LET ‘FREEDOM’ REIGN IN THIS PLACE!



Ephesians 6:12-13 (NKJV) For WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, AGAINST SPIRITUAL HOSTS OF WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES. 13 THEREFORE TAKE UP THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN THE EVIL DAY, AND HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND.


.................If we aren’t fighting against ‘people’, why in the world do we have such struggles with personality-conflicts, the ‘words’ of peoples mouths, battles with differences of opinions, etc.?!

 Is it not the “flesh-and-blood” aspect of all these hostile contentions that is the “common denominator” in every war we ever have with our co-workers, our friends, our family, our brothers and sisters-in-the-Lord?


Listen: When Paul fluently spoke his view of ‘reality’ to the Ephesians, it probably appeared to be strange to them. In the midst of all the back-biting -- as well as the one-on-one confrontations that took place – Paul articulated a view of reality that seemed strange to even the most sincere of heart.

Now, most Americans who discover the reality of what Paul was saying, learn it the hard way – BY EXPERIENCE!!!


I’m going to read to you an excerpt from a book written concerning dark angels - more commonly known as “demons”. In this book the author gives an account of a well-respected Christian Minister who not only was a former professor at a major University, he was also the head of a worldwide deliverance ministry.


QUOTE:

“Dad, I don’t know what’s the matter with me. There seems to be something inside of me that takes over at times and makes me do weird things. Dad, help me! I’m scared. I love Jesus and I want to do what is right. What’s wrong with me?”

          The words were those of Carolyn Murphy, the daughter of Ed Murphy.

When this event happened during the 1960's, Ed had only an intellectual belief in demons, though he had been a missionary in Latin America. And he certainly didn’t believe that a Christian with as vibrant a faith as that of his 14-year old daughter could be demonized.

          Ed had returned home from a trip at the frantic urging of his wife and started talking to Carolyn. “Within moments”, Ed recalls, “her usually sweet personality changed. With a strange glare in her eyes she screamed, telling me to leave her alone. There was an undeniably evil presence in her eyes. Carolyn and I went to our knees in prayer, crying to the Lord to break the evil oppressing her life.

          I had noticed several weeks before that she had a small round object hanging on a chain around her neck, but didn’t think anything of it. As we prayed, my attention was drawn to this object. {She had been given it by a friend who professed Christianity but didn’t live like a committed believer.}

          After a little investigation, I discovered the “star” to be a pentagram, a symbol of the occult world. ‘You won’t find full freedom from evil spirits until you remove it and renounce the spirit forces associated with it,’ I told her.

          She responded quickly, tearing it off her neck and throwing it on the floor. She confessed and renounced her “innocent” occult involvement and her interest in certain evil music. She even confessed to having a selfish and rebellious attitude.

          In no time at all, we were in a face-to-face confrontation with evil spirits.

          “Dad, they’re after me. I’m afraid.”

          “Get out of my daughter’s life,” I commanded. “She has broken all allegiance with you. Get out! Leave her alone! In the Name and authority of my Master, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who defeated your master on the cross, I command you to go away from Carolyn and don’t return. Get out of her life!”

          Immediately the struggle ceased. Carolyn became calm, joyfully praising the Lord for setting her free. The evil spirits had left. We both cried and rejoiced before the Lord for His grace.


There was actually more work to do after this since Carolyn’s involvement in a sub-culture turned out to be more than she had at first indicated. However, as she renounced her involvement, confessed her sins, and destroyed the symbols of that way of life (which included charms, heavy rock music, etc.), she gained the freedom in Christ she had lost by allowing the Enemy to seduce her!


Now, this man - a man who had a world-wide ministry in deliverance from sin and advancement into “Kingdom-Living”, found this experience to be a significant world- view-shift! Not only did he come to realize that dark angels spoken of in Ephesians were REAL, he came to know that even Christians aren’t immune to their intrusion.


The position taken by many - if not most evangelicals - is that Satan is so defeated that his activities can not affect them! Therefore, they believe they don’t NEED to pay much attention to him!! Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) tells us that HAVING DISARMED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, HE MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.


