THE LORD GOD IS MY STRENGTH; HE WILL MAKE MY FEET LIKE DEER'S FEET, AND HE WILL MAKE ME WALK ON HIGH HILLS. HABAKKUK 3:19



Thursday, June 27, 2013

Seven Steps to Freedom


SEVEN WAYS TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR DELIVERANCE 

The presence and nature of evil spirits can be known by two principle methods - discernment: I Cor. 12:10 lists "discerning of spirits" as one of the nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, and detection: The second method of knowing the presence and nature of evil spirits. Detection is simply observing what spirits are doing to a person (Mark 7:24-30): 1. Disturbances in the emotions which persist or recur. 2. Disturbances in the mind or thought life. 3. Outbursts or uncontrolled use of the tongue. 4. Recurring unclean thoughts and acts regarding sex. 5. Addictions to nicotine, alcohol, drugs, medicines, caffeine, food, etc. 6. Many diseases and physical afflictions are due to spirits of infirmity (Luke 13:11). 7. Involvement to any degree in religious error can open the door for demons as follows: a. False religions, e.g. Eastern religions, pagan religions, philosophies and mind sciences. b. Christian Cults - all such cults may be classified as bloodless religions "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (II Tim. 3:5). c. Occult and Spiritism - Any method of seeking supernatural knowledge, wisdom, guidance and power apart from God is forbidden (Deut. 18:9-15) d. False Doctrine - a great increase of doctrinal errors will be promoted by deceiving and seducing spirits in the last days (I Tim. 4:1).


SEVEN STEPS TO DELIVERANCE

1. One must be honest with himself and with God if he expects to receive God's blessing of deliverance. Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you and to bring to light anything that is not of Him (Psalm 32:5 and 139:23-24). 2. Humility involves a recognition that one is dependent upon God and His provisions for deliverance (James 4:6-7). It also involves a complete openness with God's servants ministering in the deliverance (James 5:16). 3. Repentance is a determined turning away from sin and Satan (Amos 3:3). One must loathe his sins (Ezekiel 20:43). 4. Renunciation is the forsaking of evil. Renunciation is action resulting from repentance (Matt. 3:7-8). If one has repented of religious error, he may need to completely renounce it by destroying all literature and items associated with that error (Acts 19:18-19). 5. God freely forgives all who confess their sins and ask forgiveness through His Son (I John 1:9). He expects us to forgive all others who have ever wronged us in any way (Matt. 6:14-15). Willingness to forgive is absolutely essential to deliverance (Matt. 18:21-35). 6. In prayer ask God to deliver you and set you free in the name of Jesus (Joel 2:32). 7. Prayer and warfare are two separate and distinct activities. Our warfare against demon powers is not fleshly but spiritual (Eph. 6:10-12 and II Cor. 10:3-5). Use the weapons of submission to God, the blood of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and your testimony as a believer (James 4:7,Rev. 12:11 and Eph. 6:17). Christ cannot fail! He is the Deliverer (Mark 16:17, Luke 10:19 and Psalm 18:2)! 

