Tag:

Spiritual Warfare

The Fire Of God Cleanses And Empowers

by John Mathai April 4, 2022

Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit and fire. Many forget the fire part of the baptism. John baptised that people may come to repentance. Jesus baptises with fire. There are two baptisms. One is through water and the other through fire. Most of us are content to receive water baptism to signify repentance and new birth in Christ. How many of us desire to be baptised in fire? Yet this is what is lacking in the church. Some would contend that there are three baptisms. One is water, Holy Spirit and fire. We must be prepared to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and fire to lead a victorious life.

Spiritual Warfare

Our flesh is always contending against our spirit. Our spirit is born again and redeemed but our flesh is being redeemed. We live in a body which will one day die. There is therefore a war between the flesh and our spirit. Demons can influence our soul and our body but not our spirit. This is what spiritual warfare is all about. There is a constant need to be on fire to resist the flesh. Most of us are content to be sitting back and compromising with our flesh. No one can compromise with the enemy and win. The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force. This is not physical force but spiritual. We have the Name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus as weapons to overcome the attacks we face daily. The word of God challenges us to keep vigilant lest we become complacent and lose our salvation. We are called to be warriors against the forces of darkness that rule this world.

Victorious Living

How can we stand but to fight our battles on our knees. The Christian calling is to be on the front lines. We cannot take over the enemy’s territory unless we fight. Our enemy are spiritual entities and just as Jesus confronted them so do we too. There is little teaching on this subject in churches and so the church is weak and blind. Today let us take up arms and be baptised in fire for the battle before us is fierce. We cannot afford to sit back and watch. We have to enter into the fray and take back what the enemy has stolen. We have the whole host of heavenly forces behind us as we step out in faith. We can change history as we do so in Jesus Name.

Dr. John Mathai

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Use These 3 Types Of Words To Win Any Spiritual Battle

by Kyle Winkler February 14, 2022

written by Kyle Winkler

Most names in Scripture are less of a name and more of a job description. Those that describe the enemy are no exception. “Satan,” “devil” and “accuser” not only reveal who he is, but they also describe what he does. And that’s good news for us. Because by implication, the enemy’s names reveal the strategic ways to counter what he does in spiritual battle.

The Identities Of The Enemy

Most people know the enemy’s prominent Old Testament name, “Satan.” After all, the Bible references it 52 times. “Satan” is the Hebrew word for “adversary,” which defines him as one who not only opposes God but also God’s people.

Nearly tied in recognition with “Satan” is the enemy’s New Testament name, “Devil.” “Devil” is a Greek word that means “slanderer.” As you probably know, to slander is to destroy someone’s reputation with lies. That fittingly details how he works against Christians.

The third common name for the enemy comes from the specific ways he opposes and slanders. It’s, “the accuser.” In the final book of the Bible, the apostle John uncovers how the enemy works in this role: “For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10, ESV).

The Means Of Our Victory

Though the enemy works against us in various ways, the Bible describes a single, simple way to instantly kick him out of our lives. Just after John characterizes him as “the accuser,” he explains that the way to counter his wiles is with words: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11, ESV).

Discovering that words have Satan-silencing power shouldn’t be much of a surprise to Christians. As I detail in my Win With Words series, the Bible frequently teaches that words are vehicles of success and transformation for many areas of life. With words, God spoke the creation into existence (see Genesis 1). Words play a vital part in the process of salvation (see Romans 10:9). Words are what Jesus used to resist the devil (see Matthew 4). And as we’ve just seen from Revelation, words are what we may use to resist him, too.

The 3 Kinds Of Words That Win

The right words spoken in the right moment can change everything in the moment. But in spiritual warfare, I must stress that we use words only to defeat the enemy’s attacks, not the enemy himself. That’s because Jesus already defeated him on the cross (see Colossians 2:15). Nothing we do or say can accomplish what Jesus did once and for all by His blood. Our words work only because they assert Christ’s victory over the enemy’s attacks of opposition, slander, and accusation.

