IT IS FINISHED.

Dear Friends,

I have finished the book Battling the Prince of Darkness, Rescuing Captives From Satan's Kingdom

It was a life changing book.  I hope you get a chance to read it.  I will give you the link if you wish to purchase it.  http://www.evelynchristensonministries.org/bookstore.html

If you are here to read the next post, scroll down to Day 8, and then the next day read Day 9, and then the last day, Day 10.

I have given you directions after Day Ten to tell you the last book I will be reading.

Blessings to you.
Robin

ur Authority in Warfare Praying/Mobilize for Action

March 13, 2014

Day Ten

Chapter  12

Page 157

Jesus brought a new dimension of authority and power when He came to earth.  Something changed between the Old and New Testaments.  We now have Jesus’ name and His blood with which to fight spiritual battles against Satan both personally and for captives being rescued out of his evil kingdom.  Jesus said to His followers; Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.  (John 16:24)

More importantly, we not only have the privilege, but also the authority of Jesus’ name in our spiritual warfare praying and battling against Satan.

Page 159

What Authority

What kind of authority does Jesus’ name include?  Colossians 2:9-10 says it well.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the Head over all rule and authority.

Page 173

Power and authority is ours in the battle of rescuing captives from Satan’s kingdom—in the precious, victorious name and blood of Jesus.

Chapter 13:  Mobilize for Action

Matthew 24:14

And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Page 175

When will this battling the Prince of Darkness come to an end?  Will the whole world forever and ever lie in the power of the wicked one, Satan, as is true now?  (1 John 5:19)  Is there no hope of getting out of this escalating evil? 

Yes, there is definitely is hope.  But the final and complete end to all of Satan’s power on planet Earth cannot come until Jesus comes back to rule with righteousness.

This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.  (Acts 1:11)

This will be amazing when Jesus returns.  I wonder how it will happen and what the news will say.  I have been hearing about this day all of my life.  What is Jesus waiting for?

Page 176

What is Jesus Waiting For?

Those ruling with Him will include people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation—so Jesus is waiting for them all to hear about Himself.  He is waiting until they hear the good news that He delivers from the kingdom of darkness—--into His glorious. 

Page 177

Don’t Blame God if Jesus Doesn’t Come

People have been blaming God and laughing at Jesus’ not coming back since the A.D.         2 Peter 3:4 tells us that in the last days mockers will come saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?  Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of Creation.”

God is obviously is waiting but for what?  Peter explained in verse 9 why God is waiting to send Jesus back:  “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance”  (2 Peter 3:9, italics added).

So God wants everybody to have a chance to hear of Jesus before He comes back—and as many as possible to be rescued out of Satan’s evil kingdom.  God loves them so much that He doesn’t want any of them to perish.  And He knows all will perish who don’t believe on Jesus.  (See Revelation 20:15).

So Whose Responsibility Is It?

If it’s not Jesus’ or God’s, whose responsibility is it?  Ours!

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”  (Matthew 28:19 and “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15, Italics added).

EACH ONE REACH ONE

A simple solution to the evil exploding in our faces here at home is “Each One Reach One.”  If each one of us would promise God to reach at least one lost person this year—and kept that promise—our homes, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and nation soon would be swarming with new creations in Jesus—redeemed by His blood, members of His body, with the authority of Jesus’ name, and His blood over the evil around them.

And every people group in the uttermost parts of the earth can be reached if we, with our nostrils flared in victory, would invade Satan’s territory all around the world.  We could pray, send, and go with the planer-changing power of Jesus.

This book has been so thought provoking for me.  I have so much to think about.  I will be spending a few days away and I am sure my thoughts will go towards all that I have read in this book.

I am sorry that I copied so much from the book, but it was all I could do.  I wanted you to understand word of word what was being said.

This truly has been an incredible book for my incredibly journey.  I honestly want to re-read this book.  I think I went through it so quickly.  That being said, I think I will change my plans for my last book to read.

