71. A Militant Church

Satan was cast down to the earth, now cast him out of the church !

See The Lessons

In Your Bible Read This
Revelation 12, 7-12; Daniel 10

Here Is Your Memory Verse
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word
of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death. Revelation 12.11.

Afterwards Talk About This
Look at the characteristics of the thief and tell each other how you have
seen each of these in life and society. Finish by thanking God that he has delivered you.

Something To Do Before Next Time
Organise a special time of prayer with experienced pastors and prayer
warriors and asking for the help of the Holy Spirit; to receive ministry that
will ensure that you are free from the grip of ‘Poneria.’

Written Diploma Work
Write a page to identify what is the dominating territorial spirit over
your city, and describe his manifestation in the life of the population.

Meditate Word By Word On This Verse
Colossians 1.13

Spend a Minute to Change the World

Pray For Ireland - 4,000,000 Celtic people

92% Catholic, Protestants in decline, major missionary sending nation

 

Be sure to teach this lesson to others.

Always pray and prepare well adding your own verses and stories to bring it to life.

Two Kingdoms And Two Plans

The Bible clearly teaches the existence of two kingdoms and two rulers. The kingdom of God is the realm of God’s authority and government, and it’s entire nature is good. The other kingdom is ruled by Satan and his forces of darkness whose nature is uncompromisingly evil. God’s kingdom is a place of blessing as seen, for example, in Jeremiah 29.10-14:

I will come to you to fulfil my gracious promise, verse 10.

I have plans to prosper you and not to harm you, verse 11.

My plans will give you a hope and a future, verse 11

I will listen to you, be found by you.

I will bring you back from captivity. Verses 12, and 14

But the thief only comes to steal, kill and destroy,John 10.10. Satan’s kingdom is:

A kingdom of doubt, unbelief, confusion, despair, depression, rejection; diversion, temptation, enticing and defiling; deception, lying, accusing and robbery; dominance, control, rebellion, false worship, occult and enslaving; destruction, murder, devouring, torment, fear and division. All these are Bible descriptions.

The Invisible Opposition.

It is the job of the Church having been rescued, Colossians 1.13,14, to then submit to God, and resist the devil through militant, intelligent spiritual warfare.

War With A Warning

This is better done by the church, or by groups of dedicated intercessors than by individual believers. James 4.7; Romans 12.21; 1 Peter 5.9. This subject and this lesson is full of scholarly controversy and more than a little speculation, but we will make an attempt from Ephesians 6.12 to identify three levels of enemy forces and suggest some appropriate responses.

World rulers in a general, universal sense.

Territorial spirits-the spiritual powers behind nations.

Hosts of spiritual powers assigned personally against groups and individuals.

Well known scholar Dr. Peter Wagner, discerns ground level evil - typically what was happening in Samaria, Acts 8.7; occult level evil - typically Simon the Sorcerer, or Elymas, Acts 8.9; 13.6, and strategic level evil - such as Artemis of Ephesus, the divine majesty, Acts 19.27

Overcoming Invisible World Rulers.

The word is Kosmokrator, a world lord, (Vines) or powers of this dark age, (NIV). A world lord grips whole populations in huge spiritual deceit. 'Kosmokrators' may promote the ‘anti-Christ’ spirit of Islam, or materialism, Hinduism, Buddhism and New Age. The chief world ruler is Satan himself, the strong man of Luke 11.21, and he is the model for all the lower ranks.

Decisions Are Spiritual Warfare

In Matthew 4, 1-11, Jesus overcame Satan by the spiritual warfare of uncompromising decisions.

He refused the temptations to use his power to bless himself, and chose self-denial and sacrifice, 3,4.

He refused presumption mixed with human/satanic wisdom, and chose to act in a way that would bring honour to his Father, 5-7.

He refused to take a short-cut past the Cross of Calvary and chose the will of God including suffering, to redeem others, 8-10.

 

The devil went away and was finally defeated at the Cross by the same weaponry of uncompromising decisions.

Overcoming Arche And Exousia.

These are the rulers and authorities of Ephesians 6.12, (NIV). They are the controlling prince-ipalities, powers and rulers over nations, regions and cities.

For example the unclean ‘spirit’ of Amsterdam. Japan's ‘principality’ promotes worship of the sun. One of San Francisco's spirits is homosex-uality. Spain has an age old ‘spirit’ of religion, confusion and division. In Africa the ‘spirit’ of witchcraft is linked with a ‘spirit’ of grinding poverty. Job 38,7; Rev 12, 7-9,4; Gen., 1-7; 6,1-6; 11,1-9; 10.5; Deut 32.8; Psalm 82; Daniel 10.13, 20

Daniel 10 gives us considerable revelation about the fight with principalities and powers and how constant prayer brings the necessary revelation and angelic help.

Overcoming The Evil Against You.

Jesus resisted evil in society and he also often cast unclean spirits out of individuals with unreasonable behaviour. The Bible word is 'Poneria,' the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (NIV) Paul in Ephesians 6,10-14 also tells us a sure way to gaining and keeping our victory:

1. Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
2. Actually wear God’s armour, for example actually speak truth which defends you and offends the devil.
3. Resist the devil.
4. Pray in the Holy Spirit

Prayer in the name and authority of Jesus will break all ‘Poneria’ evil power, but the battle will be shorter and easier if the oppressed person will do the following:

Recognise that the cause is spiritual.

Repent of sins, turning away from them with God's help, and choosing to follow Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

Receive forgiveness in Jesus’ name and forgive everyone that has sinned, abused and hurt you in Jesus name.

Renounce Satan and all of his works.

Then remind Satan of Christ’s blood and his defeat by Jesus on the Cross.

Then you rebuke every evil spirit, command every demon to go and every curse be broken in Jesus name.

Lay hands on the person to refill their life with the Holy Spirit. Ask them to praise Jesus, and live in the Spirit and God’s word.

To Close Pray For The

World's Most Unreached Peoples By Name

 

Taken from the Joshua Project 2000 Unreached Peoples List

at www.ad2000.org these people have no church and as yet

no cell, church or mission has committed themselves

to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.

 

© Dr Les Norman | School of Christian Leadership, UK
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