Showing posts with label devil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label devil. Show all posts

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Spiritual Warfare and the Armor of God


Our enemy is spiritual and invisible. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12).

There's no question we are in a struggle, but how do we fight? Are we supposed to bind the principalities and powers? Are we supposed to tear down regional strongholds? I heard of one Christian leader, who climbed one of the world's highest mountains to do this. That's a valiant effort. But is this kind of behavior true spiritual warfare according to Scripture? Let's get our Bibles out and see.

Armor of God
Let's continue with the passage I've just cited, which is Paul's most explicit teaching on spiritual warfare. He went on to write, "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Eph 6:13-17). God has given us this armor of light as a highly effective protection from darkness when used properly. Now let's review each piece of armor.

The six pieces of armor are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 

The Armor of God is Literal, Spiritual Armor
The armor of God is God's actual armor of light, and is not figurative or symbolic. It comes down from Him in heaven, and it goes on your spirit body. We each have a physical body made of flesh and blood, as well as a spirit body (1 Cor 15:44b). The armor of God is spiritual armor to wear on our spirit bodies.

How to Put On the Armor of God
You may be wondering how to put on the full armor of God, as Scripture instructs us to do. Here is how to do it. Pray like this: "Father, would you please put your complete armor on me now, I ask and thank you for it, in the name of Jesus."

This is what Dr. Rebecca Brown, MD was shown by her guardian angel, as she wrote in her book called, He Came to Set the Captives Free: A Guide to Recognizing and Fighting the Attacks of Satan, Witches, and the Occult. I highly recommend reading this book, which is available from Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and other major retail outlets, as well as used book retailers online.

How Often Must You Armor Up
In Rebecca Brown's book, regarding the frequency with which we must put on the armor, she wrote: "Father says that once every 24 hours will be sufficient. Even as the Lord Jesus told you when He was here on earth that you must take up your cross daily, so must you put on the armor and prepare for battle daily. You must understand that this is very important. Don't forget to ask for it each day. If you don't have the armor on you will get hurt." 

Pray in the Spirit
Lastly, Paul taught that with our armor on we should pray in the Spirit. He wrote: "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." (Eph 6:18). He clarified for the Corinthians, in his teaching about tongues, what it means to pray in the spirit. "Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also." (1Co 14:13-15). When you pray in an unknown language, your spirit prays.

Resisting the devil

One way to combat the enemy is to resist him. Paul wrote: "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." (Eph 6:13) When you take up the full armor, you are able to resist the devil.

James put it like this, "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (Jam 4:7) To resist is to not back down. Don’t give up to the enemy. Don’t give yourself over to the enemy. Don’t give in to the enemy. No matter what tactics he uses, he will be unable to move you off your ground. Stand your ground. The devil will be unable to take control of any area of your life, which is God's territory.

One way to resist the devil is to act in the opposite spirit. This displaces the enemy. What do I mean by displace? When a ship is put into the water, it displaces water. Likewise, if you fill a tub with water all the way to the top, and then get into the tub, you will displace the water, and it will spill out. Where there is a stronghold of pride, walk in humility. This is real warfare. There may be pride all around you, yet in the place where you are standing there is only humility. Your life, which is God's territory, remains under the control of the Holy Spirit. When you act this way, you effectively displace the enemy. You don't have to worry about the enemy reducing you to nothing when you already know you are nothing apart from Christ. It's only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit, because only the Holy Spirit can bring forth this fruit in our lives. We cannot do it in our own strength.

Likewise, where there is a stronghold of envy, walk in kindness and share with others. In place of hatred, walk in love. As Jesus said, bless those who curse you. Love your enemies.  

Pray in the Spirit
Paul the apostle taught us to pray in the Spirit on all occasions for all the Lord's people. He wrote: "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." (Eph 6:18). Notice that we must be alert, too! 

Putting it All Together
Spiritual warfare is more than just casting out demons. It's not just confronting demonic entities that seek to harm, hinder, intimidate, deceive or tempt you. That's just one aspect of it.

You need to make sure that you put on the complete armor of God once per day by asking the Father to put His complete armor on you at that moment, asking for it in the name of Jesus, and thanking Him for doing so. Then walk in confidence. It's very important to do so once every 24 hours, in order to protect yourself from getting hurt. You need not be afraid of the enemy when you are wearing your armor. Pray in the spirit, especially for all the saints.

Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee. Don't back down. Stand your ground and don’t give in to the enemy. And be sure to stay alert, praying in the Spirit on all occasions for all the saints.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Quotations also taken from He Came to Set the Captives Free: A Guide to Recognizing and Fighting the Attacks of Satan, Witches, and the Occult, by Rebecca Brown, MD, copyright 1986, Whitaker House.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Home page for this blog, and you can also find my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Thursday, May 13, 2021

How to Pray for the Devil

In two previous posts, I discussed the importance of Divorcing the Devil and Spiritual Warfare. In this post, I will assume you have already followed those instructions, that you have a relationship with Jesus, have put on the full armor of God, and have divorced the devil. If you haven't done so, then please go back and do so before doing what I suggest in this article. If you try to do what I recommend in this post without first divorcing the devil, you could get hurt, and I don't want that to happen to you.

Now to our topic, which is "How to Pray for the Devil". Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, and the devil is our enemy, so we need to pray for him. However, Jesus taught us to bless our enemies, but we are not to bless the devil. We should always stand against him and pray against him, as we should also do against his demons. The fear of the Lord is to hate all evil (Pr 8:13). Here is one possible way that you could pray for the devil.

Powerful Prayer Against Satan

"Lord, rebuke satan, in Jesus' name! 

I want to remember the devil in prayer before You. It's time for his daily beating. Crush his head like an egg. Shatter his jaw and teeth. Cut out his tongue. Fill his mouth with dung. Give him a splitting migraine headache. Put him in so much pain he won't know his own name. Cut off his horns, poke out his eyes, rip out his hair, pull out his claws. Strike him with nausea and dizziness. Roll him up tightly like a ball, lift him up and slam him to the ground. Knock him senseless. Break his neck and back in several places. Break his arms, legs, and wings. Rip his belly open and spill his guts out like mud in the street. Publicly humiliate him before all his minions and the whole universe. Give him one hundred trillion to the one hundred trillionth power times more torment than he can bear. Strike him with panic and terror. Give him a total and complete nervous breakdown. Throw him into great confusion. Detonate a nuclear explosion inside the devil's head. Bring down a torrent of blazing holy fire upon his head, and consume him to ashes. Bind him with everlasting chains, in Jesus' name!

