Join The Resistance! Series

Join the Resistance!

(topical)

1. When a society becomes “post Christian,” all sorts of religious evil fill the void left behind. Even atheism is a religious position, for it assumes what cannot be proven.

2. Whether it is Islam, the Eastern Religion, New Age — and all sorts of occultism.

3. Occult /non-Christian religious concepts making way into mainstream …take the term, “spirit animal.”

Definition of Animal Spirit: What is Animal Spirit? An Animal Spirit is strongly associated with the Native American Indian belief in Animism that is a belief based on the spiritual idea that the universe, and all natural objects within the universe, have souls or spirits. An animal spirit is believed to be a supernatural power that embodies, attaches or conveys influence empowering a person with the trait of the animal. The animal spirit is also regarded as a guide who might appear in dreams in the form of an animal. An animal spirit, or spirit guide, walks through life with a person, teaching and guiding them, and in some instances protecting them. Also refer to Power Animals. https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-culture/animal-spirit.htm

4. The phrase, “In another life”/ Good or bad Karma

Last week, I made these points:

I. If We Are Oblivious or If We Live Life Walking on Eggshells, Either Way the Devil WINS [naïve recklessness vs. living in fear, do not taste, do not touch]

II. We Must TRASH Anything Overtly Occult

Main Idea: Many of us have not served in the U.S. military; we have never been trained for combat. But, as believers in Jesus, we are at war and need to brush up on our skills.

I. We Must BOTH Develop Our Walk With God AND Resist the Devil (James 4:7).

A. You cannot OVERCOME Satan without drawing near to God

A man told me about an incident that happened in another evangelical church here in Kokomo just a few years ago. Not a particularly wild church.A man came forward for prayer, and then began jumped and hissing at people like an angry cat. He was obviously demon possessed. The pastor and elders met with him…he did not want to surrender his life….

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

B. Drawing near to God ALONE will make a big difference.

In the old days of computer, you had to learn code words to get programs to work, the language of DOS. Now, if all is well, you don’t even see the commands that are programmed into your computer. But they are there. And once in a while, someone who knows their stuff has to use the DOS to fix a problem.

If we are walking closely with God, we have created an uninviting environment.

C. When you are MATURING in the Lord, the Armor of God follows (Ephesians 6:13-17)

1. Unlike other lists in the NT, each piece of armor is significant

Two kinds of lists: Polysyndeton (with “and”) for contemplation

Asyndeton (lists without and a “these types of things” casual approach]

2. But, if you think about it, maturity produces a natural inclination to this armor.

D. But being near to God does not mean you cannot be TEMPTED.

Think of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:

App: When we align ourselves with God, His friends become our friends & His enemies become our enemies. As we grow in the Lord, we will often fight the devil without even realizing that is what we are doing. It should become a way of life. And when we are aware, we need to pray fervently and take up the armor of God.

II. Prayer Is CRUCIAL in Overcoming Demonic Attack (Ephesians 6:18-20)

A. If you have the best armor but are not ALERT, it does you little good.

1. We mentioned last week that it is not good to develop your viewpoints as to what causes demonization from the demons themselves.

2. I Timothy 4:1, “ Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons…”

3. Demonic teachings are often more restrictive than Biblical teachings…

4. We don’t usually associate prayer with alertness

a. Being alert with what God is doing

b. Being alert with what Satan is doing

5. How many children end up going the wrong way because the wrong kid lived next door, and mom and dad were not on top of things?

6. God created everything, and everything was good. Satan cannot craate. But he can and loves to ruin the good.

B. We have to believe that the work we are doing for God is important enough that we MIGHT be attacked.

1. Demons may trouble all sorts of people

2. They have a lust to destroy and ruin, and maybe not always as strategic as we think, although Satan is quite the strategists…[may have difficulty controlling]