Recovered In Christ

September 21, 2012

GROUND TO EVIL SPIRITS THROUGH MISCONCEPTIONS

“Wrong conceptions of spiritual things give ground to evil spirits, and these conceptions the adversary skillfully cultivates ready for use on later occasions. Imaginations as to how God works in Revival power, and in “Pentecostal” measure, is specially a fruitful ground for evil spirits, i.e., a conception that God moves a meeting, and sways it as the wind sways the corn; and that God moves on the physical man, rather than from the centre of man’s spirit only. These imaginations prepare the believer for Satan’s deceptions in these very forms.

This entry of “thoughts” from any quarter comes from the deeper cause of a passivity of the mind which, as we have pointed out in Chapter 4, is the main object of the adversary to produce, ere he can succeed in his effort to obtain control of the believer’s will. The Lord’s words in Matthew 13: 23, that the good ground hearer is “he that hears the word and understands it,” show that the mind is the vehicle through which the truth of God reaches men to win their affections, and bring back the will into intelligent and loyal co-operation with God. In like manner the mind is the hindrance to Satan’s carrying out his schemes to win back control of the believer. For the success of his plans, the enemy knows that the mind must be lulled into inaction and disuse by some means or other, either by stratagem or attack. The arch-deceiver is well aware that any “teaching” of deceiving spirits accompanied by supernatural signs, may be received by the believer if his mind is lulled into passivity so that he does not question, or intelligently reason, what the teachings are, or what they involve in their ultimate issue.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 7)

We have for the most part sought out and indulged in “showy” Christian experience…which is what Jessie Penn-Lewis’ book seeks to expose! Most people who are oppressed by the works of Satan, who have unwittingly opened the door to his interference are those who are unlearned and out of touch with the truth of where God really manifests His Spirit – in our spirit. Instead, most Christians have turned to a hedonistic experience because it feels good. And feeling good has become more important than the truth. Only when that reverses…can the works of Satan be truly exposed and ultimately resisted.

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September 20, 2012

“It is not “thinking” when a thing grips the mind, but when the mind grips the thing. Their “thinking” goes beyond the line of pure mental
action.

Herein lies the real cause of depression as experienced by many believers, apart from purely physical conditions. The victim of depression and melancholia has admitted thoughts suggested by the deceiving spirits, until the mind is unable to shake them off, or else the enemy has obtained such a footing, that he holds the mental faculties in a grip of passivity, so that they cannot act. The victim feels as though his mental faculties were in a vice, or weighted with some heavy pressure which obscures all light, and prevents him grasping the facts around him, or using his reason at all. The malignant powers of darkness ofttimes succeed in keeping those who have given them opportunity to get them into their grip under the most harassing clouds and shadows. They rejoice over their own wicked deeds, and love to bind their victims, and keep them in bondage.

This is truly the “oppression” of the enemy (Ps. 42: 9), and is the outcome of the earlier stages of the attacks of deceiving spirits upon the mind, which could have been quenched had they been dealt with at the beginning.

That the enemy takes advantage of any mental feebleness, or overstrain, or disease, is, of course, to be recognized; but in persons of normal health, with no disease of the mind, inherited or induced, much of the “depression” may be attributed to the inroads of the enemy, through ground given unconsciously at some previous time. The cause of “brain-fog” too, needs to be examined in this light, lest many attribute to natural causes what may have been supernaturally brought about.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 7)

Dear God, please help us to be willing to co-operate in our liberation rather than unconsciously working to resist it. Help us not to be defensive and not to brush aside all of the things you are bringing to light that has given Satan grounds to work in our lives. Thank you for blessing us with faith and humility and a teachable attitude. Help us to examine ourselves and everything in our life in your light. Amen.

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Thursday, March 29th, 2012

THE AUTHORITY OVER EVIL SPIRITS BY THE APOSTLES AFTER PENTECOST

That the Apostles after Pentecost recognized and dealt with the denizens of the invisible world, is evident from the records of the Acts of the Apostles, and other references in the Epistles. The disciples were prepared for Pentecost, and the opening of the supernatural world through the coming of the Holy Spirit, by their three years’ training by the Lord. They had watched Him deal with the wicked spirits of Satan, and had themselves learned to deal with them, too, so that the power of the Holy Spirit could safely be given at Pentecost to men who already knew the workings of the foe. We see how quickly Peter recognized Satan’s work in Ananias (Acts 5: 3), and how “unclean spirits” came out at his presence, as they did with his Lord (Acts 5: 16). Philip, too, found the evil hosts subservient (Acts 8: 7) to the word of his testimony, as he proclaimed Christ to the people, and Paul knew, also, the power of the Name of the Risen Lord (Acts 19: 11) in dealing with the powers of evil.

