Copyright 2002 by Charles Gilmore
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Except where noted, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984; International Bible Society.
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Light for Living, Inc.

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When you became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you were transferred from the kingdom of Satan into God’s kingdom. You have all the benefits of God’s kingdom — a promised inheritance and eternal life with Jesus — but you must still live in enemy territory the rest of your life. So you need to learn how to live in victory over the enemy — that is what this study is all about.

It is impossible to win the battles of life by human strength. The Apostle Paul explains, "I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles, I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3 – 4 TLB). Paul gives more details in Ephesians chapter six: "I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against strategies and tricks of Satan. For you are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies — the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic being and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks; and when it is all over, you will still be standing up" (verses 10 – 13 TLB).

Guide to Victory

Your Bible is called the "Sword of the Spirit." Therefore, you should learn to use it effectively. You will find the Scriptures in this guide very helpful as you learn to resist the enemy whenever he attacks.

Jesus Christ
Delivered us Colossians 1:13
Spoiled principalities Colossians 2:15
Destroyed power of darkness 1 John 3:8
Hebrews 2:14
Has all Authority Matthew 28:18

Jesus Dealing with Demons
Luke 4:18; 13:11–16
Mark 1:23–27; 5:1–20
Acts 10:38

Jesus’ Teaching about Demons
Believer’s Authority Colossians 1:13
Believers shall cast out demons Mark 16:17
Do not forbid casting out Luke 9:49, 50
Power over enemy Luke 10:19, 20
Demons can return Luke 11:24, 26

Believer’s
Position Ephesians 2:6
Weapons 2 Corinthians10:4
Armor Ephesians 6:10–18
Authority Luke 9:1; 10:19
Adversity 1 Peter 5:8, 9
Obligation James 4:7
Deliverance 2 Corinthians 1:8–10
Matthew 6:13
Psalm 144:2
Acts 26:18
Protection 1 John 5;16
Obedience 2 Corinthians 10:5
Light (let it shine) Matthew 5:16
Truth (put it on) Ephesians 6:14
Freedom John 8:32, 36
Forgiveness 2 Corinthians 2:10,11
Matthew 6:14, 15

Blood
Cleanses 1 John 1:7
Overcomes Revelation 12:11

Binding Satan
Authority to bind Matthew 12:29; 18:18

Strongholds
Divine power to destroy 2 Corinthians 10:4

Sin
Source of 1 John 3:8
James 3:14, 15

Satan’s Ground or Advantage
Man’s love for sin John 3:19
Man’s sinful mind Romans 8:7
Man’s sinful nature Ephesians 2:3
Man’s sinful cravings 1 John 2:16
World under control of Satan 1 John 5:19
Man’s disobedience Ephesians 2:2
Blinded minds 2 Corinthians 4:4

I want to thank the following people for their help in developing this Bible study. Bertha Mainwaring typed the original manuscript. Bette Gilmore spent many hours proofing, rechecking and evaluating the text. Newman Betts set the type and prepared the manuscript for printing. Peg Harvard designed the cover.

Author, Charles Gilmore

by Charles F. Gilmore

More and more Christians are being faced with the fact of a spiritual, invisible enemy who can attack in the most unsuspecting ways. This is an enemy who has the ability to use friends and loved ones in a most devastating manner, yet hide his identity so that you seldom suspect the real culprit. Remember your warfare is not with flesh and blood, but "against the [master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere" (Eph. 6:12 Amplified Bible). If you have gone through some traumatic experience in which the enemy was the stimulus and the behind-the-scene planner, this study is for you.

Not all of God's creation is visible. Genesis records visible creation, but sometime before that God created a realm of invisible beings referred to in the Bible as, "angels," "spirits," "seraphim" and "cherubim." These are real living beings with personality, mentality, and volition. They have many of the same characteristics that humans have, but do not have physical, visible bodies.

In Job 1:6 and 2:1 we read about the "sons of God" who came to present themselves before God. It is apparent that these "sons of God" are angels. According to Hebrews 1:14, angels are "ministering spirits" who serve God by assisting those who are "heirs of salvation." You will find more information about them in Matthew 18:10, Revelation 5:11 and 22:8, 9. A study of their activities indicates that they work under the supervision of God and could be called, GOOD SPIRITS. But you will notice that someone else came with them. His name is Satan.

Where did he come from?
What are his activities today?
How powerful is he?
Is there danger of Satan overcoming God?