With that said, let’s now get strategic about what to say in these moments of attack.

Word #1: The Word Of Your Testimony

“Look what you’ve done! You are guilty!” That’s usually the start of how the enemy’s accusations begin. As “the accuser,” he whispers reminders of past sins and present struggles to insist that you should be punished by God. His hope is that you’ll fixate on the truth of what you did do or do battle, and therefore forget the greater truth of Jesus’s sin-forgiving, punishment-taking, judgment-ending bloodshed on the cross. The enemy knows that the notion that God is disappointed or mad is the greatest source of insecurity, fear, and many of our most toxic emotions. That’s why he works this angle so hard.

Believer, never allow the accuser to minimize the work of Christ in your life. The amount of evidence brought against you doesn’t matter. At the moment of your faith in Jesus, the righteous Judge threw out all evidence of your wrongdoing. That means that when the enemy comes accusin’, you may quickly send him packing with the word of your testimony. I like to say something like this: “The blood of Jesus means I am not guilty, but I am guilt free!”

Word #2: The Word Of God

Like an accusation, the enemy builds his slander on truth, which he couples with what he claims it means about you. It might sound like, “You failed back then, therefore you are horrible/unlovable/unusable today.”

Ultimately, the enemy hopes to damage your righteous reputation in Christ, even if only in your mind. That’s why the most effective counter to this attack is the truth of God’s Word related to who you are in Him. My favorite rebuke to the enemy’s slander is based on 2 Corinthians 5:21: “He who knew no sin became my sin so that I am right with God.”

Word #3: Words Of God’s Character

Finally, the obstacles the enemy often uses as “adversary” are physical attacks like sickness, disaster, and trauma. Though most people mistake that his goal with these is to cause pain, his goal is more harmful than that. The enemy uses physical attacks to convince people to distrust God.

We hear it all the time in culture. Unbelievers often say that they refuse to believe in a god who allows such tragedy in the world. But this tactic of blaming God for every problem doesn’t work only on unbelievers. Over time, the enemy coerces many believers into a distant relationship with God because of what they experience.

While physical attacks are certainly challenging, they don’t mean that God is out to get you. To ensure that what you endure doesn’t get between you and God, keep the truth about God’s character on your mouth. I’ve found that nothing repels the adversary more than the short proclamation, “God is good!”

A Final Word

Friend, please know that whatever you face—whether accusation, slander, or opposition—these are only the desperate attempts of an enemy who is defeated. Nothing he does—no matter how real it feels—can really destroy you. The cross killed his power (see Colossians 2:14–15). Therefore, you need not waste any more effort on the enemy than what it takes to use God’s Word to say, “Shut up, devil!”

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February 14, 2022 0 comment

Faith Featured

Making Your Stand In An Evil World

by Dr. William M. Wilson February 7, 2022

written by Dr. William M. Wilson

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:9 NIV)

“If you don’t take your stand in faith, you won’t have a leg to stand on.” (Isaiah 7:9 MSG)

Our world is engaged in a battle between the light and darkness, good and evil, integrity and corruption, holy and profane, pure and impure, pride and humility, and between the Lord of hosts and the prince of darkness.

The lives of over 7.5 billion people on this planet are the arena for this battle and the goal of the conquest. The world’s population is greater than ever, so the stakes for this spiritual war are the highest they have ever been.

So, like it or not, wanted or not, you are the object of war and in a battle for your life. Many will be overwhelmed by the forces of darkness. However, God is raising and equipping a group of believers that will stand up and answer the call to engage the enemy.

God’s Word points to a spiritual army infused by God’s Word and animated by God’s breath. Ezekiel envisioned a valley of dry, dead bones, representing the hopes and aspirations of God’s people. God told Ezekiel to speak to the bones and they came together and flesh came upon them, but they were still laying there dead. God then tells Ezekiel to breathe upon the bones and as he did, the bones came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast army.

