of God we are given the authority to cast out demons (Mark 16:17). The unclean spirits that we cast out of ourselves (verse 24) have been working in us for many years and they don’t like the dry places. They seek to return to the person they have been cast out of.
26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” This is the verse that has been puzzling to me. Why has the evil spirit come back with “seven other spirits more wicked than himself?” We have swept and put in order our lives, but that is just the beginning. We are mistaken to think that just because we are saved and have cast out demons that we have nothing to worry about. We can’t be so naïve to think that the dark kingdom has given up on us? The evil spirit that has gone out of you is waiting for you to open up the door of sin for him to come back with his reinforcements. He can’t stand against you and the kingdom of God like he did before when you were an unbeliever. He needs seven more evil than himself to take back the ground he had prior to your conversion. They are more dangerous now and are threat to your relationship with God and your salvation.
Try to put this into perspective using the story of the demon possessed man in the country of Gadarenes. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Mark 5”9. I am sure this man as a little child was his parent’s bundle of joy with almost no sin. He allowed sin in his life that eventually resulted in a legion of demons controlling him. Weren’t we all a bundle of joy before we succumbed to temptation and sinned resulting in evil spirits working in our lives? The difference between this man and us is we have the Word of God to show us how to avoid seven (and many more) other spirits more wicked than himself from returning to your spiritual house.
It is my prayer that this helps you as it has help me.
Tony Sanchez
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Adult Temptations
I want to add to the Temptations of the Young that I sent out to you all last week so we can better understand the magnitude of our temptation that we are facing as adults and how the temptation is never ending. We will start with the following verses.
Luke 4:1-13 1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” 5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ 11 and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” 13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Look at verse 2 where it reads about Jesus being tempted for 40 days. Only three temptations are described in these passages, but were typical of a much wider struggle in which Jesus and the devil engaged. The attacks of Satan continued nonstop for 40 days and continued throughout Jesus’ ministry. Can you imagine being attacked by Satan himself as Jesus was? Of course not. We have enough problems handling Satan’s lesser evil spirits.
The temptations from Satan and his evil spirits will not cease for us either unless we recognize them as Jesus did and rebuke the temptations. Below are temptations from the dark kingdom spirits that we experience each day as a tormentor or as the tormented.
Critical Spirit – Have you ever criticized or been on the receiving end of criticism?
Judgmental Spirit – Have you looked at someone and judged them or been judged?
Lying Spirit – Have you ever exaggerated a story or said something to make you more than what you are? Or lied so that you would not be found out?
Spirit of Slander – Have you ever said something that was not 100% accurate? Does gossip have a stronghold in your life?
Unloving Spirit – Is there someone in your life that you don’t or can’t love including yourself?
Spirit of Anger – Who doesn’t get angry.
This are just a few of the hundreds or even thousands (Mark 5:9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”) of sins that have been manifested in your life as a result of temptation. At one time they were only temptations until we succumbed to the enemy. If you don’t believe in spirits or that evil spirits will work in you then you need to read in God’s Word Mark 8:32-33: He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Classic example of Satan working through a person to come at Jesus or even you in this present day.
Our temptations are overwhelming. The world is acting out these temptations leading to much sin. The world is degenerating to the point where God will not allow it to go on much longer just as in the days of Noah (Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man).
God has given us a Savior who shows us how to overcome Satan in Luke 4:8 “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” We also are to only worship the Lord our God “and nothing shall by any means hurt you Luke 10:19” if we follow His instructions.
The Day of the Lord Is Coming
2 Peter 3:3-7
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
Luke 4:1-13 1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” 5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ 11 and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” 13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Look at verse 2 where it reads about Jesus being tempted for 40 days. Only three temptations are described in these passages, but were typical of a much wider struggle in which Jesus and the devil engaged. The attacks of Satan continued nonstop for 40 days and continued throughout Jesus’ ministry. Can you imagine being attacked by Satan himself as Jesus was? Of course not. We have enough problems handling Satan’s lesser evil spirits.
The temptations from Satan and his evil spirits will not cease for us either unless we recognize them as Jesus did and rebuke the temptations. Below are temptations from the dark kingdom spirits that we experience each day as a tormentor or as the tormented.
Critical Spirit – Have you ever criticized or been on the receiving end of criticism?
Judgmental Spirit – Have you looked at someone and judged them or been judged?
