A Pillar In The Temple Of My God, Part One

The workings of the Spirit in the life of the believer are never quick or painless. There are no instant formulas for success when it comes to Christian victory and becoming pliable in the hands of the Spirit. King David, who is a type of a Christ, invaded the Land of Zobah, defeated Hadarezer, which means "my demon-helper," freed the land from the dominion of demon spirits and brought back "much brass," to Jerusalem, which would ultimately be used in the construction of the temples of Solomon's temple, which was what the Lord Jesus had in mind when He made this great promise to the over comer as He addressed the church at Philadelphia in the book of Revelation. The Lord Jesus wants to MAKE us a pillar in the temple of God and write His new name upon our lives. All of this was made possible because of what He accomplished at the Cross.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Rev. 3:12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

The workings of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer are never quick, easy or painless. This writer has been saved now for over 20 years, was baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues in 1987, called into the ministry that same year, ordained in 1994 and feel that the season of waiting we've been in for almost 10 years now though tough will yield a greater anointing in the days and years to come should the Lord tarry.

This website is actually a vision that was birthed in 1998 at the beginning of this holding period the Lord seems to have had us in ministry wise. Spirit Journals went online in the late fall of that year during one of the darkest hours of this writer's life to say the least; let me tell you something friend; adversity in itself is never the test; the test is how one handles that adversity and many times the call of God becomes very clear when there are no other distractions around and you have no where to turn but God.

As I write this journal, I wish I could tell you there is an instant formula for Christian victory and growth in the Spirit. Most of these formulas center around erroneous thinking concerning what it takes for one to "overcome," sin, the flesh, the world and the devil. 

Ministers of the gospel will stand accountable to God for the souls of this generation if we fail to preach the true gospel which is the message of the Cross. Faith in the Cross does just cease when one is saved and born again but must be maintained if the believer wishes to have the Holy Spirit help them find perpetual victory in their walk with the Lord.

Without the help of the Holy Spirit operating and functioning in one's life,  our spiritual growth will be at the very least be stunted and worse the ultimate loss of one's soul because of departing from the faith. The apostate church world spends all its energy and the precious few hours we have left before the rapture promoting books filled with New Age humanism instead of preaching the Word of Almighty God. The Word of God points us to the source of ALL healing, victory and encouragement - the Lord Jesus Christ!

The subject of the Lord's Finished Work on the Cross embraces more than just understanding historical facts about the sufferings of our Saviour. Do we minimize those sufferings of our Lord by saying such? God forbid. The sufferings that He went through for us were terrible and beyond human comprehension - but they were done for more than just natural reasons. The Lord suffered the agony He did out of love for all mankind and to complete a supernatural FINISHED WORK OF REDEMPTION which can only be brought into reality in the life of the believer through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Cross works in conjunction with the Spirit, the Spirit works in conjunction with the Cross. With that said, let us state it again, there are no formulas for victory outside the power of the Holy Spirit, who works exclusively through the parameters of the Cross.

I heard a preacher recently advocate the thought that cell groups and accountability were what the church desperately needed to enforce change among its members. His theory was that without accountability there can be no "spurring" on or encouragement for one to change. That is basically the theory behind the Alcoholics Anonymous module that  states that the one bound by alcohol can find "strength," in numbers and get deliverance by standing up and saying "I'm so and so and I'm an Alcoholic." 

Is accountability important? Absolutely, we are to be submitted one to another in the fear of God, daily, admonishing one another in the Love of Jesus. That is scriptural and believe me friend no man is an island to Himself and can expect function fully within the Body of Christ all alone and without assistance from other parts of the Body.

The devil's tactics have always been  to isolate people from the Body of Christ by getting them to think they don't need anyone telling them what to do. We are accountable to GOD first, then to each other second. My wife and I discussed this a few days ago and agreed that in some ways that is why the marriage covenant and our family relationships are so important. I am accountable to my wife everyday and she to me; when we said "I do," we were in essence saying, "I love you enough to confront you and not let you fall spiritually, and will stand in the gap for your soul no matter the cost." Don't think for a second that is easy friend for it is not. Sometimes the hardest people in the world to confront are those we're most close to.

Let there be no mistake, accountability IS important  - to God first then to each other through families, our churches and fellow believers. However, accountability and submission are NOT terms for control and for people to lord and tyrant over anyone else and those two terms in themselves will NEVER bring victory and cause one to overcome in this Christian life. They may help a small part but they are not the true source of Christian victory in the Spirit of God.  Many want change on their own terms and friend, God gives victory and change on HIS terms.

The Holy Spirit through Paul warned the church that in the last days many would depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. One of the greatest tools of Satan today is false teaching concerning the source of true spiritual victory over sin, the flesh, the world and the enemy!!!!!