May the devil now arise and oppose himself, and may his kingdom be divided. May all the forces of darkness now arise and attack each other relentlessly until they are completely destroyed. Let them wear each other out, so that they will have no strength left to attack the saints. Throw them into great confusion and strike them with terror, in Jesus' name!

Everything that can go wrong for the devil from this point forward, will now go wrong. Foil all his plans and frustrate all his purposes, in Jesus' name!

Lord, send forth your mighty angels to cut off all the devil's supply lines and deprive him of all energy sources. Take away all of his weapons. Jam all of his lines of communications, so that no messages would get through -- not even a word -- and so that none of them would know what's going on, in Jesus' name!"

Scriptural Basis

If you would like to know the Scriptural basis for such a prayer, then simply read the Bible. It's full of examples. Read the stories of warfare in the Old Testament. But especially read the imprecatory Psalms. Major imprecatory Psalms include Psalm 69 and Psalm 109, while Psalms 5, 6, 11, 12, 35, 37, 40, 52, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 79, 83, 94, 137, 139 and 143 are also considered imprecatory. For example, Psalm 69:24 cries out to God, "Pour out Your indignation on them, and let Your burning anger overtake them."

Another passage is in Mark's gospel, in which Jesus said, "If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!" (Mar 3:26; cf., Mat 12:26; Lk 11:18). 

There are two passages that come to mind about the enemy turning against each other. One was when the Levites of Israel stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel in song, with a very loud voice (2 Chr 20:23), whereby their enemies arose and attacked each other until they were completely destroyed.

"When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped." (2Ch 20:22-24)

Another instance that comes to mind is when Gideon and his men blew their trumpets and the Lord caused their enemies to turn and attack each other with their swords.

"When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath." (Jdg 7:22, NIV).

Moreover, the Lord promised to throw the enemies of His holy people into confusion.

"I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you." (Exo 23:27)

"But the LORD your God will deliver them before you, and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed." (Deu 7:23).

Furthermore, the apostle Paul said to the saints in Rome, The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." (Rom 16:20; cf., Ps 89:23)

And Jesus said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you." (Luk 10:18-19).

And in the context of what Jesus said in Mark 3, which I quoted earlier, regarding satan not being able to stand and being terminated, the Lord also said, "But no one can enter the strong man's house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house." (Mar 3:27).

"But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'" (Jud 1:9)

"When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." (Col 2:15).

The psalmist King David said, "Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the mire of the streets." (Psa 18:42). The NIV says, "like mud."

The psalmist said, "The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples." (Psa 33:10)

The Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah: "He will roll you up tightly like a ball and throw you into a large country. There you will die and there the chariots you were so proud of will become a disgrace to your master’s house." (Is 22:18)

Jude wrote, "And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day." (Jud 1:6, NIV)

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” (Mt 17:20)

Putting it All Together
I hope this little post has helped to give you some ideas for how you can pray for the devil, as you remember him in your prayers each day. You don't need to be a spiritual giant to do this. All you need is faith as small as a mustard seed, and when you say to this mountain, "Move from here to there!" it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB version of the Bible, copyright Lockman Foundation, all rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. Where noted, Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, all rights reserved. Used by permission. The image of the Battle for the Soul painting by Danny Hahlbohm, copyright 2011 Inspired Art, all rights reserved worldwide, used by permission, www.inspiredart.store.

Author's note I also recommend reading Divorcing the DevilSpiritual WarfareSpeak to the StormThe Name of JesusThe Name Above All NamesSupernatural Power for All Disciples, and Baptized with the Spirit. I invite you to visit the Home page for this blog, and you can also find my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Friday, October 23, 2020

True Freedom

The world may define freedom as being free to do whatever you want and being free from all oversight, all government, all rules, and all laws, being free to come and go as you please. However, the Bible has a different definition of freedom.

The Truth Will Set You Free
"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" (Joh 8:31-32)

Notice He said this to the Jews who had believed in Him, which means they were believers. He said that the way he would know if they were really His disciples was if they would hold to His teachings. In other words, if they would put His words into practice (Mt 7:24), they would really be His disciples. And we all know that the only people who ultimately make it to heaven are disciples of Christ. This is the difference between believers and disciples.

I observe a cause and effect relationship in these verses. The first cause is "if you hold to My teachings." The effect is "then you will know the truth." From this we learn that the way you come to know the truth intimately and personally is by holding to Jesus' teachings. It is not simply through head-knowledge of the truth, but through putting it into practice that you come to know the truth much like you come to know a dear friend through experience together. 

The second cause I observe here is the same as the above effect. In other words, "then you will know the truth" now becomes the second cause. That second cause brings about another effect, which is "the truth will set you free." It's the truth that sets you free, and Jesus is the Truth (Jn 14:6). The converse of this statement is that the devil's lies keep you in bondage. The world falsely believes that indulging the sinful nature is true freedom, which is a lie of the devil, but in reality it is the truth that sets you free. It sets you free from all sorts of bondage, including (but not limited to) fears, phobias, mental illnesses, physical illnesses, sin, and addictions of all kinds.

If you could come to know the truth just by learning it in your head, then everyone that has memorized a few Bible verses would be set free. But we know that many people who have memorized Bible verses are not free but still in bondage. What Jesus taught was that when we come to know the truth by holding to His teachings, then the truth would set us free. As I said, Jesus the Son of God is the One who sets you free.

Sinners are Slaves, But Jesus Sets You Free Indeed
"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.'"  (Joh 8:34-36)

He plainly taught here that everyone who sins is a slave to sin, but if the Son sets you free, then you will be free indeed. You will be truly liberated from the sin that once enslaved you. He's a chain breaker.

I have personally experienced this in my own life. I used to be in bondage to so many different sins, including cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and sexual sins, but Jesus set me free indeed.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is There is Freedom
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2Co 3:17-18).

Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, you will find freedom. In that atmosphere, anything is possible. You might dance, or laugh, or cry, or fall down under the power of God, or lift your hands in worship, or leap for joy, or weep with repentance for your sins, or speak in tongues, or even prophesy. You are free to worship God in Spirit and in truth.

Illustration
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose." (Act 16:25-26).

This is a great illustration of what happens in the spirit when we worship God in spirit and in truth. Doing so brings about a shaking in the spiritual atmosphere and chains are broken off of you. 

God's Word is Not Chained
Paul wrote, "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained." (2Ti 2:8-9).

Even when Paul was chained like a criminal, God's Word was not chained, because it cannot be chained. It is invincible! Nothing can stop it or hold it down.

Death Could Not Hold Him
Jesus is the Word, and even death could not hold Him down.

"As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."'" (Mar 16:5-7)

"But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." (Act 2:24). Since death is the last enemy to be conquered and death could not even hold Him down, Jesus has proven that He is victorious over all. There is nothing that can stop Him, and nothing in your life that He cannot set you free from.

