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Ephesians 6:12“
For 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.” RESISTING 'satan'.
Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
4 - Ways
You can Resist
the Influences of the Devil. If you are serious about resisting satan-
and submitting to GOD,
we strongly recommend that you
find a true Minister of GOD to discuss
repentance and baptism, in the name of JESUS CHRIST - YESHUA. Dear Father, tonight, please give us the wisdom, discernment, alertness,
and ability, Heavenly Father,
to recognize friend from foe in our spiritual battle.
In the name of YESHUA
Our LORD and SAVIOR, Amen.
We must ( always ) be on guard (en gaurde )
And remain vigilant both physically, mentally, and spiritually. satan employs ( VERY CRUEL and INFLUENTIAL )
psychological tactics against us ---
He strikes when we are at our most vulnerable...
satan's offence is to get into our hearts and to get into our conscience and to trouble us and attack us.
He moves in on us.
He attacks.
He accuses us to GOD.
( day and night ) --
Revelation 12:10
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
He moves in to knock us off. He attacks our Christianity.
He puts thought into our head, he tries to cause us to second guess our salvation,
Our courage, truth, our humanity, anything he can to cause us to trip and stumble.
"So you're a Christian, huh? Oh Really??”
He will attack you to make you absolutely shut up.
He will make you feel guilty when there are no grounds for feeling guilty.
He will make you feel guilty about everything under the sun,
and his purpose is to make us shut our mouths.
{ A quiet Christian, is a Christian of no consequence. }
There are Christians today who will not open their mouths because of an assault of Satan upon their life.
Everything that they did, satan accuses them.
"You did not pray right.”
“You did not read your Bible right.”
“You did not witness right.”
“You were not bold enough.”
“You were not strong enough.”
“You sang that for your own honor and glory.”
“You did that for show. You did this or that."
Everything in the world that you do, he accuses you.
After a while, (he) absolutely shuts your mouth.
Christians, having [ assurance of salvation ] will set out to knock on doors and begin to deal with people and try to win them to Christ,
And before they know it, they will have doubts about their (own)
salvation when they did not have any doubts before.
“What is the matter?”
"Oh, you're a Christian, and you are out here trying to get people
saved by knocking on doors?”
“How about yourself?” “Are you saved?”
“Are you sure?”
“You are not even saved yourself."
A person will begin to doubt their own salvation.
They do not understand the adversary.
What happens?
They will quit their visitation.
They stop witnessing to others.
The Devil has knocked many a person out of singing for the Lord,
witnessing for the Lord, doing anything for the Lord because of
the fact the accuser has shut their mouths by his accusations.
Does that sound familiar?
Before a person sins, he says, "You can get away with it..”
“Sure --- you can get away with it."
And, after you sin, the devil says to you & me -
You will never fly high again.
You will never sing again.
You will never be used by GOD again. Look what you’ve done..
The accuser entices us, and the very moment they do it, despair.
He hits our heart and our conscience. He really works us over.
That is his task, his job. He is after [ you], he is after [ me.] And ( he ) satan, is very good at his job.
{{ Can ( we ) overcome this? Absolutely we can ! }}
WHAT TO DO ? The apostle Paul lists specific elements of the spiritual armor GOD makes available to us.
He compares the defense of GOD’S servants against Satan’s influence to a “belt of truth around your waist” and a “breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14). He describes their combat shoes as “whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Their shield is their faith in GOD and His Son, Jesus Christ, “with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16).
Their resolve is protected by “the helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17)—the assurance that in steadfastly serving and pleasing GOD they will receive eternal life.
The [one] offensive weapon they can use to cut to ribbons satan’s attitudes and philosophies is:
the “sword of the Spirit,
which is: The word of GOD” .
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you. (James 4:8 further tells us to ):
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.
James 1:8
{ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. }
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? ( James 4:12 ). Just so we [really ] understand - let’s gain some perspective here.
Revelation 12:7-12
"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
satan, the devil, that ol red dragon, the serpent --
approaches in a very direct, indirect way. With subtle deception. Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: ( satan ) Introduced doubt to Eve. Subtly. Deceptively.
1. He is The Deceiver.
Satan's target - your mind;
his weapons - lies;
his purpose - to make [you] ignorant of God's will;
{ your defense - the inspired Word of God.}
2. He is The Destroyer.
Satan's target - your body; your soul.
his weapon - suffering;
his purpose - to make you impatient with God's will;
your defense - the imparted grace.
3. He [is] The Ruler ( of this world.)
satan's target - your will;
satan's weapon - pride;
satan's purpose - to make you independent of God's will;
your defense - the indwelling Spirit of God.