Satan was created by God and is dependent upon Him for life and existence. This is quite clear from a study of Ezekiel chapter 28. In verses 12 through 19, Ezekiel is commanded to take up lamentation (expression of grief) over the king of Tyre. He was known as a very evil king, but the language appears to be describing one who is the unseen power behind this king. The Eden mentioned here is described as a place of precious stones, jewels, and gold, which fits the description of heaven given in other passages, not the Garden of Eden.

It is evident from verse 14 that Satan was created by God for a place of service in heaven and given a high position as "anointed cherub." He was created perfect and remained that way for a time. His name, "Lucifer," means the bright and shining one THE LIGHT BEARER. Some Bible students think that angels' bodies consist of light, therefore, they cannot be seen in the absence of matter.

We learn from Isaiah 14:12-17 that Lucifer led a rebellion against God and his light was put out. Thus, darkness becomes the symbol of evil and sin. You might say that Lucifer was the first revolutionary leader to lead a rebellion against God. Satan was the first to exercise a will opposed to that of God. Isaiah chapter 14 records five "I wills" which are really a part of Lucifer’s declaration of independence as he declares war on God.

(1) "I WILL ascend to heaven."
(2) "I WILL raise my throne above the stars of God."
(3) "I WILL sit enthroned on the mount of assembly."
(4) "I WILL ascend above the tops of the clouds."
(5) "I WILL make myself like the Most High."

Satan was not alone in his rebellion and fall. He was the leader of a vast group of rebellious spirits who declared their independence from God. No one really knows how many rebelled, though some speculate that it involved one third of all created spiritual beings, making the total number in the billions or trillions. Since this rebellion there has been two groups of spirit beings - GOOD and EVIL. Evil spirits are those who chose to be self-centered, independent and out of harmony with God as they joined Lucifer in his rebellion. Evil spirits are called demons. Good spirits are called angels. See Subject 6 for more information about angels.

The Bible refers to Satan and the devil as one and the same person. These names are never properly used in the plural. There is only one. His followers and assistants are called demons. Some theologians refer to demons as disembodied spirits; a term that may be misleading since they never had bodies. Though the Bible gives little information about the origin of demons, it is evident that they are NOT spirits of dead humans. They are pure spirit without bodies or visible form. They are fallen angels who joined in Satan’s rebellion. They are Satan’s helpers serving under his authority.

They are the spiritual beings who remained God-centered and in harmony with him. Angels were created by God long before the creation of the world They are pure invisible spirits and are NOT spirits of deceased Christians. Hebrews 1:14 explains by asking this question: "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" The Greek word for "Angel" means "messenger". There are many examples in the Old Testament where God used angels to deliver his message to his chosen ones. They are God’s helpers. He sends them to protect believers. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them" (Psalms 34:7).God uses angels to protect you. "For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands . . ." (Psalm 91:11– 12). Luke 16:22 suggests that angels have a special ministry to believers at the time of their death. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. . . ."

Man’s sin problem began in the Garden of Eden where Satan tricked Adam and Eve into joining his rebellion by disobeying God's command. Man was created both a spiritual and physical being with the capacity to love and have intimate fellowship with God. He was created God-centered (Genesis 3), but became self-centered when he followed Satan's advice for obtaining knowledge, freedom, and independence. The result was spiritual death which took place when God the Holy Spirit vacated the human spirit leaving a great void. Because the human spirit is basically a receptacle for the Spirit of God, the absence of the Spirit left man in a deplorable condition. Without God he was incomplete. Satan moved quickly to fill that spiritual void and the Old Sin Nature was born. This Sin Nature remains a snare to men even after being restored to fellowship with God through the new birth.

God had declared that the penalty for sin was death, so He could not overlook man's sin. He had a plan. It involved a substitute dying for man's sin. God Himself provided the substitute in Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ accomplished much more than a solution to man's sin, however. His resurrection was a proclamation of victory over Satan and his forces. Too few Christians realize that God has already defeated Satan (see Heb. 2:14-15 and Col. 2:15).

Although the victory has been won and Satan sentenced to eternity in Hell, he is still loose on bond, so to speak. Until he is incarcerated, believers are faced with spiritual warfare and need to be prepared with the "whole armor of God" as described in Ephesians 6:11 – 18 .

For a more thorough understanding of God's provision for this warfare, please study the following scripture passages.

Ephesians 6:11-18 God has provided the armor.

Colossians 1:13; 2:15 The believer has been rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light.

Hebrews 2:14-15 We need to understand that Christ’s death and resurrection sets us free from the fear of death which Satan uses to harass believers.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 We must not get involved in foolish arguments that create enemies. Instead, we must be kind, and gentle while patiently and courteously explaining the truth the Holy Spirit has revealed to us.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons God provides for the believer have divine power to destroy the strongholds of the enemy.