He Frees Those in Slavery to the Fear of Death
"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Heb 2:14-15)

The devil uses the fear of death to keep people in slavery to sin. It's one of his biggest tricks. But Jesus has broken the devil's power and frees those who are held in slavery by their fear of death.

Jesus Proclaims Freedom for the Prisoners
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free..." (Luk 4:18)

The good news is that Jesus came to proclaim freedom for the prisoners. So if you are a prisoner to sin, I am proclaiming freedom to you today in Jesus' name! If you are a prisoner of anything, He can set you free. If you are oppressed, He can set you free. He died on the cross for you, shed His blood, and rose from the dead to make it all possible. 

He Liberates Us From Bondage and Brings Us Into Freedom and Glory
"For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." (Rom 8:20-21)

This passage teaches us that all creation (including all people) has been subjected to bondage, but it will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God

Through Faith In Him We May Approach God With Freedom
"In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." (Eph 3:12)

We Were Once in Slavery
"So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world." (Gal 4:3)

We Are No Longer Slaves
"Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods." (Gal 4:6-8)

Hagar - Mount Sinai - Present Jerusalem in Slavery with Her Children
The apostle Paul taught that Hagar represents Mount Sinai where the Law of Moses was given, which represents the present city of Jerusalem. "Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children." (Gal 4:25)

Heavenly Jerusalem is Free
"But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother." (Gal 4:26)

The heavenly Jerusalem is free and that is our home if we know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We Are Children Of The Free Woman
"But what does Scripture say? 'Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son.' Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman." (Gal 4:30-31)

For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1)

Christ set us free to experience true freedom, so don't let yourselves go back under slavery again.

Called to Be Free, Not to Indulge the Flesh
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Gal 5:13-14)

Grace is not a license to sin. Jesus didn't set you free so that you could go and do whatever you want. You are His slave now.

"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves." (1Pe 2:16)

A Man is a Slave to Whatever Has Mastered Him
"They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for 'a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.'" (2Pe 2:19)

There are preachers and others who promise people freedom, but are actually themselves slaves to depravity. Watch out that they don't deceive you with their lies. Whatever has mastered a man, that is what he is a slave to. When I was mastered by alcohol, I was a slave to it. When I was mastered by cigarettes, I was a slave to it. It's that simple. Check yourself to see if you are mastered by anything, because if you are, then you are a slave to the thing that has mastered you.

To Be Led By the Spirit Is To Be Free
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal 5:16-21)

You don't get to do whatever you want. You must be led by the Spirit, and then you will not be under the law, nor will you do anything in conflict with the Spirit. When you walk by the Spirit, you will not carry out the acts of the flesh, which are diametrically opposed to the Spirit. This is how to continue in the freedom you have received.

No Law Against the Fruit of the Spirit
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)

This is what the Spirit will produce in your life when you walk by the Spirit, and there is no law against any of these things.

The Word is the Perfect Law That Gives Freedom
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." (Jas 1:22-25)

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom..." (Jas 2:12)

What is this law he was talking about?

James was speaking in this passage of the perfect law of love. John Wesley said, "He who keeps the law of love is free. He that does not, is not free, but a slave to sin, and a criminal before God."

Matthew Henry wrote: 
Observe here, [1.] The gospel is a law of liberty, or, as Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.] It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the word, we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction; we look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do we look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein - “when we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted and digested in us” (Baxter) - when we are not forgetful of it, but practice it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and make it the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model the temper of our minds by it. [5.] Those who thus do, and continue in the law and word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in their deed; blessed in all their ways, according to the first psalm, to which, some think, James here alludes. He that meditates in the law of God, and walks according to it, the psalmist says, shall prosper in whatsoever he does. And he that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work which God's word sets him about, James says, shall be blessed. The papists pretend that here we have a clear text to prove we are blessed for our good deeds; but Dr. Manton, in answer to that pretence, puts the reader upon marking the distinctness of scripture-phrase. The apostle does not say, for his deeds, that any man is blessed, but in his deed. This is a way in which we shall certainly find blessedness, but not the cause of it. This blessedness does not lie in knowing, but in doing the will of God. Joh_13:17, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. It is not talking, but walking, that will bring us to heaven.

As the psalmist said, "I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." (Psa 119:45)

Closing Words
Through this study in God's Word we have been reminded that true freedom is not like the world sees freedom, where you can do whatever you feel like doing and indulge your sinful nature. True freedom that Christ gives is the freedom to truly live life to the fullest the way God intended it. It's an abundant life, free from sin, free from bondage, free from fear, free from addictions, free from vain religion, and free from slavery to the devil and his lies. This is what it means to be free indeed. If you hold to Jesus' teachings, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed. True freedom is found only in Christ through a personal relationship with Him.

Attribution notice: Most Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan. 

Author's note: I also recommend reading my articles, The Evil Spirit of AlcoholSin and ConsequenceSins That Will Keep You From HeavenThe Forgotten Sin of WorldlinessThe Kingdom of DarknessDemonology 101Demons Disguised as HumansRock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Five Divine RevelationsAlcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, as well as the articles available through the Home page of this blog.  You may access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe. 

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Friday, November 1, 2019

Divorcing the Devil

Sometimes we may experience conflict with others or even come under attack by people. We need to understand that our battle is a spiritual one, and that we battle not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil. Paul said it like this:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12)

Your Spouse is Not the Devil
You need to realize that your husband is not the devil. Your wife is not the devil. Your brother or sister is not the devil. Your son or daughter is not the devil. Your boss is not the devil. Your neighbor is not the devil. Many times a person may get a divorce from his spouse, because of the conflicts between the two of them, but then later, if he gets get remarried to someone else, he finds he still has the same problem. The reason is that his spouse was not the problem, the devil was the problem, and since he didn't deal with the actual root cause of the problem, he encounters the same thing with his next marriage partner.

If one or both parties are walking in the flesh, then they are pathways for the devil to work through them in various ways. You cannot be walking in the flesh and in the spirit at the same time, since the flesh and spirit are diametrically opposed to each other. But if we deal with the sin in our lives by repenting and asking God for forgiveness in the name of Jesus Christ, then we will be cleansed and set free from all kinds of bondage. If both marriage partners do that, then there can be a new beginning for their marriage and a renewal of love. The same goes for any relationship, not just the one between a husband and a wife.

Renunciation of the Devil
What you need to do is divorce the devil, rather than divorce your spouse. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ, then here is how you can pray to divorce the devil: "I renounce satan, and all of his works and pomps, and all of his minions. I cancel every contract with hell, every covenant with death, and I break every tie with darkness, in Jesus' name!"

