Many
Christians debate whether the devil is on the earth or in hell; can he
dwell in Christians or only in the world? The fact is, the devil is in
darkness. Wherever there is spiritual darkness, there the devil will be.
Preparing for Spiritual Warfare
For most, the term spiritual warfare introduces a new but not necessarily welcomed dimension in their Christian experience. The thought of facing evil spirits in battle is an unsettling concept, especially since we came to Jesus as lost sheep, not warriors. Ultimately, some of us may never actually initiate spiritual warfare, but all of us must face the fact that the devil has initiated warfare against us. Therefore, it is essential to our basic well-being that we discern the areas of our nature which are unguarded and open to satanic assault.
For most, the term spiritual warfare introduces a new but not necessarily welcomed dimension in their Christian experience. The thought of facing evil spirits in battle is an unsettling concept, especially since we came to Jesus as lost sheep, not warriors. Ultimately, some of us may never actually initiate spiritual warfare, but all of us must face the fact that the devil has initiated warfare against us. Therefore, it is essential to our basic well-being that we discern the areas of our nature which are unguarded and open to satanic assault.
Jude
tells us, "And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned
their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the
judgment of the great day"
(Jude 1:6).
(Jude 1:6).
When
Satan rebelled against God, he was placed under eternal judgment in
what the Bible calls "pits" (2 Pet. 2:4) or "bonds" of darkness. The
devil and the fallen angels with him have been relegated to live in
darkness. This darkness does not simply refer to areas void of visible
light. The eternal darkness to which this Scripture refers is
essentially a moral darkness, which ultimately degrades into
literal darkness. However, its cause is not simply the absence of light;
it is the absence of God, who is light.
It
is vital to recognize that this darkness to which Satan has been
banished is not limited to areas outside of humanity. Unlike those who
do not know Jesus, however, we have been delivered out of the domain or
"authority" of darkness (see Colossians 1:13). We are not trapped in
darkness if we have been born of light. But if we tolerate
darkness through tolerance of sin, we leave ourselves vulnerable to
satanic assault. For wherever there is willful disobedience to the Word
of God, there is spiritual darkness and the potential for demonic
activity.
Thus
Jesus warned, "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be
not darkness" (Luke 11:35 KJV). There is a light in you. "The spirit of
man is the lamp of the Lord" (Prov. 20:27). Your spirit, illuminated by
the Spirit of Christ, becomes the "lamp of the Lord" through which He
searches your heart. There is indeed a holy radiance surrounding a true
Spirit-filled Christian. But when you harbor sin, the "light which is in
thee" is "darkness." Satan has a legal access, given to him by God, to
dwell in the domain of darkness. Thus, we must grasp this point: The devil can traffic in any area of darkness, even the darkness that still exists in a Christian's heart.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Adapted from Francis Frangipane's book, The Three Battlegrounds, available at www.arrowbookstore.com.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Perhaps its your time to take the In Christ's Image Training.
See www.icitc.org for more information.
See www.icitc.org for more information.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Save up to 35% on these selected products
Limited time offer
The Three Battlegrounds
Limited time offer
The Three Battlegrounds
Any
time the Spirit of God's kingdom is truly manifested in the earth, it
will ultimately confront the strongholds of hell. Indeed, wherever evil
spirits have either a foothold or a stronghold, you can expect that the
overcoming church will be engaged in warfare, and expect also that the
gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus builds.
In
this book, Francis Frangipane explores the three arenas of spiritual
warfare that the maturing Christian will face: the mind, the church and
the heavenly places. It provides a foundation of insight, wisdom and
discernment on the nature of the battle and the keys to victory.
Book - $9.34 (Retail $12.45)
Ebook - $9.34 (Retail $12.45)
Ebook - $9.34 (Retail $12.45)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This Day We Fight!
This
book is anointed to help the reader get their fire back. The Holy
Spirit is ready to impart a fresh anointing to God's people - an
anointing that will activate the "war mode" in the church. Published by
Chosen Books. View Francis introducing this book
Book $11.25 (Retail $15.00)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Both books - $19.21
(Retail $27.45)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
No comments:
Post a Comment