Sickness is the power of the devil Acts 10:38 If you study out this verse in the Greek, you

will find that the word oppressed means under the power of. (At least one popular translation words it this way.) Jesus healed those who were under the power of the devil. If there is sickness in your body, the power of the devil is at work in your body. This does not mean that there is a moral failure on your part. It simply means that when there is sickness, the devil is in control of something. Sickness is his power, not God's. According to Colossians 1:12-14, Jesus has already delivered you from the power of darkness. This is not a promise; it is a fact. You are already delivered from the power of the devil because you are now in the kingdom of God's Son. Since sickness is part of the power of the devil, you are therefore delivered from sickness. You could tell that from 1 Peter 2:24 and Matthew 8:16-17; this is just another way of proving it.

Jesus gave his disciples power over all devils and all sicknesses (Luke 9:1-2). You cannot object that you are not called to preach as they were, because the Great Commission applies to you as a believer. This commission includes the laying of hands on the sick for their recovery. You have power over the power of the devil. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)! You have already overcome him (1 John 2:13-14). It follows, then, that you do not have to put up with the power of the devil in your physical body. You have overcome him and have power over his works. The Son of God, who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), lives in you. Since Jesus, and not Satan, rules your life, you get the things that go with Jesus (healing) instead of the things that go with Satan (sickness).

Why the World Flesh and Devil in Spiritual Warfare Spiritual Warfare and the "World" The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and receives God's Holy Spirit, that person is instantly and literally translated from the kingdom of darkness of this world into the kingdom of God's light by God's Holy Spirit of truth. The Apostle Paul describes this process as the "mystery" revealed, which is "Christ in you" the hope of glory. Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Col 1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: God rescued us from the power and bondage of the world, the flesh, the devil, and supernaturally. . . Why the World, the Flesh, & the Devil, in Spiritual Warfare ?

When did the world, the flesh and the devil become our enemies? Spiritual Warfare and the "World" The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and receives God's Holy Spirit, that person is instantly and literally translated from the kingdom of darkness of this world into the kingdom of God's light by God's Holy Spirit of truth. The Apostle Paul describes this process as the "mystery" revealed, which is "Christ in you" the hope of glory. Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Col 1:27In whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the

glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: God rescued us from the power and bondage of the world, the flesh, the devil, and supernaturally empowered us with the light of His truth, love, and Holy Spirit. The power of darkness is anything that blinds a person to the reality of sin, the true love of God, and the victory we have in Christ. It is the power of darkness that blinds a person to his or her need for salvation, and from receiving God's free gift of Holy Spirit. God draws humanity from enmity towards Him to an illumination of truth that leads to salvation in Christ by the cross, preaching of His Word, and the conviction of His Holy Spirit. The world represents people, religions, governments, or worldly systems that oppose Christ. The world that rejects the truth of Christ is under the control or deception of the god of this world, which is the devil. Scripture states, 1 John 5:19 "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one." 2Co 4:4 in whom the god [devil] of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to preach for the following reason, ActsTo open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 1Jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Another aspect of our spiritual warfare is the flesh. Spiritual Warfare and the "Flesh" 1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The second part of our spiritual warfare as Christians concerns the flesh. What is meant by the flesh? In this context, the flesh is the fallen, natural, carnal state in which we are born, or our sinful nature that seeks to satisfy its own lusts and expresses itself in our thoughts and actions in a way that opposes the spiritual nature and life of God. The Apostle Paul said, Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I

myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. When we walk according to our fleshly lusts we are walking according to the law of sin from which we have been liberated in Christ. The inclination to sin is present in our flesh and we continue more or less to struggle in some of these areas. The flesh spoken of here is not about experiencing the good things that God has given to us for our enjoyment. In contrast, it is the part of our nature that is spiritually destructive, or wasteful to ourselves and others because it's fruit is spiritually dead. Whereas, when we walk according to God's truth we bear the fruit of God's Spirit (love, peace, joy, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance; against such there is no law, Gal. 5:23. If we sow according to the flesh we will reap dead works, but the fruit of the Spirit gives life to the soul. Abiding in the realm of the flesh renders us powerless against our spiritual enemies, the devil and his kingdom. At this juncture, we are on his territory and not God's. When we received Christ, He gave us His righteousness and we are righteous because of God's gift to us. It is a gift of God's grace and no one can ever take that away from us. However, the manifestation of that righteousness in the life of a Christian is experienced only if we walk in the righteousness that He has already given to us, for the Lord calls us to righteousness. Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Phi 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Crucified - In our behalf, Christ already crucified the sinful flesh to the Cross. We take hold of Christ's victory over the flesh and overcome our selfish passions through the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Some of our greatest conflicts will be experienced in overcoming our own

