Recovered In Christ

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)

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!

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.

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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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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Monday, March 26th, 2012

DIFFERENT KINDS OF EVIL SPIRITS

That there are different kinds of spirits is evident from all the instances given in the gospel records. Their manifestation outside the gospel cases, may be seen in the story of the girl at Philippi, possessed by a “spirit of divination,” and again in Simon the Sorcerer, who was so energized by Satanic power for the working of miracles, that he was considered to be “a great power of God” by the deceived people (Acts 8: 10).

Spiritists, to-day, are deceived, in so far as they really believe they are communicating with the spirits of the dead; for it is easy for spirits of evil to impersonate any of the dead, even the most devoted and saintly Christians. They have watched them (Acts 19: 15) all their lives, and can easily counterfeit their voices, or say anything about them, and their actions when on earth. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

Dear God, Thank you for saving me from so many demonic deceptions that I sincerely believed in! Thank you for showing me how earnestness, sincerity and honesty are not guarantees against deception. Thank you for showing me how my genuine attempts to seek you were used against me to deceive me and lure me into receiving and listening to information from evil spirits. Thank you God for teaching me the truth about you, about the Bible and for giving me the Holy Spirit to teach me all of this and so much more. Bless you!! Amen.

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Sunday, March 25th, 2012

VARIED MANIFESTATION OF EVIL SPIRITS THROUGH PERSONS

Their manifestations through the persons in whom they obtain footing, are varied in character, according to the degree and kind of ground they secure for possession. In one Biblical case the only manifestation of the evil spirit’s presence was dumbness (Matt. 9: 32); the spirit possibly locating in the vocal organs; in another, the person held by the spirit was “deaf and dumb” (Mark 9: 25), and the symptoms included foaming at the mouth, grinding the teeth–all connected with the head–but the hold of the spirit was of such long standing (v. 21) that he could throw his victim down, and convulse the whole body (Mark 9: 20-22).

In other cases we find merely an “unclean spirit” in a man in a “synagogue,” probably so hidden that none would know the man was thus possessed, until the spirit cried out with fear when he saw Christ, saying, “Art Thou come to destroy us?” (Mark 1: 24); or a “spirit of infirmity” (Luke 13: 11) in a woman of whom it might be said that she simply required “healing” of some disease, or that she was always tired, and only needed “rest,” as some would say in the language of the twentieth century.

Again, we find a very advanced case in the man with the “legion,” showing that the evil spirits’ possession reached such a climax, as to make the person appear insane; for his own personality was so mastered by the malignant spirits in possession, as to cause him to lose all sense of decency, and self-control in the presence of others (Luke 8: 27). The unity of purpose in the spirits of evil to carry out the will of their prince, is especially shown in this case, as with one accord they besought to be allowed to enter the swine, and with one accord they rushed the whole herd into the sea. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

Dear God, how many problems, disorders and “unhealthy habits” have we struggled with – that evil spirits were using as ground for possession and creating powerful strongholds that made us powerless? Knowledge that this is possible is one of the first steps in the removal of the veil that has kept us asleep to what keeps us in bondage. Thank you God. Amen.

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Friday, March 23, 2012

CHARACTERISTICS OF EVIL SPIRITS

What the characteristics of these wicked spirits are, and how they are able to dwell in the bodies and minds of human beings, will be seen by a careful examination of the specific cases mentioned in the Gospels; as well as their power to interfere with, mislead, and deceive, even servants of God, from references to them in other portions of the Word of God.

Evil spirits are generally looked upon as “influences,” and not as intelligent beings, but their personality and entity, and difference in character as distinct intelligences, will be seen in the Lord’s direct commands to them (Mark 1: 25; 5: 8; 3: 11, 12; 9: 25); their power of speech (Mark 3: 11); their replies to Him, couched in intelligent language (Matt. 8: 29); their sensibilities of fear (Luke 8: 31); their definite expression of desire (Matt. 8: 31); their need of a dwelling place of rest (Matt. 12: 43); their intelligent power of decision (Matt. 12: 44); their power of agreement with other spirits; their degrees of wickedness (Matt. 12: 45); their power of rage (Matt. 8: 28); their strength (Mark 5: 4); their ability to possess a human being, either as one (Mark 1: 26) or in a thousand (Mark 5: 9); their use of a human being as their medium for “divining,” or foretelling the future (Acts 16: 16); or as a great miracle worker by their power (Acts 8: 11). (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

Dear God, please teach me not to dismiss the knowledge you are giving me. Let me not fall prey to a false sense of security when you are calling me to arms. Let me obey you in everything you’ve given to teach me! Help me not to settle for pat answers. Let me not drift into the camp of: Hear no evil, see no evil – be possessed by evil. Amen.

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Saturday, March 24th, 2012

THE RAGE AND WICKEDNESS OF EVIL SPIRITS

When evil spirits act in a rage, they act as a combination of the maddest, and most wicked persons in existence, but all their evil is done with fullest intelligence, and purpose. They know what they do, they know it is evil, terribly evil, and they will to do it. They do it with rage, and with the full swing of malice, enmity and hatred. They act with fury and bestiality, like an enraged bull, as if they had no intelligence, and yet with fun intelligence they carry on their work, showing the wickedness of their wickedness. They act from an absolutely depraved nature, with diabolical fury, and with an undeviating perseverance. They act with determination, persistency, and with skilful methods, forcing themselves upon mankind, upon the Church, and still more upon the spiritual man. (Jessie Penn-Lewis; War On The Saints, Chapter 2)

For many years my mind was closed shut against the reality of evil as something intelligent, having personality. As God began showing me the truth of their existance – I began to do what MANY Christians have done, I treated them like a past tense enemy – something Jesus took care of on the cross. As my experience and the Bible showed me something more, I began to see how many well meaning Christians treated them as some kind of “allegory” or worse as pests of temptation. Or even worse – as something their pastor or church takes care of, nothing they themselves should deal with.

Think of how you would react and deal with a problem of ants in your home. Think and feel it. They are annoying pests. Definately something to deal with – but not anything to panic about – right?

Now, think and feel how you would react and deal with a brutal, vicious serial killer in your home. Think and feel it. Notice the difference. Notice how different your “enemy” has become. That is the difference between our understanding as a whole in the Christian church in regards to Satan and his demons, versus the reality of what we are facing.

Yes, Jesus “took care of them all” on the cross – including sin and death – and yet not one these things have been ‘erased’ from our human experience. Through the FINISHED work of Christ on the cross can we also overcome as our Lord overcame. If we are willing and humble enough to let the Holy Spirit lead us and teach us.