Recovered In Christ

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

“The believer now finds the following results in experience. He has clear vision in the light of God, of the enemy’s workings, without fear; a clear mind, intelligently in exercise in all its actions; a calm decision of the will, with a strong pure spirit in resisting, without hesitation, all he sees to be of the Adversary. Instead of acceptance of the enemy’s workings, there is an established attitude of refusal; instead of a lie in the mind there is truth; instead of ignorance there is knowledge.

The delivered believer now has a deep longing for the deliverance of others he sees to be in the net of the fowler; acute insight into the devil’s true character in his bitter enmity to Christ and His redeemed; past perplexities in spiritual experiences are now clearly understood, and the Adversary detected where it was little thought he had a place; the undeceived one now seeing with astonishment the “naturalness” of his supernatural workings. This man is never off guard now, but always alert, watching against the powers of darkness, while relying upon the strength of God, and there is a manifest development of resisting power against the wicked spirits attacking him in the heavenly places, instead of the weak and passive attitude of the past, which enabled them to hinder or mislead him.

The steps to deliverance which have been given, deal with the PRACTICAL ASPECT OF THE BELIEVER’S ACTIONS. On the Divine side, the victory has been won, and Satan and his deceiving spirits have been conquered, but the actual liberation of the believer demands his ACTIVE COOPERATION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, and the steady exercise of his volition, choosing freedom instead of bondage, and the normal use of every faculty of his being, set at liberty from the bondage of the enemy.

“He that doeth the truth cometh to the light” (John 3: 21) said the Lord. Evil spirits hate scrutiny, and so work under cover with deception and lies. The believer must come to the light of God for His light upon all spiritual experiences, as well as all other departments of the life, if he is to “cast off the works of darkness” (Rom. 13: 12) and put on the armor of God – the armor of light.

The Blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin, if we walk in the light; but the light must shine in for the soul to walk in it. The evil spirits can be cast out in the Name of the Lord Jesus, but the GROUND THEY HAVE GAINED CAN ONLY BE REMOVED BY THE INTELLIGENT CHOICE OF THE WILL REFUSING the ground given to them, and appropriating the deliverance by death with Christ on Calvary.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 8)

Dear God – thank you for the simple but powerful truth in these words. Thank you that the author of these words was filled with the Holy Spirit when she helped a certain man overcome his depression and despair, a man who later became the founder of the movement that gave birth to the fellowship that rescued me from addiction and death. God – I thank you for my complete deliverance and for the deep longing you have given me to see my people in the fellowship delivered from slavery. Thank you for giving me a recovery family that make me feel like I’ve won the lottery just by knowing them. I love you. Amen.

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October 5, 2012

Deep Allegiance To The Truth

“The very first step to freedom is the knowledge of the truth as to the source and nature of experiences the believer may have had since his entrance into the spiritual life, which possibly may have been perplexing, or else thought with deepest assurance to be of God. There is NO DELIVERANCE FROM “DECEPTION” BUT BY THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND ACCEPTANCE OF TRUTH. And this facing of truth in regard to certain spiritual and “supernatural” experiences, means a keen edged knife to the man in his self-respect, and pride.”

“It requires a very deep allegiance to the truth which God desires should reign in the inward parts of His children, for a believer to accept truth which cuts and humbles, as readily as he accepts that which is agreeable. The “undeceiving” is painful to the feelings, and the discovery that he has been deceived is one of the keenest blows to a man who once thought that he was so “advanced,” so “spiritual,” and so “infallible”, in his certainty of obeying the Spirit of God.”

“The Scriptural ground for obtaining deliverance is the truth concerning Christ’s full victory at Calvary, through which believer CAN BE DELIVERED FROM THE POWER OF BOTH SIN AND SATAN, but in actual fact the victory won at Calvary can only be applied as there is conformity to Divine laws. As the deceptions of Satan are recognized, and the will of the person is set to reject them, he can, on the basis of the work of Christ at Calvary as set forth in Rom. 6: 6-13; Col. 2: 15; 1 John 3: 8, and other passages, claim his deliverance from these workings of the devil in deception and possession.

Just as there are various degrees of deception and possession, so there are degrees of deliverance according to the understanding of the believer, and his WILLINGNESS To FACE ALL THE TRUTH ABOUT HIMSELF, and all the ground given to the enemy.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 7)

Dear God, I pray that you would open our eyes to the deception of Satan in our lives. Help us to reach beyond hurt feelings, bruised pride and the need to defend our “position”. Let us latch on to The Truth. Save us from the strong delusion that to all appearances is imperceptible. According to you and your will, let us see. Amen.

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