I believe this represents the army God is raising up today who respond to the Word of the Lord, experience the breath of God, and will rise to make a stand for God’s kingdom. I believe they will have supernatural victories and change the world.

Paul wrote to take our stand against the devil’s schemes, not against people, but against “rulers, authorities, powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:11).

To “stand” means to maintain our position in the face of pressure. Throughout history, this has been God’s call to those who serve Him—to take a stand.

· God spoke to Jeremiah, “Stand against the whole land. … They will fight against you, but will not overcome you, for I am with you” (Jeremiah 1:17-19).

· God said to Ezekiel, “Stand up on your feet, and I will speak to you.” Ezekiel records, “As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet (Ezekiel 2:1-2).

· To Daniel, God said, “Consider carefully the words I’m about to speak to you and stand up.” Daniel records, “When he said this to me, I stood up” (Daniel 10:11, 19).

· After experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter moved from the place of repose and fear into a place of courage and boldness (Acts 2).

· To Paul, God said, “Get up and stand on your feet. I’ve appeared to appoint you as a servant and as a witness” (Acts 26:16).

Today, principalities and powers want Christians to cower, retreat and run away. But God is calling us to stand in the face of the enemy and trust Him.

In the epic film “The Return of the King,” Aragorn made a stand against Sauron and his kingdom of darkness. “Hold your ground,” he said. “A day may come when the courage of men fails…but it is not this day.”

The Lord of the Rings was written by a Christian author, J.R.R. Tolkien, who put not-so-subtle messages of Christianity in his works.

The point is, when we feel surrounded, we can stand firm on the Word of the living God, and God will give us the victory. The Bible is filled with people who made a stand.

· When Israel was at the Red Sea, Moses said, “Stand still and see the glory of God.” They were out-equipped but not “out-faithed.”

· Gideon went from cowardice to boldness and though he was outnumbered, he was not “out-faithed.”

· David stood on God’s Word before Goliath. He was out-trained, but he was not “out-faithed.”

· Jehoshaphat was attacked by the Moabites and prayed. The answer came, “This battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.” He was “out-attacked” but not “out-faithed.”

· In one of the greatest sieges of human history, King Hezekiah got a word from Isaiah that the enemy would not prevail. The next morning, 185,000 enemy warriors were dead without Hezekiah ever raising a sword. He was out-maneuvered, but he was not “out-faithed.”

· Surrounded, Elijah’s servant was frightened. Elijah asked God to “open his eyes.” God opened his eyes, and the servant saw chariots of fire and angels on all the hillsides. He was overwhelmed but not “out-faithed.”

Conversely, when King Ahaz was under attack, Isaiah gave him a message. He chose instead to seek help from the world. He was defeated. Ahaz refused to trust the living God. As a result, he was not even buried with the other kings of the nation.

The message is the clear message for us today. If we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all. If we don’t take our stand in faith, we won’t have a leg to stand on.

In this generation, we are all going to feel under pressure, both overwhelmed and under attack. But we can stand on God’s Word. Trust Him. Believe him. Put our faith in Him.

The forces of darkness, waves of wickedness, and a flood of evil and impurity are raging in our world today. The devil is trying to bully God’s people because when we make our stand against the kingdom of darkness, all hell turns loose against us.

But God’s Word is true: “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me” (Isaiah 54:17).

When you make your stand on the Word of God, hell will attack, but God will use those who prevail to change the world.

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February 7, 2022 0 comment

Faith

Laughter Is A Weapon In The Kingdom

by Sarah Crockett January 10, 2022

written by Sarah Crockett

The Kingdom of God is not like any other Kingdom. Many say it’s the “upside down” Kingdom, but it’s actually the way things were intended to be before the apple was eaten.

Kingdom Weapons

2 Corinthians 10:4 best describes the weapons of the Kingdom of God, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” We see here that the weapons that God has given us have two unique attributes – “divine power” and the ability to “demolish strongholds”. They are not like the weapons of this world!