It is therefore clear in Bible history that the manifestation of the power of God invariably meant aggressive dealing with the Satanic hosts; that the manifestation of the power of God at Pentecost, and through the Apostles, meant again an aggressive attitude to the powers of darkness; and, ergo, that the growth and maturity of the Church of Christ at the end of the dispensation, will mean the same recognition, and the same attitude toward the Satanic hosts of the prince of the power of the air; with the same co-witness of the Holy Spirit to the authority of the Name of Jesus, as in the early Church. In brief, that the Church of Christ will reach its high water mark, when it is able to recognize and deal with demon-possession; when it knows how to “bind the strong man” by prayer; “command” the spirits of evil in the Name of Christ, and deliver men and women from their power. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, chapter 2)

Dear God, I pray that by humbling ourselves rather than by humiliation and defeat may our eyes be opened to be able to deal with the reality of demon possession. Amen

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

I had no idea how I was created. I had no idea where I would go when I died. I had no idea why it is or how I was on a planet filled with life surrounded by vast endless space and yet I was so close minded to anything that seemed “far fetched”. Being alive and conscious and on this planet is actually far fetched if you really think about it!.

I snickered and rolled my eyes at people who wanted me to believe something about a man who lived 2 thousand years ago – and yet I accepted theories from other men about things that apparently happened 65 million years ago.

And I was indoctrinated by them to believe it wasn’t “theory”, it was fact!

They too had no idea where they came from and where they are going – we all just continued to walk in darkness, focusing on the little we did know and avoiding how much we didn’t know! We catalogued the creation and called it science or added a twist of the spiritual to it and called it “my own understanding of God”. Some flaky but all powerful force that was more of a philosophical machination than anything close to the truth of who God is.

But I put aside my own understanding and began to seek this man who said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life…even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.” (John 8: 12-14)

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Thursday, March 29th, 2012

God challenges, disciplines and convicts – but he never accuses or oppresses! Ever!

“I command every single thought and intention coming at me not of CHRIST to be dismissed. I cover and seal my mind and emotions shut from the onslaught of the Enemy in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
“I refuse every insinuation, influence or suggestion from the Devil and his minions. I will OBEY only the Voice and the Word of my Lord and Savior – who NEVER accuses or depresses” Amen.

THE EXORCISM OF EVIL SPIRITS CONTRASTED WITH CHRIST’S POWER OF WORD

How striking to contrast all this with the calm authority of Christ, who needed no adjuration, or methods of exorcism, and no prolonged preparation of Himself ere dealing with a spirit-possessed man. “He cast out the spirits by a word,” “With authority and power He commandeth . . and they obey Him,” was the wondering testimony of the awe-struck people; and the testimony, too, of the seventy sent forth by Him to use the authority of His Name, as they found the spirits subject to them, even as they were to their Lord (Luke 10: 17-20).

“‘They obey Him,” said the people. “They”–the evil spirits whom the people knew to be real identities governed by Beelzebub, their prince (Matt. 12: 24- 27). The complete mastery of the Lord over the demons, compelled the leaders to find some way of explaining His authority over them, and so by that subtle influence of Satan–with which all who have had insight into his devices are familiar–they suddenly charge the Lord with having Satanic power Himself, by saying “He casteth out demons through Beelzebub, the prince of the demons,” suggesting that Christ’s authority over evil spirits was derived from their chief and prince.

The reference to the kingdom of Satan, and his kingship was left uncontradicted by the Lord, who simply declared the truth in the face of Satan’s lie, that He cast out demons “by the finger of God,” and that Satan’s kingdom would soon fall were he to act against himself, and dislodge his emissaries from their place of retreat in human bodies, where alone they can achieve their greatest power, and do the greatest harm among men. That Satan does apparently fight against himself is true, but when he does so, it is with the purpose of covering some scheme for greater advantage to his kingdom. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

A Hen And Her Chicks

….Not a title that I would normally associate with Jesus Christ. Lord? Yes. King? Yes. Warrior? Yes. Father? Yes. Bridegroom? Yes! A hen?? umm no! Yet scripture says what it says. And the Lord Himself uses those words to describe His desire. His desire is to draw His children together like a hen would gather her chicks under her protective feathers.  This protection DOES NOT come from studying and practicing the politics of your religion. Our fellowships have become the breeding ground for pharisees! You think your title of trustee or delegate or sponsor or GSR can protect you? Not only are you actually forsaking your protection, you are also inviting God’s intervention AGAINST you on behalf of the people you are oppressing. This example that Jesus uses comes after some pretty heavy words that He had to say, let’s listen with open hearts.