1 Tim. 4:1-4
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. [4] For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

Paul warned Timothy that these things would take place in the last of the last days, which we are in presently, within the professing Body of Christ, where he warned many would be drawn to false teachers and preachers who themselves would be controlled by false spirits proclaiming  a message that would offer false promises of peace and victory, yet cause those listening to seek victory in false places and wind up in greater bondage than they were even before they got saved.

It's a horrible thing to be deceived, but religious deception is even worse. Men who are religious tend to justify their condition by wrestling scriptures to their own destruction in order to stake out a position, no matter how unscriptural and heretical that position may be. We've grown very good in the Body of Christ today learning the jargon of "churchanity." Even in the Pentecostal and Charismatic communities we have seen a descent from the foundations of the faith in these latter days to where the church has found itself in the very apostasy spoken of so long ago by one of the greatest apostles the Lord ever touched in the world - Paul.

The preaching of the cross is STILL the POWER OF GOD unto Salvation. It is STILL man's only hope for victory, deliverance and to be set free from the chains and the shackles of sin. It is STILL the believer's ANCHOR and place where ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO GODLINESS and SPIRITUAL GROWTH can be found. We can't move "beyond the cross," as so many wish to do today nor can we devoid of its true power by tinkering with the ministry and operation of the Holy Spirit through our unbelief.  The Holy Spirit is called the "helper," or "comforter," the Paraclete, one called along side to HELP the believer in this sojourn called Christianity.

This sojourn is a walk of faith, but not just blind faith in abstract ideas or formulas, it is FAITH in the Cross of Christ and what the Lord accomplished there for all who believe!  Some think He is called to just help us speak in tongues and see miracles even though we believe in speaking in tongues and miracles. Others think He is called to help us find ways to get rich and increase ourselves with goods as much as we all may like getting rich and increasing our goods. Others think the Holy Spirit's help has to do with a myriad of other issues that, while important to a very small degree, do not pertain to ETERNAL matters. This writer believes in speaking in tongues; he believes in miracles; he believes God blesses His people and provides every need; but as important as these things may be they do not in themselves afford victory for the child of God!  Victory for the believer is found through the Cross of Christ and the shed blood of the Lord Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
 

This victory does not come easy mainly because of the material the Holy Spirit has to work with! The process of becoming pliable in the hands of the Spirit, who seeks to form the nature of Jesus within us, takes a spiritual lifetime to complete to be frank and will actually never cease to take place as long as we're in this mortal flesh. That is thy the rapture of the church is so vitally important to the believer and the completion of the great salvation process. When the trump sounds, the Spirit of God's work will be complete in the life of those who have believed in Jesus. He will then take us to the throne of heaven where as Jude proclaims, He will present us "faultless," before the Father.

Romans 8:30
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Romans 8:14-18
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I know some of us reading that see the failure and struggles in our lives and we find that hard to believe but it is a reality in the mind of God! The process of the Spirit's work concerning sanctification is actually embedded within this great promise of Christ to the overcomer in Revelation chapter 3 - "I will make you a pillar in the temple of God," and paints tremendous picture of how the Holy Spirit works in the life of the believer.

When Jesus used the term, "I will make you a pillar," He did not mean He would force or coerce ANY one to do anything. The word "make," is used as one would use the word "fashion," "sculpture," "mold," or something of that nature. It is a process that we actually label "progressive sanctification," which basically means the Holy Spirit's work in us is "progressive," from the moment we are born again to the time the rapture of the church occurs and this "mortality," puts in "immortality."

1 Cor. 15:50-53
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. [51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

No matter how long one has been saved we can never reach a point we no longer wish to grow in the grace of God. Even those baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues can never reach a point where they say, "I have it all," so I don't need to grow in grace any longer." There will NEVER come a time in the life of the believer for such an attitude. The Holy Spirit warns us over and over and over in the New Covenant, "take heed lest you fall," or "beware, lest you fall from your own stedfastness," and the list goes on.

2 Peter 3:17 - Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness

If one is not "growing," in Christ then one is backsliding! There is no neutral state with the child of God. In other words, if one is stagnant in their growth into this grace where in we STAND, we are going backwards not forwards. We must ever be pressing ON to the mark, the HIGH CALLING of God IN CHRIST JESUS. If we don't understand the things that pertain to Christ however, we can never attain to ANY calling or mark regardless of the claims by many to the contrary.

