In my younger years, I would watch vampire movies, I have since learned not to engage in such stuff. But what I learned in those watching years is this: Vampires may attack you when you outside and not under protection of your home, but they could not attack you in your home unless you invited them inside. And they would present themselves as something other than what they really were.
How are we protected from the Devil? Of course you and I will answer by the blood of Christ. Approximately nine years ago, I remember my pastor preached a message of which I don't recall being heard by me before. He said something like this "The devil will try to keep you from coming to the cross but once you have knelt before the cross and surrendered to the salvation gift of Christ, you are now covered in the blood of Christ and the devil can't cross the blood line. Plead the blood!" The rest of his message I don't have a clue what he said nor the scriptures he used. But that is how God works, each person in the service, may receive and hold onto different parts of the message. When I heard the words he spoke, in my spirit I knew it was true, and at the same time my pastors have taught me not just to go by what they say but to search the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you. So that is what I did.
We know and have seen in the word, and songs have been written about the power in the blood of the Lamb, the power in His blood to save, to cleanse, to cover, to protect us, to free us from the bondage of sin, it is His blood and our testimony that helps us to overcome, it is His blood that brings us past the veil into the holy of holies, the very throne room of God. It His precious blood poured out for us that gives us eternal life. His blood has wonder working power in our lives. We seldom hear pastors today preaching on pleading the blood. But I plead the blood for protection over my home, my family, my life, my church, my friends. When I pray I pray by the blood of the Lamb and in the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Here is what happened at the cross found in Colossians 2:14-15 I am only typing verse 15:
Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Only two verses of so many that reveal the power of the blood. But what happens when we deal with things in our life; is it consequences of our bad decisions, is it our flesh wanting what we want, is it the devil attacking us? If it is the devil how did he cross the blood of Christ and enter into our home, our family, our lives. Remember what I said about Vampires? We have been given both the power and the authority to rebuke and denounce the devil, but we also can invite him in, by what we think about, see with our eyes, hear with our ears and speak from our mouths. These are the gateways to our inner man, and when we allow access to our inner man, into our homes, our families we just welcomed the devil with our permission.
Ephesians 4:27 nor give place to the devil.
The word for place is topos, and its meaning is "giving ground for demonic activity".
1 Corinthians 10:20-21 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.
This right here is speaking of more than food, it is speaking of recognizing that false gods do have a demonic spirit attached to them. And even we bring into our home something we call just art, yet is something worshipped in a false religion it has a demonic spirit attached to it and we just allowed it access into our home. Also note Christians cannot be wholly following Christ and dabble into witchcraft and the occult.
Deuteronomy 7:25-26 You shall burn the carved images with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.
Seems pretty clear doesn't it. But many Christians of today, have a false understanding of being covered by the blood means nothing can touch us. And that is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, unless by our own desires and actions we allow our enemy, the devil access to us. We have allowed a gap to open up and expose us to the wiles of the devil.
When we look at James 1:12-15 we see where temptation comes from and its evil plan for our lives. I urge you to read it in its entirety,
James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
That word enticed comes from a word we use called "lure". Using a fishing example; a fisherman will use a lure to attract the attention of the fish, to lure them to take the bait and when the fish finds this lure attractive, and would be good to eat, they latch on and GOTCHA and then death. So it is with the devil, he uses something attractive and appealing to our desires and when we grab hold it is a GOTCHA moment. Though we are tempted by the world, our flesh and the devil, God has allowed the temptation to come that He might TEST our faith. And reveal to us both our strength of faith we have and the weakness of our faith. We are always growing in our faith and it is through times when we don't know how we will make it through, or the shame we feel for given in to the lure, that God reveals His grace, mercy and love for us.
Once more I encourage you to read 1 John 2:15-17 because I am only using one verse.
1John 2:16 For all that is in the world---the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life---is not of the Father but is of the world
If we really broke this down, we would see that the devil tactics have not changed since his encounter with Eve in the Garden of Edom. Our flesh, the world and the devil is a daily battle. But through Christ Jesus we have overcome and we can say NO to every temptation, every ungodly fleshly desire, and we in Christ can live humble lives. Yet, often we have found ourselves not saying NO to sin, and the blaming the devil! We have allowed our flesh to rule over our decisions and said "that's just the way I am"! Pride can present itself in many ways, even through false humility, pride in our church, our ministry, our homes, our clothes, our religious beliefs. Often times this word is used which is just another word for pride "Self-righteousness".
How can we stop opening the door when the devil comes knocking?
1. Pick up our cross daily (surrender to Christ Lordship) Matthew 10:38
2. Renew our minds daily (through the word of God) Romans 12:2
3. Submit and Resist.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God, Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Two things to notice first we must submit ourselves, our homes, our families to God, then we must resist the devil, that means we do not give place to him, and we learn to use the word NO quickly. Then he will flee.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts you double-minded.
We draw near to God as we daily enter into prayer and into His word. That cleansing and purifying is our daily responsibility to guard our thoughts, what we see, what we hear and what we speak.
There is mighty working power in the name of Jesus and by the blood of Jesus. Not ever to be taken lightly or used wrongly. Once more we allow the devil access to our lives because when he knocked we invited him in.
So when the devil comes knocking stop him and declare "Not today devil, I, my family, my home is covered and protected the precious blood of Jesus Christ"! Then cut off the gateway that he is attempting to enter.
Be blessed, stand guard!
No comments:
Post a Comment