More Than Conquerors

I have had recent discussions concerning spiritual warfare and how it affects the Christian walk. I have previously covered this issue in previous sermons; however, I see the need to address the topic again with more specifics. I recently viewed a tape series from a preacher who claimed to be a former witch. While I won’t dispute his previous involvement in the occult, I must contend with his doctrine. I have received several emails related to this topic over the last few years and I have read many web-based ministries that play on fears and build up their beliefs from many sources external to the

Bible while doing very little to encourage believers and exhort Christians to follow the principles of God. These teachers introduce rules and practices that the Bible does not support and often that completely contradict the Bible.

One error that stands out in this type of doctrine is that they believe that a Christian can be cursed regardless of their relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians are taught to fear Satan and demons rather than fearing and trusting God. Music, holidays and entertainment is called an anathema to God and demons are said to be secretly planted within the Christian’s home to rob them of peace and place them under bondage to the Devil. It is true that you can find fault in music, holidays, entertainment and almost anything else if you are willing to look hard enough; however, bad examples do not stand as evidence against the whole.

We should take care to note that Satan is not given the power to curse anyone. If you examine the scriptures, you will find that the devil, demons and any other created being is never given the power to curse anyone. Each time you see a curse mentioned in scripture, it is God blessing or God cursing nations and people for their obedience or disobedience to Him. Only God has the power to bless and only God has the power to curse. Our lives rest completely in the hands of God.

A License to Gossip

Some use the fear of a curse as a license to attack others through gossip. Look now at Galatians 5:

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The Bible is warning us not to allow backbiting and attacks among us against our fellow believers. It is wrong to allow gossip just as much as it is wrong to repeat it. It is unfortunate how easy it is to fall into the trap that if you label someone as evil, then you can attack them as much as you desire. Many falsely fall under the assumption that attacking someone who is labeled as evil is doing God a service. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Comparing someone’s doctrine to scripture is very biblical; declaring someone as a disciple of the devil is unbiblical. When you can stir up someone’s fear of being polluted, you can sway them into joining into the attack. However, there should be no fear of pollution because if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Our focus should never be on searching for evil to destroy it, but rather searching out God’s word to walk in it. The light always overcomes the darkness – it is never the other way around.

What deeply concerns me is that these teachers use gossip to turn brother against brother and sister against sister. A rumor that cannot be substantiated is gossip. A rumor that is intended to turn one person against another – even if it is substantiated is gossip. Gossip tears down and is completely unbiblical. Look at John 13:

34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

The evidence that we are followers of Christ is that we love one another just as Jesus loved us. When the disciples failed, did Jesus cast them off as heretics? When Jesus showed them servant hood by example and they argued among themselves about who was the greatest, did Jesus reject them? What was Jesus’ reaction when Peter denied Him three times; when Peter criticized him from saying that he was going to be crucified, when the disciples bickered, acted selfishly or expressed unbelief in spite of all the miracles they witnessed? Jesus did not discredit them, but rather he patiently instructed them and built them up in the faith.