Understanding the Enemy!

[tsth]

Brings to mind a teaching visual aid used in one of our after-school studies for the kids.

Sin is much like a clothiers thread wrapped around. Once or twice wrapped around the hands, it is easily broken off. The more it is wrapped around, the stronger it gets, and speaking about sins entanglement as you wrap, and then before you know it, it cannot be broken, it has GROWN strong.

Jesus/A Pair of Scissors

VOILA!

In His Love,

Suzanne

[George]

I'm going to take anothe side road to address an issue that is often never talked about.

Spiritual Pride

The enemy loves to fill us with pride. Pride is the one sin that is often neglected when discussing how the enemy binds us up! Proverbs discusses the dangers of pride in a very real manner.

Proverbs 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

The enemy wants to destroy you, and your testimony. So he loves to use your zeal for the Lord and to place a root of pride from within so that he can bring forth destruction upon you. Remember that he wants to rob, kill, and destroy!

What kind of thoughts does the enemy use? "Oh you are so much smarter than he is!" "Oh you are so holy -- look at the way those Christians live!" "Oh you are so spiritual -- you really have the anointing!" "You don't need to learn from another person!"

Then there's the thoughts the enemy uses that starts cults? "Oh you are special and I have giving you special knowledge and I have chosen you for a special assignment!" This is not to say that if you have this kind of thought, that it's not from the Spirit of God, but you also have to recognize that this is the exact same kinds of thoughts the enemy would also use to lead someone astray. Remember that you are commanded by the Spirit of God to TEST ALL THINGS!

1 John 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.  (Literal Translation)

To fend off spiritual pride -- remember to always compare yourself with God's holiness and His righteousness! DON'T compare yourselves with another person!

2 Cor. 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Be as Isaiah was -- a true prophet of the Lord and what happened when he was in the presence of God!

Isaiah 6:5  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

The enemy wants to puff you up! Recognize the difference between the Spirit of God and the false spirits. The Spirit of God will push you to be more humble, whereas the enemy wants to puff you up!

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Recognize the tactics of the enemy -- clothe yourselves in humility! Oh the Lord wants to do great things in your life -- but to do them he needs a vessel that is HUMBLE!

Your brother in Messiah with much agape love,

George

[JesusisGod2]

Man brother, keep it coming -- this stuff is crucial to ones growth and is something that is very easy for one to fall trap to (i.e spiritual pride).

The enemy is clever, and we need to compare ourselves to God and not our brothers and sisters, for when we compare ourselves to God, this will definately keep us humble.

[Faith1]

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

1Pe 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from ME ye can do NOTHING.

Amen George a good sidetrack

[George]

How to break any bondage, when nothing seems to be the answer!

The deep strongholds that you still try to bind you up, and you just want to be free of them! What should you do?

The one remedy that I hardly ever hear preached on is the power of fasting. It's so powerful, yet people neglect how effective fasting can be for breakthroughs!

Matthew 17:18-21  And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.  Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Look at the effectiveness of fasting! Fasting combined with prayer are needed for some bondages.

Isaiah 58:6  Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

The combination of fasting and prayer can be an effective method of breaking those HEAVY BURDENS! Something happens in your spirit when you fast -- the anointing is poured over you and this anointing can be used to break off the heavy burdens, and the heavy bondages!

Isaiah 10:27  And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

If you are really struggling and you really want a breakthrough, the combination of prayer and fasting, is an effective method for complete freedom!

May God bless you,

Your brother in Messiah with much agape love,

George

[Faith1]

What is meant by the anointing exactly? if this is not thread to ask in then I'll just start another. I have my own thoughts but a brief definition would be appreciated from others.

Fasting is something that I find quite interesting but have never realy delved into much so this post interests me. Thankyou George.

Blessings

F1

[George]

The anointing of God -- the fulness of the Spirit. Can we ever have enough? I truly believe the more we hunger for God -- the more we hunger for His righteousness -- the more we will be filled!

Matthew 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

I want to think about this in human terms -- If you think you're full spiritually, you will not be hungry and you are filled -- with whatever anointing rests upon you -- because you believe you are full! Every believer who is born of God is anointed. How much anointing they have is how dependent on how hungry they are.

If you want a deeper anointing from God -- then you need to be HUNGRY -- you need to want to have a deeper anointing from God. You may need to get out of your comfort zone and say -- Lord I want you to reveal yourself to me -- I mean Lord show me your holiness -- let me be as Isaiah, "Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips" when he was in the presence of the Lord.

Do you want to live in perpetual revival? Then you need to realize you need to be perpetually hungry -- you need to allow yourself to be broken by the Lord constantly -- allow the fallow ground to be broken up!

Don't settle being full! Say -- I'm hungry for you Lord! I want more of you and I won't settle for a peanut butter sandwich, when you have a huge turkey dinner with all the trimings ready for me Lord! While you're at it Lord -- I wouldn't mind a huge piece of apple pie with ice cream and some carmel to top it all off! Lord, fill me up! When you start saying, I want more of you -- I'm hungry for more of you! He will not fail to feed you -- He fills His children that are hungry!

Are you hungry?

Your brother in Messiah with much agape love,

George

[RGR]

George,

Do you have a direct line with God about what's going on in my life? I've been thinking the last day or two of how much closer I want to be to God. I've really been fighting a battle the last few days and even find it hard to pray, so your post was a blessing to me!

[Faith1]

Well thankyou George for that explanation that pretty much explains it in a nutshell, and yes I am quite famished actually! yet sometimes I have to sit quietly and let my meal digest...but I get a bit greedy and want more and more LOL

Blessings to you

F1

[Faith1]

George,

Do you have a direct line with God about what's going on in my life? I've been thinking the last day or two of how much closer I want to be to God. I've really been fighting a battle the last few days and even find it hard to pray, so your post was a blessing to me!

RGR - I will add you to my prayer list brother and we can all always come a little closer to God Amen!

Blessings

F1