Philp. 3:14 - I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
 

When Jesus called His disciples and said, "come follow me and I will 'make' you to be fishers of men," again He was not using the word in the sense of force of coercion. He meant that He would work with them; the Holy Spirit would mold them and fashion them according to the work of the Master's hand.  It would take time, a long time,  a process of long duration. But if they would obey Him and acquiesce to His desires, He WOULD mold them into what He wanted them to be. You see, God never FORCES anyone to do anything. He will speak to, impress, and deal with a person and even use loving pressure through the convicting touch of His Spirit, but He will never use overt force. Man is a free moral agent - even after he is saved and baptized in the Spirit - and man chooses whether he yields himself to the Spirit's leading or resists that which the Lord wants to do. We are called to "walk" in the Spirit and to be "led" by the Spirit of God. That does not come over night nor is it easy to reach a place where that is done without much resistance by our flesh.

1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Galatians 5:16-17 - This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  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.

John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
 

Millions of Christians never develop beyond the embryo stage of their walk with God. Some have been living for the Lord for some time, but they have never grown in grace, which is the command of the Lord for all who are born again.

2 Peter 3:17-18
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. [18] But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
 

The Lord has tried to "make" them to be what they should be; He has tried to fashion them, to mold them, to sculpture them, but because of either hardness of heart, unbelief or in some cases rebellion there is never any growth or maturity. A spirit of humility and repentance are two very key aspects that will allow one to grow while pride and arrogance causes the Spirit to withdraw and cease to work. God "resists" the proud but gives GRACE to the humble; the grace of God is the enablement, the empowerment of the Holy Ghost for one to live for God. There is no living for God neighbor outside the Spirit's help.

James 4:6-7 - But he gives more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.

There are others who have gradually overcome every power of darkness that has sought to hinder them through faith! They have overcome jealousy, envy, malice, inferiority, and a hundred and one other things we could name, until today they are great examples of the faith for Christ. This message today is a picture of how the Lord works in our hearts and makes us what He wants us to be! This message is not for the rebellious or one who does not really wish to believe in what the Holy Spirit can and will do in one's life but for those who have hungry hearts and desire a deeper walk with God that can only come through the work of the Holy Spirit. For us to understand the pillars that Jesus spoke of in Revelation and His great promise to the overcomer, we must take the reader back to events in the life of King David and his King Solomon, the ones to whom God gave the instructions and power to build the Temple in Jerusalem.

David Invaded Zobah

1 Chron. 18:3
And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

1 Chron. 18:8
Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

David, is a type of the warrior Christ, Solomon, a type of the conquering Christ.  When David became King of Israel, he set about to perform the will of God in this country. Things that took place in the Old Covenant were types and shadows of the New Covenant that was to come under the Lord Jesus Christ given to the Apostle Paul. In other words, Aaron's budding rod was a type of Jesus. The manna that fell in the wilderness was a type of Jesus. The rock that Moses smote was a type of Christ. Solomon's temple was a type of Christ AND a portrait of the New Covenant believer! God does not dwell in a temple any longer made with hands but within walls of flesh. We are the New Covenant temple of the Lord!

Hebrews 10:1
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

The Defeat Of Hadarezer, "My Demon Helper,"

The writer of Hebrews tells us that the things that took place under the Law are shadows or types or allegories of that which we have today. Likewise, Canaan was a type of our Christian experience under the Lord Jesus Christ. As the children of Israel were given this land of promise, you and I have been given this great promised land of redemption! As Israel of old had to subdue the land, we too today have to subdue through the help of the Lord Jesus Christ and His mighty power, all the forces of Satan that would seek to hinder us from possessing this great land of victory that God has given us in the spirit today.

So when David became King of Israel, he set about to do that which God had commanded. He was to subdue all the heathen tribes that were in the land, the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Jebusites, and ALL the others. This foray of David into the land of Zobah was yet another one of those excursions. Actually, this was probably the northernmost part of the Kingdom of Israel. it extended all the way to the Euphrates River, which today would include half of the nation of Iraq, where the United States currently has a huge military presence, and also a region of the world that will play heavily in upcoming events in Bible prophecy. God gave David a mighty victory here over a  mighty king by the name of Hadarezer whom David defeated and from whom he took great financial spoils of gold, silver and BRASS.

Hadarezer was not the name given to this man by his mother when he was born but was instead synonymous with a title, like the name of Pharaoh or Caesar, and actually means, "my demon helper" in the original Hebrew. Consequently, the land of Zodah was ruled by demon spirits through this particular king and controlled the people, holding them in bondage. This is one of the reasons God had to root these kings and heathen people out of this country. They would have totally destroyed God's plan for the people of Israel and the world. Hence, they MUST be rooted out.

Likewise, for the child of God, EVERYTHING that comes against the child of God and seeks to destroy our walk with God - jealousy, envy, malice, bitterness, and many other things that could be named MUST be rooted out of lives! We will either root these things out by the help of the Holy Spirit or these things will control us and always hinder our walk with God. Many want to become a "champion," in the kingdom of God attacking and coming against the powers of darkness without, but hear this writer: one cannot become a champion against the powers of darkness without until one defeats the powers of darkness within!