fleshly nature. Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. The life of God that is given to every believer is made manifest in our hearts and lives when we walk in the Spirit. But if we live according to the lusts of the flesh we continue to reap corruption. Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, . . ." 1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The battleground between the flesh and the Spirit is between the life of the Spirit and the fruit of the flesh which is spiritual death, therefore our spiritual warfare also takes place in the realm of the flesh to be overcome by the power of God's Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This is also a battle between love and hate. The Apostle John states in the book of 1 John, 1Jo 2:9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. 1Jo 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. Spiritual Warfare and the "Devil and His Devil Spirits" The third part of our Christian battle is the devil. The devil or Satan is the god of this world system and is called evil in 1 John 5:19 as demonstrated above. The idea that the devil is the god of this present age in which we live is confirmed in the gospel of Luke, when Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. We read, Luke 4:5 - 8: And he [the devil] led him [Jesus] up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto

him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. This position of Satan was obtained when both Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, being tempted of the devil in the Garden of Eden. The lure of the temptation of Adam and Eve was to be like God. Satan hates God and His creation and seeks to win humanity over for its destruction. All dominion over the earth was originally given to Adam and Eve, but because of their sin, all of humanity and nature itself fell under the destruction and power of the devil. All of Gods creation, the plants, the animals, sea life, and of course humanity itself began to suffer and die. This account is found in the first 3 chapters of the book of Genesis. The sins of Adam and Eve brought the curse of sin to all the earth, in which we have our redemption only in Christ. It is only Christ, the Son of God, Who suffered the penalty of this curse to set us free and bring us back to God; therefore Christ is the only way in which we can be saved. Satan, who is the author of all sin, sickness and death, was once a beautiful angel of God, but fell from his original position when he attempted to overthrow God so that he himself would be glorified as God. These records are found in the Old Testament in the prophetic books of both Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28: 12-19. Satans original name before his rebellion against God was Lucifer. However, below is a brief summary of an account of Satans rebellion towards God found in Isaiah chapter 14, he said, 1. I will ascend unto Heaven. 2. I will exalt my throne above the angels of God. 3. I will sit also upon the mountain of the congregation. 4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. 5. I will be like the Most High. Instead, Satan was overthrown by God, however, he took one-third of the angels with him and he won power over the souls of humanity. Defeated in his quest to overthrow God, he decided he would attack God by overthrowing humanity, in which he did by causing Adam and Eve to also rebel against God. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world from the powers of darkness and the curse that fell upon mankind as a result of their sin, and will save anyone who calls upon the name of Christ. To be more than a conqueror in Christ over the powers of darkness, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, must first understand that they are saved by grace and not by works. When we receive Gods Holy Spirit we are given spiritual life, a new nature, that no person on this earth can create for themselves by good works. We can never redeem ourselves or make ourselves

good enough to be saved. This is a life giving gift from God and God alone, and is freely given to those who ask Christ to save them. Salvation is a one time act. (Click this link for more on salvation -What is Salvation & Can We Know if We Are Saved? By our understanding of the aforesaid, we can see that ultimately our spiritual warfare is against the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The Apostle Paul gives us this scripture in a letter he wrote to the Ephesians' church, he states, Eph 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our battle against the devil is a battle against good and evil, the goodness and power of God against the evil and power of the devil. Therefore we are in direct conflict with the god of this world, "the devil." He has power over the world and the flesh and is our ultimate enemy. However, we are promised the victory in Christ! Reflection: Is it any wonder why Scripture says, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2Ti 3:12. We are in conflict with sinful flesh, the world systems, and the god of this world, the devil. But, God is more powerful than all of these. 1Jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. Rev 22:20 He which testified these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Why Did Jesus Say, " I Am the True Vine?" (John 15: 1-20)