You could further shout, "The devil stands condemned already. The Lord rebuke you, satan! In the name of Jesus, get thee behind me, satan! You have lost your place in heaven. Jesus Christ has triumphed over you at the cross and made a public spectacle of you there. He has disarmed you." (Jn 16:11; Zech 3:2; Jude 1:9; Mt 16:23; Rev 12:8; Col 2:15).

You could boldly command him, "Devil, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you to get your hands off of my life, off of my marriage, off of my children, off of my health, off of my finances, and off of my property! I am bought by the blood of Jesus and my life is not my own, but it belongs to Him."

You could further add, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I cut off every evil spirit that has attached itself to me!. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commands of my God! I have nothing but hatred for you! I consider you my enemies!" (Ps 119:115; 139:22).

You could further shout, "I call for a sword for the Lord and for [state your own name]! Get them, holy angels, leave no survivors!" (Josh 10:30, 40; Judg 7:20).

You could top that off by shouting, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind every evil spirit within the sound of my voice! I command you to depart from me and return to the pit from whence you came, reporting failure to your master, and I forbid you to return to me or send reinforcements. Holy fire!"

Closing Words
Go ahead and divorce the devil and cut him off from continuing to wreak havoc in your life. Then be sure and close all doors in your life that are open to the enemy, or else he will just come right back in. Repent of all known sins in your life, depart from all iniquity, and cling to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive you and put all those things under His blood, so that they will not count against you. Don't give the devil any opportunity to get a foothold of any kind in your life, but follow Jesus with all your heart. Feed on His Word daily. Believe in Him and do what He says. Then watch how He begins to bless you and turn your life around.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, all rights reserved, used by permission. The image of the Battle for the Soul painting by Danny Hahlbohm, copyright 2011 Inspired Art, all rights reserved worldwide, used by permission, www.inspiredart.store.

Author's note I also recommend reading How to Pray for the DevilSpeak to the Storm, The Name of Jesus, The Name Above All Names, Supernatural Power for All Disciples, and Baptized with the Spirit. I invite you to visit the Home page for this blog, and you can also find my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

To Sin or Not to Sin

Actor Edwin Booth as Hamlet, 1870
Perhaps the all-time most famous line from any drama play or literature is "To be, or not to be: that is the question." It would probably be one of the first to come to mind for most English-speaking people if they were asked to quote a line of Shakespeare. Of course, it comes from Shakespeare's 1602 play, best known as Hamlet, in which the main character by that name considers to himself aloud whether or not to take his own life. In the end, he did not commit suicide, which is a tragic mistake for anyone to make, since it is a great sin in the sight of God to murder oneself.

I would like to consider another question in this post, and that is: to sin or not to sin. I recently wrote to someone who was seeking God and wanting to know the truth, but who kept putting off giving his life to Jesus and being born again. I asked him why it is that man delays being saved when salvation is a free gift from God and it is so simple. It only takes a short time to repent and give your life to Jesus, so why does man put it off for later, when he knows that is what he needs to do? He replied to me that he supposed it is because it is easier to sin than not to sin. Therefore, I'd like to address that notion that it is easier to sin than not to sin. The lessons to be learned from this study apply not only to non-believers who are considering the claims of Christ, but also to believers who are already following Christ as their Lord and Savior.

To Sin
First let's approach the matter from the perspective that most people assume to be true, which is the one that assumes it is easier to sin. Is that really true? Well, that is what the devil wants people to believe. He has led the whole world astray and deceived mankind into thinking it is actually easier to sin than not to sin. How does he do that? There are various ways that satan lures people into sinning, in order to kill, steal and destroy. Three of his most common ones involve deception, temptation, and intimidation.

Deception
The devil is the father of lies and he does not stand in the truth. He was a murderer from the beginning. For Jesus said of the devil, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (Joh 8:44).

As the father of lies, the devil is a master of deception. According to Webster's dictionary, to deceive means "To mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose on; to delude." It also may mean to cheat someone or rob them. He misleads the minds of people to cause them to err and believe what is false or disbelieve what is true. He misleads the minds of people to believe that it's easier to sin, and it is harder not to do so. He deludes people into thinking that the easiest thing to do is just give in to their desires to do wrong.

For example, if a person's weakness is drinking alcohol, he will mislead their mind into thinking that it would be easier to consume those beverages, convincing them that it will make them feel better. He uses the same approach with drugs. And in fact it may make them feel better temporarily, but the devil does not tell people about the immediate and long-term effects of their sin that will ruin their lives and the lives of others. He does not tell them about the hangover they will have the next morning with its headache, dizziness or vomiting, or about the fact that it will cost them a lot of money that will leave them in poverty. He doesn't tell them about the motor vehicle accident they may have while driving drunk that may kill another human being, even someone they love. He doesn't tell them about the humiliation, the shame it will cause, the pain, and the trouble they will have with the law, losing their license, being fined, or even sent to jail for the rest of their lives. He doesn't tell them about the loss of their job that may result from their substance abuse habit or about the loss of their marriage, their children, or their health.

He convinces them that they can handle it and they don't really have a problem with substance abuse. He convinces them that they are a good person and that they will make it to heaven. He doesn't tell them that they will spend eternity with him in hell.

In fact, he also misleads people into disbelieving that which is true, such as the short and long-term consequences of their sin. The truth he convinces them to disbelieve may be the obvious negative effects that occur as a result of their sin during this lifetime, which we don't have to read the Bible to know about (e.g., liver cirrhosis, AIDS, divorce, etc), and he may also mislead them to disbelieve or twist spiritual truths found in the Word of God (e.g., the gospel, heaven, hell, etc). He may convince someone that since they are religious, or a person who does a lot of good for others, that God will overlook their sin and not punish them for it. He may convince them that they will still go to heaven and escape hell, because their good works will supposedly outweigh their sins. Or he may delude them to disbelieve that hell even exists.

There are countless ways he can deceive. Sometimes he does it directly by invisible demons speaking to their minds, but he can also use other people like friends, family, spiritual leaders, role models, culture, literature, media, music, and a host of other possible ways including demons disguised as humans. While the devil tries to convince people that sin is precious gold, it is actually only fool's gold. It is just rocks painted to look like gold, but it is not genuine. In the end, those who are fooled by him end up with nothing but a handful of gravel.

Temptation
As I said, another one of his tactics is temptation. According to Webster's dictionary, to tempt means "To incite or solicit to an evil act; to entice to something wrong by presenting arguments that are plausible or convincing, or by the offer of some pleasure or apparent advantage as the inducement." This is closely connected with deception, and may involve deception, but is a separate action of its own.

