Day Two: Battling the Prince of Darkness: The Prince of the Kingdom of Darkness

March 6, 2014

Day Two

Chapter 2:  The Prince of the Kingdom of Darkness

Ephesians 611-12

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

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TODAY IN AMERICA

Most Christians don’t have trouble believing the Bible’s coverage of Satan and his demons “way back then in the Bible times.”  And it has been easy through the years for Christians to accept that Satan is active in “heathen counties.”  They readily gasp at missionaries’ slides of witchcraft and Satanic rituals in a “foreign land.”

Up until now most Americans have never seen Satan in his raw form.  Missionaries are more sensitive to Satan because they have fought him so long.  But suddenly Satan has come out of the closet in America, and we aren’t at all sure what to do about it.  Some laugh at it, some ignore it, some try and explain it away theologically, while others believe God couldn’t possibly allow it in this 20^th century.

However, Satan worship and demonic activity in the United States have exploded in our faces in the last twenty years.  And the life into which the ruler of the kingdom of darkness is leading some of his subjects is despicable beyond words, defying all that is good, pure, and honest.

When I first started reading this book, I must admit that I almost wanted to close it because I did not want to be reminded about Satan and what he is doing in the lives of people all over the world.  Rather than educating myself on what Satan was doing, I was ok with just putting my head in the sand.  I just did not want to think about this.   

Then God began speaking to my heart.  It is time to stop and do something.  The most important something that I can do is pray, pray, pray for people all over the world who are being deceived by Satan.  It is time for action.

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Same Satan for Christians Too.

You may be shocked as a Christian to realize this Satan who instigates these atrocities is the same Satan who gets us to serve him — to whatever extend he can.  Every time we yield to his temptation to lust, hate, lie, or commit any other sin, it is that same Satan who encourages and propagates it.  Satan introduced and is responsible for all sin in believers and non believers alike.

It is the same Satan who, disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), fools us into believing that “it can't be sin if it fulfills our needs,” who fools our children into believing the Satanic rock and roll is just “modern music,”  who deceives our teens into believing “suicide is a good and honorable way out of  problems." 

Satan is alive and active in our world today.  He does not want us to have a relationship with God.  He longs to destroy us.  He wants us to turn our back on God. 

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1 Timothy 4:1

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (Italics added).

The truth of what is happening in our world is discouraging, but the words of the Bible are true:  I was so encouraged when I read the following verse.

Greater is He (Jesus) who is in you than he (Satan) who is in the world.  1 John 4:4

This reminds me of a song I used to sing that goes something like this.  "What a Mighty God we serve.  Oh, yes, what a mighty God we serve"  Yes, indeed, we serve a mighty God. No matter what happens in our world, God still loves us and God is still in control.   

Day One: Battling the Prince of Darkness, Rescuing Captives from Satan's Kingdom

March 5, 2014
Day One

Chapter 1: The Lost Doctrine

Colossians 1:13
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

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A new spiritual battle is raging on planet Earth. Forces of good and evil are vying openly as never before for the minds and souls of human beings. Pastors, missionaries, and lay Christians are bombarding me these days with their stories of almost unbelievable attacks from the Prince of Darkness.

What can Christians do about today’s terrible explosion of satanic activity, Satan worship, occult practices, and the New Age Movement?

Must we helplessly watch as these emissaries of Satan’s kingdom brainwash our children through occult-orientated TV programs and comic books? Or agonize while they infiltrate our schools, television, government, and military with their anti-God philosophies, witchcraft, and even satanic worship? Must we ignore the occult themes saturating our teen’s electronic games? Must we turn a deaf ear to the hard rock music that actually explains and encourages satanic rituals, diabolical sex practices and even suicide? Must Christians only recoil in shock as Satan worshipers sacrifice human adults and breed babies to sacrifice to their god?

Must we tolerate……the list goes on and on……
 

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Is there no Hope for the Human Race? Oh, yes, there’s hope. Jesus was Himself the solution to the problem of original sin when He came to earth to die for all sinners.
 

For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Christians are people who also were born into Satan’s kingdom but were transferred out of that kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son Jesus when they accepted Him as Savior and Lord. Their citizenship has been transferred.