I WILL BEGIN POSTING THE LAST BOOK OF EVELYN’S BEGINNING April 8^th and continue each Tuesday until I finish this book.  The book is called,

Praying God’s Way                                                                                               Proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Answer to Every Human Need.                                       I do not want to rush, I want to enjoy every word.

Blessings to you!

Robin

 

 

 

Day Nine: Expect Sifting

March 12, 2014

Day Nine

Chapter  11:  Expect Sifting

Luke 22:31-32

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Page 145

Jesus knows Satan will do everything in his power to keep Christians from working with Him to rescue people out of Satan’s evil kingdom.  He wills us any diabolical tactic necessary to sift us in order to render us ineffective in our battle for souls.

Jesus, the very Son of God, also is praying up in heaven while we fight our battle with Satan down here on earth.

Jesus is praying because He knows we are just as vulnerable to Satan’s attacks as His disciple Peter was.  He knows Satan is sifting His followers today—just as much as Peter. 

What is “sifting”?  It is those difficulties caused by Satan to rob Christians of their power and effectiveness in their work for Jesus.  Those problems Satan brings that make us useless in our battling him for souls for Jesus.

There are many different ways that Satan sifts Christians today.  Some methods are drastic, some are seemingly mild. 

Page 148

How does “sifting like wheat” feel to us today?   Like the little grain in Jesus day, we are violently tossed until it is impossible to keep our feet on the ground, flung mercilessly at the will of Satan. 

Page 149

We must realize that the more earnest and the more effective we become in helping lost people get transferred out of Satan’s diabolical kingdom, the more nervous Satan will become.  And the more nervous, the more he will concentrate his activities on sifting us.  And the more he sifts us, the harder it becomes to keep effective in our winning souls out of his kingdom of darkness into Jesus’ kingdom.

Hence, also, He (Jesus) is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.   (Hebrews 7:25)

Page 150

Jesus, the One who can –and will—keep our faith from failing when Satan sifts us!

Wow, this is truly opening my eyes.  I can now see that Satan has been out to destroy me.  Who knows maybe even with the events in my son’s life that has taken the wind out of my sails?  If I continue in the direction that I am Satan, could win.  I have started a ministry, been writing Bible Journeys with God, I have my second book about ready to be published.  Wow, I have never really thought about Satan out there trying to destroy me.  I just thought of everything that has been going on, as life.

I cannot let him win.  I have told my partners in the work that I have been doing that I will not move forward until we have a prayer team in place.  Actually, many years ago this was Evelyn’s advice to me.  “You need to get a prayer team in place.”  I have tried several times, but it just has not happened.  So this is going to be my daily prayer. 

Dear God,

If you want me to continue speaking, writing and sharing Jesus with others, please raise up a prayer team.  If that does not happen, I will put everything on the back burner until that door opens.  I do not have the strength to fight the battles alone.  It is in your hands God.

Page 154

And Astoundingly, God turns all our hard things, including Satan’s siftings, into our good because we love Him and are called according to His purpose.  (See Romans 8:28)  Although Satan intends them for harm and destruction, God uses them to firm up our faith, teach us lessons,  help others, make us more Christlike and equip us for future battles with Satan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Eight: How to Pray for Each Other

March 12, 2014

Day Eight

Chapter 10:   How To Pray For Each Other

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Page 131

How do we do spiritual warfare praying for each other?  Once we have found the appropriate Scripture is it enough just to quote it in a monotone to Satan?  Oh no!  Not only is what we pray important, but how we pray it makes a difference.  The Bible gives us many instructions as to how to pray for “the saints”—those who are at war with Satan because they already have been transferred out of his evil kingdom.  Not only does Ephesians 6:18 tell us to pray, it also gives us explicit guidelines of how Christians should pray for one another in the spiritual battle with Satan.

“Prayer” 

First we must recognize that this verse is discussing actual praying.  What is prayer?  It is not just studying prayer or talking about prayer; it is praying.

Prayer is our means of involving the omnipotent God of the universe in our personal spiritual battle with ‘Satan.  Prayerlessness actually is arrogantly saying that we do not need God. Even the disciples watching Jesus’ deep prayer life, asked Him to teach them to pray.