Laughter Is A Weapon

Psalm 2:4 says, “The One enthroned in Heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” The Lord is demonstrating the use of one of His Kingdom weapons as He looks down on the nations.

Jesus didn’t come to earth as a Warrior King. He came as a baby. This in and of itself reveals that His Kingdom is not of this world. As mentioned above, the weapons of His Kingdom have divine power and can demolish strongholds. Thus, things like laughter, peace, patience and joy become weapons full of divine power that have the ability to demolish strongholds.

Demolishing Strongholds

Are you facing any “strongholds” in your life? Strongholds are simply places in our lives where we feel stuck. We can’t stop doing that thing or start doing something we’d like to be doing. What if you began to wield the Kingdom weapon over that are of your life? Hebrews 11:1 teaches us that faith is “being sure of what we hoped for” and “certain of what we do not see.”

What if, by faith, we used laughter to begin tearing down the strongholds in our lives. How about doing the same in the lives of those around us! Peter, by faith, stepped out of the boat and walked on water.

What would happen if you and I stepped out of the proverbial boat? How would life look if we began to intentionally use the weapons of the Kingdom?!

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Get Free From The Demonic And Experience True Abundance

by John Mathai January 2, 2022

written by John Mathai

This world and all that is in it is controlled by Satan who is the god of this world. There are millions of demons who oppress us daily whether we are aware of it or not. We may excuse their influence by calling it an accident or that it is due to psychological problems. However underlying most situations and issues are demons acting beyond our awareness. It is only spiritual people who can discern the underlying demonic activity. The spiritual man discerns what is of the flesh and what is of the spirit. The spirit world is real and we can see evidence of this all around us. Leaders are influenced by demons. They are sent to steal, kill and destroy. Therefore when you see these destructive things happening it usually is the work of demonic entities working through humans.

The Cross

We need to give access to demons for them to act through us. The church has failed to teach on this subject as it mainly operates in the soulish realm. The church has compromised with the world to preach a gospel of happiness rather than a gospel of salvation. It is only the Holy Spirit that can save. Messages that tickle the soul will never save a soul. It is time for the church to wake up to deal with the real enemy of our soul. This is only possible when the church preaches the good news of God’s goodness that will lead people to repentance. The Cross is the only way to God. Without repentance there is no salvation through the Cross of Jesus. Satan was dealt a lethal blow at the Cross. It is only the message of the Cross that can save a soul from being deceived by the devil.

The Church

Now is the time for the church to wake up and be the church. However, it may be too late and like the story of the ten virgins five may be left behind. We must be prepared to meet the Bridegroom when He comes. He may come anytime and only those who are prepared and ready will meet with Him. Are you prepared to meet Him? I look forward to meeting Him. I prepare myself by praying and meditating on His word. I fill myself with His Spirit daily and listen to His voice guiding and leading me. I take authority over the demonic and give them no room to prevail. In this way I advance God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Come and join me and be prepared to spend eternity with Him.

Dr. John Mathai

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January 2, 2022 0 comment

Articles

Demonic Infiltration Can Compromise Your Faith

by John Mathai December 12, 2021

written by John Mathai

Demonic influences are not talked about much in Christian circles these days. The demonic is real yet many churches do not teach on this subject. Many are unaware or ignorant of the source of their problems because of lack of knowledge. The demonic is real and becomes more real when one is engaged in spiritual warfare. We do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. These principalities and powers belong to a Satanic kingdom that war against the Kingdom of God. How do we become aware of this kingdom of darkness?

Evil

God opens our eyes to see that there is evil in this world. The police and government are placed to protect the people from the forces of evil. However evil manifests itself through people. People behave in certain ways that manifest the works of evil. We cannot see evil just the same way we cannot see God. However we can see the manifestation of the works of evil and the works of God. We cannot see the wind but we can feel it and see it in its manifestation. So also we need the gift of discernment to know the presence of evil. When we discern evil we can bind it and cast it out. This blindness of evil is seen as psychological or physical problems. The real culprit lies behind the manifestation.