And we Christians have the key to the problem of original sin—which is causing all this evil on earth today. Ours should be offensive stance. We do not have to leave people trapped and doomed in Satan’s evil kingdom. We must wage an offensive war again Satan for the souls of lost people.

So evangelism is not a project, an assignment, or just a method of church growth. It is all-out war for the souls of the subjects already in the kingdom of darkness. And every week on planet Earth a million more souls are born into that kingdom of darkness.

What keeps me from being in the all-out war for the souls of sinners? A life that is too busy doing everything else. The desire to share Jesus' great love with others is buried in the everyday things of life. The passion to even care about loved ones who are lost slowly disappears with the tyranny of the urgent.

During the last few years I have definitely noticed that people seem to be busier than they have ever been in the past. There never seems to be enough hours in our days. We have more modern conveniences than years ago to make our lives easier, so why does it seem harder? What has happened?

You know, one of my deepest passions throughout my life has been my concern for those who have never believed in Jesus as their Savior. I have had a passion to ask them three questions.

1. Do you believe you do things that do not please Jesus?

(We all do and those things are called sin. Romans 3:23)

2. Do you believe that Jesus will forgive you of those sins?

(All it takes is asking him to forgive them and he will. 1 John 1:8-9)

3. Do you want to begin a love relationship with Jesus?

All it takes is asking him.

Then I encourage them to pray this prayer.

Dear Jesus,

I know I do things that do not please you. Forgive me. I would like to begin a relationship with you. Please come into my heart and save me from my sins.

This has been the burning passion in my life, but is that fire still burning deep inside of me?  I would have to be honest and say, “Not like it used to be.” My life has become so busy, that my passion has been buried by the pressures of living.

So what can I do about this? It is time to ask God’s forgiveness and ask him to fill me with a passion for sharing Jesus with my world. It is my choice to care about the souls of others or care about my own cares. What will I choose?

What Happens When God, Answers by Evelyn Christenson

Have a Thankful Heart

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What happens when God answers?  The ultimate, final response on our part should be to thank Him.  No matter how God has answered our prayer, the one thing He expects from us is thankfulness.

People tend to insert their thanksgiving at different places in the prayer process.  Some never bother to thank God no matter how great and wonderful the answers He sends.  Most people but not all, are thankful when God answers the way they requested and has given them what they wanted.  Then, some Christians have matured enough spiritually to thank Him in spite of how He has answered, trusting His divine wisdom.

But the Bible has an even greater requirement as to where the thanksgiving belongs in the whole prayer process.  Philippians 4:6, surprisingly, reads, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be hade unto God” (NASE. emphasis mine).

I love this same verse in the Living Bible Translation.  I have it written and framed in my office.  It says, “Don’t worry about anything.  Pray about everything.  Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 

I am not supposed to worry about anything.  I should pray about everything.  I need to tell God my needs AND THEN  DON’T FORGET TO THANK HIM FOR HIS ANSWERS.

I am guilty of forgetting to thank God for his answers.  I wonder how he feels when he answers my prayers and I do not even thank him. 

I can relate this to my own children.  If they ask me for something and then I get it for them, how would I feel if they did not even thank me?  I would feel sad.  I would feel like they were using me.  I would feel like they don’t even care about me.

God, of course, is more loving than I am, but I wonder how he feels when I forget to thank him for his answers.  This is a wake-up call for me.  How could I ever forget to thank God for answers to my prayers? 

This has been an incredible life changing book.  It took me awhile to go through it because God was speaking change to me through Evelyn’s words. 

Thank you, Dear God for the life of Evelyn Christenson.  The learning that she has shared through all of her books has allowed me to learn the easier way, through her words and not as much living it.  There are so many treasures in this book that will change my life foever.  Thank you Evelyn!

Well, this truly has been an incredible Journey for me.  I have read all of Evelyn’s books, except two of them.  It has taken me through all of 2013 and so far in 2014.  I am going to miss my Journeys with Evelyn, but she truly has been my inspiration and motivation to follow what the words of the Bible tell me.  She was my mentor while she lived on this earth and still is my mentor from Heaven.  Praise God.