"I Am the True Vine" John 15: 1-20 A Response Jesus Christ portrays Himself as the true vine of God to His disciples for a two-fold purpose: First, to let His disciples know that even though He would not be physically present with them always, He would send the Holy Spirit to be with and in them (Joh.14:17 ASV). Second, He uses this opportunity to instruct them to remain in close fellowship with Him, the only True Source of life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that they may bear spiritual fruit, receive answers to prayer, and have fullness of joy. Although I prefer to use the KJV, the verses below, regarding the True Vine, were taken from the 1965 Bible in Basic English, because of the difficult language sometimes used in the King James Version. Some explanations have been added in brackets for a clearer understanding of certain verses. The Gospel of John, Chapter 15: 1-20 1 I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. 2 He takes away (Greek air [to raise up, elevate, lift up or redirects]) every branch in me which has no fruit, and every branch which has fruit he makes clean, so that it may have more fruit. Christians who continue to bear fruit will also continue to grow and prosper spiritually. The Lord will continue to purge us from all sin, in that He "makes clean" for the branch to bear even more fruit. In First John we read, 1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

God's Word instructs us, Rom 6:4 ". . . that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Walking in newness of life is the same as abiding in Christ. 3. You are clean, even now, through the teaching which I have given you. 4 Be in me at all times [in fellowship or relationship with Him] as I am in you [by the Holy Spirit]. As the branch is not able to give fruit of itself, if it is not still [remaining] on the vine, so you are not able to do so if you are not in me [walking in the Spirit]. 5. I am the vine, you are the branches: he who is in me at all times as I am in him, gives much fruit, because without me you are able to do nothing. Jesus Christ is the source of life unto the branches or the body of Christ. Christ is the Head or "source" of life to the church (the body of Christ). As children of God, we have Christ in us through God's gift of the Holy Spirit given to every believer. He is in us at all times; and therefore, we are to abide in Him at all times, and not the carnal or sinful nature. The Apostle Paul reveals the mystery, "Christ in you" the hope of glory, Col. 1:27. We need to walk with the Lord in order to abide in Him, and manifest the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. 6. If a man does not keep himself in me, he becomes dead and is cut off like a dry branch; such branches are taken up and put in the fire and burned (consumed). This verse simply means that a person who is not abiding in God, then he or she is not growing spiritually in the knowledge and ways of God, and is lacking in the fruits of the Spirit. This person is or becomes useless in the things of God, and is similar to a withered branch that men would gather and burn because it bears no fruit. This is an analogy that Christ uses and does not mean that He is literally or figuratively going to take us, throw us in the fire, and burn us because we are not bearing fruit. This verse has been terribly misunderstood. In the KJV they interpret this part of the verse as men will gather you and throw you into the fire clearly this is not God, but as it states men. In a sense, a Christian who is not bearing spiritual fruit will be lacking in true purpose and also be lacking in Gods power to stand up

under, and overcome many of the assaults of life, as well as their witness for Christ. Jesus Christ said, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men (Mat 5:13). 7. If you are in me at all times, and my words are in you, then anything for which you make a request will be done for you. 8. Here is my Father's glory, in that you give much fruit and so are you my true disciples [truly committed to Christ] 9.Even as the Father has given me his love, so I have given my love to you: be ever in my love. We are to remain in the love of Christ. The next verse explains how we are to remain in the love of Christ. 10. If you keep my laws, you will be ever in my love, even as I have kept my Father's laws, and am ever in his love. If we continue to do what Christ has told us to do, we will remain in His love. Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 11. I have said these things to you so that I may have joy in you and so that your joy may be complete. The verses above confirm Gods promises to those who walk by His Spirit or in other words remain in Christ. They that remain in close fellowship with Him will reap spiritual fruit, receive answers to prayer, and have fullness of joy. What an offer! 12. This is the law I give you: Have love one for another, even as I have love for you. Jesus clearly states what He means by keeping His laws. Love one another as He has loved us.

