November 23rd 2003
HOW IS SATAN ATTACKING YOU?
By
Rev. Ottawa R. Pullen, Jr.
Senior Pastor and Founder of Light Of The World Church, Inc.
7800 Bissonnet, Suite 260
Houston, Texas 77074
November 23, 2003
Find the Book of the Revelation chapter 2 Verse 12
The book of the Revelation is the book that reveals the second coming of Jesus. That’s why it’s called the Revelation. Notice that the word Revelation is singular. It’s not the book of the revelations. It’s the book of the Revelation, and the Revelation is Jesus coming back a second time.
Now there are several other things revealed. Several other revelations are given in this book. But those things are not the focal point. Jesus is centerstage.
There is a message that God wants to give to you today and that message is this: be prayerful in all things; but be aware that the attack is always from the inside out. Satan will attack from the outside in; but he will never be successful unless you allow him to attack from the inside out.
Mama getting on your last nerve is an attack from the outside in. But it’s your nerves that allows the attack to begin from the inside out.
In the look of the Revelation, there are seven churches. Each church represents a condition or conditions in you, which will be prevalent until Jesus comes back. Each person belongs to one of these seven churches in accordance with a condition or conditions that exists with in each of us.
Today we will look at the church at Pergamos. Pergamos was attacked from the inside out.
Rev. 2:12 through 17
Rev 2:12-17And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
There are some who should not be in your midst! If you do not remove yourself from their midst, they will remove you from your blessing!
Verse 15
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
(KJV)
Look at verse 17 again. For 17 is our focal point for today.
Rev 2:17
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
(KJV)
To those that overcome the influence of this church, God will give hidden manna, a miraculous way of surviving.
What are we talking about: How it is Satan attacking you?
Revelation chapter 2 talks about one of the seven churches, Pergamos. Pergamos was the church of the world. God was actually talking about a real church that existed back then.
But the message, as it applies to us today, is not to one particular church. The message is to anyone who has the condition today, that existed back then. Make the point No. 1.
Point No. 1: the message, as it applies to us today, is for anyone who has the condition today that existed back then.
The church at Pergamos, was where everybody went after they had partied all-night. Pergamos was where everybody went who were perverts. Pergamos was where everybody went who were rich and used in their money to do evil. Pergamos was where everybody went who was poor, but used their skills to impress the rich. You heard of skills haven’t you? Oh some of you’ve got skills. And you know how to use them. It was a huge church. You can blend in there. You can do your dirt and never been noticed.
Look at revelation chapter 2 first 12 again.
To Pergamos, God says:
Rev 2:12-13
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
(KJV)
So God says that these kinds of churches are where Satan has his seat.
Why? Because in this condition he can work from the inside out.
How did all of this happened? How did Pergamos get to where they were? How did Satan get his seat?
Revelation chapter 2 verse 13. Still talking about Pergamos:
Rev 2:13-14
13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
There where a few faithful Christians.
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Move over two Numbers chapter 22.
Now here in Numbers chapter 20 is where we find Balaam. Balaam is God’s prophet and Balak represents evil.
Num 22:1-20
1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
2 And Balak (the king and of the evil one) the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
3 And Moab (the sons of Lot) was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, (the sons of Abraham) Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:
6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed. What does Balak know? He knows that whom God has blessed, is blessed and cannot be cursed. Voodoo will not work on you. Roots will not work on you. No ploy of the devil will work on you because God says that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Verse 7.
7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Now Balaam has something in him that God is working on. Watch verse 8.
8 And he said unto the them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
Point No. 2:
His first mistake was leading the devil in. He cannot force his way in. You have to let him in.
9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,
11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. You can’t curse when God has blessed!
13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. But the devil never gives up!
15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:
17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. So now, Balaam is hinting what it will take to get him to go against God. There is something deep down on the inside of Balaam. There is something deep down in him that Balaam wants for himself….. and its money ....lots of money. It’s as if Balaam is saying to God, I want money and I don’t believe you are going to give it to me.
Verse 19
19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
(KJV)
Why did God say go with them? He said it because God will not to override your will. Question ...?? How it is Satan attacking Balaam? Is the attack from the outside in or is the attack from the inside out? The attack is from the inside out isn’t it? That’s the way it is with every attack. You just think that it’s the other person. It’s never the other person! It’s always you! It’s always us! It’s never the other person. The only purpose that the other person has ........is to hopefully wake you up and make you realize, make you see, that the problem is really what’s one the inside of you. Do you think that Balaam will wake up and realize that Balak is not the problem? Most people never wake up and realize that the problem is not on the outside and that the problem is really on the inside of them. Let’s watch Balaam. Let see the changes that Balaam goes through while he is denial.
Num 22:21-41
21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went:
Did God want Balaam to go? No he didn’t! Balaam should’ve known that God didn’t want him to go.
And the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. Oh, you’ve got to get this. This actually happened. Look how far God goes just to get Balaam’s attention.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. Don’t laugh too hard now. Because there are a bunch of you beating a donkey. God blessed you with that new car we prayed for and you drove it away from the church to the club. Oh yeah….that’s beating a donkey. Why? Because you’re trying to get the car that’s blessed by God to go where it shouldn’t. So why are you surprised that that new car broke down on the way to the club????? It broke down because you were beating it, literally forcing it to go where it knew it shouldn’t be going. Next verse. Verse 24.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. Car broke down on the way to the club ……. So you beat that donkey again with some jumper cables,…..determined to get that car to go where it knew it shouldn’t be.
26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power it all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
(KJV)
Here’s point No. 3.
Severe attacks involving your will……. that you give into………. can lead to not hearing God.
Look at verse 22
Num 22:22-23:1
22 And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour?
38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
CHAPTER 23
(KJV)
Move over to the book of Numbers chapter 23 verse 1.
Num 23:1-8
1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, `the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
(KJV)
Now go back to the book of the revelation chapter 2.
Eventually, Balaam gave in to the pressures that were within him. Eventually he sold out on God. Why? He’s the answer: because he refused to remove from his midst of those people who held onto a different belief, a different doctrine and because he refused to lay at the feet of Jesus, all of those things that were not like Jesus. Look at verse 14.
Rev 2:14
14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
There are some here today determined to have your way. And you have taught others to be just like you. You’re casting a stumbling block before the children of God. Now is the time to lay this at the feet of Jesus. Now is the time to repent.
There are also those here today who are clinging onto something inside of you that you know is not like Jesus. Now is the time to repent.
How did Satan attack Balaam? He did it from the inside out. What goes on on the outside of you doesn’t matter. It’s what’s happening on the inside that makes a difference.
Let’s pray. Father, forgive me, and heal me from the inside out. I lay at the feet of Jesus all within me that is not like my Lord and my Savior, Jesus, the Christ, your Son. Please forgive me, cleanse me, and make me whole? This I ask in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