Infiltration

Infiltration by demons into our daily lives is a reality. We see this manifestation in the sexualisation of all things and the degradation in society of what once was evil being seen as good. The present move to naturalise transgender issues are an example of this kind of evil infiltrating our daily lives. Many are forced to compromise and welcome what is evil and so become evil. Beware of the insidious infiltration in all walks of life influencing children, families and society at large. We are called to be holy and separate from the world we live in. However the church largely has compromised with evil. It is time to repent and be separate so the world can see the light and salt we are called to be.

Dr. John Mathai

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December 12, 2021 0 comment

Articles

Revoking The Legal Rights Of The Enemy

by Rhoda Gayle June 4, 2021

written by Rhoda Gayle

Courts of Heaven author, Robert Henderson, talks about revoking the legal rights of the enemy and establishing legal rights on earth as it is in Heaven.

Robert Henderson

In an episode of Equipping the Saints, with hosts Che Ahn and Joy Ahn Ngu, Robert Henderson talks about the spiritual legal rights here on earth. The author and leader goes on to explain how our actions and words can affect the spiritual world.

The Scripture has taught us to approach God in prayer as a Father, as a Friend, and as a Judge. God as a judge explains the spiritual legal rights here on earth. As people of God, we have the right to establish the binding contract in heaven to let heaven come to Earth.

“We have the right to see the promises of God brought into Earth,” Robert explained. “In other words, we can see and establish binding contracts in heaven that let heaven come to Earth.”

Legal Rights

We need to revoke the legal rights of the enemy here on earth. Spiritual warfare is loosing the strategies of Heaven.

“We need to know how to undo, and dissolve or lose the strategies of hell that are giving the enemy a legal right to operate on the Earth,” he added.

All we have to do is to submit ourselves to God and align ourselves to His will and authority.

“The key is submitting ourselves to God which is about bringing myself into an alignment, into an agreement, into legal rights standing with heaven. So that now, what I do from that position the devil has no power to resist me.”

How to Get Breakthrough | Robert Henderson | Equipping the Saints

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June 4, 2021 0 comment

Articles

Defeating Unbelief, An Enemy Of Your Faith

by Jennifer LeClaire November 10, 2020

written by Jennifer LeClaire

With Babylon rising, cruel bondage is a reality for many in the body of Christ. Many blood-bought believers are running what feels like an endless rat race that steals their energy—and often their dreams and visions of a better tomorrow. I assure you there is a way of escape, but there’s a behemoth standing in between you and God’s best for your life. It’s an enemy so insidious that it’s difficult to recognize and perhaps more difficult to cast out because its very nature is to rob the faith you need to overcome it. That enemy is called unbelief. But nothing is too hard for God!

Unbelief is often the result of deferred hope that makes the heart sick (Prov. 13:12). This is not a new enemy. Rather, unbelief is an ancient foe that continues to oppress modern-day “believers” despite the centuries-old revelation that the just shall live by faith (Heb. 10:38).

thinking-businessman

Falling on Deaf Ears

When the Lord made promises of deliverance to the children of Israel in Exodus, those promises fell on deaf ears. Since faith comes by hearing, the spirit of unbelief works to deafen our ears so we can’t listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to the church. And unbelief often works through oppression.

God said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.” (Exodus 6:2-9 NLT)

Unbelief And Discouragement

Is that you? Do you tune out during church because you’ve heard it all before and nothing ever changes? Have you stopped your daily devotions because you are too exhausted from work to spend time with the Lord? What types of thoughts go through your head when you lay down at night? What about when you get up in the morning? Are you discouraged by the brutality of Babylon?

The Amplified Bible translation of Exodus 6:9 says, “they refused to listen to Moses because of their impatience and anguish of spirit and because of their cruel bondage.” The Message says they were “beaten down in spirit by the harsh slave conditions.” Babylon (the world’s system) will certainly beat you down—and enslave you—if you let it. But you don’t have to let it. You can take a stand by the choice of your will to believe God’s promises and shut out the work of unbelief. You can renew your mind and send unbelief running.