SEVEN STEPS FOR RETAINING DELIVERANCE

1. Put on the whole armour of God as set forth in Eph. 6:10-18. There are seven pieces of armour: a. Loins girt about with truth. b. The breastplate of righteousness. c. Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. d. The shield of faith. e. The helmet of salvation. f. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. g. Praying in the Spirit. Refuse the thoughts that demons give you and replace them with spiritual thoughts (Phil.! 4:8). 2. Positive confession is faith expressed. Negative confessions characterize demonic influence and will open the door to the enemy (Mark 11:23). 3. Jesus withstood Satan's temptation by using Scripture. The Word is a mirror to the soul (James 1:22-25); it is a lamp unto the feet for guidance (Psalm 119:105); it is a cleansing agent (Eph. 5:25-26); it is a two-edged sword, laying bare the heart (Heb. 4:12); it is food for the spirit (I Pet. 2:2 and Matt. 4:4). No person can long maintain deliverance apart from the Word of God as a primary factor in his life (Psalm 1:1-3)! 4. Take up your cross daily and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). If fleshly appetites, desires and lusts are not brought to the cross, a way for demons to return will be left open (Gal. 5:19-21 and 24). 5. Develop a life of continuous praise and prayer which silences the enemy. Pray in the Spirit (in tongues) and also in the understanding (I Cor. 14:14). "Pray without ceasing" (I Thes. 5:17). 6. Maintain a life of fellowship and spiritual ministry. It is the sheep that wanders from the flock that is most endangered. Desire spiritual gifts and yield to their operation through you within the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:7-14). 7. Commit yourself totally to Christ. Determine that every thought, word and action will reflect the very nature of Christ. Faith and trust in God is the greatest weapon against the Devil's lies (Eph. 6:16).
Doing these seven things will insure that your "house" (life) is filled after having been cleansed. Do not settle for anything less (Romans 5:10)! 

Pray, out loud, putting all your guilt before God: "Father in Heaven I now recognize my sin or sins and I ask for the cleansing power of Jesus Christ's blood to cleanse all of these sins. I forgive all ancestors who have cursed me by their sexual sins. I ask that my descendents will be able to forgive me for the curses I have placed on them. Father, I ask you to forgive me for not protecting those you entrusted to my care. I now break all soul ties with every man or woman (name each one to God) that I have ever had any sexual relations with. I ask that you completely sever all these ties. I forgive all who have hurt me in any way. I ask you to forgive me for having unforgiveness in my heart for others. I ask you to send health and healing to my body and soul. Lord, please begin a restoration of our family and please begin with me. Lord I am so thankful you have provided a way for me to be forgiven. I turn from my sins and follow you. I ask these things in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

~The Deliverance Manual by Gene and Earline Moody

1. In Him (Jesus) we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor.

Which He lavished upon us in every kind of wisdom and understanding (practical insight and prudence) (Eph. 1:7-8).

2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary (Psa. 107:2).

3. But if we (really) are living and walking in the Light, as He (Himself) is in the Light, we have (true, unbroken fellowship with one another), and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt (keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations) (1John. 1:7).

4. Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more (certain is it that) we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God (Rom. 5:9).

5. Therefore, Jesus also suffered and died outside the (city's) gate in order that He might purify and consecrate (sanctify) the people through (the shedding of) His own blood and set them apart as holy (for God) (Heb. 13:12).

6. Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received (as a Gift) from God? You are not your own.

You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own). So then, honor (your) God and bring glory to Him in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

7. And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the Blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death (holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing) (Rev. 12:11).

Declaration

My body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed and sanctified by the Blood of Jesus. My members, the parts of my body, are instruments of righteousness, yielded to God for His Service and for His Glory. The Devil has no place in me, no power over me, no unsettled claims against me. All has been settled by the Blood of Jesus. I overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony, and I love not my life unto the death. My body is for the Lord and the Lord is for my body.

~Confessions for Overcomers by Derek Prince



Sunday, June 23, 2013

He will Give You Beauty for Ashes


The Bible says that he will give us beauty for ashes.  In Bible times it was the custom for the people of that day to in great times of mourning and difficulty lay in ashes.  Just think about that. You’ve got a problem in your life and you just sit down in a pile of ashes. There is nothing beautiful about ashes.

But the scripture says he is going to take your difficult, disgusting, depressing and horrible situation and give you beauty.   He is going to pick you up out of the ash pile of life and make something beautiful out of you.

The Hebrew word for ashes is epher and the Hebrew word for beauty is pheer.  Just move the e and you have a new word.  And just as quickly as it takes for you to move one letter God is going to turn your sorrow into joy.  He speaks and it is already done.

Isaiah said he will give you beauty for ashes.  God knew you would be burnt by life’s experiences. But he also knew he could replace that burnt out mess with something beautiful.

Whatever God’s hands touch becomes beautiful.  All you need tonight is a touch from the master’s hand.