The devil may incite a person to say something cruel, hurtful, or mean to another person, such as a friend, neighbor, enemy, or even someone they love. He may present the argument that they will feel a lot better if they tell the person what they are thinking and how they are feeling at that moment. He may tempt the person to enjoy having feelings of hatred toward the other person, or harbor unforgiveness toward someone who has hurt them. He may solicit someone to engage in sexually immoral behavior with another person my making strong arguments for the immediate pleasure they will experience. Again, he has countless ways to tempt people by presenting some apparent advantage as an enticement or inducement to sin.

In my article, The Temptation of Christ, I explained how he tempted the Lord Jesus during His earthly life and how the Lord resisted his temptations. He has been tempting man for thousands of years, ever since he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat the forbidden fruit of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:1-6). He tempted David to commit adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, which led to David having Uriah murdered, in order to take his wife from him and cover up his sin. And as I explained in my article, Sin and Consequence, David's sin with Bathsheba cost him very dearly by the serious consequences that arose from it afterward and troubled him for the rest of his life. Although God forgave him when he repented, it left a trail of problems in its wake including rape and rebellion in his family.

James wrote: "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (Jas 1:13-15). And you can be sure that the devil and his demons are behind temptation.

Therefore, you cannot overcome temptation in your own strength, since you are up against a powerful spiritual enemy. You need supernatural power to resist, and that is why Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mt 26:41, NIV).

Intimidation
Another key tactic that the devil uses against humans to kill, steal, and destroy is intimidation. According to Webster's dictionary, to intimidate means "To make fearful; to inspire with fear; to dishearten; to abash." To abash means "To make the spirits to fall; to cast down the countenance; to make ashamed; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, error, inferiority, etc." All of these are part of what I mean by intimidation. The devil likes to scare people and make them fearful in order to cause them to sin. He also likes to discourage people and get them down, make them feel ashamed, confused, guilty, or inferior.

For example, when Moses sent the twelve spies to spy out the Promised Land, they saw the giants there and ten of the spies came back with an evil report for Moses. They were fearful of the giants and felt inferior to them. They were disheartened from going into the Promised Land. The devil still does the same thing today. He may intimidate someone into thinking they could never live for God, that they could never live a righteous or holy life. He may intimidate them into thinking that if they confess their sin, everyone would look down upon them and they would be rejected. He uses guilt and shame like that to keep people trapped all their lives in a perpetual cycle of sin. He may intimidate someone into thinking that they will go to jail if they confess to the police what they have done, or he may intimidate someone into thinking that people will reject them if they testify for Christ, or that they will lose their job for it, and that without a job their family would starve. He may intimidate someone to commit sin out of fear of being hurt by others. He may scare someone into denying Christ out of fear of being killed.

However, the Lord Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Mat 10:28)

The fear of death is what the devil uses to keep people in bondage to sin. The apostle wrote, "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives." (Heb 2:14-15). Jesus has set us free through his death on the cross from the devil, who once had the power of death, and who still keeps people in slavery to sin through the fear of death.

Those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior can say with David: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?" (Psa 27:1)

Therefore, the devil often uses one or more of these three weapons against people: deception, temptation, and intimidation. And he often uses more than one of them together to increase his effectiveness. All of these explain why he is able to convince people that it is easier to sin. It's no wonder people actually believe the lie that it is easier to sin.

Instant Gratification
Another reason why someone may consider it easier to sin is that it is a means of instant gratification. Since they get to immediately fulfill their lust or craving, or get relief from their feelings, they find it easier to cope that way. Of course, this is a very myopic view that fails to consider the broader picture of what happens after that.

Slaves of Depravity
Another reason that a person may consider it easier to sin is that before a person comes to Christ, he is a slave to sin, therefore he must sin, since he is compelled to do so (Ro 6:16). He is a child of the devil, who wants to carry out the desires of his father the devil (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:10). For a sinner, it is his nature to sin, so sin comes naturally to him. Sin reigns in his mortal body, so that he obeys its lusts (Ro 6:12). He is a slave to the one he obeys, which is sin, resulting in death. "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” (2Pe 2:19b, NIV). Sinners have a ruthless taskmaster who never relents, never has enough, and is never satisfied, but always requires more. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can set sinners free from that bondage, and until He does so, it may be difficult or impossible for them to imagine what it would be like to be free.

Loving the Darkness
Another reason that man thinks it is easier to sin is that he loves darkness rather than light. Jesus said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." (Jn 3:19, NIV). So when people love darkness, they enjoy their sin too much to part with it.

Not only do they love darkness, but they hate the light, so that explains why it seems harder to them not to sin. Jesus said, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed." (Jn 3:20, NIV). The reason they hate the light is they are afraid that their evil deeds will be exposed. They don't want to come under conviction for sin or be reproved. Therefore, they remain in the darkness and demonstrate no remorse, no regret, and no repentance. There is no departing from iniquity.

Walking in Darkness
Furthermore, those who are walking in darkness do not know what makes them stumble. "But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Pr 4:19, NIV). Before a person comes to Christ, he doesn't truly understand the reasons why he does the things he does, which are actually sinful in God's sight. He is bound to keep stumbling over and over in sin, until He comes into the light to Christ. As Jesus said, "Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” (Jn 11:9b-10, NIV). Therefore, the man walking in darkness feels that it is easier just to keep stumbling than not to stumble.

Now let's consider the other point of view, which is based on God's Word.

Not To Sin
Let's look at the truth of the matter, which is that it is actually easier not to sin, once you come to Christ. This truth is simple to explain in light of all that I have just covered, up to this point. Considering the short-term and long-term consequences of sin that we experience during this life, as well as the eternal consequences, it is actually easier not to sin.

Momentary Nature of Sin
On the one hand, the pleasure derived from committing a sin is very brief and momentary when compared with the rest of a person's life. The pleasure of sin itself may last for a night, but then there are the painful difficulties and hardships it causes, which may endure for years or the rest of your life. A person could be crippled or maimed for life as a result of indulging in one moment of sinful pleasure. Sin lasts only for a season, and Moses was wise enough to choose to be afflicted with God's people than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

The Scripture says, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" (Heb 11:24-25, KJV).

Momentary Nature of Life
Not only is sin momentary, but life is also very brief, as I wrote in my article, Life is Short, Eternity is Not. When you compare this earthly life with eternity, it is like a short moment in time. Even if you live a long life to be eighty years old, that is nothing compared to eternity.

Even a long life like that would be as momentary as a vapor coming off of boiling water that quickly dissipates into the air, or like a morning fog that is soon gone when the heat of day consumes it. James said, "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." (Jas 4:14).

For the psalmist said, "As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more." (Ps 103:15-16, NIV78).

We need to understand that the things that are seen are only temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Paul said, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2Co 4:18).