Jude tells us we are to hate the garment even SPOTTED by the flesh.

Jude 1:23 - And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Some foolishly think this process comes about through all sorts of fleshly efforts and  attempts at deliverance. We're not dealing with spiritual dominos or tidily winks when talking about man's problems and bondages. The powers of darkness through demon spirits will always seek to control and hinder the spiritual growth of the Christian life! To state it again, we will either defeat them or they defeat us. And let the reader be clear - no marketing technique fostered in the mind of man or MOVEMENT is enough to withstand this onslaught against the child of God.

Now, I want to some very important statements here the reader MUST grasp. I don't say these things to be unkind or cause those reading to be offended but we want to make it clear that our website is not "consumer," friendly nor do we send out a survey to everyone we know on the internet and ask them what we can write as not to offend folks.

There is an OFFENSE attached to the message of the Cross to begin with and for those who reject its message usually wind up offended when they are told there is NO OTHER FORMULA FOR VICTORY outside the Cross of Christ.

The phrase "battling their demons," has been coined by many in the news media lately to describe the terrible bondages and addictions many famous people battle and face, which in reality are the same bondages and addictions normal people face every single day of their life.  As I sit down and write this news just came out that a famous Hollywood comedian took a sawed off shotgun, placed it to his head and pulled the triggering, a tragedy this man would die from hours later. How many ready this journal right now the devil has tried to convince to do the same? How many millions of teenagers are holding a bottle of pills or a knife's blade to their wrists wanting to end it all because of the onslaught of hell against their minds and souls??? Neighbor, this battle is real and there is a devil who wants to steal, kill and destroy. He's not some character out of the funny pages or something we should be making jokes about in our backslidden pulpits acting as if the church has some magic formula to ward off these powers by some talisman or other foolishly concocted idea from man's brains.

Let us be clear here. We don't condemn a one of these souls who are  the powers of darkness for outside the grace of God we'd be under the same bondages. A "starlet" died recently quite possibly from a drug overdose and the media has exclaimed over and over how this young lady "had many demons she never overcame."

Let me tell you something neighbor: Man's problem goes deeper than just "fighting demons," which all who are without Christ certainly face without protection and we who are IN Christ face yet we have ONE thing and ONE thing alone that protects us from Satan's wiles - the BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST and our faith in the what He accomplished for us at the Cross 2,000 years ago. Man's problem is that because of Adam's fall his nature was changed into something that is distorted, fallen, ugly, darkened, degenerate, messed up, scarred, out of kilter with reality and opposed to the things of God. That is why this Purpose Driven model is so damnable in that it seeks to promote a gospel void of the demands of repentance and that which is "acceptable," to those who are opposed to God and in many cases full of the demon spirits we speak.

We were accused recently of saying all those who taught the Purpose Drive Life were going to hell and sending the people to hell that they were teaching. We never said such but the truth is neighbor and you can get mad if you like but if what is being taught is poison no matter how much it's wrapped up in nice candy wrappers of religion jargon then the one's teaching it WILL be held accountable to God for this AND yes sadly, MANY who are listening to this poison will not be told the truth and believe a lie and be damned!

2 Thes. 2:10-13
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  [13] But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

The two things stated in verse 13 of this passage are KEY to one's salvation:

1) Sanctification of the Spirit

2) Belief of the truth

Demon spirits certainly play a role in this onslaught from hell to keep one from believing the truth and to hinder the Spirit's work of sanctification in the believer! The Spirit cannot work without there first being FAITH, or belief in the truth i.e. the Cross of Christ.

If one is not IN CHRIST, then demon spirits do have latitude because of man's fallen nature and if one is not born again these spirits even possess the individual! Yet we must remember that if there were NO demon powers to tempt man, let the reader be sure that man would be just as wicked and evil as he is today. That is the lesson man will be taught at the end of the Millennium when even after Satan is bound for 1,000 years and man's ability to choose between righteousness and sin will be offered to humanity again - MAN WILL CHOOSE to rebel against God. The phrase "the devil made me do it," will literally be no excuse during the Millennium! Satan won't be ABLE to make man rebel yet man will still rebel!

This is the "battle" we ALL face, i.e. the "good fight of faith," but in reality it's a battle already won by Christ through His finished work at Calvary. Most Christians fight sin in their lives never realizing that was sin was defeated through the Sacrifice of Christ at the cross which must remain our anchor of faith even after we get saved. If we're fighting sin neighbor, we've already lost. If we're fighting the devil, we've already lost. Man can't fight Satan on man's term and expect to come out unscathed and unharmed. There is only one source of protection from demon spirits and that is the Cross of Christ!!