(Ecclesiastes 3:11)  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

When Job was burnt by life he burnt the devil because he fell down and praised God.

Daniel, lions den – he prayed and thanked God

Abraham, sacrifice his son – I and the lad will go and worship

Hannah, the day she gave Samuel back to God – My heart rejoiceth in the Lord.

Paul, in prison – rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice

Oil of Joy for mourning.  Oil was used to apply to the face to make the face shine, instead of mourning which disfigures the face and the countenance and makes it unlovely.  When in mourning no oil would be applied to the face so that people would know that person was in mourning.

The oil of joy is the Holy Ghost.  Like a well of living water Joy unspeakable and full of glory.  Even in hard times – JOY.

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

Let’s talk about this spirit of heaviness. It includes:

Heaviness
Inner hurts
Depression
Despair
Dejection
Hopelessness
Broken hearted
Suicidal tendencies
Self pity
Excessive mourning
Insomnia
Sorrow or grief

The root of this spirit of heaviness can at times come from:

A lack of praise
Bitterness
Being unthankful

The spirit of heaviness will attempt to steal your JOY.

Without joy we have the tendency to move into self pity.

The devil wants you to feel sorry for yourself. He wants you to feel alone and depressed. But don’t let him lead you down that pathway. For the Bible says:

(Romans 8:28)  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

King Saul was affected by depression. He called for David to play and sing the anointed Psalms.

(Isaiah 59:19)  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

You can give into depression or resist it.

(Romans 6:16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?


Don’t give into the spirit of heaviness – but use the word of God like a sword.

When the devil says your no good remind him of  (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

When the devil says your not saved just tell him I know I’m saved because I was there when it happened.

When the devil says to worry, just remind him that God said don’t worry about anything

When the devil says be sick just tell him by his stripes I am healed

When he says be afraid remind him God said my peace I give to you.

When he says be defeated you say we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

We are all going to face adversity.  Even Paul did.  (2 Corinthians 1:1-11)

Binding (Matthew 18:18)  - Satan, in the name of Jesus, I bind your spirit of heaviness.   According to Matthew 18:8.   I recognize that you have taken advantage of me.  Now I resist you in Jesus name. James 4:7 says “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  Go in the name of Jesus and don’t bother coming back again.

Loose the Holy Ghost, oil of joy, praise.

Praise silences the devil

(Psalms 8:1-2)   O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.   Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

That you might still – that you make the devil shut up!

In Matthew, Jesus said thou hast perfected praise – he was interpreting the scripture not misquoting.

Praise is a garment of the spirit.  Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

We must literally cloth ourselves in praise.  We must put it on.

Every morning we decide what to wear.  In the same way we must decide to put on the garment of praise.

In the Hebrew the word used for garment was more than something draped around the shoulders but it literally teaches us to wrap or cover ourselves in praise.  The garment of praise is to leave no openings or holes which hostile spirits can penetrate.

When you are – then put on praise:

Under heaviness
Depressed
In despair
Dejected
Have inner hurts
Hopelessness
Broken hearted

It’s a matter of our will!!

Praise prepares us for miracles

JONAH - (Jonah 2:9-10)  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.   And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Something in Jonah’s prayer got the attention of God – "praise".

Paul and Silas -  (Acts 16:25)   And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Put on the garments of Praise

The Hebrew word – "tehillah" – to sing praise.

It is used in Psalm 22:3 where it says God inhabits the praise of his people.  God manifested himself in the midst of exuberant singing.

2  Chron. 20:22 – God sent ambushments.

(Psalm 34:1) I will bless the Lord at all times his PRAISE shall …(Psalm 40:1-3) (Psalm 66:1-2)

There is protocol to see:

Pope
President
Queen of England

And there is a protocol for seeing the King of Kings

(Isaiah 60:18)…but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

God is surrounded in a city, by a wall called salvation. The way to get into that city is through the gate of praise.

We don’t gain access to his presence by needs and petitions but by praise.

~Bits and Pieces of the sermon by Thomas Dibble