“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” Psalm 91:4

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the religious law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. (They are the official interpreters of the Law of Moses) So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra-long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi. Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Woe to you, (What sorrow awaits you!) teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!

You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” (Matthew 23:1-39)

Amen!

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Thursday, July 19th, 2012

What if I told you you were going to be sick, poor and ugly for the rest of your life? And single? And barren? Would you still love God? Would you still bring a pen and notepad to church and take notes – just for the sake of memorizing the words of your Lord, with no chance of using them as an incantation for success? And no matter how much your pastor reassures you that it will ‘turn around’ for you and no matter how many C.D’s of your favourite Christian life coach you listen you – God reveals to you that you will not be getting your way in this life. No matter how much you try to Christianize the principles of “The Secret”.  And it’s not because God is cruel, or because He can’t heal you, or because you don’t pray enough, it’s just because that’s the way it is going to be for you. Would you still pursue Him??

And what if I told you that just as you were getting used to that – or just when your identity began to draw power from it, you are suddenly elevated to great wealth and success and your life was filled with blessings so brilliant that you never thought to even ask for such over the top demonstrations of Divine favor. Would you be able to enjoy it – drink it in – and still pursue the Lord with a desperate thirst in your soul for Him??

And he wouldn’t be doing it because He is ‘playing’ with you, or is unfair and a power tripper. He is doing it to teach you the most valuable thing you could ever learn – the ONE thing that could have averted the fall of mankind. Obedience.

Obedience. One of the ugliest words I had ever heard of as a non-Christian. To me it meant to become a slave. Automaton. Non-entity. I wanted to think for myself!! I had to learn (the hard way) that I had to first Obey God in trust in order for him to teach me HOW to think for myself. For him to divest me of all of the mind control devices of this world and undo the brainwashing that rebellion and hardness of heart brings about. Then and only then could I begin to grasp what the origins of the word obedience hints at: it means to Listen, to hear. In it’s simplest form it means to Listen completely. It also means to comply with, to follow, to carry out instructions through action. I had to take a leap of faith in God – enough to HEAR Him out, to Listen. And then only God had the Power to win my complete and total obedience all the while renewing and regenerating my active and independant intelligence.

Wow! What a God!! To be so Incredibly Awesome as to win my complete allegiance and willingness to submit and defer to Him – to OBEY Him completely in the face of all that opposes Him – using my Free Will. The Will that He freed for me!

Most people will be too busy in the chatter of their minds, trying to show me scriptures that tell them God “wants” them to be successful, or that God “wants” them to make a religion out of poverty and charity to really understand why I’m asking these questions.

To the the degree that you pursue what you “think” is important in your life is the degree to which you live in the “flesh”, which is the ground floor of your “building”. Level “flesh” of your temple. Even your “spirituality” can come from that place. Someone who is living in and living OUT of, coming FROM deep within the Temple of His God – who’s prayer really and truly is to “dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” is going to have an ENTIRELY different experience. An entirely different life.

“…Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord…) (Psalm 27:3-6)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Amen.

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Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

THE POWER OF EVIL SPIRITS OVER HUMAN BODIES

The control of the spirits over the bodies of those they possess is seen in the gospel cases. The man with the legion was not master over his own body or mind. The spirits would “seize him,” “drive him” (Luke 8: 29), compel him to cut himself with stones (Mark 5: 5), strengthen him to burst every fetter and chain (v. 4), “cry out” aloud (v. 5), and fiercely attack others (Matt. 8: 28). The boy with the dumb spirit would be dashed to the ground (Luke 9: 42), and convulsed; the spirit forced him to cry out, and tore him, so that the body became bruised and sore (v. 39). Teeth, tongue, vocal organs, ears, eyes, nerves, muscles and breath, are seen to be affected and interfered with, by evil spirits in possession. Weakness and strength are both produced by their working, and men (Mark 1: 23), women (Luke 8: 2), boys (Mark 9: 17), and girls (Mark 7: 25), are equally open to their power.

