The Christian is meant by God to walk in the Spirit. Too
often we spend years, or even decades living the fleshly life,
producing little fruit for God.
" But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the
desires of the flesh. For the desires of the Spirit are against
the flesh, and the desires of the flesh are against the
Spirit" Gal 5:16,17
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, For he who sows to
His own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows
to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." Gal.6:8
THE KEY - GOD'S SPIRIT IN YOU
JOHN 3:16 - born again by God's Spirit
1 John 3:9 - New nature from God's Spirit
2 Cor. 3:6 - Ministry of power from God's Spirit.
It is of supreme importance for the Christian to know the
difference between the soul and spirit. Only the spirit of a man
can comprehend spiritual reality, but without proper knowledge how
can we comprehend what is spiritual and what is carnal?
Until the Christian can comprehend the difference between soul and
spirit he will probably live from the soul rather than the higher
life of the Spirit.
THE NEW LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN
2 COR. 1:22 "God has given us His Spirit"
Romans 8:14 "All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God"
Hebrews 10:15ff God writes his laws on your heart.
Gal.2:20 "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within
me"
THE RIVER OF LIFE
When we are saved and born again the HOLY SPIRIT comes and dwells
within us. Then the words of Jesus come true:
JOHN 7:38,39 "He who believes in me , as the scripture has said,
out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." Now this He
said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to
receive"
JOHN 4:14 "the water I shall give him will become in him a spring
of living water welling up to eternal life"
By experience we have found that the flow of this river is often
blocked to a certain extent. LIKE THE ISRAELITES ENTERING THE
PROMISED LAND , we discover that some of our inner enemies have
been removed and others remain for us to deal with in faith. God
desires to teach , train and prove us in these areas. These are
the boulders that block the stream. God wants a deep relationship
with us. Three things block this life:
1. UNDEALTWITH SIN
Sin which has not been confessed and repented will block the
flow of the Spirit. Often this is buried in incidents of hurt or
betrayal in the past which result in resentment,
unforgiveness , anger and bitterness towards those who hurt us.
2. UNCRUCIFIED FLESH
Areas of our life in which we follow the old human nature rather
than putting it to death will block the flow of the Holy Spirit in
us.
3. THE DEVIL
Because of our sin and flesh nature the devil often gains a
foothold and his bondage can keep the Spirit from flowing in a
certain area of our lives.
These blockages or 'boulders' are often interlinked and holding
each other in place. For example the sin of unforgiveness may
lock in the flesh of alcoholism and violence and be driven by a
demon of revenge. Freedom in a particular part of ones life often
means dealing with a cross section of sin ,the flesh and the
devil.
FOUR STEPS OUGHT TO BE TAKEN IN PRAYER
-1. CONFESS SIN - this is the key area to all restoration.
Repentance preceeds every grace of God unto us.
Leave no sin undealtwith. Each one is a foothold.
-2. CRUCIFY THE FLESH - rule your fallen nature
-3. BIND AND DRIVE OUT ANY EVIL SPIRITS INVOLVED
-4. SEEK THE FILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THAT AREA OF LIFE
WE EXCERCISE AUTHORITY OVER OUR FALLEN NATURE
Gal.5:16 " Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires
of the flesh"
Phil. 2:12 "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
for God is at work in you both to WILL and to WORK for His good
pleasure."
BODY- 2 Tim.2:22 "flee youthful lusts"
- 1 Cor 6:18 "shun immorality.."
- Romans 8:13 "put to death the misdeeds of the body"
SOUL -2 Tim.1:7 "God has given a Spirit of power, love and self
control"
-Col.3 "Set your minds on things above...."
-Phil4:8 "Think on these things".
-2 Cor.10:5 "take every thought captive to obey Christ"
SPIRIT - James 4:7 "flee idolatry"
- 1 John 4:1 "do not believe every spirit, but test the
spirits to see whether they are of God"
READ EPHESIANS 4:17ff ; Col.3:1-17; note all the things you can do in
body,soul and spirit.
DEALING WITH THE DEVIL
The Christian not only has to deal with the fallen nature, as
indicated in our previous study, but is agrivated by the work of
the devil on the flesh. Though our spirit is joined to God's
Spirit we find that our old nature can be attacked , tempted and
tormented by demons.
EPHESIANS 6:12 "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places."
HOW THE ENEMY WORKS
JOB 1:6,7 among the sons of God (us) "going to and fro on the
earth and walking up and down upon it"
1 Peter 5:8 "prowls around like a roaring like seeking someone to
devour"
Heb 2:14 He holds the power of death.
1 Tim.3:7; 2Tim 2:26 Lays snares
Zech 3:1; Daniel 10:13; Acts 16:16-18; Resists the servants of
God.
ATTACKS BODY
Luke 9:39 siezures caused by demons.
Luke 13:16 Jesus heals woman bent by a spirit of infirmity.
ATTACKS MIND
Acts 5:3 "Ananias why has Satan filled your heart to lie.."
Matt.16:23 Jesus tells Peter "get behind me Satan" indicating
Peter was repeating Satans lie.
