The Holy Spirit #7
By Pastor George Lehman
Our enemy does not fear us, he fears what we can become. In fact, he fears what we take for granted – the power of the Holy Spirit living in us.
If there’s one person who really believes in your potential and what you are capable of. It’s the devil, He is fighting to keep you from achieving it.
This is such an important aspect in our walk with God – living accurately.
2 Peter 1:3 (Amp) – For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).
God equipped us to: Triumph over the enemy.
We must know the truth about deception.
God’s word tells us that Satan is both a deceiver and a liar and the truth is not in him.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (Amp) – The coming [of the lawless one, the antichrist] is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of [pretended] miracles and signs and delusive marvels—[all of them] lying wonders— And by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing (going to perdition) because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved.
John 8:44 (Amp) – You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.
He would like for us to believe that he is all powerful, but the TRUTH is his power is limited to his deception.
Satan takes scripture out of context in his effort to deceive people into believing …
…it is not God’s will for them to be saved, healed, blessed or prosperous here on earth
He presents truth as error and error as truth – either will hold you in bondage.
Paul encourages us…
2 Timothy 2:15 (Amp) – Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
2 Timothy 2:23-26 (Amp) – But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels. And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong. He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it], And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God’s] will.
There are so many people today who are unaware that they are opposing themselves by what they believe. You are your greatest enemy many times.
Being willing to accept truth and believe the gospel is the cure for deception.
Beware of false truths.
Many people have ideas and some beliefs who tend to read things between the lines.
Things are not in the context of scripture. The thought or the idea may have originated by reading certain scriptures or by something they heard about the scripture.
Doing bible bingo – open up the bible on any page and hopefully you get a scripture from God, the enemy can use this to deceive you.
I call this “a false truth”.
A false truth is a statement in the bible that has been accurately recorded, but when used or quoted out of context it is not true at all.
It is true in the situation stated but quoted out of context it’s not true.
This is how many well-meaning people are deceived and it causes lots of problems in their lives.
They take scripture out of context.
For instance, it’s true Paul made the statement in Romans 8:28 – “all things work together for good…”
This statement is true only when kept in the context of the other things Paul said before and after this verse (Go read full passage of Romans 8)
Otherwise, it is a false statement, because “all things don’t always work together for good”.
Yet many people believe they do, therefore they fail to resist what the devil brings against them.
Many people are convinced it is God’s way of working things out for their good and that is not always the case.
Many times it’s the enemy who is behind it; Not God!
We need to let the scriptures speak to us and not allow our own interpretation to speak into the scriptures.
Taking phrases of scripture out of context always leads to a misunderstanding and ultimately deception.
People isolate specific verses out of context in order to prove a certain point to suit their theology. It makes Gods word powerless.
Philippians 4:13 (NIV) – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
This verse is connected to verse 12
Philippians 4:12 (NIV) – I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Like saying, “God is love”.
1 John 4:16 (NIV) – And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
1 John 4:17 (NIV) – This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.
People believe God is love – so He overlooks all sin and compromise.
Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:25 (KJV) – “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves”.
There are many good Christians who love God who oppose themselves by the way they talk, the way they believe and the way they ACT.
As discussed before, often you hear people say that Jesus said, “The truth will make you free”.
So, if we quote truth, we think that should be enough to set people free.
However,…
John 8:31-32 (Amp) – So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, if you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
Truth doesn’t just hang on a tree like a fruit and we pick off what we like and what suits us.
What a difference it makes when you put scripture in context.
Everyone who has a bible has the truth – but the bible won’t set them free unless it abides inside of them.
John 15:7 (Amp) – If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
Action brings reaction.
James said it this way:
James 4:7 (Amp) – So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.
Notice the devil doesn’t flee from God – He flees from you!
Have you ever prayed and asked God to remove the devil from your back?
But first, we must submit* ourselves to God, then resist the devil and he will flee from you.
*submit = greek word hupotasso [Hoop-ot-as-o], meaning be under obedience, to put under.
The answer to “triumph over the enemy” is found in our daily discipline.
Proverbs 4:19-23 (Amp) – The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing, and health to all their flesh. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.
The Holy Spirit can only lead you away from deception with what you know (truth).
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