A Few Things I Woke Up Thinking About...
I feel:: awake
It is a misconception to think that some problems are psychological and some problems are spiritual. This implies a division between the human soul and spirit, which does not exist. There is no conflict which is not psychological, because there is no time when your mind, will and emotions are not involved. Similarly, there is no problem which is not spiritual. There is no time when God is not present or when it is safe to take off the armor of God. There is a tendency among Christians to polarize into a "deliverance" ministry, ignoring the realities of the physical realm, or a psychotherapeutic ministry, ignoring the spiritual realm.
Dr. Paul Hiebert, who teaches in the School of Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary, contends that, as long as believers accept "a two-tier worldview with God confined to the supernatural and the natural world operating for all practical purposes according to autonomous scientific laws, Christianity will continue to be a secularizing force in the world."
It is also a misconception to think that Chrisitians aren't subject to demon activity. If I, as a Chrisitian, am not subject to spiritual attack, why does the scripture tell me to resist the devil, to stand firm, to be alert? If I am not susceptible to being wounded or trapped by demonic attack, why would Paul describe my relationship to the dark powers as a wrestling match? A person who denys his enemy's potential for destruction is the most vulnerable to it.
Another misconception of mine: Freedom from spiritual bondage is the result of a power encounter with demonic forces. My freedom from spiritual bondage is not a power encounter; it is a truth encounter. God is the power, not me. What I have to do is to rest in the truth of God's word and He will do the rest. The truth will uncover the darkness and any evil that is there will have to leave. A demon's power is in the lie. The devil is the father of lies.
John 8:43,44
Why do you not hear what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of you father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
He deceives the whole world.
Revalation 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Consequently, the whole world is under his influence.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
A demon cannot do anything to change my position in Christ, but if he can deceive me into believing lies about me and God, I will spend a lot of time being completely ineffective and controlled by my fear. I must believe, declare, and act on the truth of God's word. Truth is the liberating agent. The power of a demon is in the lie and the power of the believer is in knowing the truth. I am supposed to pursue truth, not power.
Scripture sets it forth logically:
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
I am the way, the truth, and the life(John 14:6).
But when He, the Spirit of truth comes,He will guide you into all the truth(John 16:13).
I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one...Sanctify them in the truth;Your word is truth(John 17:15,17).
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth(Ephesians 6:14).
Finally, brethren, whatever is true...let your mind dwell on these things(Phillippians 4:8).
I can't languish in my misery anymore. I'm too spiritually lazy. When I am depressed and when I am under attack, I cry out for God to deliver me, but my deliverance has already been achieved on the cross and in Christ's resurrection.It is my responsibility to exercise my authority in Christ.I'm tired of being batted around in this sick game. I'm tired of being the plaything for demons. It's way past time that I submitted myself to God and started really living my life for Him, instead of this charade that has been going on for the past few years. I admit that I'm lukewarm, but I don't want to be anymore.
It is a misconception to think that some problems are psychological and some problems are spiritual. This implies a division between the human soul and spirit, which does not exist. There is no conflict which is not psychological, because there is no time when your mind, will and emotions are not involved. Similarly, there is no problem which is not spiritual. There is no time when God is not present or when it is safe to take off the armor of God. There is a tendency among Christians to polarize into a "deliverance" ministry, ignoring the realities of the physical realm, or a psychotherapeutic ministry, ignoring the spiritual realm.
Dr. Paul Hiebert, who teaches in the School of Missions at Fuller Theological Seminary, contends that, as long as believers accept "a two-tier worldview with God confined to the supernatural and the natural world operating for all practical purposes according to autonomous scientific laws, Christianity will continue to be a secularizing force in the world."
It is also a misconception to think that Chrisitians aren't subject to demon activity. If I, as a Chrisitian, am not subject to spiritual attack, why does the scripture tell me to resist the devil, to stand firm, to be alert? If I am not susceptible to being wounded or trapped by demonic attack, why would Paul describe my relationship to the dark powers as a wrestling match? A person who denys his enemy's potential for destruction is the most vulnerable to it.
Another misconception of mine: Freedom from spiritual bondage is the result of a power encounter with demonic forces. My freedom from spiritual bondage is not a power encounter; it is a truth encounter. God is the power, not me. What I have to do is to rest in the truth of God's word and He will do the rest. The truth will uncover the darkness and any evil that is there will have to leave. A demon's power is in the lie. The devil is the father of lies.
John 8:43,44
Why do you not hear what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of you father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
He deceives the whole world.
Revalation 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Consequently, the whole world is under his influence.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
A demon cannot do anything to change my position in Christ, but if he can deceive me into believing lies about me and God, I will spend a lot of time being completely ineffective and controlled by my fear. I must believe, declare, and act on the truth of God's word. Truth is the liberating agent. The power of a demon is in the lie and the power of the believer is in knowing the truth. I am supposed to pursue truth, not power.
Scripture sets it forth logically:
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
I am the way, the truth, and the life(John 14:6).
But when He, the Spirit of truth comes,He will guide you into all the truth(John 16:13).
I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one...Sanctify them in the truth;Your word is truth(John 17:15,17).
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth(Ephesians 6:14).
Finally, brethren, whatever is true...let your mind dwell on these things(Phillippians 4:8).
I can't languish in my misery anymore. I'm too spiritually lazy. When I am depressed and when I am under attack, I cry out for God to deliver me, but my deliverance has already been achieved on the cross and in Christ's resurrection.It is my responsibility to exercise my authority in Christ.I'm tired of being batted around in this sick game. I'm tired of being the plaything for demons. It's way past time that I submitted myself to God and started really living my life for Him, instead of this charade that has been going on for the past few years. I admit that I'm lukewarm, but I don't want to be anymore.
posted by Anais Nin at
6:06 AM
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