The next book I will be reading will be Battling the Prince of Darkness, Rescuing Captives from Satan’s Kingdom.  I plan to read this book in one week because I will not be available to read for a few weeks.  So, I will be posting my thoughts about this book daily for one week, beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, March 5th.     

I want to finish my incredible Journey with Evelyn during April, the most important time of year when we remember how much God loved us.  Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter reminds us of God's great love.  Praying God’s Way during this time is not how I planned to end my Incredible Journey with Evelyn, but how appropriate.  God is so good.

Then, for the month of April, 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29.  I will be posting every Tuesday as I read through the whole book, Praying God’s Way.  It will be sad for my Incredible Journey to end, but in many ways all I have learned will be just beginning in my life. 

 

 

 

 

 

What Happens When God, Answers by Evelyn Christenson 

Chapter 11:  When God Answers…Now Obey Me

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What happens when God answers?  What God always expects to happen—our obedience.

After God has answered our prayer, whether exciting, mind-boggling, or difficult, the next step is obedience.  When God answers our payer with a command, instruction, or an open door, He fully expects us to obey.  We must put into practice what God has told us in His answer.  And our obedience to what God has told us in His answer.  And our obedience to His answer to our prayer opens the curtain on the next act of our lives.  “So shall my word be which goes forth from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11, NASB.

This is the God of the universe speaking, the One whom all the stars, planets, weather, and seasons obey.  The One who spoke, and the universe came into being.  The One who spoke, and the sea was calm.  Who spoke, and the dead came alive.  The One who expects obedience to His words. 

However, God does not coerce us into obeying His answers to our prayers.  He has given each of us a free will, with the privilege of responding as we choose.  And astoundingly, we humans frequently ignore, rebel, make excuses, refuse to obey, or even laugh at a certain answer from Him.  This is amazing in light of the fact that it is the omniscient God of the universe who has answered us. 

Our son, Kurt, said it to me this way:  “Remember, when dealing with the Great Potter, the quality of the pot is solely determined by the malleability of the clay.”  It is our ability and willingness as clay to obey and be shaped by ‘God, the Potter, that ultimately fashions what we are—and what God can do through us.

Have you ever wondered what you have missed in life because of a wrong response to God’s direction?

I must admit that I have wondered what I have missed in my life because of a wrong response to God’s direction.  How do I know I may have gone in my direction instead of Gods?  PEACE, the lack of peace in my life indicates to me that I might have made decisions because of my dreams and my plans. 

I had always believed that God had a special plan for my life.  I also believed that he would get me to that plan in his own timing, but someone I respected told me that God does not have an ultimate plan for me, that there are many paths that I could choose.  It does not matter to God.

So, I went about my life trying all different avenues of serving God and they worked for awhile, but eventually fizzled out.  I got to the point that I was worn out and tired, trying to find the dreams in my heart.

Looking back on my life can often be 20/20 vision.  After spending so much time running around in circles, I started to see what had happened. 

I was working very hard trying to start a ministry and getting no where.  I remembered back to the beginning of all of this that I felt like God was speaking to me that I should be a writer.  Now, I loved writing, but did not feel qualified in anyway to write.  I was doing it all the time, but did not consider myself a writer. 

Looking back, God would show me over and over that he wanted me to write, but I could not believe that he would ever call me to be a writer.  I had published a book called, He’s SPEAKING!  Are we LISTENING? But I would not admit that I was a writer.

Well, my story is long, but the bottom line is that I could hear God speaking to my heart very quietly telling me to write, but my lack of confidence kept me submitting to this call in my life.

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What are you missing that Jesus had planned for you?  Joy, hope, peace?  An intimate walk with Jesus?  Renewed fellowship with Him? Are you living like the disciples—in despair, defeat, fear, tears, unbelief, and disobedience?  Then it is because your response to His words also has been wrong.  Perhaps you are feeling that there are good reasons why you should not believe and obey.  But the hard fact is that you are missing the triumphant, joyous relationship with Him that He is longing to have with you—if you were obedient.