Lying Spirit – Have you ever exaggerated a story or said something to make you more than what you are? Or lied so that you would not be found out?
Spirit of Slander – Have you ever said something that was not 100% accurate? Does gossip have a stronghold in your life?
Unloving Spirit – Is there someone in your life that you don’t or can’t love including yourself?
Spirit of Anger – Who doesn’t get angry.
This are just a few of the hundreds or even thousands (Mark 5:9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”) of sins that have been manifested in your life as a result of temptation. At one time they were only temptations until we succumbed to the enemy. If you don’t believe in spirits or that evil spirits will work in you then you need to read in God’s Word Mark 8:32-33: He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Classic example of Satan working through a person to come at Jesus or even you in this present day.
Our temptations are overwhelming. The world is acting out these temptations leading to much sin. The world is degenerating to the point where God will not allow it to go on much longer just as in the days of Noah (Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man).
God has given us a Savior who shows us how to overcome Satan in Luke 4:8 “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” We also are to only worship the Lord our God “and nothing shall by any means hurt you Luke 10:19” if we follow His instructions.
The Day of the Lord Is Coming
2 Peter 3:3-7
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Temptation
Hello all,
Tonight I was at the table with my wife and grandson Zechariah talking about temptation. I was explaining to him that the Word of God is quick and powerful and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). There is a difference between a thought and intent. You cannot have intent without a thought, but you can have the thought and not have the intent. Intent is the thought set into motion. You can have un-forgiveness in your heart as a thought, but cast it down as an imagination and it does not go into motion. Temptation is not sin. You can have every evil thought known to man and if you do not have the intent behind it and put it into motion, it is not sin to you. It is just temptation.
Zechariah said “So you can have every evil thought come into your mind and it is not sin?” I told him that this is correct but at the same could be dangerous. Understand that the enemy will keep coming after you with the same thoughts that he knows are a weakness in you and eventually he will wear you down. The enemy will stay after you until you bend and eventually break causing you to sin. The enemy is relentless and his intent is to destroy you. If you are not sinning, the evil spirits are in torment. When you sin, the evil spirits are joyful and you are in torment.
Therefore, it is important to cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5) every temptation in the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
It is our responsibility is to teach our young people spiritual things; they must learn to discern the thoughts of their own mind. If the thoughts of their mind do not line up with the Scriptures, it is not of God. There is no middle ground. The top of the fence is not 50 feet wide with you sitting on it. You are either in the kingdom of God or you are in the kingdom of the devil, every minute of your day. It is as simple as that. There is no neutral territory. If you remain neutral, the tormentor wins and you lose. If the tormentor wins, you are worshipping the enemy and not God.
Perhaps, we should remember to apply to our selves, the things we teach our young people above?
God have mercy on us,
Tony Sanchez
Tonight I was at the table with my wife and grandson Zechariah talking about temptation. I was explaining to him that the Word of God is quick and powerful and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). There is a difference between a thought and intent. You cannot have intent without a thought, but you can have the thought and not have the intent. Intent is the thought set into motion. You can have un-forgiveness in your heart as a thought, but cast it down as an imagination and it does not go into motion. Temptation is not sin. You can have every evil thought known to man and if you do not have the intent behind it and put it into motion, it is not sin to you. It is just temptation.
Zechariah said “So you can have every evil thought come into your mind and it is not sin?” I told him that this is correct but at the same could be dangerous. Understand that the enemy will keep coming after you with the same thoughts that he knows are a weakness in you and eventually he will wear you down. The enemy will stay after you until you bend and eventually break causing you to sin. The enemy is relentless and his intent is to destroy you. If you are not sinning, the evil spirits are in torment. When you sin, the evil spirits are joyful and you are in torment.
Therefore, it is important to cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5) every temptation in the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
It is our responsibility is to teach our young people spiritual things; they must learn to discern the thoughts of their own mind. If the thoughts of their mind do not line up with the Scriptures, it is not of God. There is no middle ground. The top of the fence is not 50 feet wide with you sitting on it. You are either in the kingdom of God or you are in the kingdom of the devil, every minute of your day. It is as simple as that. There is no neutral territory. If you remain neutral, the tormentor wins and you lose. If the tormentor wins, you are worshipping the enemy and not God.
Perhaps, we should remember to apply to our selves, the things we teach our young people above?
God have mercy on us,
Tony Sanchez
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