Shaking Off Unbelief

I used to have a spirit of unbelief. Although I was studying faith, I simply was not able to apply the principles of faith with any success. I even doubted my own salvation. I was also full of fear and doubt, two other combatants to faith. Even still, I recognize unbelief trying to creep into my soul and put me back in bondage. We all have to fight the good fight of faith—every day (1 Tim. 6:12).

I’m declaring to you right now that it’s time shake off the impatience. By faith and patience, we inherit the promise of God (Heb. 6:12). It’s time to shake off the spirit of anguish. God has not given us a spirit of anguish. He’s blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3). It’s time to shake off the bondages in our lives, whether that’s debt, religion, or some type of sin that’s hindering intimate fellowship with God.

Saints, it’s time to combat the spirit of unbelief that’s keeping us from our Promised Land. It’s time to fight the good fight of faith with fiercer determination than ever before. I’m talking about walking in the victory Christ died to give you. I’m talking about walking free from every bondage, including unbelief, that’s holding you back from your destiny. I’m talking about resisting the devil. He has to flee. Amen.

November 10, 2020 0 comment

Articles

Forgiveness: A Stealth Spiritual Warfare Weapon Satan Can’t Stand

by Jennifer LeClaire October 22, 2020

written by Jennifer LeClaire

My imagination was running wild. I couldn’t comprehend how someone who claimed to be a Christian could leave town on Christmas Eve without finishing the construction work in my home he was paid to complete a month earlier. I was literally shocked that this man, who I’d known for years, would essentially leave me living in a construction zone without any way to take a shower or cook a meal. Forgiveness was not even on my radar.

I was seething mad. But I was also violating Scripture. The Bible tells us to cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (see 2 Cor. 10:5-6).

When we meditate on the thoughts the enemy puts in our minds, we are setting ourselves up for destruction. In this case, the enemy was playing on the injustice to set me up for bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. Thankfully, I caught on to the enemy’s plan and brought those thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ, being quick to forgive and trusting God to be my Vindicator.

Forgiveness: Your Stealth Weapon

If the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, then forgiveness may be among your stealthiest weapons. The enemy never sees it coming. Think about it for a minute. God used forgiveness to deliver us from the enemy’s camp. All we have to do is repent and receive that forgiveness to remain free from oppression and condemnation the enemy heaps on our souls when we sin.

But there’s another side to that truth: When we walk in forgiveness toward others, the enemy cannot put us into bondage to resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness. When you look at forgiveness through this lens, it becomes a powerful weapon that keeps your heart free and clean.

Forgiveness is a double-edged sword. If you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you (see Matt. 6:15). Unforgiveness hinders your fellowship with God and affects your anointing. You may still command devils in the name of Jesus, but authentic spiritual authority is diluted when you fail to obey God’s command to love people. Love and unforgiveness do not flow from the same spring.

If you do not forgive, it will hinder your prayer life. Jesus said, “Whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25) Spiritual warfare falls under the umbrella of prayer. How can you effectively bind devils when you yourself are bound with unforgiveness? Unforgiveness puts you at a clear disadvantage on the spiritual battlefield.

spiritual-warefare-checkmate

Overcome Evil With Good

Spiritual warfare is more than binding devils in Jesus’ name. Spiritual warfare is forgiving those who oppose you, hurt you, or persecute you. And not only forgiving but blessing them. And not only blessing them but trusting God to avenge you.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered revelation on how to deal with people who mistreat you: “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:44) How can you apply that revelation if you aren’t willing to forgive?

You may not feel like forgiving. And you may feel like giving that someone a piece of your mind. You may not feel like blessing your enemy. And you may feel like telling the whole town what they did. You may not feel like showing kindness. And you may feel like putting your wrath on display. But when you do you give the enemy a toehold, which can lead to a foothold, which can lead to a stronghold.