Faith in the atonement of Christ not only deals with our PAST salvation experience but also has just as much to do with our everyday walk before God because of what the Spirit does in the believer's heart as a result of what Christ did at the Cross. When we get our faith right, the HOLY SPIRIT then comes on the scene and "HELPS" the believer defeat "Hadarezer."

Only the HOLY SPIRIT can give us the TRUE help that guarantees victory. This is not a formula, it's the TRUTH of the word of God that can set some reading this journal free. We need the TRUTH far more than we need a touch even though we love the touch and I'm not telling you it's wrong to get a touch; however, when it comes to cases and the rubber hits the road in this good fight of faith, friend you'll need more than just a weekly 'buzz' to grant victory over the powers of darkness that will STILL oppose the child of God but should never gain a foothold or victory over the one truly trusting in Christ and Christ Alone and what He did for us at the Cross. Jesus said you shall know the TRUTH and the Truth shall set you free!

John 8:30-32
As he spake these words, many believed on him. [31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Many reject the truth, yet still believe the lie of darkness they can sin a little bit everyday and it's ok in the sight of God, because "well Brother McDonald, 'nobody's perfect,' or 'God knows we're just trying our best.' If that is one's attitude where they don't feel conviction over sin and they think Christ is nothing more than a covering for their rebellion they are not born again. Yet many Christians who are born again still struggle with sin. It's imperative the reader understand that we're not teaching sinless perfection but we ARE preaching that through the Spirit of God sin does not and should have dominion over the believer.

Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

We do have an advocate in heaven interceding for us before the throne of God if we sin.

1 John 1:7-9
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. [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John didn't say "when" we sin, but "if" we sin. There's a BIG difference. A true child of God does not want to sin against His Lord or do anything to bring reproach to the Body of Christ. A true child of God weeps when he fails the Lord and hurts very deeply when he the Holy Spirit exposes unconfessed sin in his life. To be frank, the most miserable person in the world is a believer with unconfessed sin in their life. Believe me - I've wrote a few chapters in that book over the years God has given me here on this earth. The answer to man's problem however is understanding that while sinless perfection is never possible this side of the grave or rapture, the Bible DOES tell us that the sin nature is rendered powerless by the power of the Cross of Christ. That is why the Holy Spirit declared in Romans 6:1-2 that when it comes to the question of sinning after one gets saved, Paul said, "God forbid."

Romans 6:1-2
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? [2] God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

I say those things to make it clear to the reader just how important getting victory over sin is in the mind of God. He gave tremendous revelation to the Apostle Paul for the believer to grasp this great truth of redemption and find freedom!

Going back to the issue of demon spirits, most Christians always want to tie their struggles to demon spirit and feel they must have a demon cast out, or hands laid on them to find relief from matters that are tied to their flesh. Yes demon powers oppose the child of God but many times the problem is not some demon, it's the one staring back at us in the mirror!  No believer can be demon possessed. To be sure however, demon powers may oppress the Christian and every Christian has faced these powers of darkness in this manner many times and will continue to do so.

On a side note, but somewhat related to what we're discussing, someone bragged to us the other day they just didn't understand all this talk about "struggle," and "demonic attacks" upon them or their ministry. Well if your ministry is not a threat to the devil's kingdom you have nothing to worry about! If you're living at such a sub-standard level of anointing and power in your Christian walk with God - you have no worries friend because in your lukewarm, backslidden state - you're not threat to the powers of darkness.

If Satan is fighting, he's very worried about what the Lord is doing IN you, THROUGH you and TO you!

If one believes correctly and acts upon his FAITH, there is no problem with demon spirits. It's not "our faith" that causes the conflict to cease, but WHAT we have our faith in - the finished work of CHRIST, for it was there where the powers of darkness - and I mean ALL the powers of darkness - were destroyed.
 

Col. 2:13-14 - And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

That means alcoholic you can be free today through the precious blood of Christ! Homosexual, you can be free today through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You filled with hatred, racism and resentment can be free today through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You bound by lust and perversion you can be free today. Drug addict, cocaine addict, crack addict, you can be set free today through the precious blood of Christ. Child molester, as bad as that may be, you are not beyond the grace and power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And I address myself to those young people we witnessed on a website called "Blasphemy Challenge," who denied the Lord Jesus and thought they were doing this to keep God out - friend, there is no place God cannot deal with your heart. No matter your blasphemy you are not beyond the scope and power of the convicting saving tug of the Spirit of God. You're not beyond the realm of God's love for you in spite of your hatred for Him. Some of you who put those videos up are just a breath away from a Damascus road experience and coming into the Kingdom of God upon repentance and faith in the Christ you slur.  Jesus Christ can set you free!