Romans 8:37 Through Christ we become more than conquers.

Some years ago when, my wife, Bette and I were visiting one of our mission fields, one of our missionaries, whom I will call Rose ( not her real name), told us about a lady who came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through her ministry. Since accepting Jesus, life had become chaotic. She was plagued with depression and serious problems had developed between her, her husband, and their daughter. The family was being torn apart, so there was no joy or peace in the household. In fact, the Christian life was not what she expected — it was a frustrating disappointment for which she was crying out for help. Rose asked us to go with her to visit the lady.

As we entered the house, I could see that it was the home of an upper class professional. The lady welcomed us and showed us through her house as she shared some of her problems in her native language. Since neither Bette nor I spoke her language, Rose interpreted for us. When we came to her bedroom, I observed a pyramid suspended on a wire. Under it was a glass of water and some bits of food, etc. The lady explained that she drank this blessed water for her health. I immediately explained to Rose that we must ask the lady to renounce this occult practice. Rose interpreted as I led her in a renunciation declaration. We then went from room to room asking her to renounce every symbol of the occult we found. When we returned to the living room, I observed a very large popular religious picture on the wall and knew that it could be an object of worship also. I explained to Rose in English that we should ask her to renounce this also. Rose was a little reluctant because she knew how sacred this picture, "Mother of God," was to the people of this culture. Finally she explained to the lady why she should get rid of this picture and she agreed to renounce it also.

In less than a month her whole household was transformed. The husband, daughter, and a sister who lived with them, had accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. Satan does not give up the battle and call off his forces of evil when a person trusts Jesus as Savior. Sometimes, he steps up his attacks, especially if he can maintain a foothold through some sin or activity as in the case of this lady who was dabbling in occult practices.

We must never forget that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . spiritual forces of evil . . ." (Ephesians 6:12). Take courage in this fact. Jesus Christ defeated Satan by rising from the dead and now lives at the right hand of God to intercede for you, making it possible for you to live the Christian life. It was a triumphant victory. Satan is a defeated foe.

Hebrews 2:14-18, declares that Jesus became man, "so that by his death he might destroy him who has the power of death — that is the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery . . . For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." The word, "destroy" does not mean to put out of existence. It means to render powerless. Satan is powerless in the face of Jesus Christ. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you can appropriate his power and victory. He has never lost a battle. Nearly two thousand years ago, Satan was defeated at the cross when Jesus Christ arose from the dead. So, Satan went underground. Since that time, he has been conducting guerrilla warfare. His work thrives on deceit and he is the master of lies. We are living in a time when guerrilla warfare has been used effectively by many revolutionaries. So we should not have difficulty understanding how Satanic forces work. Let us look at some of their methods.

A. Infiltration.

Satanic forces use deception to infiltrate the lives of believers, while presenting themselves as angels of light. Deception is one of their greatest advantages. We would not be so easily deceived if we knew our real enemy. Many believers do not recognize demonic activity when they see it. Somehow, we have become accustomed to thinking of demons as horrendous looking beings, but that is not necessarily true. In fact, they have no form in themselves. They are spirits. Satan is a beautiful being. Isaiah 14:12 (Amplified Bible) asks, "How are you fallen from heaven, O light-bringer and day-star, son of the morning!" He is a deceiver. He does not always present himself as an evil, repulsive bully, bent on leading you into sin. He often comes presenting the good life. He invites you to follow him and be free from all inhibitions and enjoy a full life. From 2 Corinthians 11:14 & 15, we learn that "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness." He needs to get your attention in order to gain control in your life. Therefore, he seeks to present himself as an angel of light.

Satan is a bully! He can attack with such fury and boldness that some individuals draw back in fear. If you stand up and resist him, he may change his tactics and appeal to you in a more sane and reasonable way. He is very versatile. He knows your weaknesses and is a master at designing a temptation that will knock you off guard. In I Peter 5:8, the believer is exhorted to "Be . . . alert. Your enemy the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." The next verse, (verse 9) tells what a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, should do when the enemy attacks this way. "Resist him, stand firm in the faith. . . ."

Many years ago, I visited some areas where the presence of the enemy was so great it was impossible to pray. It is very easy to be overcome with fear in a place like that. I have actually known Christian workers to get sick under this sort of pressure, so that they were unable to function. This is why we recommend that missionaries not work alone in a demonic dominated area. Spiritual warfare should be a team effort.

