Monday, April 6, 2015

SPIRITUAL WARFARE—PART 3 CONCLUSION



(Continued From Part 2)


CAN A CHRISTIAN HAVE A DEMON?
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8);
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept [of the Word], and garnished [worldly].  Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation (Matthew 12:43-45).
Can a Christian be oppressed and tormented by demons?  The answer is “yes” and please do not consider me an enemy because I tell you the truth (Galatians 4:16).  Although those who disagree will stand on the argument that the devil cannot cross the bloodline of Jesus Christ, they forget that a believer can cross the bloodline by committing willful sin and not repenting (Hebrews 10:26).  Backsliding into sin can lead to apostasy, a fallen state when a believer develops an “evil HEART of unbelief, in departing from the Living God (Hebrews 3:12).”
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:4-6).

God created man as a free moral agent, not as a mindless robot.  God is a covenant-maker, not a covenant-breaker.  He can never go back on His Word, but a believer can.  If a believer, by an act of his free will, chooses to step outside the hedge of God’s protection by committing and continuing in willful sin, he will be fair game to demons.  Remember, if a Christian fornicates like a sinner, he can have a demon like a sinner.  If a Christian develops a heart of unbelief, departs from the faith, and slips back into the world, he has a demon or demons (Hebrews 3:12).  If a Christian is deceived, carnally-minded, worldly, devilish, or has “left his first love,” he needs to repent and seek deliverance, but before such a captive can be set free, he must acknowledge that he has a problem and seek help (James 1:22; Romans 8:6; James 4:4; James 3:15; Revelation 2:4.)
If you don’t know your enemy as well as the back of your hand, it is time that you get serious and become educated.  Until you know your enemy, you are at a distinct disadvantage, particularly if you are playing games, because Satan is dead serious and is playing for keeps!



Believers can learn a lot about spiritual warfare by studying one of my favorite World War II historical figures, four-star General George Smith Patton, Jr., Commander of the Seventh United States Army and later, the Third United States Army.  Although audacious and profane, General Patton was one of the ablest and most controversial U.S. commanders in World War II.  He distinguished himself in various campaigns including the invasion of North Africa and the capture of Sicily.  Patton’s expertise in tank command helped frustrate the December 1944 German counteroffensive in the Ardennes at the Battle of the Bulge.  Under his command, the Third Army swept into Germany and into Czechoslovakia, traveling farther and faster on the ground than any army in history.  General Patton’s quotes reveal a lot about his attitude toward the enemy:
“I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight.”
“Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won’t.”
“Battles are won by frightening the enemy.”
“You shouldn’t underestimate an enemy, but it is just as fatal to overestimate him.”
“My men don’t surrender.  I don’t want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he has been hit.  Even if you are hit, you can still fight back.”
“I don’t want to get any messages saying, ‘I am holding my position’ … Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under, or through the enemy.”
As a soldier in the Army of the Lord, what is your mindset concerning your spiritual enemy?  Have you assumed a bold, offensive stand against the enemy, or are you a spineless wimp that retreats and allows the enemy to defeat you?


Spiritual and Physical Warfare have only one thing in common.  When two men engage in a physical fight, each looks for a weakness and opportunity to deliver a disabling or knockout blow.  As Satan’s spies, demons observe believers to ascertain their spiritual strengths and weaknesses and report their findings back to Satan, who then devises a strategy and weapon that will target the believer’s weakness.  Remember, Satan only knows what you choose to divulge to him.  This is why we would do well to emulate the wise believer who once said, “The only thing the devil knows about me is my shoe size, and that’s because he’s under my feet!”

Spiritual warfare, however, is waged using spiritual (not physical) weapons.  A believer in the physical realm cannot possibly fight a spiritual being with physical weapons because demons are invisible and they possess supernatural powers and strength.  Therefore, a believer must battle demon spirits using the many spiritual weapons that are available to him.  These weapons are:

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17).
In the privacy of my home on October 27, 1994—when I was hungering and thirsting for more of God (Matthew 5:6)—the Holy Spirit awakened me from a sound sleep and prompted me to pray.  While praying in my known language, the Holy Spirit SUDDENLY fell on me and I began to speak (and later, sing) in an unknown language (1 Corinthians Chapter 14).  I did not ask God for this visitation or blessing.  How could I ask Him for something that I had no knowledge of?  After all, I was a spiritual babe at the time and attending a denominational church that did not believe in, preach, or teach about speaking in tongues.  Nevertheless, God knew my HEART!  He knew that I was hungering and thirsting for more of Him, so Jesus visited me in the privacy of my home and baptized me in the Holy Ghost!  Immediately following that supernatural encounter, I began to have frequent spiritual dreams, accompanied by the interpretation as provided by the Holy Spirit.  This blessing has remained with me for 21 years.  Over those years, the Holy Spirit has taught me that this blessing is also a spiritual weapon.  Why?  Because God has used dreams to:

Bless, Comfort and Encourage;
Counsel, Guide, Instruct and Teach;
Impart Knowledge, Revelation and Wisdom;
Share the dream and interpretation with someone who has asked God for confirmation, or who is unable to hear from God for himself;
Warn me, in advance, of an attack being planned by the enemy, so I can take authority over that assignment and pray God’s Perfect Will in tongues.
Remember, just as God gave Joseph dreams to protect His infant Son from those who sought to kill Him, He will give His children dreams and visions today.  Tragically, many prejudiced and ignorant pastors are misleading their congregations by erroneously teaching that the Nine Supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit—the Vocal, Revelation & Power Gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians Chapter 12—ceased to operate in The Church when the last apostle died.  No scriptures exist to support this false teaching, and I am a living witness to the fact that the supernatural gifts are still in operation today!  Many of these same pastors even preach that healing and deliverance are not included in the Atonement and that they are not for believers today.  Try telling that to the multitudes whom Jesus has healed and delivered!  Again, I am a living witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is very much in the healing and deliverance business!  So, who is teaching false doctrines and who is preaching the uncompromised Word of God?  Satan is the ‘father of lies’ (John 8:44) and he, not God, is the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33)!  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)!” 



This serves as a footnote to my previous testimony about the loss of my cat, Chance.  After Chance was put to sleep, his body was placed in a cardboard pet coffin, which I carried home.  I intended to bury Chance in my back yard the next day.  That night, I couldn’t bring myself to part with Chance who always slept with me, so I placed his coffin on the bed beside me.  This might seem a bit morbid to some people, but it takes an animal lover to understand that his nearness brought a measure of comfort to me.
Before drifting off to sleep, I prayed and asked God to show me where Chance was.  You see, I couldn’t bring myself to believe that death had the final say.  I needed to know that Chance had a soul and that it had gone to a better place—perhaps to a pet heaven—where he was well and happy.  In my grief, I didn’t consider that this request might be “theologically unsound.”  Frankly, I could have cared less.  Anyway, since God communicated with me in dreams, I went to sleep confident that He would give me a dream about Chance while I slept. 
Upon awakening the next morning, disappointment flooded over me as I realized that God had not given me a dream after all.  Needing to unburden my HEART with someone that would understand and offer wise counsel, I called my pastor’s wife, Annie.  As soon as she heard my voice—and before I could say a word to her—she started speaking excitedly: 
“Patty, I am so glad you called because I was getting ready to call you!  Last night, I had the strangest dream and God told me to share it with you.  You see, I dreamed about a cat and I never dream about cats!”
As soon as she spoke these words, my heart started pounding and she had my undivided attention!
Annie continued
“In the dream, I saw a black and white cat!”
She proceeded to describe the cat’s white markings in detail, and the description fit Chance to a tee!  (Annie had never seen even a photo of Chance!)
She continued:
“This cat was running, jumping, and playing in a field of beautiful wild flowers!  And, I clearly saw the faint outline of the spirits of other cats playing with this cat!  Now, why in the world would God give me a dream about a cat and what in the world does this dream mean?!”
Brothers and Sisters, mere words can’t begin to express how I felt at that moment!  Tears of joy flowed unchecked down my cheeks, and in my heart of hearts, I thanked God over and over!  When I was finally able to find my voice, I explained that the dream was meant for me.  I proceeded to tell Annie what had happened to Chance, and the fact that I had asked God to show me where Chance had gone.  Together, we praised God for His tender mercies and concluded that God gave the dream to Annie, instead of to me, because had God given the dream to me, He knew that I would have always wondered if it had only been the wishful and hopeful product of a broken, grieving HEART.  By giving the dream to Annie and then telling her to share it with me, God answered my question and confirmed that Chance’s soul had, indeed, gone to a better place!  Now, many pastors will debate the theological soundness of an animal having a soul and the existence of a pet heaven, but I have no doubt whatsoever!  The fruit of this dream—answered prayer, comfort and joy—speaks for itself! 
This testimony perfectly illustrates how God will give someone else a dream that is intended for you, for good reason.  Annie’s dream was an answer to my prayer, and it brought me much comfort and joy when I most needed it.
The beauty of this testimony is that God has led many people across my path—people who have lost a pet and are grieving.  This testimony never fails to comfort and encourage!
END OF TESTIMONY