Thirdly, many Christians, not understanding the benefits of the finished work of Christ, resort to legalism and fleshly means to overcome sin.  So much of what we try is very good and very spiritual even at times but if it's not FAITH it's not going to bring victory. The Holy Spirit through John tells us "this is the victory that overcomes, even our FAITH." Faith in what? Faith in a program, a book, a self-help theory, our human efforts to get free?  Some claim faith in their faith believing if they act a certain way,

1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

James 2:22-26 - Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? [23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. [24] Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. [25] Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? [26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Another area where Christians turn to for victory is psychology. Most churches today of any size have church counselors on staff looking to help the believer out of every morass of problem there is. This will only keep the believer from taking his problem to the real source of his/her answer - CHRIST.

Many believers think they can overcome whatever Satan brings against them by using their willpower. Of course, they keep falling and failing, because willpower is not as strong as Satan, and the Holy Spirit never works from the premise of giving us a stronger willpower. Nevertheless, despite continued failures, many believe that ultimately their willpower will win out. They have been taught, erroneously, that Satan cannot override the willpower of the believer. Paul shows us however in Romans 7:8 that if we don't follow God's prescribed order of victory in opening our lives to the Holy Spirit's help, we will will find out really quickly that Satan can do more than just "roar" as so many preachers flippantly tell their congregants.

Romans 7:8
But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence  <evil, burning passion, lust, desire>. For without the law sin was dead.

Then there is the Charismatic world that believes that manifestations of the Spirit are the answer to the sin nature. The thinking by many is if we can get the right preacher to lay hands on us or put a prayer shawl over us we will thereby experience a touch from God such as "falling out in the Spirit," or "spirit-directed laughter," and this will surely solve our problem. Before you think I'm mocking those things, think again. In 1993 I was touched myself with the holy laughter that swept the nation and parts of the world.  In meeting after meeting during the fall of 1993 we saw manifestations that I had never seen in my entire life up to that point and have never seen since.

Yet in the midst of all this laughter, I still had many many character flaws and to be frank the nature of a goat. I was not in willful sin and rebellion, don't get me wrong, but there were many areas in my life at the time the Holy Spirit was not pleased with and all the laughter in the world could not deliver me from the sinful nature within.

This struggle has taken a heavy toll on me beyond anything I'd want to share on these web pages. But my struggle is not new to the Body of Christ for I know MILLIONS of Christians share the same struggle who have their faith in manifestations instead of the Cross. I was in a Charismatic meeting not too terribly long ago and the one in charge had people down front screaming at their "demons," and casting out "generational curses."  I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million times and one. We're looking at the wrong daddy as the source of man's problems and his ills. It's not our daddy "Jim," or "Joe," or "Jack," that is the problem - it's our daddy "ADAM."

Romans 5:17-18
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) [18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

It was the offence of ADAM that brought DEATH and JUDGMENT to the human race in that man's nature FELL from one of righteousness and perfection to one of sin and degradation. This "judgment," was CONDEMNATION, which is the source of many of our emotional problems that ill-informed leaders try to tie to generational issues instead of understanding the sin nature. How is this condemnation dealt with - through the MINISTRY of the HOLY GHOST and WALKING in the SPIRIT and NOT THE FLESH  i.e. the power of the sin nature.

Romans 8:1-3
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The church's answer to man's condemnation as a result of the fallen nature is either psychology, ignorance, seeking some type of mystic manifestation, or judgment. NONE of these things will set men free.

In many church leadership arenas, there is a thought process that says if we have members in our congregation with behavior issues, the best thing to do is send them to a counselor or if they have deeper bondages and addictions some ministries promote the rehab center. That is the modern church world's "solution," and offer of help to believers struggling with their sin nature. Friend, this is not something to snicker at or blow off believe me and we're not making fun or mocking those with the struggle. It breaks our heart to see the scores of people bound by the powers of darkness and the church world offering a band-aid and in some cases just adding to the bondage already in place by some of the horrendous methods we offer the hurting and the dying.

MILLIONS of sincere believers are battling pornography, alcoholism, bad tempers, jealousy, envy, selfishness, PRIDE, EGO, religious demons, evil desires, etc. and no one has the answer to their problem other than our little clichés' such as "get over it," "move on to a new level in God," and/or "you just need to confess your way out of it," or "you need to find you some assistance and get some counseling somewhere."

The only answer is the Cross. It's so simplistic yet so hard for many to grasp and understand. Satan has a done a masterful job deceiving people into swaying them into placing their faith in other things and thereby short circuiting the Holy Spirit's help.