Where there are Christians in an area, Satan seems to have much less freedom to work, especially out in the open with boldness. When the Holy Spirit is in control of the majority of people, Satan is hindered. But, according to II Thessalonians 2:7, there will be a time when the Holy Spirit will be removed from this world with the Christians, then all Hell will break loose. I do not want to be here then, and I don't expect to be because 1 Thessalonians 4:17 teaches that those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior will be snatched out of this world by Jesus Christ. This "great snatch" is called the Rapture. It is going to be a terrible time for those who do not know Christ, because Satan will be in complete control. There will be no one to hinder him. A series of books and Christian movies have been produced by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins detailing what those who are left behind can expect after the Christians and the Holy Spirit are removed from this world. There will be seven years of tribulation which is referred to in Scripture as the Tribulation Period.. The last half of this seven years is known as the Great Tribulation when satanic forces appear to be in complete control of the earth. See Revelation 12:7 – 9 and all of chapter 13.

C. White Magic.

White Magic usually involves satanic work that may appear to be morally good, such as healing or performing of miraculous events which seem to be beneficial. We must not confuse this with genuine divine healing. There is a difference. Satan usually demands pay for anything he does, so there is a price to pay for those who are healed by White Magic. This often involves some kind of bondage and blindness to spiritual truth, so it is extremely important for us to be alert to Satan's methods and tactics.

Christians do not need to be concerned as much about being deceived by Black Magic because it is usually associated with evil. It is often grotesque or repulsive to the believer. Those who practice White Magic are often proud of their abilities and many White Witches advertise themselves as being useful to society. But, those who practice Black Magic are more likely to play down their activities publicly. I expect that we are going to see more and more Black Magic as the interest in the occult and the use of hard drugs increase.

This is likely the most used method against believers. It may take the form of falsehood or condemnation, remorse for some sin that has already been confessed and forgiven, pressure to do certain things that are morally good but not necessarily God's will, but which tend to keep the believer from spending time with his family or with God.

It could come in the form of doubts, fears or unbelief that keep you from trusting God or taking Him at His word. The flaming arrows mentioned in Ephesians 6:16 seem to describe harassment. "Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." God has given us protection from Satan's flaming arrows. That protection is the shield of faith. Satan's arrows cannot penetrate the shield of faith.

F. Deception.

In verse 11 of Ephesians 6 we are told, "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." The word scheme describes how crafty, clever, and deceitful our enemy is. The truth does not mean anything to him. In John 8:44 we have a record of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to some of Satan's followers. Listen to what he says, "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." In fact, Satan is the one who invented the lie. He was a liar from the beginning. You will find this true if you read the account in Genesis of Satan persuading Eve to disobey God by eating the forbidden fruit in the garden.

If you will look carefully at the many political revolutions that have taken place in our day, you will see how they parallel the activities of Satan. First there is guerrilla warfare working underground. Then after a time, they come out in the open proclaiming that their purpose is to set everyone free. Now, I am not arguing the point that there have been many inequities in governments that have been overthrown. There has been much injustice, but what is gained by exchanging a bad political system for one that is worse, one in which men lose their freedom in the name of freedom? If men were really free under these systems, why do they have to build fences to keep them in, or walls to keep men from escaping from their so-called freedom regimes? Communists built such barriers as the Berlin wall to keep those living under East Germany’s communist regime from escaping to the freedom of West Germany. Now that Communism has failed, there is no need for walls.

In II Corinthians, chapter 2, the apostle Paul warns believers against holding grudges or failing to forgive others "In order that Satan might not outwit us." (v. 11). We have been observing some of the methods Satan uses. This is not a complete list, Satan has many schemes he uses against believers. Paul declares, "We are not unaware of his schemes." Obviously, Paul was alert to Satan’s schemes, but I am not sure that the average Christian today has much knowledge of his activities. We find two extremes in orthodox Christianity today:

(1) One takes the position that every believer is safe in Christ. Therefore, the enemy cannot touch him. The reason given is that since the Holy Spirit dwells in the believer there is no room or place for Satan.

to work. This ignores the fact that every believer also has an old sin nature which is the result of Adam and Eve's sin that has been passed on to all men. When man sinned, spiritual death took place as God predicted. This means that God the Holy Spirit vacated the human spirit, leaving a great spiritual void. Satan took advantage of this by filling the void with a sin nature. Every person born since that time has been born with a sin nature. The sin nature that you possess is actually a part of the character of Satan himself. If you have experienced spiritual birth or rebirth (as described in John 3) you have a new nature. This new nature gets its character from God the Father. In another study we will go into more detail about this.