Abundant Life
It's actually much easier to enjoy abundant life in Christ. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (Joh 10:10). Before I was saved, when I was living in sin, abusing drugs and alcohol, when I was confronted with the gospel, the devil tried to deceive me into believing that living for Jesus would be dreary and boring. I thought that I would never again enjoy fun times of hilarious laughter like I did when I was drunk or high on drugs. How foolish! That could not be farther from the truth!

Since I came to know Christ thirty-two years ago, I have experienced an abundant life in Christ filled with more joy, laughter, and fun than I could have ever imagined. There have been times when the Holy Spirit has come upon me and I have experienced a holy laughter that was pure and wonderful, unlike anything this world has to offer. Being baptized with the Holy Spirit and living the Spirit-filled life has been far more enjoyable than living that old life of sin and shame. I'm so glad I decided to give my life to Jesus and follow Him in this abundant life, rather than stay in sin. If I had remained in sin, I would never have come to know such joy unspeakable and full of glory! I would have probably ended up dead or in jail eventually, but instead he has blessed me with a wife and children and all the happy moments that we have enjoyed together. He has blessed me with the joy of preaching the gospel in countries around the world, as well as here in the United States, seeing people give their lives to Jesus. I have experienced the glory of His manifest presence, as well as the wonder of seeing people miraculously healed and set free from demons. I am able to sing and rejoice with a clear conscience. Nothing I had before Christ could ever compare with the abundant life He has given to me. The truth is that it's easier to live the abundant life than to live in sin.

Slaves of Righteousness
Those who have repented of their sins and come to Christ have been set free from sin and become slaves of righteousness. Paul said, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." (Rom 6:18, NIV). Now instead of being enslaved by sin, we are free from that master, and we have become slaves to obedience which leads to righteousness (Rom 6:16). Those who were once "slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness" now become "slaves to righteousness leading to holiness" (Rom 6:19). Those who were once free from the control of righteousness are now under its control. Paul said, "Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." (Rom 6:22, NIV). Therefore, a slave of sin will feel that it is easier to sin, while a slave of God receives His power to live a righteous life. Thus they do so, not in their own strength, but by His glorious grace.

Reaping What You've Sown
There is a basic principle that you reap what you've sown, and this holds true both in this present life, as well as the life to come. Paul said, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Gal 6:7-8). It's much easier to reap eternal life than eternal corruption.

Eternal Consequences of Sin
Consider all that a person trades for mere sin. It's not worth it, considering that sin is so brief and momentary and eternal punishment lasts forever. You're only hurting yourself to your own shame.

Jesus said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mar 8:36-37)

Hell is forever and there are no exits. There is nothing easy about it. Every moment is filled with pain, torment, sorrow, regret, loneliness, and fear. The intense heat is unbearable, and there is no water to drink, so there is nothing to quench your thirst. It's a place of outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt 8:12, 22:13, 25:30), where the worms that eat them do not die, and the flames are never quenched (Mk 9:44,48).

You cannot repent after you die, and mercy is only available while you are on this earth, so you need to give that serious consideration. It is hard to suffer the punishment for sin for eternity in hell, and countless millions of people have already gone to that horrible place. They are ready to repent right now if they could just come back to earth for one minute. They believe in Jesus now. But it's too late for them. They had their chance. Now they must pay the price for all eternity, because the wages of sin is death.

The apostle Paul said, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23). And in Proverbs it says, “The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment.” (Pro 10:16). In other words, the pay back that man gets for sin is just like the wages he earns for his labor. Wages are paid to you for what you do, so you earn them and you deserve them. That is why death is the pay back for sin. That means eternal separation from God, and it doesn't get any harder than that. As the proverb says, "the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction." (Pr 13:15b, NIV). And as the psalmist said, "The way of the wicked will perish." (Ps 1:6).

Eternal Rewards 
On the other hand, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:23). That means that you cannot earn eternal life, since it is a gift from God to you. He desires to give you this wonderful gift, but you cannot try to earn it through your own good works. Neither can you receive this gift unless you repent of your sin and believe on Jesus Christ. You must have a personal relationship with Him.

Peter said, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Act 2:38). Whether you are a non-believer or someone who has already given their life to Jesus who is backslidden in sin, you cannot be forgiven unless you repent. But if you will repent, then mercy is available for you, and you will be saved through faith in Christ. You need not perish in hell like so many others have.

God loves you and wants you to spend eternity with Him in heaven. He doesn't want you to perish. In fact, He is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance. John said, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (Joh 3:16). As I have said, eternal life is easier than perishing.

God has so many wonderful rewards for those who repent and follow Jesus. Those rewards are real and they are eternal, unlike the fool's gold that the devil offers. In heaven there is no death, no pain, no tears or sorrow (Rev 21:4). The city is made of pure gold, as pure as glass (Rev 21:18). Even the great street of the city is made of pure gold (Rev 21:21 ). It's walls are decorated with every kind of precious stone (Rev 21:19). The city shines brightly with the glory of God (Rev 21:11,23). There is a pure river of the water of life there that is clear as crystal, and there are many mansions (Jn 14:2). The tree of life is there, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month (Rev 22:2). There are countless myriads of holy angels, as well as the spirits of righteous men made perfect (Heb 12:22-23; Rev 5:11). There is no sin there, because nothing impure may enter that place, and nobody who does what is shameful or deceitful will ever enter it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev 21:27). God is reigning over the universe there on his throne at the center of it all, and Jesus Christ sits at his right hand with great power and glory -- with angels, powers, and authorities in submission to Him (1 Pe 3:22).

The apostle Peter said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you," (1Pe 1:3-4).

I am not saying the way to heaven is easy or that if you follow Jesus you won't have any more problems. Certainly it's a straight and narrow path, as I have written in my article by that name. And as Paul said, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Act 14:22b). It's true that we must enter the kingdom of God through many hardships, but it's well worth it! Our afflictions are actually light and momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory. There is no comparison, as Paul said, "For [our] momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison." (2Co 4:17)

Nothing Can Compare
Some gospel songs come to mind that express what I am trying to say, such as the one that says:

"Lord, You are more precious than silver
More costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares with You."

Truly nothing I desire compares with Jesus. Another song goes:

"He is fairer than the lily of the valley
He is brighter than the morning star
He is purer than the snow
Fresher than the breeze
Lovelier by far than all of these."

Those of us who've come to know the Lord know firsthand that when you look into His holiness,
and gaze into His loveliness, when you've found the joy of reaching His heart, all things that surround you here on earth become mere shadows in the light of Him. Everything else pales in comparison, as that song goes by Kent Henry, When I Look into Your Holiness.