MINISTERING ANGELS
For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.  They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone (Psalms 91:11-12);
Then the devil left Him [Jesus], and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him (Matthew 4:11);
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).
Angels have been engaged in spiritual warfare since the fall of Satan (Isaiah 14:12-14; Luke 10:18; Ezekiel 28:11-17), and they will remain involved until the time when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 45:23-25).  The following points outline the basic aspects of this warfare, as revealed in Scripture.

Christ created thrones, dominions, principalities and powers (Colossians 1:16) and, having been seated at the right hand of God, He is far above them (Ephesians 1:20) and they are subject to Him (1 Peter 3:22).  Therefore, Paul was persuaded "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).  This organization of angels is clearly seen with fallen angels, as Paul makes clear in this admonition:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  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.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:10-13). 
These are spirit beings in rebellion against God with whom we as saints must wrestle.  Principalities are beings of the highest rank and order in Satan's kingdom.  The powers derive their authority from and execute the will of the chief rulers.  Then there are the world rulers of the darkness of this age, followed by wicked spirits in the heavenlies.  Daniel gives us an example of wrestling with such beings.  After Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks, Gabriel appeared and said:
… from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I am come for your words.  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia (Daniel 10:12-13).
The prince of Persia here is the satanic prince who is ruling the kingdom of Persia for Satan who is recognized in Scripture as being the god and ruler of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).  God also has trusted angels who have various ranks, listed below.  Michael is mentioned as “one of the chief princes,” the prince of Israel (Daniel 10:21; 12:1).  In the middle of Daniel’s seventieth week, there will be a final war in heaven in which Michael and his angels will cast Satan and his angels out of heaven for all time (Revelation 12:7-9).  The different orders of God's angels are:
Archangels reveal or manifest God’s authority, dominion, and rule, engage in warfare and protect the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7);
Cherubims understand the work of the Holy Spirit and lead worship in heaven (Ezekiel 10:1; Revelation 4:8);
Common Angels appear to the saints and minister for the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14);
Living Creatures protect the throne of God.  They are involved in worship and the prophetic (Ezekiel Chapter 1);
Seraphims understand the revelation of God and His nature, and are involved in God’s glory (Daniel 10; Isaiah 6:2).
A few interesting facts about angels are:

They are activated by faith and by God’s Word, not by doubt and unbelief.  Therefore, if you want your guardian angel to act on your behalf, you must speak the Word of God (Genesis 24:40; Psalms 103:20);
They are not to be provoked (Exodus 23:20-23);
They are not to be worshipped (Colossians 2:18);
They can be disguised as strangers (Hebrews 13:2);
They deliver saints from the enemy (Acts Chapter 12).



To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified (Isaiah 61:3);
But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost (Jude 1:20).
Demon spirits hate and flee from an atmosphere of praise and worship which draws God’s Presence.  So, if a spirit of heaviness (depression) gets on you, listen to some praise and worship music and join in!  And, if you have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, praying in the Spirit will strengthen your inner man!


Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  And He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27);
For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaks mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2).
Praying in tongues, or “in the Holy Ghost,” (Jude 20) is a mighty TOP SECRET weapon against the devil for the following reasons:

A believer who prays in tongues communicates mysteries to God that Satan cannot understand;
Praying “in the Holy Ghost” is two-way communication.  While praying in tongues, a believer receives revelation and wisdom directly from the Holy Spirit;
A believer may not know how to pray in his known language, but when he prays in tongues, the Holy Spirit prays a perfect and powerful prayer through him by joining with the believer’s SPIRIT as it speaks mysteries to God.
The supernatural gifts of Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10) are given as the Spirit wills after a believer receives, by faith, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit which is ministered by Jesus (John 1:33; Acts 1:5).  This baptism is referenced in Acts 19:1-6:

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, he said unto them, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?  And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.  And he said unto them, unto what then were you baptized?  And they said, unto John's baptism.  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied.
If you are a “born again” Christian and you have not received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I urge you to do so.  We are living in very perilous times and the devil, who knows his time is short, is escalating unprecedented attacks, using demon-possessed people to persecute and murder Christians worldwide.  Every believer who comprises the Church of Jesus Christ needs every supernatural weapon and gift at his disposal to stand strong and victorious in these evil days (Ephesians 6:13).  I personally believe that Jesus Christ’s Second Coming is very close at hand!



And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes (Daniel 9:3);
And when He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we cast him out?  And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28-29).
Fasting accompanied by prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy!  Sometimes prayer alone isn’t enough to break fortified strongholds and yokes of bondage.  The purposes of fasting are:

Assures success in casting out demons (Matthew 17:21);
Breaks every yoke of bondage (Isaiah 58:6);
Chastens the SOUL (Psalms 69:10);
Enhances spiritual discernment and hearing (Acts 13:2);
Frees the oppressed (Isaiah 58:6);
Humbles the SOUL (Psalms 35:13);
Lifts heavy burdens (Isaiah 58:6);
Looses bands of wickedness (Isaiah 58:6);
Weakens the FLESH and strengthens the SPIRIT (Psalms 109:24; Matthew 15:32).
The duration of biblical fasts varies:

All night (Daniel 6:18; Acts 10:30);
One Day (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6);
Three Days (Esther 4:16);
Seven Days (1 Samuel 31:13);
Fourteen Days (Acts 27:33);
Forty Days & Forty Nights (Exodus 34:28; Matthew 4:2).



I have a revelation for many Christians.  Your spiritual armor doesn’t attach itself.  You are responsible for putting on your armor and wearing it day and night.  A soldier during war-time never takes off his armor.  He even sleeps in it because he knows the enemy can attack at any time and he must be ready:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11).
Your spiritual armor (listed below) ensures that you are INVULNERABLE, INPENETRABLE, and VICTORIOUS!

Armor of Light (Romans 13:12);
Armor of Righteousness (2 Corinthians 6:7);
Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14);
Breastplate of Faith and Love (1 Thessalonians 5:8);
Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:15);
Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17);
Loins Girded (Luke 12:35);
Prayer (Ephesians 6:18);
Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16);
Sword of the Spirit [The Word of God] (Ephesians 6:17).


THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD AND NAME OF JESUS CHRIST!  Satan and his demons are out to destroy us, but we can defend ourselves, our families and our possessions by pleading the Blood of Jesus and invoking His Name:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death (Revelation 12:11);
And John answered Him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name, and he follows not us: and we forbad him, because he follows not us.  But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in My name, that can lightly speak evil of Me.  For he that is not against us is on our part (Mark 9:38-40).
We have victory over evil because Jesus shed His blood on the cross.  Remember, the devil was defeated at the cross!

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15);
He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
Jesus gave His disciples—which includes you and me—authority over demons:

And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:18-20).
Years ago, one of the first principles of warfare that the Holy Spirit taught me while I communed with Him in our “secret place” (Psalms 91) of prayer, was to plead (or apply) the Blood of Jesus for His divine protection.  So, every day and night, I plead the Blood of Jesus over the following:

My BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT
My house and storage building, and every point of entry (windows and doors)
My car
My loved ones
My office
My pets

In his tract Honor the Blood, W. B. Young writes:

“There must be a personal application of the blood of Christ in order to stem the tide of spiritual destruction in the life of the child of God… It is a personal matter. ‘The blood shall be to you for a token. When I see the blood, I will pass over you.’ (Exodus 12:13). The blood, applied by sprinkling, was all that was required for peace of mind and rest of heart.  It took away all fear of the destroying angel.  It was not mere interest in the blood, nor belief in its power; nor appreciation of its worth that availed.  It was the applied blood that counted.  Truth was translated into action.  So it is with the blood of the Lord Jesus.  It is effective against satanic floods when applied by faith.  A proper application of His blood to a given situation, if the believer is operating from a cleansed position, always brings deliverance.  It never fails…”
Brothers and Sisters, I and many believers have found this to be the Truth!  We have also learned that the authority Christ has given us can be exercised over threatening weather conditions, just as Jesus did:
And when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep.  And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.  And He said unto them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?  Then He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.  But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him! (Matthew 8:23-27).
YES, INDEED!  Year-round, I make it a point to closely monitor the weather because Satan, the “prince of the power of the air,” (Ephesians 2:2) will assign and dispatch weather demons to wreak havoc, destruction, and death.  I think you will agree that weather can bring a deadly package of severe climatic conditions including heavy rain and snow, sleet, large hail, high wind gusts, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, deadly lightning strikes—all of which can result in power outages, structural damage and destruction, and loss of life.  As soon as I learn that a potentially dangerous weather front is approaching, I pray as follows:
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I take authority over all approaching storms.  I bind and break their power of destruction and death.  I take authority over large hail and bind Euroclydon winds, and I command these storms, “Peace be still.”  In the name of Jesus, I command these storms to redirect to unpopulated areas where they can do no harm to people and property.  I plead the blood of Jesus over my home, storage shed, car, and the tree in my back yard, and I thank you Lord that no weapon that is formed against me shall prosper! (Isaiah 54:17; Matthew 18:18; Mark 4:39; Acts 27:14).


PERSONALIZE & CONFESS PSALMS 91
Every day, I personalize, read aloud, and stand on the promises of Psalms 91, also called “The Soldier’s Prayer:”
She that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.  Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover me with His feathers, and under His wings shall I trust: His truth shall be my shield and buckler.  I shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day; Nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand shall fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it shall not come nigh me.  Only with my eyes shall I behold and see the reward of the wicked.  Because I have made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, my habitation; There shall no evil befall me, neither shall any plague come nigh my dwelling.  For He shall give His angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways.  They shall bear me up in their hands, lest I dash my foot against a stone.  I shall tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall I trample under feet.  Because she has set her love upon Me, therefore will I deliver her: I will set her on high, because she has known My name.  She shall call upon Me, and I will answer her: I will be with her in trouble; I will deliver her, and honor her.  With long life will I satisfy her, and show her My salvation.



I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (Matthew 3:11);
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).


A deep spiritual hunger exists today that I believe originates from man’s innermost longing and need to be reconciled to his Creator.  Satan knows this and provides counterfeit, deceptive demonstrations of his limited power [via psychics and aberrant mystical manifestations like UFOs, Bigfoot, etc.] (2 Thessalonians 2:9).  As a result, more and more deceived people are turning to Satan worship and occult practices to satisfy their spiritual hunger.

Satan doesn’t want Christians to hunger and thirst for more of God—to the extent that they desire and seek the infilling of the Spirit, or the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Satan’s strategy has been to place obstacles and hindrances (fear, prejudice, unbelief, false teaching, etc.) in the way of any Christian who desires to advance to a higher level of spiritual growth.  He does this because he wants the Church of Jesus Christ to be spiritually blind and powerless, and filled with lukewarm, passive, wimpy Christians.  Has he succeeded?  You be the judge!  If such Christians ever hope or expect to do greater works than Jesus did (John 14:12), they must let go of false teachings that dictate that the Vocal, Revelation, and Power gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased to operate with the last apostle died.  This is a lie straight out of hell, and Satan is using it to render God’s Army impotent!

The New Testament clearly teaches that God wants ALL of His children (not just a select few) to walk in victory over the enemy.  The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural equipping that empowers believers for effective witness and service.  It is available to every believer who hungers and thirsts for righteousness.  When a sinner repents and is “born again,” the Holy Spirit indwells him (1 Corinthians 3:16).  When Jesus baptizes a believer in the Holy Spirit by prayer and the laying on of hands, the Holy Spirit infills him (Matthew 5:6; Acts 4:31; 8:14,18).