(2) The other extreme is placing such emphasis on Satan and demonic activity that Satan is actually glorified. Those who follow this extreme will blame everything on Satan. Satan becomes sort of a scapegoat because all their sins and shortcomings are laid to his charge. They actually give more time to Satan than they do to God, and it is quite easy to get the impression that victory depends solely upon our activity and warfare against Satan. I believe the real truth lies somewhere between these two extremes.

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Possession is used in Scripture to describe the control of a person by one or more demons. It has a secondary meaning of ownership. This is brought out in the fact that demons often claim ownership of the body in which they dwell. Demons are strictly spirits without bodies or visible form. They seem to crave a body from which to work.

An example of demon possession is found in Mark chapter 5. The demons that possessed this man cannot be seen, but their character is clearly described in verses 2 through 13. Verse 2 states that he had an unclean spirit. In other words, he was indwelt by another being. According to verse 3, this man possessed unusual physical strength. No one could bind him. No chains could be found strong enough to hold him. Verse 4 describes the third characteristic — fits of rage. The fourth characteristic is found in verses 6 and 7. He had more than one personality. We refer to this as the splitting of the personality or schizophrenia. (It is important to note that schizophrenia is not always the result of demonic activity.) The fifth sign is found in verse 7 — opposition to the Christian faith. He simply told Jesus to leave him alone. It is quite common to meet with this type of resistance when seeking to counsel those in whom demons have obtained a foothold. Verse 7 also describes the sixth symptom. He had clairvoyant powers. He knew immediately who Jesus really was. Verse 9 gives us the seventh characteristic — demons speaking through the man’s voice. When this takes place, there is an alteration of the voice so those present know it is not the voice of the person possessed. The eighth characteristic is found in verse 13 where occult transference takes place. The demons left the man and entered into the pigs. It is interesting to note that a number of these symptoms are found in mental illness today. I do not mean to imply that all mental illness is demonic. But obviously, some areas. The case of the demoniac at Gadara is certainly extreme. Most of you do not face this sort of problem. Let us look at some of the more common symptoms of demonic activity.

In Acts 10:38, John explained "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil; because God was with him.." The phrase, "under the power of the devil" suggests that the devil can bring pressure or influence to bear on certain individuals. The King James Version uses the word "oppress" here. It appears from the various shades of meaning of the word "oppress" that it describes the operation of Satan working from without. It is quite difficult or impossible for a believer to be possessed by a demon because the word "possess" suggests ownership. But this does not stop demons from using extenuating circumstances, cantankerous people, and an unwholesome atmosphere to bring pressure to bear upon Christians. Demons will relentlessly attack a victim until he becomes depressed and despondent. If not dealt with, this can even lead to a desire to commit suicide. Of course, not all suicide is the result of demonic activity, but I am convinced that a portion of it is. Christians are not exempt from this sort of pressure. The wife of a very good friend of mine committed suicide the day after she returned from attending a Bible conference on the Deeper Life. This woman was not some second class Christian. She was a spiritual leader. Her husband was chairman of the Board of a Bible teaching church. There was no evidence of deep sin in her life. She was a quiet, unassuming believer who, for some time, had been under attack from the enemy. She had even voiced some of her problems to my wife sometime before this, but at that time we were not aware of Satan's method of attacking Christians. My wife did not know what to do beyond encouraging her and praying for her. Her husband, who was aware of her suicidal tendencies, had hidden all of his guns where she could not get them, but she knew where her father kept his. She went to her father's home, got his gun, went into the bathroom and shot herself. There was no one to help her for no one was aware of the source of her problem. If you know of a believer with suicidal tendencies, do not take it lightly.

Sometimes, demonic activity is seen as mental illness. There are many examples in the New Testament where mental disorders are attributed to demonic activity. One of these is found in Mark 5:1— 20. After Jesus cast out the demons, it is recorded that the man was "sitting there, dressed and in his right mind . . ." (verse 15). When the demons were cast out, the person is said to have been restored to his right mind. Nevertheless, we need to understand that mental problems may also be caused by such things as chemical imbalance. Therefore, we must be careful not to attribute all mental problems to demons.

Demons can be responsible for the inability to think clearly and logically, or to concentrate on spiritual truth. To the believer it could be the failure to understand the Bible or to grasp a certain spiritual truth . . . a blank mind when it comes to spiritual things. Perhaps you have had the experience of discovering some new truth but as you try to put it all together to get a clear understanding, your mind goes blank, or you grasp some truth today, and you cannot remember it tomorrow. It may take the form of daydreaming when you try to pray or read the Word. Your mind just drifts off on something else and you seem to be living in a world of imagination. These things do not appear to be very serious, but they do affect your spiritual growth and maturity. Therefore, it should be dealt with. Second Corinthians 11:3 clearly states that a believer's mind can be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. In Chapter 10 verse 5, we read that believers do have the responsibility of "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." You are not to be conformed to this world but transformed by "the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). The mind is the control center of the body, therefore, what we think is extremely important, because, in a very real sense we are what we think. In Philippians 4:8, we are told "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things." If you are buffeted with evil thoughts, put on the "Shield of faith, with which ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16 KJV). Remember, Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead as Victor over the enemy. He has given you the authority to stand against satanic forces, so, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:16). Then, ask the Holy Spirit to fill your mind with his thoughts. As you "come near to God, he will come near to you" (James 4:8). Reject every thought that comes from the enemy.