BUT:

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV) says: BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL WALKS ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. 9 RESIST HIM, STEADFAST IN THE FAITH, KNOWING THAT THE SAME SUFFERINGS ARE EXPERIENCED BY YOUR BROTHERHOOD IN THE WORLD.


James 4:7 (NKJV THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD. RESIST (Notice YOU have a ‘part’ to do!) THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.


1 John 5:19 (NKJV) WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD, AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIES UNDER THE SWAY OF THE WICKED ONE.

ATTENTION!!

We must take seriously the truth that Satan and demons are consciously striving to deter you and cause you to fall away from your first Love: the Lord, Jesus Christ!


When Jesus started His public ministry, He affirmed the existence of Satan’s dark angels by announcing His purpose in the words of Isaiah.

 Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV) "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; 19 TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."


Listen:

          Jesus came to set captives free from the bondage imposed on them by the Enemy, the “ruler of this world”, whose aim is to keep people from experiencing the freedom God grants to those who get into a personal relationship with Him. But, as you have seen tonight, even Christians are tormented by the evil acts of Satan and his

hoards of demonic angels. And it’s usually done BECAUSE of the un-awareness of his entry into their lives!

          The writer of the book I got this story of the tormented girl from goes on to say, “Why God allows Satan to continue to torment believers even after their Savior has defeated him at the cross and tomb is a complete mystery to me.”


Well, I can tell you tonight that the REASON is as simple as it is profound. It’s because we have a “free-will”. YES it is magnificent when you choose to become a blood-washed child of Almighty God. But, my Christian brothers and sisters, even when you are blood-washed, you STILL are “stuck” (if you will) with the ability to DO or DON’T!!


Yes - Jesus came to set captives free!! And He did! Hallelujah!! But you still make decisions on a constant basis that determines whether Satan has an “in-road” into your existence! Why? BECAUSE YOU’RE STILL BREATHING! His ‘opportunities’ will cease only when you die, leave this world, and go to heaven!!! Until then, it is your CHOICE whether you continue to walk-the-walk and talk-the-talk!


That’s the very reason I apply the Blood of Jesus over everyone of us EVERY DAY!


Now, I have some MORE good news for you tonight. You have the RIGHT and the AUTHORITY to deal with demonic activity. Scripture clearly says that Jesus and His followers took demons seriously. However, they dealt with them in a matter-of-fact way because they KNEW God’s power is infinitely greater than that of the Enemy!


In the world, today, we’re bombarded with all kinds of opposing theories. Just this morning I heard that a group of fools (known in the vernacular as “Atheists”) plan to infiltrate a ball game in St Paul, Minn. They’re intent is to re-name “Saint” with ‘ain’t’ by removing the “S” from the word, saint.

Listen: you can remove a letter to change a word. You can holler and scream all day long. But it AIN’T going to change the “Truth”. And the Truth is: JESUS CHRIST IS KING. AND HE’S THE KING OF WHO I AM!!!


Satanic beings are involved in all kinds of disruptive human activity. They can hinder and even delay answers to prayer (Daniel 10:13). BUT GOD!

WE , however, have authority over the power of the enemy through the blood-covering of Jesus Christ Whose blood covers us and is against the enemy!


YES - we are at war! All of the New Testament indicates this. And like it or not, we are participants in this war between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.

BUT - Praise God - we’re on the winning side! Not only have the enemy and his dark angels been defeated, they’ve been humiliated. Jesus at His resurrection did this: Colossians 2:15 (NKJV) HAVING DISARMED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, HE MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.


What is your position is all of this?

Jesus said: “AS THE FATHER SENT ME, SO I SEND YOU” (John 20:21).


He has enlisted His followers to join in His commitment to “PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND. TO SET FREE THE OPPRESSED. (Lu. 4:18).


As men and women of God, we’re chosen and blessed to be on the winning side! The “Victory” is sure - but we will be in a continuing war until the return of our Captain and Victorious Savior, Jesus Christ!


Tonight, I leave you with this:


it ain’t over ‘til it’s over!!........... SO ----- BE BLESSED AND MAY JESUS BE YOUR PEACE!