4. He is The Accuser.
Satan's target - your heart and conscience;
Satan's weapon - accusation;
Satan's purpose - to bring an indictment by God's will;
your defense - the interceding SON, CHRIST JESUS. The Accuser...
In the book of Revelation, you find him [ accusing.]
You find it (also) in the book of Job the first chapter. ( Job 1:6 - Job 2:1 )
We must understand that satan has access to the throne of GOD. ( He can speak directly to GOD )
He is not cast out of heaven.
He is cast out of the throne room of GOD, but he has access to GOD, and he does something before GOD, He accuses us. He has an army - one third of the angels evidently.
At one time, in the middle of the tribulation period, satan will be cast out and caged on this earth like a wild lion with his armies. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down ... He has access to the earth, but he will be confined to the earth. Until then, satan is busy doing a lot of things, but he is busy accusing the brethren. Heaven gets tired of it, and kicks him out on this earth. You and I had better read the Word of GOD to understand our adversary.
Adolph Hitler wrote a book that told exactly how he would conquer Europe. The world said that (he) would (not) do it, but (he)
(did it) just like he wrote it.
GOD gave (us a Book)(The Bible) that tells all about our enemy, our adversary.
Are (we) not concerned enough to pick up the Book and read about our adversary?
Read how to defend yourself. Read how he will attack us. Read how he will use us. Unless we stay in the book and read the book, then the Devil really has a hay-day with us. (The accuser of the brethren. )
Turn to Zechariah 3. He certainly knows to attack.
NUMBER ONE, HE ATTACKS OUR HEART AND OUR CONSCIENCE.
He really shakes us up. That is his design. We have a picture here in Zechariah 3: "And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and satan standing at his right hand to resist him. (Here is the high priest.) And the LORD said unto satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel." Joshua, the high priest, represented Israel.
Jesus Christ, our High Priest represents us !
We are clothed in HIS righteousness. Our names are on HIS shoulders according to our birth.
Our names are upon HIS heart and a place of affection.
How, then, do we draw near to GOD? His instruction continues: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (same verse). We must actively seek to eliminate satan’s way of thinking and behaving from our lives.
satan, however, is so clever and powerful that no human being can successfully resist his influence—without GOD’S help. Therefore the key to resisting the devil is to sincerely and consistently draw near and remain close to GOD.
Key to resisting the influence of satan the devil -- 1. Recognize and acknowledge sins and repent of them.
The Scriptures compare this transformation
from satan’s way of thinking to coming back
to life from the dead (Ephesians 2:1-3).
2. Submit to GOD.
When we begin to truly repent and submit to GOD from the heart, we begin to take His Word seriously and to obey His instruction and commands. Ephesians 5:25-27).
3. Put on the whole Armor of GOD.
But what can we do about the devil’s attempts to influence
us in the future? Here, too -
GOD provides us with a defense:
Ephesians Chapter 6
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For 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].
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
4. Be active in [ daily ] Bible study and prayer.
Finally, Paul says, “pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication.
To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints”
(Ephesians 6:18).
These are the essential keys for warding off satan’s efforts to regain control over us. The battle front rages on.
However ~
The DEBT is paid in full.
satan has no grounds to accuse
(us) before a HOLY GOD because Jesus Christ has fully settled forever all that a HOLY GOD could have against us,
and it is [ paid in full. ]
(((We are not only forgiven; we are justified.)))
(We) have no [righteousness] of our own,
We are [declared] [righteous.]
In fact, HE ( CHRIST ) [is] our [righteousness.]
PAID IN FULL AT THE CROSS !
The blood on the mercy seat in the
(Old Testament) gave (1) year's covering of blood, for the day of atonement came once a year.
This is an eternal covering.
But for by one offering HE hath perfected forever,
them that are sanctified. HE has made that final sacrifice for sins. He put away sin by the sacrifice of HIMSELF.
With that blood, our defense is the fact that JESUS CHRIST has answered all that a HOLY GOD had against us.
HE is our High Priest.
Our KINSMAN REDEEMER !
As HE stands there as our Advocate, HE has pierced hands as evidence that HE paid it.
HE has pierced feet as evidence that HE paid it.
Here is HIS head that was crowned with thorns.
Now, HE stands as the propitiation.
GOD is forever satisfied with everything in the world about this thing called sin because Jesus Christ put it away.
HE paid for it with HIS own precious blood. And if any man sin, we have an advocate…
{ An advocate presupposes an accuser. }
God will not defend our sins. CHRIST dealt with that,
And He will [ surely defend ] HIS children at the mercy seat. HALLELUJAH !