"For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere." (Ephesians 6:12)
Just a few days ago one of my very good friends was reminded so clearly about it - we are not wrestling with people, but against the spirits who hold those people under their control. My friend has 3 kids, the oldest one being a teenager. There are so many temptations for kids. They are especially attracted to computer games, not realizing what is behind those games. They don't pay attention to their own behavior changing when they play the games. My friend noticed more and more that while her sons played those games, they became more violent towards each another and used really foul language. She started to seek the Lord about what to do and how to deal with it.
She felt that she had to get rid of those games. So, she sat her boys down and told them that those computer games had them under their control, changing their behavior. She said that she would have to delete those games from their computers. As she said that, her elder son flipped. He just completely lost control and started to scream and shout and cry. My friend was startled at such behavior... and clueless as to what to do. She wanted to delete the games but did not know how to do it without getting an outburst. But as she sought the Lord, the Lord showed her the way.
1 Peter 5:8 says: "that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour."
James 4:7 says: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (NASB) God waits for us to submit to Him and then we will have to power over the enemy. The enemy though, doesn't wait for anyone to submit to him, he just seeks for an opening in someone's life through disobedience or rebelliousness or some other sin and immediately seizes the opportunity to destroy.
1 John 4:4 says: "Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world." If we have submitted to God, the Spirit of the Living God Himself lives within us and He (within us) is greater than any power of the enemy.
Matthew 12:29 says: "Or how can a person go into a strong man's house and carry off his goods (the entire equipment of his house) without first binding the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house."
Luke 19:10 says: "Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you." We do not have the power over the enemy (spirits) by ourselves, but in Christ we have the power.
Philippians 2:10 says: "In (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth." The spiritual powers that rule this world and people in it, recognize the power in the name of Jesus, spoken by a believer... and they will have to submit.
Matthew 16:19 says: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (NIV) God has given us the power and wisdom to operate in the spirit realm through and in His authority, changing things that are not right.
So, my friend, understanding that those where spiritual forces she was dealing with, took the authority that had been given her as a believer, using the power of the name of Jesus Christ, and bound the power of the enemy over her sons. She bound the demons that tried to control her sons and commanded them to let go of her sons and leave them and leave her house. She then asked for God's forgiveness for allowing the enemy to enter her home, and receiving the forgiveness, she released the peace and love and joy of the Lord and the presence of the Lord over her sons and her home, dedicating her home to the Lord.
The next day when she had decided to delete the demonic computer games no matter what... she was in for a surprise. There were no tears, no shouting, no screaming, no holding on to those games. Her sons were completely calm. Her younger son even showed her the bits in the games that were violent... and then they deleted them. There was complete peace in her home.
Wow! Huge difference between those two attempts to delete the games that were clearly affecting her kids in a very negative way! What happened? My friend sought the Lord for wisdom, and getting the answer and the direction from Him, she took the authority that had been given her as a believer and excercised her authority in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. She had never done that before. She had constantly had problems with her teenage son and she had constantly fought with him with not much success... until she realized who was her real enemy and how to fight him. She did not fight her son, she fought the enemy that tried to hold control over her son. She did not do it in human power. She did it in the name of Jesus Christ, the name that is "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come." (Ephesians 1:21)
Mind control is the name of the game. There is so much mind control around us and if we do not consciously realize it, we too are manipulated by it. What is mind control? The attempt to make us think in a certain way... in a way someone else wants us to think. All advertizing is a sort of mind control... but a lot milder form than New Age or some other form of new religion that worships man's power and tries to make people think that they are all-mighty and all-powerful... only later realizing (may be never) that the one who is teaching those lies, is trying to exercise control over them. It is the lie of the enemy. We might try to exercise control over ourselves and over someone else... while not even being able control our own emotions, addictions and behavior... there is someone more powerful holding control over us. The book of Revelation says that "the whole world is under the control of the evil one." ...the WHOLE world... not just parts of it are under the control of the evil one. We kid ourselves, thinking that we have things under our control. If we have not submitted to God, we surely are under the control of the evil one. We do not have control, we are being controlled! But if we have submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have the power of God within us and the wisdom of God at our disposal... and we have the promise of God:
"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Have not I commanded You? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:5,9)
Eve Juurik is a writer and speaker. She has
taught style and make-up to young models at a modeling school, written articles
for health and beauty magazines in Estonia, including Style and Health
Newspaper. At present Eve is a Health and Beauty Editor of a US based My
Walk With Jesus newspaper and website. She is a regular speaker at women's events.
Eve has been
invited to write for Recipes 365,Connecticut Herb Association’s
Newsletter and US
certified fitness expert Amy Lundberg’s Aim For It Newsletter. For 5 years she has been
teaching the Bible through weekly spiritual-inspirational articles. Eve
regularly writes for a US Christian newspaper and website My Walk With Jesus, website HandMaidens, and Estonian internet magazine The Voice of
Victory.
Eve promotes and sells certified organic skin-, body-, hair-, oral-,
men's-, home-care products through her website: www.TheSpringOfLife.net
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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