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One of the most difficult aspects of obedience is being willing not to do something.  Obedience isn't only going and doing, it also is not going and not doing.  This is especially hard when we feel that the job or activity is so right and so necessary.

Little by little God began taking each of the things I was doing out of my life.  It was so hard.  All I really wanted to do was serve God, but it seemed like he would take each thing I would pursue out of my life.

So here are my thoughts today:

I believe there is a perfect plan for my life. I have tried going after my plans over and over again, but they never lasted. I want to find God's ultimate plan for my life, so this needs to begin with what I do know he wants for me.  

I know without a doubt that God has called me to be a writer.  I also know that I am not the best writer in the world, but I lay my writing before him and will let him do what he wants to do with it.  I give it all back to him.

I am quite sure he wants me to quit running after my plans and allow him to bless me with his plans for my life.  Please pray for me.
 

I would also highly encourage you to read this book, What Happens When God Answers.  It is truly incredible.  There is so much to be learned from the words of my/your dear mentor and friend, Evelyn Christenson. 

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,

I know the plans You have for me are best.  Forgive me for all the times I have stubbornly gone my own way.  Teach me to listen to Your answers to my prayers, and then to obey exactly what You have told me to do—or not to do.  Thank you, Father for all the wonderful rewards You have ready for me when I do obey You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What Happens When God Answers by Evelyn Christenson 

Chapter 10:  Restore the Sinner

This chapter is filled with so much treasure it will be pretty hard for me to cover everything.  If this subject speaks to your heart, please find a copy of Evelyn’s book, “What Happens When God Answers and read Chapter 10, or order the book from the following link.

 

http://www.evelynchristensonministries.org/index.html

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When catching a sister or brother sinning, how often we pray, “Oh, God, what do I do now?”  And the surprising answer from God is already recorded in the Bible. 
Restore that sinner.

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness. (Galatians 6:1)

What does it mean to restore?  Paul had in mind here the mending of something that had been damaged.  Restoration is the responsibility of those Christians surrounding the sinner.  Repentance, reconciliation, and restitution are all the responsibility of the sinner; but, shockingly, restoration very likely must be done by the one sinned against, and it may even be the victim’s job.

However, restoration does not begin while the person is sinning.  It is when he or she is “caught” trespassing that the process begins.  There can be no real restoration without the sinner fulfilling the other three “R’s” preceding it—repentance, reconciliation, and restitution. 

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How do Humans Restore Sinners?

Now that we know restoring the sinning brother or sister is not optional, we ask God, “But how do we go about restoring such a one?” The Bible is full of God’s instructions on this oft-neglected subject.

 

Rebuking the sinner is his first instruction.

Restore by forgiving

Restore by praying for the sinner

Restore by praying with that sinner

Restore by loving, not legalism

When the repentant sinner being restored is truly loved, he or she usually responds to that love and begins the process of loving us and, even more important, himself again.

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God cannot restore the sinner until that sinner accepts his forgiveness.

This chapter was very interesting because this past year I had the opportunity to encourage someone who was a repentant sinner trying to change.  Interesting enough the steps to restoration were the steps that Evelyn talked about.

The first step is the hardest, realizing that they have done something wrong and they need to make it right.  It is never easy to say I am sorry, or please forgive me, but once it is done, the next step is easier.

There is nothing more beautiful than to see someone’s life restored because they followed the steps to restoration.  They accepted God’s forgiveness and were led to a wonderful place of forgiveness.  I will be praying this prayer in my life.

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Closing Prayer

Father, teach me your steps in the restoration process.  Help me to examine where I am in all my relationships with others.  Make me aware of how I am hurting them, and help me correct it.  Make me a restorer to those who need me.  Take my hurts from other people and in Your time, and in Your way, restore me to perfect oneness with them and to perfect rest in You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

 

What Happens When God, Answers by Evelyn Christenson 

Chapter 9:  When God Answers…Make Restitution

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Although God no longer holds us accountable to Himself for the sins He has forgiven, we still are responsible to the human beings we have hurt.