As stated in 1Jo 1:7 above, "we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 13. Greater love has no man than this, that a man gives up his life for his friends. 14.Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Here Christ is speaking to the first disciples gathered together with Him just prior to His Crucifixion. As we will see below, Christ is preparing them for the hate and persecution that these first disciples will endure from the unbelievers in the world. Christ has chosen them out of the world to go forth and proclaim God's Truth and for this they will be hated. 17. These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. The Holy Spirit will guide and direct our lives through God's Word, and empower us as we yield our lives to Him. By remaining in the vine, we remain as lights in the world, and remain as the salt of the earth being witnesses of Christ. Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Fellowship is the believer's key to fruit, answered prayer, and

fullness of joy. This fellowship with God through Christ is also referred to as the Sanctification of the believer. The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life are a power house and a buffer indeed against the flesh [fallen nature], the world, and having our victory in spiritual warfare. By this we put on our belt of truth and all of God's armor, in the manifestation of the reality of Christ in us. These fruits are: Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. The Spirit of God brings life to the soul. Eph. 5:9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) When we walk in the Spirit, we are abiding in Christ, "the True Vine," and will reap fruit. We begin to realize that we truly died with Christ on the cross, and now live in the power of His resurrection. The battle is already won for every believer in Christ! We are asked to stand against the darkness in the victory of Christ. We consider our flesh already crucified with Christ, and walk in newness of life, bearing witness to Christ, and overcoming the world.

Principalities -PowersRulers of DarknessWickedness

A special note: The purpose of this teaching is that we may begin to understand the goodness of God, as opposed to the evilness of the devil. These two parameters are often blurred and confused: whereby evil is wrongfully attributed to God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Understanding the goodness of God is first and foremost

in spiritual warfare, in order to build the kind of faith that will move mountains, and fulfill God's promise of victory in our lives. What are "Principalities, Powers, World Rulers of Darkness, and Spiritual Wickedness in High Places"? The Apostle Paul instructs us to put on our spiritual armour because our battle in this world is a "spiritual" one. A warfare that involves the trickery and power of the devil, as opposed to a human battle. Even though human beings will certainly play a role in line with the schemes of the devil, but they are being used by these entities for the purposes of accomplishing evil. Evil spirits are the true power behind those who oppose the things of God (knowingly or unknowingly). We read, Eph 6:12: For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our Spiritual Warfare is Against "Principalities" The concept of principalities is understood by the Greek word arche meaning chief or ruler. These principalities are ruling devil spirits possessing executive authority or governmental rule in the world. As we will see, this ruling power usually involves a particular nation, people or race. There are evil angels ruling the kingdoms of the world that oppose the truth of God, and of which Satan is the chief prince or ruler, of both the world system and its organization of demons, as noted in the gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 12:24, the devil is called "Beelzebub" meaning lord of the dwelling, in which these wicked spirits are subject to and operate under Satan's dominion. They, like their chief prince, direct, control, rule and carry out the present darkness of this world. The American Heritage Dictionary defines principalities as: 1. A territory ruled by a prince or from which a prince derives his title. 2. The position, authority, or jurisdiction of a prince; sovereignty. The idea of prince devil spirits ruling or controlling a region is supported in the Old Testament book of Daniel, chapter 10. Daniel is visited by an angel in response to his prayer to God. This angel, who

was sent by God to answer Daniel's prayer, was delayed for 21 days because of a battle that took place between God's angel and "a prince of the kingdom of Persia."Daniel reveals the angel's message in the following verses: Dan 10:12-13 "Then said he [the angel] unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten [humble] thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." The spiritual battle, for this angel, was of such magnitude that Michael, the archangel of God and designated prince of Israel, assisted the angel in battle. Another enemy of God, the prince of Greece, is also mentioned in the verses below. Dan 10:20-21 "Then said he [the angel], Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." The book of Daniel gives us an excellent example of how these unseen spiritual entities fight to increase and maintain their realms of influence and control in order to hinder God's purposes. In addition, as previously stated, these princes are named after the nations or rather their principalities in which they rule. It is Satan's purpose to deceive these nations and to keep them from obtaining a knowledge of God's truth and salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation, chapter 20, Satan is depicted as a deceiver of nations. The Greek word for deceive is planaho, and according to Strong's Greek Dictionary, this word means to "cause to roam from safety, truth or virtue, go astray, seduce, wander, and to be out of the way." Satan's major success, in deceiving a nation, is due to a lack of discernment on the part of the people. The people are blind to the invisible forces of supernatural evil that are operating and influencing their visible human agents of political, social, religious and philosophical programs. Satan's greatest victory would be to convince