That the Jews were familiar with the fact of evil spirit possession, is clear from their words, when they saw the Lord Christ cast out the blind and dumb spirit from a man (Matt. 12: 24). Also that there were men among them who knew some method of dealing with such cases (v. 27). “By whom do your sons cast them out?” said the Lord. That such dealing with evil spirits was not effective, may be gathered from some instances given, where it appears that alleviation of the sufferings from evil spirit possession, was the most that could be done; e.g. (1) the case of king Saul, who was soothed by the harp playing of David; (2) the sons of Sceva, who were professional exorcists, yet who recognized a power in the Name of Jesus which their exorcism did not possess. In both these cases the danger of attempted alleviation and exorcism, and the power of the evil spirits, is strikingly shown in contrast to the complete command manifested by Christ and His Apostles. David playing to Saul is suddenly aware of the javelin flung by the hand of the man he was seeking to soothe; and the sons of Sceva found the evil spirits upon them, and mastering them as they used the Name of Jesus, without the Divine co-working given to all who exercise personal faith in Him. Among the heathen, also, who know the venom of these wicked spirits, propitiation and soothing of their hate by obedience to them, is the most that they know.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis, War On The saints, Chapter 2)

Dear Jesus, I am so strengthened and renewed by the knowledge that you have complete command of Power. I am so grateful that you are not just a “name” that I try and use as some kind of incantation, that you are not some remote and distant “icon” that I look up to – instead you are closer to me than my own breath – while still being seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Thank you for giving me Divine “co-working” with you because of my personal faith in you. Thank you that I do not only have relief from demonic power –  I have TOTAL Victory and Triumph. Because of you. I love you. Amen.

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Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

Most people love to quote Jesus saying “Love one another” or “Love your enemies” not because they are sincerely inspired by such radical theology. Instead, they are trying to use it to muzzle the bold Christian – attacking anything he says that is not Hallmark approved, in the hopes that it will manipulate him to be “softer”. But gentleness and mercy are not synonymous with flaccidity.  These are usually the same people who love reading books about spirituality that steal from the Bible and deny the Bible – all in one breath!  

They don’t realize that Satan also tempted Jesus in the desert with words taken from the Bible – and what was Christ’s response? He put those words back into the wholeness of scripture.

Jesus also said “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39) Amen!

http://esv.scripturetext.com/matthew/10.htm

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Thank you for the hundreds of e-mails and texts supporting this and for sharing your heart with me!!!

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

EVIL SPIRITS FORETELLING THROUGH MEDIUMS

In like manner as a “spirit of divination,” deceiving spirits can use “palmists,” and “fortune tellers,” to deceive; for in their work of watching human beings, they inspire the mediums to foretell, not what they know about the future–for God alone has this knowledge–but things which they themselves intend to do; and if they can get the person, to whom these things are told, to co-operate with them, by accepting, or believing, their “fore-telling,” they try eventually to bring them about; e.g., the medium says such and such a thing will happen, the person believes it, and by believing opens himself, or herself, to the evil spirit, to bring that thing to pass; or else admits the spirit, or gives free opportunity to one already in possession, to bring about the thing foretold. They cannot always succeed, and this is the reason why there is so much uncertainty about the response through mediums, because many things may hinder the workings of the evil spirit beings, particularly the prayers of friends, or intercessors in the Christian Church.

These are some of the “deep things of Satan” (Rev. 2: 24) mentioned by the Lord in His message to Thyatira, manifestly referring to far more subtle workings among the Christians of that time, than all that the Apostles had seen in the cases recorded in the gospels. “The mystery of lawlessness doth already work,” wrote the Apostle Paul (2 Thess. 2: 7), showing that the deep laid schemes of deception through “doctrines” (1 Tim. 4: 1), foretold as reaching their full culmination in the last days, were already at work in the Church of God. Evil spirits are at work to-day, inside as well as outside the Church, and “spiritualism,” in its meaning of dealing with evil spirits, may be found inside the Church, and among the most spiritual believers, apart from its true name. Christian men think they are free from spiritism because they have never been to a seance, not knowing that evil spirits attack, and deceive every human being, and they do not confine their working to the Church, or the world, but wherever they can find conditions fulfilled to enable them to manifest their power. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

Dear God, thank you for waking us up to the conditions that we have fulfilled that have allowed evil spirits to work in our lives. Thank you God,  for your patience and perserverence in giving us the opportunity to be willing enough to seek out the Truth in these and in all matters. Thank you God, sincerely, for delivering us from evil and for destroying the works of the Devil. May we continue in the narrow path that leads to eternal life! Amen.

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