Prayer is the power for the spiritual battle with Satan.

“Petition” is specifically asking God to grant our requests for specific needs.  Petitions are extremely important in spiritual warfare praying.

Page 141

Pray with all perseverance

This is an important lesson in learning how we should pray for one another in our spiritual warfare from Ephesians 6:18.  This is faithfulness and stick-to-it-iveness” in prayer.

Jesus taught perseverance in prayer by telling His followers a parable about the persistent widow, “to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.”  Luke 18:1

Page 144

Our battle with Satan also is supernatural.  Our lukewarm, halfhearted prayers don’t do much to loosen Satan’s hold.  But “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  (James 5:16, KJV italics added.

Many things that Evelyn shares, I have not experienced before.  I started this book thinking I could quickly go through this one, but I have to honestly say that I am going to read the book again.  It seems like I have gone through it so fast.  Please pray that God will teach us and open our eyes to see what he wants us to see.

I have a prayer request for you.
Please pray for my son.  The past five years have been so hard for him.  He wants to do what God wants, but it does not seem like things are working the way he wants.  I am concerned for him.  Please pray for my son that God will allow him to go in and get a health evaluation.  Then pray that one day God will bless him for his faithfulness. Thank you for praying.

I realize that I said this book would be done by now, but I just could not go any faster.  There should be two more days after today.

Day Seven: Battling the Prince of Darkness, Defensive Praying Against Satan

March 11, 2014

Day Seven

Chapter 9:     Defensive Praying Against Satan

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Page 113

It is impossible for Christians to keep up their offensive warfare prayers for souls without defensive prayers for each other.  While our offensive prayers are against Satan as we strive to get captives released from his evil kingdom, defensive prayers are for the protection of Christians from Satan’s attacks.

We need these two kinds of prayer because Satan’s battle plan against Christians is just the opposite of his battle plan for non-believers.  With non-Christians, Satan is on the defense, trying to keep them in his evil kingdom where they already are.  But Satan is attacking Christians to make them ineffective in their battle to get those lost souls out of his kingdom.

PRAYER, My eyes have been opened to what I am doing or not doing in my life.  I pray, but very often my prayers are selfish prayers, praying for the things that I want in my life.  I do not want to say praying for things that I want is wrong, but there are life and death issues regarding others who do not even know about a relationship with Jesus.   There is so much more that I need to be thinking about when I pray. 

What keeps me from praying?  TIME!  There are just so many hours in a day.  How can I fit battling Satan and his attacks on the non-Christians as well as Christians?  I shared yesterday that I felt overwhelmed.  I guess Satan can use this to keep me from doing what I should be doing and thus allowing me to just stand still.

So, where do I begin?  I need to find balance in prayer and slowly bring praying for others who are lost,  whether is it someone I know, or just others in general, into my prayers.  Yes, I do pray for others, but do I pray for the battle of souls that Satan is trying to win.  

Where could I begin?  I could begin in my own neighborhood.  I moved almost two years ago.  I know the neighbors close to me, but there are so many out there.  This could be a real beginning.  What if I would take a walk everyday and pray for each house I pass. 

Page 116

God never intended Christians to stand alone in their spiritual battle.  He provided other Christians to undergird us with prayer in our battle with Satan—as he tries to make us ineffective through temptations and harassment as we battle for souls and witness for Jesus.

Satan is NOT going to win in my life.  I do have a passion for sharing Jesus’ great love with others.  It is time for me to wake up and get out there and battle for Christians who have become luke-warm in this passion for sharing Jesus.  People like me.   

I am so thankful that God has brought this book to me.  It is a wake up call for me.

Page 127

As I wrote to thank all the pray-ers for their much needed prayers, I told them, “All through my Central America tour, I felt like I was wrapped in a cocoon of prayer.  I felt insulated, surrounded, and lifted above the danger swirling around me.”

Protection of the Angels.  Another important prayer for protection from Satan is for God to send HIS ANGELS. 

