| A Christian friend came over asking that several of | | | | we do not wage war as the world does. The |
| us pray for her. Despite doing all the "right" Christian | | | | weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the |
| things, she had been entertaining doubts about her | | | | world. On the contrary, they have divine power to |
| faith.In the course of our prayer, as I was reminding | | | | demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and |
| her of what Scripture says about how God sees her, | | | | every pretension that sets itself up against the |
| in a gruff tone of voice, with furrowed brow, she | | | | knowledge of God, and we take captive every |
| scolded me, speaking in the third person, "She | | | | thought to make it obedient to Christ."(Eph 6:11-12) |
| doesn't deserve it! She doesn't deserve it!" In a | | | | Put on the full armor of God so that you can take |
| couple of hours, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, she | | | | your stand against the devil's schemes. For our |
| was free from demonic bondage with a total change | | | | struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against |
| of countenance and has, since then, moved forward | | | | the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers |
| with marriage and ministry.On an Easter Sunday | | | | of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of |
| morning, as I was attending a Baptist church service, | | | | evil in the heavenly realms.(Rev 12:7-8) And there |
| a man sat praying, head bowed, as the congregation | | | | was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought |
| headed for the exits. I approached him and asked if I | | | | against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels |
| might pray. He ignored me. I laid my hand on his | | | | fought back. But he was not strong enough, and |
| shoulder to pray. The moment I touched him, he | | | | they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was |
| bolted upright, began swaying like a cobra about to | | | | hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or |
| strike, and started growling as he pointed, "I hate | | | | Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was |
| him! I hate her! I hate this church!"My attempts to | | | | hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.IF WE |
| minister were interrupted by well-meaning people | | | | RESIST THE DEVIL, HE WILL FLEE(James 4: 7) |
| asking if he needed medication or asking if they | | | | Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.WE DO |
| should call an ambulance. When the man became | | | | NOT HAVE THE POWER TO RESIST SATAN ON |
| unable to open his mouth to speak, I commanded | | | | OUR OWN(Jude 9) But even the archangel Michael, |
| the spirit to release his tongue. Instantly, he was able | | | | when he was disputing with the devil about the body |
| to understand me then and speak intelligibly in | | | | of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous |
| response to me. I told him I was available for further | | | | accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke |
| ministry by the Holy Spirit but it was obvious there | | | | you!"TO RESIST THE DEVIL, WE MUST PUT ON |
| was no faith present to deliver him at that moment. I | | | | THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD(Eph 6:10-12) Put on the |
| made him aware that, until he got help, this WAS his | | | | full armor of God so that you can take your stand |
| Christian life and he WOULD experience these | | | | against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not |
| manifestations again. I left only to be bombarded | | | | against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against |
| with questions throughout the week by those who | | | | the authorities, against the powers of this dark world |
| were there.The young man, it turned out, was a | | | | and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly |
| much-beloved seminarian.Last week, as a group of us | | | | realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so |
| were praying, the Holy Spirit showed me a vision of | | | | that when the day of evil comes, you may be able |
| a new attendee standing with tears in her eyes, in | | | | to stand your ground, and after you have done |
| the middle of a Civil War battlefield, dressed in a | | | | everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt |
| Confederate soldier's uniform, looking at her spouse, | | | | of truth buckled around your waist, with the |
| dressed in Union blue. As I shared this vision after our | | | | breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your |
| prayer time, the woman buried her face in her hands | | | | feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the |
| and cried. Her close friend nudged me and whispered, | | | | gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the |
| "You read her mail."On another occasion, a Christian | | | | shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the |
| business woman contacted me requesting prayer | | | | flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of |
| over one of her many facilities across Texas. This | | | | salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the |
| particular facility was not prospering at all and she | | | | word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions |
| could not help but consider closing its doors. That | | | | with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in |
| particular location had an openly lesbian manager | | | | mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the |
| which attracted openly gay employees. I went on a | | | | saints.Jesus' own mission statement: "He hath sent |
| Thursday night with ateam. She met us there. We | | | | me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty |
| prayed and, within ten days, the facility's numbers | | | | to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to |
| were improving already. The lesbian manager couldn't | | | | them that are bound; to proclaim the year of the |
| understand it. In a memo I saw, she wrote, "We | | | | Lord's favor." (Isa 61:1,2)GOD ALLOWS |
| must be living right." A week ago, the manager | | | | TEMPTATIONS, BUT ALWAYS PROVIDES AN |
| resigned as did several of the most blatantly gay | | | | ESCAPE(1 Cor 10:13) No temptation has seized you |
| employees.I could write many personal encounters | | | | except what is common to man. And God is faithful; |
| like these, moments when the Holy Spirit took | | | | he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can |
| control, flushed out an unsuspecting demon, healed, | | | | bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide |
| delivered, set free or came through with a vision, | | | | a way out so that you can stand up under it.SATAN |
| word of wisdom or word of knowledge. He is no | | | | KNOWS THE SCRIPTURES AND TRIES TO MISUSE |
| respecter of persons; the gifts He has shared with | | | | THEMAs described in Matt 4:3-10 and Luke 4:3-12, |
| me, He wants to share with you.Question is, are you | | | | during the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, |
| willing? Do you desire more?WE ARE SPIRIT BEINGS | | | | Satan quoted Him Scripture several times. Jesus |
| HAVING AN EARTHLY EXPERIENCE. WE ARE | | | | replied each time with additional Scriptures refuting |
| ALIENS.We have no permanent citizenship in this | | | | Satan's attempts to take things out of context or |
| world. Though we are citizens of the United States, | | | | only use part of a section.(Matt 28:19-20, Lk 9:1-2 and |
| the reality is that, as a Christian, our citizenship is in | | | | 10:1-3).Too many American Christians have become |
| Heaven (Phil 3:20). As the book of Hebrews says, | | | | passive and fearful. Others are satisfied to merely |
| "Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city | | | | acknowledge the right things and attend church |
| which is to come" (Heb. 13:14) For we are strangers | | | | services and activities. This type of lifestyle is quite |
| before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: | | | | different from that which Jesus requires of His |
| our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is | | | | followers.We must preach and teach about the |
| none abiding. (1 Chron 29;15)WE ARE ENAGED IN A | | | | kingdom of God, focus on the doctrine of Christ, heal |
| SPIRITUAL WAR - a term not found in Scripture, but | | | | the sick and set the captives free.Why is the Holy |
| the concept is taught. Mankind is caught in the midst | | | | Spirit referred to as being "holy"?(HOLY: Belonging to, |
| of a spiritual war with the holy God and His angels on | | | | derived from, or associated with a divine power; |
| one side and the evil Satan and his demons on the | | | | sacred.) Distinguishes Him from EVIL spirits. |
| other.(2 Cor 10:3-5) "For though we live in the world, | | | | |