The weapon of forgiveness is mighty not only to pull down strongholds but to prevent the enemy from establishing a stronghold in the first place. Indeed, forgiveness is a powerful weapon—one that is too often neglected in our binding and loosing exercises. So, before you head to the battlefield, consider that the Lord is long-suffering and slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and loving-kindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression (see Numbers 14:18 AMP).

The Lord is a warrior—and He never loses a battle. When you follow His lead and forgive—when you set your heart to overcome evil with good and allow God to take vengeance—you can’t lose. Amen.

October 22, 2020 0 comment

Articles

What to Do When You Feel Like Giving Up

by Jennifer LeClaire September 24, 2020

written by Jennifer LeClaire

“Open your ears, God, to my prayer; don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking. Come close and whisper your answer. I really need you. I shudder at the mean voice, quail before the evil eye, as they pile on the guilt, stockpile angry slander. My insides are turned inside out; specters of death have me down. I shake with fear, I shudder from head to foot. ‘Who will give me wings,’ I ask—’wings like a dove?’ Get me out of here on dove wings. I want some peace and quiet, I want a walk in the country, I want a cabin in the woods. I’m desperate for a change from rage and stormy weather.” Sounds like someone is giving up.

Those aren’t my words. They are the words of King David in Psalm 55:1-8 (MSG). But I can certainly relate to those words, and you probably can too.

If you’re like me (and David), there are times when you feel like God just isn’t listening. Mean voices are rising with guilt and condemnation or angry slander. You feel like you’ve prayed your guts out. You’re battling fear. You just want to fly away, to escape the trial. And you want to run off to a cabin in the woods. You need a break from the stormy weather—and you need it now. But you’ve tried everything and nothing changes.

You are on the verge of giving up.

Flesh Wars Against Spirit

So, what do you do when you feel like giving up? Do you go on a sleep marathon, hoping to escape the harsh reality? Or do you veg out in front of the television with a bag of potato chips and a pint of ice cream (and put on a few pounds), watching anything that will keep your mind off the pain? Do you call your friends to rehearse and rehash the drama, hoping they will have a prophetic word? Or maybe you wallow in self-pity? Do you drown your pillow with tears (Ps. 6:6)? I’ve done all those things, but none of it helps.

So, what should you do when you feel like giving up? You do what David did a few verses later in the same psalm:

“I call to God; God will help me. At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh deep sighs—he hears, he rescues. My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger even while thousands are lined up against me. God hears it all, and from his judge’s bench puts them in their place. But, set in their ways, they won’t change; they pay him no mind. … Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin. … And I trust in you.” (Ps. 55:16-19, 22-23)

Giving Up Is Not an Option

I know all too well what it feels like to be on the verge of giving up. And I know all too well the temptations to revert to the world’s comfort in the midst of a trial. I know all too well the emotions that come with a raging storm against your family. But quitting is simply not an option. If we lay our weapons down, the devil won’t just forfeit his position and pursue someone else. If we lay our weapons down, we just become an easier target for the enemy. The devil will keep attacking until he’s robbed us of our faith to believe in the goodness of God.

When we feel like giving up, we can take our complaints to God. He can certainly handle it. Like David, we can take our deep sighs to God dusk, dawn, and noon. But ultimately, we have to come to the conclusion that God does hear us (Ps. 116:1), that He is working on the situation (Rom. 8:28), and that His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9). Ultimately, we have to conclude God is trustworthy (Ps. 9:10). And ultimately, we have to keep on our whole armor of God so we are able to withstand the attacks of the enemy against our mind and, having done all, stand (Eph. 6:13).

Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders. If He carried David’s load and helped David out—and He did—then He won’t fail you. As trite as it sounds, set your heart to trust in God, and you will not be disappointed (Rom. 10:11). Don’t give up.

September 24, 2020 0 comment

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