For he will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.  They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.  (Psalms 91:11-2)

My response to this wonderful book will change lives.  The avenues to pray can be overwhelming, so I am going to choose to pray for people who are around my life.    My response will be two fold: 

I am a speaker and I travel around sharing the gospel with women’s groups across the country.  I have realized, just like Evelyn did, that there is a power beyond my understanding when people are praying for me as I go around speaking.  I can feel the power. 

So, I will begin praying for Christian speakers, pastors and others that I know who are in full time ministry.  They must have the darts of Satan constantly trying to keep them from being successful.

Then, I will begin prayer walking for my neighbors.  I will be praying for the salvation of their souls.  I will try to get to know them and then watch for opportunities to share the gospel.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for opening my eyes to pray more for others who are out there in my world.  Please open my eyes and help me to have the courage to be obedient.

 

 

Day Six: Battling the Prince of Darkness, Evangelism Praying on the Offensive, Pre-Evangelism Praying

March 10, 2014

Day Six

Chapter 7 Evangelism Praying of the Offensive

Ephesians 6:19-20

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains.  Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Page 93

While Satan is working feverishly to take everybody to hell with him, must Christians sit helplessly by and let Satan keep all those people who were born into his kingdom?  Is there nothing we can do except protect ourselves defensively from him while he tightens his grip on those already lost?  Or is there an OFFENSIVE battle Christians can – and should—take up.

I wonder how many people really care about sharing the gospel with others.  When you think about everything shared in this book it fills me with an urgency to get out there and share Christ’s love with family, friends and whoever God places in my life.  God has provided the tools that we need to stand tall and follow him.

Page 95

Peter explained that our offensive battle for souls is in the power of the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

“You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver and gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

But what are our offensive spiritual Weapons?  What is the offensive spiritual power available to Christians?  P-R-A-Y-E-R!

Hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus, of course, is the only way people can get out of Satan’s captivity.

Chapter 8:  Pre-Evangelism Praying

Luke 8:11-12

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.  Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”

Page 103

There is much praying we need to do before we actually try to introduce people to Jesus.  Sometimes long, extended prayer is needed to prepare the heart and mind of a person captive in Satan’s kingdom.  This too is offensive prayer, but it is not the same as the claiming the blood and name of Jesus as we lead someone to Jesus.  This is asking God to become involved before we do.  It is the praying that makes lost people receptive to the Gospel and able to accept Jesus.

Page 105

How can we get God to open the hearts of those we are trying to win to Jesus?  By praying.  Though God is sovereign and moves as He pleases, prayer definitely activates God’s working in unbelievers.

God has called me to be an author/speaker.  I travel around sharing my life testimony called, Who’s Knocking At My Door.  Of course, I do pray for the people where I go, but do I pray enough?  I have noticed that the more people I have praying, the power of God is released in exciting ways.

Evelyn was a very wise woman.  When God began using her to travel the country she knew that prayer was the most important thing she could do.  United Prayer Ministry was started.  Many women would pray for Evelyn wherever she would go.  Their prayers would unleash God’s power in amazing ways.  I am so thankful when I think about the faithfulness of the pray-ers who stood together with Evelyn.

Page 107

What Can I do?

Are you asking, “This seems so complicated?  What can I do?”  The answer is that you don’t have to be a full-time expert in spiritual warfare to get involved in offensive praying for souls.  The prayer of ordinary Christians can be, and usually is, the power behind people being led to Christ.  Every time you pray for those still in Satan’s kingdom to come to Jesus, you are entering into spiritual warfare with God against Satan.

I am overwhelmed.  This is the only way I can describe how I feel right at this moment.  This book has so……much in it that I want to share with you, but I cannot write the whole book out.  You must buy this book and read it if you care at all about people you know that do not have a relationship with Jesus.

I find myself moved to tears thinking about how much I would have loved following Evelyn Christenson around as she traveled.  Not that I wanted to do anything, I would have loved to watch her and learn from her.  She was an amazing woman.  All the people that prayed for her (I was one.)  were her lifeline.  The United Prayer Ministry women dedicated their lives to being Evelyn’s Prayer Power Team.  All I can say is, lives were changed by the ministry of Evelyn Christenson.  The prayers of many were answered.  