the world that he just doesn't exist. However, God signifies the devil as the author of sin, sickness and death, and warns us to be alert and vigilant because the devil, as a roaring lion roams about seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). The devil controls the kingdoms of the world and we are not to underestimate his influence and power, nor believe that this is the will of God. God is telling us to "stand" against these evil forces by equipping ourselves with the power of God, and looking unto Christ as our example. Luke 4:5-7: And the devil, taking him (Jesus) up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered (to surrender or yield up) unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. These are "kingdoms" - From G935; properly royalty, that is, (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm(literally or figuratively): kingdom, + reign. There will also come a day in which we are told in the book of Revelation, Rev 11:15: And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. However, until this Scripture is fulfilled we can only conclude, as the Apostle Paul instructs, that our wrestling involves principalities or peoples or regions under the influence and deception of Satan. Satan is the prince or ruler of the kingdoms of this world, also described in the Bible as the "kingdom of darkness," in which we have our spiritual warfare. In addition, let us not be fooled, because Satan can and does prosper evil people in the world. Our Spiritual Warfare is Against "Powers and World Rulers of Darkness" The Greek word for "powers" is exousia which means derived or conferred authority, the warrant or right to do something, or delegated influences of control. Although the word "powers" is left unclear as to Paul's precise meaning in the verse, this expression is used elsewhere in scripture to infer the powers that be in authority. In

keeping with the context of this verse, this would include all highranking, evil supernatural powers and the power of sin and evil in operation in the world. The fruits of this type of evil can probably be seen in drug cartels, gross poverty, plagues, terrorism, and other heinous crimes against humanity, even toward the animal kingdom. Some Christian authors also associate "world rulers" with magic and demonic pagan gods such as the Ephesians' Artemis and seems to be in line with the pagan culture of ancient times, in which temples were dedicated to these demonic pagan deities. And let us not forget "Molech," the national god of the Ammonites' in Old Testament history. The priests would place the sacrificial children into the brass hands of the image, in which these helpless victims would slip into the fire below. This is described in Scripture as the "abominations of the nations" (2 kings 16:3 ASV). Our Spiritual Warfare is Against "Spiritual Wickedness in Heavenly Places" The Greek word for wickedness is ponria and means depravity and particularly in the sense of malice and mischief, plots, sins, and iniquity (Strong's Gk. Dict.). Malice [A. H. Dict.] is defined as: 1. A desire to harm others or to see others suffer; extreme ill will or spite. 2. Law -- The intent, without just cause or reason, to commit a wrongful act that will result in harm to another. Satan is also depicted as the prince of the power of the air Since Satan is the prince of the power of the air, these wicked spirits, in high places, are often understood to be the collective organization of all of Satan's devil spirits. These malevolent spirits work evil and mischief and operate in our atmosphere. They operate as close to the very air we breathe, and reach to realms beyond. All kinds of spiritual filth are propagated, in these realms, for the purpose of humanity's deception and subsequent destruction. Prior to becoming a Christian we too walked according to the prince of the power of the air. Eph 2:2-3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this

world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worked in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (This verse will be treated in a separate post) As Christians we are delivered from the power of the prince of the air, and from the sinful nature that once ruled our path in life. When we received God's Holy Spirit, at the moment of our conversion to Christ, we were translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God's light, in which we now have God in Christ in us. We are continually delivered and empowered by God as we walk according to His Word and Spirit that He has given us. As we do this, we take our seat in the heavenliest with Christ, for scripture reads, Eph 2:5-7 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Jesus is also called a Prince, He is called the Prince of Peace and of Life (Isa. 9:6 and Acts 3:15) Whose kingdom plays no part in this present world system of darkness. Prior to His arrest, Jesus said to His disciples, John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 18:36 "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." Please note: Jesus is not speaking against the Jews, for Jesus and His followers were Jewish. He is speaking against the hypocritical religious authorities who would have Jesus killed versus lose their sphere of control over the people of God, in which their own belly was