The New Testament church, as depicted in the Book of Acts, is God’s “model” church, which God intended the Body of Christ to emulate.  The early church was powerful because believers received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and operated in the supernatural gifts.  Satan’s “denominational doctrine” was not part of God’s Plan for the Church of Jesus Christ!
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE BAPTISM:

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural experience that is usually separate from, and following, Salvation (John 20:22; Acts 19:2);
It is God’s FREE gift to every “born again” believer, and it is received by faith (Luke 11:13; Acts 2:38-39);
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the Baptizer (Matthew 3:11);
The Baptism is evidenced by the believer speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; 8:12-19; 9:17; 1 Corinthians 14:18);
The Baptism is Jesus’ promise of “rivers of living water” (John 7:37-39; 4:13-14).
Life in the supernatural begins after we receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The benefits of this baptism are:

We are empowered to conquer every strategy and assignment of the enemy (Acts 1:8);
We are empowered to become bold witnesses and effective soul winners (Acts 1:8);
We are enabled to flow in a new dimension of praise and worship, which is also a spiritual weapon (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16);
We receive a prayer language, which energizes our prayer life, making us powerful and effective prayer warriors and intercessors (Jude 20; James 5:16);
Our physical bodies are energized so we can walk in divine health (Romans 8:11; John 7:38);
We are equipped to walk in the Agape Love of God (Romans 5:5);
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit opens us up to the supernatural realm of the kingdom of God and is the gateway to flowing in the nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 14:1);
When we pray in tongues, we speak mysteries to God that Satan cannot understand.  We also receive revelation knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit (Luke 8:10; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 14:2);
We receive a higher level of faith which emboldens us to cast out devils and lay hands on the sick, expecting to witness miraculous deliverances and healings (Mark 16:17-18);
We experience righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17).


Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren … there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).
The REVELATION Gifts:

Word of Wisdom
Word of Knowledge
Discerning of spirits

The POWER Gifts:

Faith
Gifts of Healing
Working of Miracles

The VOCAL Gifts:

Prophecy
Divers Kinds of Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Satan perpetrated the heretical lie that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the Nine Supernatural Gifts ceased when the last apostle died because he fears this weapon!  There are no Scriptures that support these false doctrinal teachings.



The Apostle Paul taught that there is to be no schism (division) in the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:25).  And, yet 38,000 denominations exist in the world today!  So, DENOMINATIONALISM is the harvest of Satan’s doctrinal lies!  God never intended for the Church of Jesus Christ to be divided.  Jesus warned that a house and kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24-25). 
 
A denomination is usually based and created on the beliefs of one influential man whose private interpretations of Scripture may be at the very least faulty, and at the very worst, heretical!  The problem is, such a man is interpreting Scripture based on his limited knowledge and understanding rather than on divine revelation imparted by the Holy Spirit, who provides the interpretation (2 Peter 1:20).  Therefore, if the founder and his followers swallow a lie of Satan, then they split and form a new denomination.  Denominationalism has resulted in the Church of Jesus Christ becoming divided instead of united in purpose.  Satan’s doctrine of denominationalism is directly responsible for:

The Church of Jesus Christ being fractured, divided, spiritually blind, powerless and mute!;
Churches being filled with passive, apathetic, lukewarm Christians that fall asleep in their pews (Revelation 3:16);
Churches being filled with deceived zealots that fall into error because they forsake The Word to seek manifested “signs and wonders,” which Satan is more than willing to provide (2 Thessalonians 2:9);
Christians of one denomination believing they are superior to Christians of other denominations.  Some Christians wouldn’t be caught dead attending a church outside of their denomination.  This constitutes elitism, pride, favoritism, prejudice, and idolatry, all of which are grievous sins!;
Young people leaving home churches in search of the “real deal,” only to get sucked into Satanism and the practice of witchcraft.



Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward hungry.  And when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.’  But He answered and said, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’  Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, And said unto Him, ‘If thou be the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.’  Jesus said unto him, ‘It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said unto Him, ‘All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship Me.’  Then said Jesus unto him, ‘Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’  Then the devil left Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him (Matthew 4:1-11);
Each time that Jesus was tempted by something the devil said to Him, He answered by speaking the Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).  In all things, but particularly where spiritual warfare is concerned, believers should follow Jesus’ example!