This past year has truly been an incredible Journey with Evelyn.  I have learned so much and this is why I feel overwhelmed.  What can I do with all that I have learned?  I honestly need to spend a day in prayer.

NOTE:  I have been reading this book thru this week.  In some ways I am sorry I did it this way because this book has been incredible.  I am sorry that I have not been able to share with you all that I have learned because there is so much.  I honestly do not know what I am really feeling, but God is trying to speak to me in some way.  Please pray for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Five: Battling the Prince of Darkness, Armor Off For The Battle

March 9, 2014

Day Five

Chapter 6  Armor Off For the Battle

Colossians 3:5-9

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:  sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry?  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived.  But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:  anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Page 77

There is something much more dangerous about not being clothed with God’s armor than just being vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.  It is possible for Christians actually to clothe themselves in the garb of Satan.  Since there are only two spiritual kingdoms, we deliberately must choose which clothing we will put on and which we will take off—God’s or Satan’s?

It is possible to put on two sets of clothing or armor at the same time.

I wondered, Or are there things God expects us to “put off” in order to “put on” His armor?

Yes, there are.  The Bible is just as clear about the pieces of spiritual armor we must “put off” as those we should “put on.”  They are the practices from Satan which God calls sin. And they must be removed before we can put on God’s holy armor.

Entering spiritual warfare for the souls of those still in Satan’s kingdom while clothed with Satan’s instead of God’s armor is foolish indeed, for it deprives us of the  protection to stand and withstand Satan. So, it is imperative that we “put off the sins with which we have clothed ourselves so that we can “put on” God’s armor.  Only then will we Christians be protected from Satan for the spiritual battle.

Here is a list of things that people might need to take off:  Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice, filthiness, wickedness, guile, hypocrisy, envy, slander, and the list is endless.

Page 79

The Old Self

What should we strip off?  The old self  with its evil practices.  The Bible is very explicit about what sins of the former life a Christian should take off.

And in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.  But now put them all aside:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from our mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices (Colossians 3:7-9)

Page 80

God’s holy lifestyle, people will not be able to tell whose side we are on.  If our lifestyle is much the same as theirs—defeated, powerless, and evil—we won’t have much of a chance to convince them they should change spiritual kingdoms.

Counterparts of “Armor On”

Satan has his opposites for the pieces of God’s armor for us to put on.  They are the same as the lifestyle of those still in Satan’s kingdom of darkness.  These opposites were the way Christians lived before they accepted Jesus—not after.

Page 90

Last, the crucial step in getting rid of Satan’s garb is doing something about that sin.  But what should we do?

How, the unconditional rule for getting rid of that sin is the Christian confessing it to God.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins,

and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9)

READY FOR COMBAT

And when God forgives, the guilt of that sin is removed, and Satan’s armor is removed from the Christian so that God’s can be put on.  Without the protection of God’s armor it is sheer folly to enter into evangelism’s battle for souls.  And it also is foolish to think we can wear the two sets of armor at the same time—God’s and Satan’s.

It is only when we Christians have taken off all Satan’s inhibiting sins with which we have clothed ourselves, that we can put on God’s armor.  And only then are we protected and equipped to go forth into the spiritual battle of rescuing captives from Satan’s evil kingdom.

Am I ready for combat or am I content just living my life and not even caring that people are lost in their sins and will spend eternity in hell?  I have always had the desire to share the love of Jesus with others, but I have not thought about the urgency of sharing the gospel with family, friends and anyone. 

Hell is a real place that sounds terrible.  Am I content with just living my life not even caring that people I know and love are headed to hell?  No, now is the time.  I need to put on the armor of God and get out there in the battle field and love my world to Jesus. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for your great love.  Please help me to put on my armor daily and get out there and tell people about your great love for them.  Restore the passion I once had to do this.  Please help me to take the "nothing things" out of my life and get out there in the battlefield.  Thank you for what you are going to do.