The last lyrics I'd like to mention are from a song by Jim Reeves called I'd Rather Have Jesus, that goes like this:

"I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold I'd rather be his than have riches untold
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land
Yes I'd rather be led by his nail pierced hands
Than to be the king of a best domain and be held in sins dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today."

Putting it All Together
Having looked at the question of whether it is easier to sin than not to sin, we can easily conclude that it is actually easier not to sin, when you consider all things. The assumption that it is easier to sin is actually a false perception based on the instant gratification experienced by the flesh. However, it is not based on reality. Don't fall for the devil's deception, temptation, or intimidation. For he comes only to kill, steal, and destroy. He wants to take as many souls down to hell with him as he possibly can. Don't go to that horrible place!

Just as I said in my opening that it is a tragic mistake for anyone to commit suicide, it is just as tragic for anyone to remain in sin, because they will suffer the same fate. To sin or not to sin is just as profound a question as the one Shakespeare's character Hamlet asked. However, it is not just a question for some actor on stage in a fictitious drama, but a crucial question that every human being must face up to and decide for themselves what they are going to do. Perhaps you have either never given your life to Jesus, or you once did so and then returned to a life of sin, and this message has spoken to you. Dear friend, why should you perish?

Repent of your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Follow Jesus, listen to Him, put His words into practice, and do the will of God. Only those who follow Him will be saved (John 14:6). Only those who put His words into practice will be saved (Mt 7:24-27). Only those who do the will of God will be saved (Mt 7:21). The grace of God is not a license for you to sin (Rom 6:1). It teaches us to say "No!" to ungodliness (Tit 2:12).

Heaven is a glorious and beautiful place that is real, not fictitious. God wants you there with Him for eternity. He wants to give you eternal rewards and a glorified body. The rewards there will far outweigh anything this world or satan has to offer. But the only way to get there is to repent and follow Jesus all the days of your life. Whether you are a saved already or not, you need to know that it is not easier to sin. It is easier not to sin. While it may be a straight and narrow way, marked by sorrow, troubles, and afflictions, it will result in an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. It will result in glory, honor, and immortality. Let me encourage you to follow that way.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, except where noted. Other Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan. The "Deception" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm of Inspired Art, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: I also recommend reading my articles, The Evil Spirit of Alcohol, Sin and Consequence, The Dangers of DisobedienceLife is Short, Eternity is NotSins That Will Keep You From HeavenThe Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, The Kingdom of Darkness, Demonology 101Pleasing the Lord, Piercing the Darkness, The Book of LifeDemons Disguised as Humans, Rock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Five Divine RevelationsAlcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven, and Godly Attire & Adornment -- Seven Divine RevelationsSpiritual Warfare, as well as the articles available through the Home page of this blog.  You may access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The Temptation of Christ

Let's take a fresh look today at the temptation of Christ and the lessons we may learn from it. To begin, here is the passage contained in just eleven verses, but which was an amazing feat that our Lord accomplished:

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry."

"And the tempter came and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.' But He answered and said, 'It is written, "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD."

"Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, "HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU"; and "ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE." Jesus said to him, 'On the other hand, it is written, "YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST."'

"Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, 'All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Go, Satan! For it is written, "YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY."' Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him." (Mat 4:1-11)

Now let's look at the lessons learned from how the devil approached the temptation of Christ, and how the Lord responded to it. Keep in mind that the Lord had been fasting for forty days, which is something most people have never done. So until we have done that ourselves, we cannot fully appreciate what He went through. He could not rely on physical strength to overcome these temptations. He was operating at a handicap essentially, due to his hunger and thirst, and the fact that he was in a dry, arid place where there were no people. He was facing temptations that were very real, very strong, and powerful, and He completely overcame them. Here is how:

The Word of God
First, we can see that Jesus relied on the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, in order to battle the devil in each temptation. His response was always, "It is written." Each time the devil tempted Him, he countered the devil with what is written in the Scriptures, and He didn't just think about these in His mind, but He spoke them out loud to the devil. This is key for us to remember, so that when we find ourselves being tempted, we should do the same.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Heb 4:12-13, NIV).

The Lord did not try to reason with the devil or have a discussion with him about the temptations. He did not weigh the pros and cons of each thing the devil proposed. He was not verbose either. He simply responded with a terse, very concise response citing directly from Scripture by saying "It is written," and then quoting the passage that the Father brought to His mind by the Spirit.

In order to do this, you need to be immersed in the Word of God, living on it daily as your bread. For He said, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Jesus had been feasting on the Word of God during His time of fasting in the wilderness, as He once told the disciples, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." (Joh 4:32b).

We need to be meditating on the Word and committing it to heart. Scripture memorization is a key aspect of your being prepared for temptation. As the psalmist said, "How can a young man keep his way pure, by living according to your word." (Ps 119:9, NIV78). And "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Ps 119:11, NIV).

The three verses of Scripture Jesus cited to the devil were all in the same book of the Bible. He cited the book of Deuteronomy, 6:13, 6:16, and 8:3. Isn't it amazing that all His responses came from these two chapters of the same book? Of all the books in the Bible, He quoted from the Law, which proves that it is still valid to quote from the Law when necessary. After all, Jesus did that, as we read throughout the gospels, and so did the apostles all throughout the New Testament. "Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6).

The fact that Jesus quoted all three verses from one small portion of Scripture shows just how densely packed the Word is with weapons that we can use for our defense against temptation. Even if you only have a limited amount of the Word in you, it is still a powerful weapon against the enemy. How much more if you consume large quantities of the Word daily and commit portions of it to heart!

Each time the Lord countered with the Word, it shut the devil up. He could not resist the powerful sword of the Spirit. For more on this, see The Bible is the Word of God and Scripture Alone.

Now that we've looked at how the Lord responded, let's look at the approach the devil used each time.

Casting Doubt
He sought to cast a shadow of doubt over the divinity of Christ by making the skeptical remark, "If you are the Son of God..." and then trying to tempt Jesus to prove it to the devil.

The devil knows that whatever is not of faith is sin, and that he who doubts is unstable in all his ways, which is why he tempts people to doubt. As James said, "He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." (James 1:6b-8, NIV78).

Whenever the devil tries to cast doubt into our minds, we need to remember -- and even state aloud -- what is written in the Word of God and trust in Him, Who cannot lie.

I'd like to mention two more things that we need to beware of in connection with this. First of all, the devil tries to tempt people to question the deity of Christ. And if he can't succeed in doing that, he also tries to get believers to question their identity in Christ. Just as he tempted Christ to prove his identity as the Son of God, he also tries to cast doubt in the minds of believers that they are truly children of God, or truly saved. Now that you know this, you will be better prepared to defend against such temptations.