their god. The details of God's plan, His provision of escape from Satan's kingdom of darkness through faith in Christ, was kept a mystery from the beginning of time. It wasn't until the revelation of the Son of God on earth, and His complete victory in His death and resurrection for the salvation of humanity, that the mystery of salvation through Christ is revealed to us. The Apostle Paul states, 1Co 2:7-10: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." In other words, if God's enemies knew that the Lord's death would bring the Kingdom of God and His power into the hearts of every believer, with His gift of Holy Spirit, and thus bring God's light into the world, they would not have crucified Him. Who is your prince? For the Christian, Jesus Christ is our Prince of Peace and Life, and we will reign with Him forevermore. The Mystery Revealed The Mystery Revealed - Col. 1: 26-27 The mystery revealed is stated in Scripture as, "...Christ in you, the hope of glory." Jesus Christ, Who came as a light in the world, a light that the kingdom of darkness tried to extinguish. But through the sacrifice of Christ, the Son of God, God's gift of Holy Spirit is given to every believer in Christ (Christ in you), in which, through the manifold wisdom of God, one Lord and Light, continues to sow a vast Kingdom of Light. 1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Updated: May 20, 2011 (orig. post 8/18/05)

Battlefiel d of the Mind Part 1: Prepare Your Heart for War

"The spiritual battle takes place in our minds, but the place we give Christ in our hearts determines our victory" ~ Magdalene

Prepare Your Heart for Spiritual Warfare Battlefield of the Mind - Part II: Spiritual Armor of God The battlefield or realm in which our spiritual warfare takes place is in the mind of every believer in Christ. We wrestle, or strive and struggle in our minds against world systems, the flesh or the carnal nature, and the devil. The mind encompasses our thoughts (imagination, reasoning, and intellect), as well as our emotions and will. In all of these aspects lie the very heart of an individual. By our thoughts and feelings we determine our will and purpose for our lives. As Christians, we seek to live by the truth and power of God because they are our assurance of God's promised victory in each and every situation in life, and we are not ignorant of the reality of evil, and the destruction that surrounds our world on a daily basis. It is in this process that we will encounter a very real spiritual struggle in our thoughts, emotions and will, because the adversary knows that these areas are directly related to the power of our faith, and means to receiving the promises of God. The adversary's goal is to weaken the faith of every Christian. We read,

1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. If we choose to live a half spiritual and half carnal life, we jeopardize much of our victory in Christ. Although, at the moment of conversion we received Christ and are assured of our salvation, our hearts still need to be right with God in our commitment to follow Him. When we follow Him we build a sure foundation in which Christ said, Luk 6:47 - 49 "Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." As Christians, we are deceiving ourselves if we are not walking with God from the heart. This has nothing to do with religion, legalism or ritualism because these have nothing to do with true religion, but sadly foster self-righteousness. True religion is a matter of seeking to understand God's love and committing your heart to follow the way of Christ. God says, Jam 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. This verse is speaking about compassion and moral goodness versus the many philosophies of the world that are in opposition to the love and justice of God. Our liberty in Christ sets us free from these worldly entanglements. Jam 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. The devil hates the righteousness of God with a pure hate, as well as God's creation, especially those who follow after the righteousness of God. We are told in the epistle of Peter to: 1Pe 5:8 Be sober (discreet), be vigilant (awake and watching); because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking (in a bad sense to plot against life) whom he may devour (to gulp entirely). In stark contrast to the devil, God also searches the earth but for a different

reason: 2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong (to fasten, seize, strengthen, cure, help, repair) in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (peaceable, especially friendly) toward him[God] . . .. Since we have a very powerful and hateful enemy, we need to be watchful of our thought life and hearts and to remain in close fellowship with God, so that His power can effectually operate in our lives. Scripture tells us, Psa 91:14 Because he hath set his love (to cling, join, delight in, to love, desire) upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. The first step to take in preparation for the spiritual warfare that is before us, is to get our hearts in the right place. To set our love upon God, is to walk with God, and when we walk with God, we remain in His presence and promised protection. How to Set Our Love Upon God Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 1Jo 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1Jo 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. His Promises To Those Who Love Him Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. God loves us unconditionally; however, by responding to His love we know God by experience. When we sow God's Word in our hearts and act upon it, we will reap the supernatural power and love of God. God will bring it to pass, and we will know God in a way we never thought possible. We then begin to understand the meaning of living on the holy mountain of God or in the presence of God.