The inability to tell the truth and an extreme tendency to exaggerate could be the result of demonic workings. I am sure you have met people who really have difficulty telling the truth. They will lie when the truth would fit much better. Remember that lying is one of the characteristics of Satan. Look at John 8:44b, to see what Jesus had to say about Satan. "When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." In other words, Satan is the originator of the lie and to lie is natural for him. Therefore, if you find it difficult to tell the truth, you should investigate to see where this characteristic originates. I would like to remind you also that you don't have to tell a lie to be a liar. It's possible to live a lie. A person who pretends to be something he is not is living a lie. I have observed that a great many Christians are actually lying about their spiritual life. They can give long testimonies describing how they love the Lord and how the Lord is blessing them. This is a problem that the Pharisees had. They would make long prayers in public places to convince people how spiritual they were. Their clothing pointed up their spiritual status. Actually, they were pretending to be something they were not. And this is the reason that Jesus dealt harshly with the Pharisees. He called them "hypocrites, white sepulchers filled with dead men's bones".

It is not only important for us to be honest with other people, but we must be honest with ourselves. Some are not willing to face the reality of their own problems or their own deplorable spiritual condition. You know that God cannot forgive sin until you are willing to confess it. To confess simply means to agree with God that it is sin. In 1 John 1:9 we are told, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." This does not mean that we confess that we are sinners, but we are to confess the individual sin. Name it! Have you ever heard anyone pray "Lord, forgive us all our sins. Amen?" He is actually wasting his time because the Lord never hears that kind of prayer. Confession must never be general, it must be specific. Just suppose you were taken into court for a particular crime and you say to the Judge, "Yes, I am guilty of crime." He's going to ask you one question; "Are you guilty of this particular crime with which you are charged?" Confession requires that you be specific.

Be aware of anything that is extreme. Even that which is good. If Satan cannot lead the believer into some immoral sin, he will seek to make his testimony ineffective through extremes. An uncontrolled temper, appetite, or sex drive has been a snare to many believers. The extreme could also take the form of excessive desire for pleasure, work, study, or approval. So beware of any extreme. Even some truth can become error when overemphasized and carried to the extreme. An example would be baptism which pictures the believer’s death, burial and resurrection with Christ. Some extremists claim this ceremony is a necessary part of our salvation. This reduces the value of the atoning death of Jesus.

God made man with a will and gave him freedom to choose. Everything you receive in the Christian life involves your will. God has provided all that you need to live the Christian life but you must choose it. For this reason, much satanic activity is aimed at immobilizing your will. If he can keep you from making a choice for God, he has accomplished his purpose. Every spiritual advance you make involves a choice. Therefore, your enemy’s goal is to immobilize your will to make you so passive that you cannot make that choice.

In James 4:7, we have a command that is very definite and positive. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Beware of persons or doctrines that urge you to submit to some unknown power. The word submit in the first part of this verse does not suggest passivity. To submit to God means that you have chosen to place yourself under his protection and authority. This is the same choice that you are called upon to make in Romans 12:1, "Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship." In James 4:8 we are told, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." Perhaps the most critical point in the life of any believer is when he comes to the place of being willing to submit his life to the Lord. When he comes to see the need for turning his life completely over to the Lord, Satan will encourage him to become passive. Beware of those who tell you to "Let go, and let God.", Remember that everything that God does for you and through you involves your will, so this is an extremely critical time.

Sometimes it is very difficult to determine the difference between an experience that comes from the Lord and one that comes from Satan. Perhaps the best way to tell is to check your life afterwards. Has there been a continual spiritual growth, and have you become closer to the Lord since that experience? Has there been a consistent manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in your life? "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." as listed in Galatians 5:22, 23. Is the Bible now an open book to you? When you read it, do its pages come alive so that you can now grasp spiritual truth in a new way? In Ephesians 4:27 we are told not to give a foothold to the devil. This is another way of saying "Resist the devil," as stated in James 4:7. As you study the Word of God you will notice that every command given concerning spiritual warfare is positive. There is no room for any passive attitude in the life of the believer. As long as you have a will to resist Satan, his influence on your life will be limited.