For more on this, please see my article Your Identity in Christ.

Using Scripture
The devil uses Scripture, too. However, he does so by twisting it to make it say something it does not mean. He uses Scripture to deceive people and create confusion, in order to make it seem like God said something He did not say. He uses the Bible to convince people that what is sin is actually not sin. The devil knows the Bible better than most Christians do.

In the wilderness, he quoted from Psalm 91, regarding the promise of angelic protection, and sought to tempt Christ to put God to the test by throwing Himself from the pinnacle of the temple. Of course, it would be presumptuous to do something intentionally to hurt oneself in order to see if God would protect you from harm, and that is just what the devil tried to get Jesus to do. He is always perverting the right ways of God. Even to this day he does the same thing with his knowledge of Scripture, twisting it, and using it for evil to trick people into sinning and doing his will. This is why it is important for us to not only know what the Bible says, but to understand what it means and believe it.

For more on this, please see my articles, The Nature of False Prophets and Read the Bible for All It's Worth.

Focusing on Self
The devil tried to get Jesus to focus on Himself, and he does the same to us, too. Let's look at how he did that. First, each time he said, "If you are the Son of God," he was seeking to get Jesus to focus on Himself. He did this three times to Christ. In the first instance, he was appealing to the Lord's hunger after forty days of fasting, tempting Him to turn stones into bread for Himself to eat. And in the second instance he tried to get the Lord to focus on proving His deity by jumping off the top of the temple and killing Himself. In the third temptation, he said, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Again the focus was on self.

Sometimes the devil uses this focus on self to tempt you to do something for yourself that seems pleasurable, like eating food when you are fasting, and other times he tries to tempt people to do something that would be harmful to themselves, like committing suicide. But this focus on self is one of his tactics. Beware of his selfish temptations.

For more on this, please see The Self-Help Gospel, and Is the the Self-Help and Actualization Movement a Sham?

Devil Worship
The devil tempted the Lord to worship him, as I have already mentioned. Just as he wants to tempt people to focus on themselves and be selfish, he cannot help being selfish himself. He wants the focus to be on him. This is something he has done for thousands of years, and he is still doing it today. He always promises something in exchange. With Christ, he promised to give him all the kingdoms of the world. With some people he promises fertility, or sexual satisfaction. Or he promises rain so their crops will grow. Or with others he is promising some other kind of success, like fame, fortune, or power. Through many different forms of idolatry, the devil is stealing worship from God and leading souls down to hell. For more on this, please see Modern Day Idols.

It's no wonder why in these last days we see a rise in devil worship and satanism. His days are numbered and he is furious. He is pulling out all the stops and doing all he can to get the world to worship him. In the book of Revelation, we know that in the very last days during the Great Tribulation, the multitudes will worship the devil and worship man, particularly the antichrist or beast. "They worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?' " (Rev 13:4)

Focus on the World
The devil tried to get the Lord to focus on the world. He showed Him all the kingdoms of the world from atop a high mountain and promised to give it all to the Lord, even though the Lord created it all. The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and all who dwell therein (Ps 24:1). He is already the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. He didn't need to have the devil give Him those kingdoms. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

But what the devil tries to do is to get you to put your focus on the world and the things that are seen. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2Co 4:18). For the apostle John said, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (1Jn 2:15-17)

Now I want to show you how Jesus handled all of these temptations, in addition to what I have already cited above.

Focus on God
In every instance in which He was tempted by the devil, Jesus focused on God. In the first temptation, He said, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Do you see how He put the focus back on God? He did the same again in the second temptation, in which He said, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." And in the third temptation, He said, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only." The emphasis was clearly on the Father here.

For Jesus, it was not about self, it was about the Father. The focus was always what pleases the Father. This is the true definition of success. Success is not accumulating wealth and material goods. Success is pleasing my Father.

For more on this, please see Pleasing the LordFrom Self-Confidence to Confidence in the LordSuccess in God's Eyes, and Walking in the Perfect Will of God.

Prayer and Fasting
While this may not be obvious to most people, the fact that Jesus was praying and fasting was also a key in His overcoming temptation. This aspect is the essential background or context for the whole temptation of Christ in the wilderness, but it can easily be overlooked. Let's not forget that the Lord taught His disciples that certain types of demons come out only by prayer and fasting (Mk 9:29, KJV). If you find yourself tempted in a certain area, then praying and fasting may be just what you need. In fact, you may need to fast from the very thing you are being tempted to indulge in, not only from food and drink, but also from such things as TV, Facebook, social life, etc. Otherwise, if you are fasting but not praying, it is basically just a form of dieting.

It's easy to see how the Lord's fasting made it more difficult for Him to handle the temptations, and indeed it did so from a natural perspective. But from a spiritual perspective, which is more important when dealing with spiritual battles, His prayer and fasting was a key to His effectiveness in overcoming the temptations. For He taught His disciples, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mt 26:41, NIV)

Commanding the Devil to Depart
The final aspect of the Lord's response I want to mention is that He commanded the devil to depart from Him, and so can we. He said, "Away from me, satan!" The Scripture says, "Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him." Let's not forget this. Jesus told us that the same things He did, we shall do also. We, too, should command the demons to depart from us, in the name of Jesus, and they will flee.

Putting it All Together
While the devil tries to tempt us, we can learn from the Lord's example how to resist the devil. Resist the devil and he will flee, just as he did from Christ. The devil uses the strategy of casting doubt, using Scripture, getting people to focus on self, or to focus on the world, and even to focus on him.

However, the Lord was such a perfect example for us. He used the Word of God in all His retorts to resist the devil, and it worked flawlessly every time. He quoted out loud to the devil that which is written in Scripture. He focused on God and what would please the Father. He refused to focus on Himself and His needs. His primary need was to please God. He fasted and prayed.  And He boldly confronted the devil, commanding him to leave.

Let's take these things to heart and apply them in our own lives now by the help of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to do that, and He will give you victory over the devil's temptations.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, except where noted. Other Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan. Image used according to Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended.

Author's note: I also recommend reading my articles, Your Identity in ChristFastingSins That Will Keep You From Heaven, To Sin or Not to SinThe Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, The Kingdom of Darkness, Demonology 101Pleasing the Lord, Success in God's EyesFor the Glory of God AlonePiercing the Darkness,  Demons Disguised as Humans, Jesus Christ Descended into Hell, The Evil Nephilim GiantsRock, Rap, and Reggae Music -- Five Divine RevelationsAlcohol and Cigarettes -- Ten Divine Revelations, Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven, and Godly Attire & Adornment -- Seven Divine Revelations,  as well as the articles available through the Home page of this blog.  You may access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"
_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org