This does not mean the individual walks around in a numb state just doing noting waiting for some mystical experience to take place. The Christian DOES play a role, mainly which is humility, repentance and obedience to the Word of God. For one to obey, one needs to read the Word certainly. Prayer is vital to one's walk with the Lord, not in some legalistic sense but if one is not communicating with the Lord on a daily basis, one is headed for ship wreck! Let's make it clear, true faith is not passive nor lazy and without works it is dead. These works are not to justify us or bring on favor from the Lord, but are a RESULT of true faith in the Cross of Christ.

Every need fallen humanity ever has or will ever have until the rapture is found in what CHRIST DID AT THE CROSS and the resovoir of the HOLY SPIRIT which is now accessible by faith to those who have placed belief in what the Lord has done. No wonder Paul proclaimed this as a "GREAT SALVATION!" I feel like shouting all the way from here to Texas neighbor that Jesus Saves, Jesus Heals and Jesus baptizes in the Holy Ghost.

 The Holy Spirit's work of forming Christ in us is the reality of this work of Calvary. There are not ten, four, two, three or thirty ways to victory or having Christ formed in us - it's just ONE - the HOLY SPIRIT and the Holy Spirit only works when we place our faith in the Cross of Christ.
 

There are many believers who from all outward appearances seem to not have any difficulty whatsoever in this capacity, but yet are secretly fighting something that is threatening their destruction. If one is fighting and winning, after a while the struggle will become so intense that one will fight and  ultimately lose. That's really what the church's answer to all the struggle is - "fight it," "don't give in to it," "be strong," "you can beat this." The truth is that WE Can't BEAT IT. The answer is not fighting something that Jesus has already addressed and won at Calvary. The answer is trusting in what He has already done.

The Deception of Satan

I know some are reading this and going, "Brother Chris, all of this sounds good and I've got my faith anchored in the Cross and the Cross only and I'm STILL struggling and going through hell itself spiritually." As we stated earlier let the reader be sure that Satan's efforts to destroy one's faith will never stop! Let me state it another way, if a believer is not having too much difficulty with the devil then I would surmise that believer probably is not doing a whole lot for cause the devil much difficulty!

Satan has been deceiving nations for a long time, and as part of his deceiving nations, he is a deceiver of ALL mankind for that matter. There are great nations of the world that are controlled by demon spirits. That is the reason for the bondage, the starvation, and the terrible problems that beset many people. Look at India and other nations in that same general part of the world. Many of these nations in the Asian Rim are controlled by religions that are generated by demon powers. This is the reason that a nation like India has struggled and staggered for many years and will continue to do so.

It is not they are less intelligent than people in the United States and Canada, but simply the nation is held under the denomination of Satan. He STEALS, KILLS and DESTROYS without respect of what nation or individual is involved. Nation after nation could be put in this same category. That is the reason godly people all over the United States and Canada  should pray  for our leaders in office. Even over this mighty nation of America there are principalities and powers that seek to control our governmental and educational institutions that affect millions of people. The success and defeat of evil powers hinge on the travail and intercession of the saints of God.

That is why the Bible urges us FIRST OF ALL to pray for those in authority over us. The problems of the influx of false religions and movements across America is the result of events taking place in the spirit realm over this nation. It is not by accident that the last five years have seen an onslaught of greater homosexuality, abortion, perversion, hatred for those who are truly Godly, and all manner of perversions and molestations. I read a website study the other day that the incidents involving female teachers sexually molesting underage boy students in the past decade have not tripled, but seen a 200% increase compared to such events prior to 1999.

This onslaught just "didn't happen." There are powerful spiritual forces in place seeking to destroy this mighty nation. In addition to the perversion, we have never seen a time when there has been so much waste, greed, corruption and dishonesty in ALL our once trusted institutions, including the church, where men of God have used their roles of authority to abuse those under their care. That is the nature of sin and unrighteousness which is literally promoted in the heavenly realm by demon powers.

America has experienced great prosperity ever since her creation over 200 years ago. That prosperity is because of two main reasons - America's support for Israel and America's preaching and teaching of the gospel and its use of her prosperity to spread and send the true gospel (at least at one time) to the entire world. America is quickly abandoning both fundamental visions in these last days and as a result the prospects of us losing our once invincible state of prosperity is a real possibility in these coming days ahead.

King David Invaded Zobah; We Need A Fresh Invasion of Christ Today To America!

1 Chron. 18:8-11
Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.  Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; [10] He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.
 

As King David invaded that heathen land and set those people free to where they could worship the great God of Glory, he took them out from the dominion of Satan and the demon powers of darkness. Our Heavenly David one day invaded our personal domains as well, at least those born again by the Spirit of God, and set us free as well! ALL were born in sin, bound by the powers of darkness, having no hope without God and His Son, on our way to a devil's hell.

