God's Goal for Your Life
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You are called to walk in a manner worthy of your calling. Even though you still live in the sin-filled body, you no longer need to walk in the ways of sin. Your spirit man is to be submitted to God, not submitted to or enslaved by the flesh. You do not have to obey the flesh anymore. It is not who you are![2]
Eph 4 (v. 1) I therefore....beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (v. 2) with all lowliness and gentleness....bearing with one another in love.
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Col 1 (v. 10) that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
It’s about reflecting Christ’s character and living for the glory of God!!
To learn of Christ means to receive His grace, which is His character.[3] With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all (Acts 4:32-33). We are reading about a church where the character of Christ was strongly implanted upon the members. This implanting explains why the people looking upon the Ephesus church members knew that they had been with Jesus.[4]
Rev 2 (v. 1) To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. (v. 2) I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.... (v. 3) and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.
As far as the devil is concerned, the next best thing to keeping you chained in spiritual darkness, or having you live as an emotional wreck, is confusing your belief system.[5]
I Cor 14 (v. 33) For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
He lost you in the eternal sense when you became a child of God. If he can muddy your mind and weaken your faith with partial truths, he can neutralize your effectiveness for God and stunt your growth as a christian.[5]
Prov 25 (v. 26) A righteous man who falters before the wicked, is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
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There is no such thing as a ....lowly child of God. We are in the significant business of collecting treasures for eternity. What we do and say for Christ in this world, no matter how insignificant it seems, will last forever.[6]
Matt 26 (v. 10) But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman?” For she has done a good work for Me. (v. 12) For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. (v. 13) Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.
Last time we concentrated on John 15:9, where the disciples learned that God made Jesus His personal Representative for the purpose of revealing....His character of love, to the entire universe....Jesus has placed a similar representational
responsibility on us. Just as Jesus represented God to the universe, so we are to represent Jesus to our fellow men. Jesus has commissioned us for this role in spite of our sinfulness, weakness, and frailty.[7]
John 15 (v. 9) As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
The believer has many great promises, and also authority, at his disposal. This is part of knowing “who you are in Christ” Jesus. Being made complete in Christ, this authority is part of you as a new creation at the time of salvation.
....As a believer, you are a joint heir with Christ, a co-worker with God, and a representative of His kingdom.[8]
I Cor 3 (v. 9) For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Knowledge of God’s Word and written promises is what brings freedom to the mind. The Bible tells us to renew and transform our mind and thinking....to think on things above and to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ! The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He uses lies and accusations of the past as a way of taking you captive.[9]
Rom 15 (v. 13) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do we have to remain victims of these mental strongholds for the rest of our lives? Absolutely not![10]
II Cor 4 (v. 4) whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
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If we have learned to believe a lie, can we now choose to believe the truth?....Absolutely, but we have to want to renew our minds.[10]
Rom 12 (v. 2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The enemy is clever; he studies each person, their character, their personality, their bad habits, their strong points and weaknesses. Then he sets traps based on all the information he has gathered.…he knows how to wait for the right opportunity to open the spirit realm in your life. This is how he gets that entry point into your life.[11]
II Thes 2 (v. 9) .…according to the working of satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, (v. 10) and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish.…
It is important to be honest with God while you can, because if you bottle up your feelings too long, they will dominate what drives your life.[12]
Psm 39 (v. 1) ....I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle while the wicked are in my presence. (v. 2) I was mute and silent, I refrained even from good, and my sorrow grew worse. [NASB]
When suppressed emotions build up within you like “mighty waters,” you are less likely to turn to God. You will be driven by your emotions.[12]
What is needed to be resolved before we can receive from God:
....forgiveness is necessary to avoid entrapment by satan. I have discovered from my counseling that unforgiveness is the number one avenue satan uses to gain entrance to believers lives.[13]
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I have had the privilege to help people around the world find their freedom in Christ. In every case, forgiveness was an issue and in many cases it was the issue that needed to be resolved.[13]
Matt 6 (v. 14) For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (v. 15) But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Unforgiveness: Giving away your authority....The one biggest cause of demonization in a believer....is unforgiveness. Let’s look at Mathew 18....Many overlook this verse. The demons are pictured as jailers. They legally have a right to torment a person until the person repents. God is very serious about holding any unforgiveness toward another person.[14]
Matt 18 (v. 23) Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (v. 26) The servant therefore fell down before him, saying: “Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” (v. 27) Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
(Verse 28) But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him.... (v. 29) So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying: “Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” (v. 30) And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
(Verse 32) Then his master, after he had called him, said to him: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt....(v. 33) Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you? (v. 34) And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. (v. 35) So My heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.
Forgiveness is what sets us free from the past. What is to be gained in forgiving is freedom. You don’t heal in order to forgive. You forgive in order to heal.[15]
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Heb 12 (v. 14) Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord; (v. 15) looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
You don’t forgive others for their sake; you do it for your sake. Those you need to forgive may never be aware of your choice to let them off your hook....Do not tell the offenders what you have done. Your need to forgive others is between you and God only![15]
If you want freedom.…for yourself or someone you love, repentance to God and agreeing with God is a must. But most of all, you must forgive everyone who has ever hurt you in the past. This takes the legal rights away from the demons operating the.…stronghold. God will deliver you when you forgive others. When you do this He will heal you and deliver you from demons, as well as a confused mind. You can and will be made whole.…as you were created to be![16]
One final note that needs to be addressed:
Faith in God fails only when people have a faulty understanding of Him. If you want your faith in God to increase, you must increase your knowledge of God. If you have little knowledge about God and His word, you will have little faith. If you have great knowledge of God and His word, you can potentially have great faith.[17]
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II Pet 1 (v. 5) ....giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, (v. 8) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The primary truth you need to know about God for your faith to remain strong is that His love and acceptance are unconditional. When your walk of faith is strong, God loves you. When your walk of faith is weak, God loves you.[18]
References:
1. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.133, Bethany House.
2. Bill Niland, (2004). The War Manual, p.99, Real Deliverance Ministry.
3. E.G. White, Christ Object Lessons, p.271, Pacific Press.
4. Dan Augsburger, (2009). The Branch and the Vine (sermons by Frank B. Phillips), p.68-69, Booklet.
5. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.139, Bethany House.
6. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.143, Bethany House.
7. Dan Augsburger, (2009). The Branch and the Vine (sermons by Frank B. Phillips), p.81, Booklet.
8. Bill Niland, (2004). The War Manual, p.76, Real Deliverance Ministry.
9. Bill Niland, (2004). The War Manual, p.140, Real Deliverance Ministry.
10. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.158, Bethany House.
11. John Ramirez, (2015). Unmasking the Devil, p.21, Destiny Image Publishers.
12. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.175, Bethany House.
13. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.190, Bethany House.
14. Bill Niland, (2004). The War Manual, p.33, Real Deliverance Ministry.
15. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.192 & 194, Bethany House.
16. Bill Niland, (2004). The War Manual, p.141, Real Deliverance Ministry.
17. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.111, Bethany House.
18. Neil Anderson, (2013). Victory over the darkness, p.117, Bethany House.
19. John Ramirez, (2015). Unmasking the Devil, p.103, Destiny Image Publishers.
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