One of the most dangerous things happening to our generation is the increased use of drugs, both prescription and illegal. For several years we have been hearing reports of the discovery of harmful side effects from prescription drugs that were thought to be safe. I am certainly not qualified to evaluate drugs from a medical or scientific standpoint, but there is one side effect from drugs that I would like to emphasize. Some drugs have a tendency to immobilize the will which can make the patient depressed and passive. Some years ago, a Christian doctor told me he had observed that when Christians had to take certain drugs, they seemed to experience a loss of contact with the Lord. This results in a lack of faith, fear and depression. This is especially true of tranquilizers and some pain killers. Spiritual warfare involves active participation.. Therefore, any drug that tends to deaden your senses or put you to sleep makes it difficult for you to exercise your will. When you cannot actively exercise your will, Satan has the advantage over you. If you are taking drugs and experience any of the above symptoms, you should talk with your doctor and the Lord about an alternative.

Sickness and disease are a result of the curse placed upon the earth and its people when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus associated some sickness and disease with sin. The gospels record what Jesus said upon healing some individuals, "Your sins are forgiven." You must be careful, however, not to attribute all sickness or disease to sin. Jesus also made this very clear where he explained that some sickness was for the purpose of glorifying God. However, I believe it is safe to say that there is a great deal of sickness among believers that can be traced to demonic influence and/or disobedience.. Nevertheless, I caution you to be very careful in your judgment of the cause of an illness. If doctors cannot find anything physically wrong and the illness persists, it would be wise to look for enemy influence or a spiritual cause.

Some doctors now see the need to treat the whole man – physical and spiritual. It is not unusual for a Christian doctor to pray with his patient for healing. So called, "Divine Healing" which is healing by the power of God, is becoming more and more accepted in both medical and Christian circles. When the children of Israel were heading into the wilderness after their escape from Egypt the Lord made this decree; "If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to all his commands and keep his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). This tells us that some sickness and disease could be the result of disobedience of breaking God’s laws. Nevertheless, you can be assured that God does not want you to be sick. Psalm 103:2 – 5 challenges us to "Forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." Our medical missionary teams are experiencing more and more miraculous healings overseas. This is especially true in non-Christian cultures where there is the need to authenticate the true work and power of God. When the power of God is manifested in this way the people are quick to acknowledge that the God of the Christians is the true God. Recently a Hindu who had been sick for years, was prayed for by an Indian evangelist and was healed by God. He said. "I offered 50 sheep as sacrifices to my Hindu god, but got no help." In addition to receiving healing, he received Jesus as Savior and Lord and threw away his Hindu gods and fetishes. When these people see the power of God at work, they are quick to admit that their demon gods have not been able to give them health and peace.

The Bible is very clear in expressing the fact that there are religious demons whose primary responsibility is to teach false doctrine. "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (I Timothy 4:1, 2). It is quite clear that the later times referred to in verse one apply to the end of the age. And it is also very evident that we are now living near the end of the age of grace. Thus, we can expect to see an increase in deception by the teaching demons. It seems that certain demons have been given the ability to teach false doctrine. It is because of this that we are told to "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). This means that when you hear some new doctrine you should examine it to be certain that it is the truth as taught in the Word of God. Keep in mind that the Bible is the standard you must use to evaluate all doctrine. Beware of those who say "I know it is truth, because I feel it." Feelings can be very misleading and unreliable. Feelings change from day to day, but the Word of God does not change.

In order for you to be able to evaluate doctrine, you must have a working knowledge of the Bible, and this requires Bible study. If you are not now enrolled in some Bible study program, I would urge you to find a Bible teaching church that has a strong emphasis on expositional Bible teaching.

The demonic activities that we have discussed thus far are by no means complete. But we have given this information in order to help you to recognize satanic activity when you see it. But this information will be of no value to you unless you realize God has provided victory so that you can be set free. Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for sin – your sin and mine. That sin originated in the Garden of Eden when Satan persuaded Adam and Eve to make a decision contrary to the will of God. That sin involved deliberate disobedience to the command of God and resulted in spiritual death, which is separation from God. Separated from God, man came under the dominion of Satan and a member of his kingdom. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary and His resurrection from the dead, made it possible for man to be delivered from the kingdom and power of Satan and to be translated into the kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13).

A Christian is one who through faith in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ has enlisted in the Lord's army, but who must continue to live in enemy territory. Therefore, he is constantly under attack. Let us consider what happened to you when you believed.