One day, there was a moment when we knelt in prayer before the foot of the Cross and the Heavenly David invaded our life and as a result our families changed forever, our homes changed forever, our marriages changed, our jobs changed, everything around us because Jesus invaded our life and we were saved. Thank God, thank God, He invaded our life; had it NOT been for place called Mt. Calvary, had it not been for the Old Rugged Cross; had it NOT been for man called Jesus; our souls would be eternally lost. But friend, we're not lost anymore, we're saved, set free, born again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, because Jesus invaded Satan's domain and dominion he had over all of us reading this journal.

Some of you reading this would have died a drunkard's death had Christ not invaded your life. Some would have died a drug addict's death had Christ not invaded; some would have died going from night club to night club, looking for ever sort of sexual fling under heaven trying to heal the hurt of loneliness in their heart but ONE DAY, Jesus Christ , Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, invaded and set the captive free. That is why He said, "the SPIRIT of the LORD is upon for He hath ANOINTED me to PREACH the gospel to the poor; the heal the brokenhearted; the opening of sight to the blind; the setting at liberty those who are bruised." That is why He left the halls of Heaven's eternal GLORY to come to this sin-infested world and die a horrible death that all those who would come to Him might be saved and set free from the ravages and the shackles of sin. Praise God, Praise God.

We have been set free by the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As the old hymn we seldom hear any more goes:

"I was sinking, deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained with sin, SINKING to rise no more; BUT the master of the seas, HEARD my despairing cry, and from the waters LIFTED me; now SAFE am I.

LOVE Lifted Me, LOVE Lifted Me, When NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING

Else Could Help - LOVE LIFTED ME."

Drug addict, homosexual, alcoholic, atheist, agnostic, one bound by religious spirits but not saved, the LOVE of God can set you free today. His love has been expressed through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who came 2,000 years ago, hung between heaven and earth, and broke the power of sin over all mankind. God cannot do any more than He has already done, yet He continues to deal and deal and deal with the human race through the ministry of preaching and the convicting power of the Holy Ghost. He calls you today from the throne of Heaven and the heart of His loving embrace. TODAY is the day of salvation, not tomorrow, not next week, not next month, but TODAY. There is no guarantee of tomorrow friend, NONE. There is no guarantee of the next second. Our life is but a vapor and that is why we must be ready to enter eternity at ALL times. The way we enter eternity with God is through placing faith in the Finished Work of Christ at the Cross.

When David invaded Zobah we're told in 1 Chronicles 18 he brought back very much brass, which will be the subject of part two of this journal, for the brass that he brought back is a type of the New Covenant believer whom the Lord Jesus brought back from the land of darkness when He brought us into His glorious light.

Col. 1:13-15
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: [15] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

To the overcomer, the Lord Jesus declares, "I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God." That is a promise to the saint and it is God's heart that ALL men be saved today even though we know sadly many will not. Broad is the way and wide is the gate that leads to destruction and MANY there be that goes in there at. Strait is the gate and NARROW is the way, which leads to life, and FEW there be that will find it. Those are the words of Jesus. 

Matthew 7:13-14
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: [14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
 

I ask you today, are you saved? Has Jesus Christ invaded your heart and life today? Are you bound by the powers of darkness? Are you free from the chains and the shackles of sin? If not, there is a Heavenly David wanting to invade your home, your job, your family, your church, your LIFE. He that the Son has set free is FREE indeed. 

I leave you today with the words of a song that has my heart burning with the love of God at this late hour we write and it speaks of our Lord's wondrous Love for His children and His call to those who are not:

In loving kindness Jesus came
My soul in mercy to reclaim,
And from the depths of sin and shame
Through grace he lifted me.

From sinking sand he lifted me,
With tender hand he lifted me,
From shades of night to plains of light,
Oh, praise his name, he lifted me!

He called me long before I heard,
Before my sinful heart was stirred,
But when I took him at his word,
Forgiv'n he lifted me.

His brow was pierced with many a thorn,
His hands by cruel nails were torn,
When from my guilt and grief, forlorn,
In love he lifted me.

Now on a higher plane I dwell,
And with my soul I know 'tis well;
Yet how or why, I cannot tell,
He should have lifted me.

If you're not sure you're saved today pray this prayer with us:

"Heavenly Father, I come to you as a sinner today in the name of Jesus. I ask you to come into my heart and life today and change my heart. Invade my home, change my heart, deliver me from this terrible bondage of sin I find myself in. I cannot save myself and I ask Jesus to come into my heart and life; I accept what He did for me at the Cross and now put my faith and trust in Him for my salvation, deliverance and victory. Thank you for saving me and bringing me out of the kingdom of darkness into Your glorious light. In Jesus Name, we pray, Amen."

Questions, Comments

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