In Psalm 15, David expresses the righteous love of God in a believer and his or her dwelling place in God's holy hill. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. The love of God works the righteousness of God. Our achievements do not genuinely profit us when they are not motivated by the love of God, not even our greatest gifts and sacrifices. God tells us that love alone will not fail. 1Co 13:1-6 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. . . .. God desires the heart of an individual, and if we make a decision in favor of what is given to us from His Word, we will reap the wonderful promises of God, and obtain a sure footing for the battles of life. If our intentions and purposes are lined up with those of Gods, we will profit in everything we do, and obtain God's deliverance from all evil. This however does not mean that we move along in life, and take no precautions for our own safety because we are walking with God. We always do our best to care for ourselves and rely on God to do the rest. God cautions us to the following: Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. and again Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

What A Righteous Heart Is Not Does a righteous heart mean that we must be perfect in order to receive His promises? If we become distracted by an ideal of perfection, we will find ourselves lost in a revolving door that takes us further away from the pure path that is set before us, and once again we become entangled with the works of the flesh and condemnation. The Christian life is not about a million do's and don'ts, its more about do unto others what you would have them do unto you. Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. To possess a perfect heart before God, means that our intentions, motives and purposes agree with the heart of God. We acknowledge His love for us, and have made a decision to return that love because He first loved us, but our perfection will not be complete until our full redemption in Christ at His 2nd Coming. Conforming to the image of Christ is a process of growth in the knowledge and power of Christ as we draw nearer to Him. Like a baby, we first receive the pure milk of the Word, and as we mature spiritually, we are able to digest the meat. God is full of mercy and grace towards His children, and seeks to deliver us out of trouble and restore us back to fellowship with Him, if we should fall away. When our heart is right with God, we are motivated by the things of God, but by no means does this guarantee that we will never fail God or others. The righteous will continue to acknowledge their mistakes and change their course or direction in life. A true believer is in a continual state of repentance by putting off the works of the flesh and continuing in the things of God. A Christian may suffer from his or her errors, but to remain in a state of condemnation and retardant growth because of them does not work the grace or righteousness of God. God looks at the intent of the heart and not our weaknesses and failures. God doesn't judge us according to the standards of men, but He always looks on the heart. The apostle Paul says, 1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Paul explains that a true Jew is circumcised in his heart and not in the letter of the law. Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. The Psalmist said,

Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. The Opposition and the Reason for Our Spiritual Warfare: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil The World, the flesh, and the devil are in opposition to Christ. We are forewarned to put on the whole armour of God so that we can overcome these obstacles through the power of God. This is also a part of the Christian walk; your heart may be in place but so is your spiritual battle. (Please see Post #1 for more on the world, flesh, and devil, by clicking the link below) Why the World, Flesh, and the Devil in Spiritual Warfare? When a believer is gaining ground for Christ in any of the 3 realms, whether we are winning souls for Christ, or overcoming obstacles to our personal walk with God, we will experience resistance in the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be not afraid, this resistance will come and is a sure mark of your progress! Some Words of Encouragement to the Weary There will be times when it is necessary and also an act of wisdom to retreat or step back a little from forging ahead spiritually, and to take the time to reflect, renew our strength and to gain perspective for our lives. We may even begin to feel a sense of relief and become complacent. If we are tempted to remain complacent, we should remind ourselves of the lives we will never touch, the spiritual heights we will never reach, and the force of faith that will no longer impact the invisible world to keep the enemy at bay. There are legitimate struggles in life, and we can become discouraged, but even if we feel discouraged, and we keep placing our trust in the Lord, He will not fail us. Some battles may be lost because lesser obstacles were overlooked at the start, and there are times, out of enthusiasm, we move ahead of our present capacity. It is not wise to tackle unfamiliar territory unless we are led by the Lord, to do otherwise is to witness the casualties of spiritual warfare. As a pastor once advised, when we fail, get up, and dust off our clothes and keep moving on. Christians experience real problems, and doing our best to overcome them through the power of God, will involve struggles and wrestling's that Paul defined as "warfare." Is your battle personal? Are you fighting fear, doubt, depression, physical problems, condemnation, obsessions, worry, despair or hopelessness? Is there an attitude, a habit, or a part of your flesh that is destroying you and you know it, but you cant seem to get a handle on it? Has your good intentions to win family and friends to the Lord now turned into a personal attack against you? Are you

threatened by the hostility and hate of others, do you fear isolation or how others can hurt you? Are you disturbed by your own hardened heart? Then seek God for His deliverance because He has provided a way for each one of us in Christ, set your love upon Him and He will deliver you. Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psa 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. God will transform our hearts and cause us to prosper in Him. Psa 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psa 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.