2 Cor 10:5 our spiritual warfare destroys arguements.
ATTACKS WILL
John 13:2,27 The devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray
Him.
Matt 4:1-9 BRINGS TEMPTATION (see also 1 Thess.3:5)
ATTACKS EMOTIONS
2 Thess.2:9-12 Satan is allowed to send strong deceptions on the
perishing because they had pleasure in unrighteousness. Emotional
attractions are involved here. "Itching ears"
ATTACKS SPIRIT
2 Thess.2 SEVERAL WARNINGS here and other places about being
deceived in spirit .
Basically, the devil can attack any area of the Christians life
that is allowed him. But Christ has secured the victory over all
the powers and prinicipalities. (read Ephesians)
THE CHRISTIAN'S AUTHORITY OVER SATAN
MATT 10:1 "He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast
them out"
EPH.2:6 we " sit with Christ in the heavenly places"
EPH.1:21 "far above every every rule and authority..."
MATT. 16:19;18:18 Keys of the kingdom - power to BIND and LOOSE
Power to BIND - take captive , to control
(see Matt 12:29) - join two things to strengthen
- for healing - as a bandage
Power to LOOSE - release
- cancel power of
MARK 11:23 power to speak to the mountain to be removed
JAMES 4:7 "resist the devil and he will flee from you."
EPH. 4:27 " give no place to the devil"
DETECTING THE ENEMY
DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS
1 COR. 12:10 - The Holy Spirit gives the supernatural ability to
distinguish between spirits. It is a spiritual revelation and not
a matter of natural insight or interpretation.
SCRIPTURAL TEST
The Holy Spirit ALWAYS agrees with the word of God. Any spiritual
leading, teaching, thought , feeling or impression that
contradicts the plain teaching of the bible is not from God. This
may even be applied directly by questioning .
1 JOHN 4:1-3 "Test the spirits whether they are of God...any
spirit which confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of
God. Every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God...."
1 JOHN 2:22 The spirit of anti-Christ denies Jesus is the Christ
and denies the Father and the Son.
THE FRUIT TEST
The Holy Spirit always brings the fruit of the Spirit. The
character of love, peacefulness, patience , self control must be
evident. The Holy Spirit leads us to repentence, crucifying the
flesh.
Evil spirits appeal to the carnal nature, tempt us to sin, exalt
self above all. The works of the flesh show their character as
forceful, pushy, imapatient, operating out of fear, self
justification and pride.
PERFORM A FRUIT TEST
HOLY SPIRIT EVIL SPIRIT
Leads into truth Drives, loud forceful.
Quiet tender peaceful Unsettled, in a rush
Allows time to test it. Presses for action.
Focuses on Jesus, holiness. Focuses on self, appearances,
brings word to remembrance. "religious behavior" before others.
Impressions grow strnger as Grow weaker as you pray.
you pray.
Followed by peace and rest. Followed by confusion, perplexity
feeling something is wrong.
CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL OPPRESSION
1. SIN AND LIVING IN THE FLESH
Continuing in sin gives a place to the devil. Because we remain
under law in that area of our lives (see Romans 8) we are subject
to judgement .
1 TIM.3:6 ..."puffed up with conceit, and fall into condemnation
of the devil."
EPH 4:26,27 ..."be angry but do not sin....give no opportunity to
the devil.
2 TIM 2:26 ..."repent...escape from the snare of the devil after
being captured by him to do his will."
1 JOHN 3:8 "he who commits sin is of the devil"
2. SPIRITUAL INHERITANCE
Familiar spirits and the bondage of former generations can carry
on to the children until deliberately repented of and broken.
EXODUS 34:7 "visiting the sins of the fathers ...to the third and
fourth generation."
JOHN 9:2 " who sinned, this man or his parents , that he should be
born blind " (answer was neither, but obviously they believed it
was possible.)
3. SATAN'S BRUISES
The devil attacks each one of us and through lifes hurts takes
opportunity to bruise us. It may even be allowed by God to cause
us to seek Him.
GENESIS 3:15 (to serpent) "he shall bruise your head, and you
shall bruise his heel."
ISAIAH 53 "He was bruised for our iniquities.."
LUKE 9:39 ..."to set at liberty them that are bruised"
4. LIES AND SPIRITUAL DECEPTION
The lies of Satan can bring us into or keep us in captivity.
Unless we stand firm in the truth about our place in Christ we can
be in bondage. (see scripture sheets).
1 TIM. 4:1 "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times
some will depart the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits
and doctrines of demons...."
EPH 5:6 "Let no man deceive you with empty words.."
2 THESS. 2:1-3 to watch out for deception by word, letter, by
spirit, saying the day of the Lord had come.
JOHN 8:32 "ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you
free"
VICTORY IN CHRIST
The Lord will give us victory in every area as we walk with Him.
The evident key is a abiding relationship with Him.
Take these scriptural principles, submit to God, resist the devil,
and have the confident trust of a beloved child!
TOTAL CHANGE CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES - TERRY SOMERVILLE
100 JONES RD. CAMPBELL RIVER B.C. CANADA V9W-2V1
(250) 287-7420 TOTAL CHANGE PROPHECY PAGE
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