July 8, 2015 - A. V. Rauf
Spiritual Hygiene
It goes without saying that 2015 is a pivotal year prophetically speaking. And we’ve only crossed the mid-point. The last two weeks alone have been very intense in this nation. Many in the Body of Christ have sensed a “shift,” in the spirit realm. Ladies and gentlemen……Spiritual Warfare is real.
Ephesians 6:10-18–—-Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
However, the good news is that we are fighting a battle that already has been won. It is critical that we understand the promises of God’s in His written Word. (I am not referring to taking God’s Word out of context to suit our wants..) I am of the conviction that the separation between tares and wheat has begun. Now more then ever, we need to understand who we are in Christ.
1 Timothy 6:12—Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
We MUST lay hold of eternal life. Upon being “Born-Again,” we received eternal life. Hallelujah! Now as we “sojourn” through this earth we have to profess a good profession before others as the Scriptures tell us.
1 Chronicles 29:15-–For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
More then ever we are now commanded to READ our Bibles and desire to understand what God is trying to tell us. When we understood what we have become through Christ it only compels one to eternally be grateful……..
1 Peter 1:13-25—Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Notice how Peter describes what we have become as a result of the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins:
1 Peter 2:1-12—-Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Now let’s talk about Spiritual Hygiene. Understand that our adversary’s primary weapon is deception and defeat:
John 8:44—Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
John 10:10— The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Although I cannot cover the complete scope of spiritual warfare and the study of demonology, this can be considered a start. Let’s identify some factors which may make a person vulnerable to demonic activity:
2 Corinthians 2:11—Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
1. Sins of the mind, where the individual does not retain control over his/her thoughts: drug use, occultism, transcendental meditation, hypnosis, uncontrolled anger.
2. Forms of idolatry: rebellion, arrogance, immorality, impurity, greed, gluttony.
1 Samuel 15:23a—For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Proverbs 16:18—Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Ephesians 5:5-–For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
3. Attitudinal issues: excessive guilt and sorrow, pride, lack of sexual self-control, lack of mental peace, deliberate disobedience to known truth, being, idle, gossiping, breaking marriage vows.
Hebrews 13:4—Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
4. Voluntarily participating with demons or the spirit world in a non-Biblical context.
How does one then deal with such issues??
1. Explicitly renounce any or all of the above before God Almighty.
1 John 1:9—If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2. Ask and believe that you have received the benefits of the completed works of Jesus Christ on the cross on your behalf:
John 5:24—Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 8:31-32—Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36—If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Revelation 1:5—And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood…
3. Put on the full armor of God…daily! Obviously you can’t buy this at a Christian bookstore, rather you do it by faith. Perhaps in another post, the meaning of the armor of God will be explored. Each part is vital.
Ephesians 6:10-18—-Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
4. Decide to make a serious commitment to studying your Bible as the inerrant Word of God.
Matthew 4:4—But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Romans 10:17—So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
5. Spend time with God in prayer. You have a 24 hour hotline that connects straight to the Creator of this universe.
Psalm 50:15—And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Psalm 86:5—For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Jeremiah 33:3—Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
6. Seek out and participate in a fellowship of Christian believers in which the teaching of the entire Bible (Genesis thru Revelation) is given priority and the deity of Jesus Christ is not denied.
John 4:1-4—Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Hebrews 10:25—Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Be ready because the day is approaching.
Maranatha!