And, I have a closing word for those who blaspheme, discredit, and mock The Holy Bible.  It is not an outdated history book, or a book of fairy tales and myths, and it is not a book of allegories and contradictions.  IT IS THE LIVING, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, INFALLIBLE, HOLY SPIRIT-INSPIRED, WRITTEN WORD OF THE LIVING GOD, AND THE TRUTH AND WISDOM WITHIN ITS PAGES BENEFIT AND ENRICH THE LIVES OF ALL GENERATIONS!

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17);
For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of SOUL and SPIRIT, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the HEART (Hebrews 4:12).


Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23);
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Jesus set aside His divinity to become a man.  As a man, he experienced the same challenges, heartaches, and temptations that are common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13).  Before His earthly ministry began, He could not walk in His divine power as the Son of God, to resist temptation and then ask His disciples (and us today) to resist temptation as mere humans.  As a man (and not as God), He showed us that it is possible for us to live a sinless life.  Living an obedient, holy life is a choice and decision that every believer must make.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Because Jesus never sinned, and because He was submitted and obedient to His Father, Satan had to flee from Him when Jesus resisted him by speaking The Word.  The same principle of spiritual warfare applies to believers today:
Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up (James 4:7-10).
In order to wage successful warfare against devils and to be recognized, respected, feared, and obeyed by them, a believer must live a submitted, obedient and holy life before God.  Demons know that deceived, carnal, worldly, and devilish Christians have no authority over them because they are playing games with God.  Demons do not respect, fear, or obey such Christians because Satan has them exactly where he wants them—living in willful sin and hell-bound! 
Consider what happened to the “sons of Sceva:”
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.  And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?  And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded (Acts 19:13-16).


On the flip side, demons know which believers they “cannot touch” and why (1 John 5:18).  Obedient Spirit-filled Christians that “live and walk in the Spirit” and are “led by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25; Romans 8:14) pose a serious threat to Satan’s kingdom and demons recognize, respect, fear, and obey them when they exercise their authority and speak the Word of God. 


And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing (Isaiah 10:27);
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19);
But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him (1 John 2:27).
The anointing is divine energy that comes upon you and separates you from yourself and fills you with God’s power!  As a result, when you speak, God is speaking through you and when you act, it is God acting. 

The purpose of the anointing is to break the yoke of sin, sickness, fear, poverty, demons, and anything and everything that is not of God.  So, remember, whatever you are going through, God has equipped and anointed you to be a victorious overcomer!

Men and women of God have operated in the anointing throughout history.  While being eaten by lions, they sang songs.  While being blindfolded and waiting for bullets to pass through their bodies, they prayed in peace.  While Stephen was being stoned, he looked up to heaven and said, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60).  These believers paid the ultimate price for their commitment to the cause of the anointing.  

Besides being the power of God, the anointing is joy, passion, power, glory, confidence, boldness and authority.  The anointing will make you cry and laugh.  Under the anointing, you will rise up in righteous indignation.  It is the power to preach, sing, witness, testify and do spiritual warfare.  It is peace.  It can take its time to come upon you, or it can come suddenly.  It is both meek and strong.  The anointing will get you through the death of a loved one, the rebellion of a child, the midnight of a divorce, the challenge of a special-needs child, or the pain of a suffering parent or loved one.

More than ever before in history, individual believers and The Church of Jesus Christ need more of the anointing!



Brothers and Sisters, I have been a Christian for 28 years.  I am not proud of the fact that I have allowed devils to have their way with me at times.  I am an imperfect human being and I have made my share of mistakes and wrong decisions which left me vulnerable and open to spiritual attacks.  The important thing is that I learned hard lessons that I will never forget or repeat.  Today, I am walking in victory and running the race that God has set before me (Hebrews 12:1).  I am a soldier in the Army of the Lord, and I am fighting the good fight of faith, while trusting God to do what I cannot in my own strength (1 Timothy 6:12).  My daily goal is to be the kind of soldier that strikes FEAR in the enemy!  When my feet hit the floor in the morning, I like to think that demons tremble and groan, “Oh No!  She’s up!”  My hope and prayer for you today is that you will join the growing ranks of seasoned, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led soldiers who are operating in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, exercising their authority in Christ, putting on their armor, wielding their weapons of warfare, boldly and fearlessly running toward the enemy, and fighting to win!

BE BLESSED & VICTORIOUS!


END OF 3-PART TEACHING


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