(1) You received a spiritual birth. Jesus said, "No one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit" (John 3:5, 6).

(2) You became a child of God. Therefore, you are now a member of God's family.

(3) You became a joint-heir with Christ and have a valuable inheritance.

(4) You received a new life. God the Holy Spirit now lives in you. The cross not only settled the sin problem, it provided victory over Satan who is the author of sin. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15). Satan was disarmed at the cross.

Hebrews 2:14 declares, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil." The word destroy means to bring to nothing and make of no effect the one who had the power of death. The next verse, 15, declares, "And free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." When you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you were set free from the authority and dominion of Satan's kingdom. You have been liberated and transferred into the kingdom of God according to the teaching of Colossians 1:13.

Ephesians 6:11-17 describes the armor that God provided for your protection against the enemy as well as the equipment needed to wage an effective war. You are urged to "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes" (verse 11). It is God's part to supply the armor but you must put it on. In fact, God has provided everything you need for victory, but his provision will be of no use unless you appropriate it. Verse 13 says, "Therefore put on the full armor of God." Unless you put on all the armor you will be vulnerable. Verses 14-17 describe the individual pieces. You are to be girded about with truth. Jesus said truth will make you free. The breastplate of righteousness speaks of the character or quality of being right. It is integrity, moral rectitude and right action, which is often used to describe the standing of the believer with God. Righteousness is actually the character of God that is provided for you because of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Your feet are to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Jesus said, "My peace I give unto you" (John 14:27). His peace enables you to remain in a state of tranquility even in the midst of fierce battle. The shield of faith describes your confidence in Christ, the Victor. Therefore, in a very real sense, your faith is the victory. Satan's fiery darts can never pierce the shield of faith. The helmet of salvation speaks of deliverance, safety and preservation. In verse 17, it specifically speaks about the present daily process of being saved from the habit and power of sin. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. You must learn to use it well. The gospels describe how Jesus used the Word of God on Satan when he was being tempted. Satan is not able to stand against the Word of God. You now have your armor and your sword. How do you use it? Verse 18 tells us, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

For us to better understand how prayer relates to spiritual warfare, we need to look at Matthew 12:28, 29 and 18:18. In chapter 12, we have the account of Jesus dealing with a person who is possessed by a demon. The demon had caused the person to be dumb and blind. When this person was released from the power of the demon, he was able to see and talk. The news about this spread quite rapidly and the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons. Jesus explained that this was absurd, because if it was possible to cast out demons by the power of demons, then Satan's kingdom was divided and therefore, weak and ineffective, and there was strong evidence to the contrary.

In verse 28 he says, "But if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them Out?" A similar statement is found in chapter 18 verse 18 where he says, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This binding and loosening authority seems to be related to prayer. As you know, it is extremely important that we know the will of God when we pray and that our prayers are in agreement with the will of God. We are told that if we pray in the will of God, we can be assured of the answer. This truth seems to apply here also. We must know the will of God and bind what has been authorized by Him. According to Luke 9:1, Jesus gave his disciples authority over demons. This authority was given first to the twelve disciples before he sent them out on a missionary journey. In chapter 10 we have the record of Christ sending seventy disciples on a missionary journey and giving them authority over demons also. This is stated quite clearly in verse 19, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven."

(1) Satan controls fallen man (I John 5:19).

(2) Satan is the prince of the power of the air. The spirit that is now at work (Ephesians 2:2).

(3) All sin is from Satan (I John 3:8 and James 3:14 & 15).

(4) Satan blinds minds (II Corinthians 4:4).

(5) Christ is stronger than Satan (Luke 11:22).

(6) The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was a great victorious stroke over Satan that rendered him powerless (Hebrews 2:14).

The victory has already been won at the cross of Calvary, but you must apply this victory to your life and circumstances. The authority that Jesus gave to his disciples over Satan has not been rescinded. As a child of God, a member of God's kingdom, you have this authority today. Therefore, you should learn to use it.

When a situation arises that has definite earmarks of being an attack from Satan, or his demons, it is of utmost importance that you first make sure there is no unconfessed sin in your life. If there is any element of compromise, self or sin in your life, you will not be able to stand against the enemy. Therefore, confess your sins according to I John 1:9. After this has been done, you may boldly use your authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, taking your stand against Satan and his wicked spirits.

You might say something like this, "I stand against you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the authority He has vested in me as a child of God I command you to withdraw (or leave this place). You have no power over me because of the victory that was won at Calvary; therefore, I command you to leave." As you learn to use your authority in applying the victory that was won for us at Calvary, you will become an effective soldier in the spiritual war.

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