After praying, “God, I have sinned,” and taking the steps of repenting and being reconciled to Him and others, are we absolved of all further responsibility and action.  No.  We still have a responsibility to the one against whom we have sinned.

While we must be reconciled to God when we sin, restitution is only made to the persons against whom we have sinned.  There is no way we can repay God for violating His holiness.  All we can do is repent because we have hurt Him so deeply and love Him so much that we will do everything in our power to restore our relationship with him.  Then we can serve Him with a new passion, making up for the lost days of opportunities. But our human relationships are different.  Reconciliation to people against whom we have sinned or committed a crime usually includes making restitution of some kind.

I have tried to live my life trying to build good relationships.  In fact, I cannot stand bad relationships.  I will work at making a relationship right until it is right. 

So, thinking about restitution is a very thought provoking subject.  I think I need to pray about it.

Dear God,

Is there someone in my life that I have wronged and need to make restitution?  If there is, I want to make things right.  Please direct my paths.

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This is the step of restitution. It is making amends, making good for a loss or damage.  It is giving back to the rightful owner something that has been taken away.  When we have sinned, it is our duty to make amends to the one victimized by our sinning.

Honestly, I have never really thought much about restitution.  I almost feel at a loss for words.  One person has come to my mind.  I wonder if I need to make restitution to someone.  It is defiantly something I need to pray about.

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Closing Prayer

Oh, God, forgive me for being insensitive to those I have hurt.  Forgive my selfishness.  Father, bring to my mind all those to whom I need to make restitution.  God, I will wait in silence for You to bring to my mind the steps You want me to take.  Please give me Jesus’ love for them and Your courage to be obedient to Your expectations of me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

What Happens When God, Answers by Evelyn Christenson 

Chapter 8:  When God Answers…Be Reconciled to Others

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Complete reconciliation to God is not possible without a willingness to be reconciled to others as well.  Why?  Because one of the clear commands in the Bible is that we be reconciled to others.  As long as we are not obeying God’s scriptural commands, we are sinning—and thus not reconciled to Him.  “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20)

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First John 2:9 clearly states, “The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.” (NASB)

Thus, being unwilling to be reconciled to other people is a sin, which must be confessed, repented of, forgiven, and turned from if we are to be reconciled back to God.

Do I need to restore any friendships?  Do I need to be reconciled to anyone? 

“Forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against any one; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”  Colossians 3:13.

Many years ago I was hired to work in a church as the Secretary.  I was excited about this opportunity, until I met the former secretary and realized that she would be working with me.  I tried my best to be happy and work together with her, but it was so hard. 

My boss would tell me to do something and I would do it, but she did not like it that he told me and not her.  She would be angry at me.  Our working relationship was very strained.  I did not even want to talk to her.

The day finally came that she retired.  I was so happy to have her gone, but God continued working in my heart that I needed to be reconciled to her.  I did not care if I was reconciled to her, but God kept prompting me to talk to her. 

Finally one day I decided that I should ask her to lunch and just talk about the past.  She joined me at Tony Romas and we enjoyed a great lunch together.        I was praying that if God wanted us reconciled that he would help break down the walls from the past.

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Isn’t it amazing how the admonition in Ephesians 4:31-32 really does work?  “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander to put away from you, along with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tender-hearted forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” 

In addition to forgiving another secret of reconciliation is love. In our “What Happens When We Pray” seminars, we have practiced the scriptural reconciliation formula in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 for years, with remarkable results.  After forgiving someone, we ask God for all the love He wants us to have for that person, wait in prayer to feel it come, and then go home to confirm that new love.

God is so faithful when we are obedient to what he wants us to do.  Through our lunch together we forgave each other and then God reconciled us to each other.  It was so beautiful as we let go of the past and began a new fresh relationship together.

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PRAYER

Father, I’m sorry for living as if my broken relationship with people did not matter to You.  Please forgive me.  Help me to make reconciliation as far as it is possible for me to do.  I promise to pray for those who have despitefully used me.  Thank You that Jesus insisted on the reconciliation of members of His body, not so that we could become one, but because we are one.  And I promise to seek out the real body of Your Son, Jesus and practice the oneness He died to give us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.