Why are we losing a war that has already been won? Because the enemy is not a defeated foe when it comes to Believers who insist upon fighting their Spiritual warfare using their flesh. Ephesians 6:12 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW) 12 This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. Acts 19 gives us the perfect example of what happens when we think we, alone, are powerful enough to be able to prevail against evil / the devil. Miracles Glorify Christ 11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We[a] exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered[b] them, and prevailed against them,[c] so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. My point is: Although Satan knows his fate, and although the Lord has prevailed against him, he is still running loose. He has yet to be bound. He is still a serious threat. If he wasnt, then there would no longer be any more sins and evils. 2 Corinthians 2:10,11 10 If you forgive someone, so do I. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did in the presence of Christ for your benefit. 11 I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming. We are not to be ignorant of Satans devices. The persons who think they have the devil trampled underneath their feet greatly deceive themselves. For the devil is not omnipresent as is God. Therefore how can he be under so many peoples feet and still out there keeping up trouble for all the saints? Yes, he is a defeated foe, but defeated by Christ. If a violent criminal is allowed to be free pending sentencing does that mean that he can no longer commit anymore violence and / or crimes simply because he lost his case and was found guilty by a jury of his peers? True, he was defeated by the justice system, but hes still able to practice his wickedness. Therefore, we are losing the war because we have abandoned the only One who allows us to be more than conquerors...the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many,[b] peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 17:39:13 +0000
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