Sunday Message Summary, 26 March 2023
The issue of casting out demons is not something to play around with. Deliverance is a serious matter. When we play around with demons we put our lives at risk because demons are real and they wreak real havoc in the lives of many. Demons inflict torment and pain, and the destruction in our lives is real. True deliverance, administered by the Holy Spirit, is the highest point of spiritual warfare that we will see here on Earth. Deliverance is easy because it is the work of the Holy Spirit by the grace of GOD. However, the Holy Spirit does not maintain our deliverance. Instead, He helps us to maintain, so we have a role to play. Below are 10 ways to maintain our deliverance:
1. Do not provide an opportunity for the devil – Satan causes mischief and he is the master of shenanigans in the lives of people. The devil uses devices, deceptions, and tricks, and if we allow him, sooner or later we will see consequences. We must never be ignorant when there is a manifestation of anything contrary to the promise of the LORD in our lives (2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV/MSG). We must not give place to the devil, nor play around with him because when we open a door for him, he will always use it to the maximum to cause destruction in our lives (Ephesians 4:27 NKJV/EXB). Anything that the devil entices us with never benefits us but is there to destroy us. To maintain our deliverance we must have no part to play in the things of darkness. To sin no more (John 8:11-12 NKJV) is a cornerstone in maintaining deliverance. Satan robs us of our freedom and liberty that we have in the spirit through sin.
2. We must put on the whole armor of GOD – The armor is for standing against demonic entities (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV) because it is demons who do the bidding for the devil in doing his dirty works, attacking us through tricks, schemes, and devices. We put on the whole armor to be empowered in the LORD to stand against them (Ephesians 6:10-11 NKJV). Without the armor we won’t be able to stand (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV). We therefore need to leave darkness and walk in the light. The armor comes from GOD, so our human ways and power won’t work.
3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and be led by Him – We must be careful how we live our lives, not living a life of self-indulgence. When we live in foolishness, wasting time with things that don’t matter, we won’t be cognizant of the will of GOD for our lives. There isn’t enough time for GOD to do what He wants to do in us and for us, so we must understand what the LORD wants us to do by being filled by the Holy Spirit, guided, and led by Him (Ephesians 5:15-18 NKJV). Christian victory is not possible without the Holy Spirit, so we must submit ourselves to Him.
4. Speak the Word – Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and led by Him, and when temptation came, He defeated the devil by the spoken Word (Luke 4:1-13 NKJV). When temptation comes in the evil day, it is the Word that we speak that prevails. It is an instruction to have the Word dwelling in us richly, and to have victory here on Earth we must set our minds on things above and not be too terrestrial. However, we use the Word by speaking it (Colossians 3:16 NKJV/AMP). The One who prompted Jesus to speak the Word He spoke amid temptation was the Holy Spirit. The weapons of our warfare are not ours but come from GOD, so it is He who knows the right weapon to use for the right occasion. In summary, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit, be filled with the Word, and speak the Word.
5. Tell others the things GOD has delivered us from – When Jesus delivered a man who had been demon-possessed, the man was instructed to go tell his friends what great things the LORD had done for him through deliverance (Mark 5:18-20 NKJV). This man, who had been delivered from thousands of demons, was used to share his testimony to thousands in 10 cities. If we say we are delivered but we keep quiet, it brings to question whether that deliverance is by the Holy Spirit. Our testimony is a weapon in God’s Kingdom (Revelation 12:11). When we testify, those who hear believe that they can be set free, and then freedom comes.
6. Remain in the church and place where the Holy Spirit has placed us – It is GOD who plants, and if He plants us, He prospers us (Psalm 92:12-14). We do not lead ourselves, so we do not choose the church where GOD places us, but He chooses for us (Psalms 68:6 KJV). The Bible says that GOD chooses pastors for us (Jeremiah 3:15 KJV), but how can He do so yet not choose our church? GOD cannot choose one without the other. We should not be rebels. If we cannot plant ourselves, we also cannot transplant ourselves.
7. Don’t miss a church meeting or service – The time is short, so we must redeem the time by meeting together more frequently (Hebrews 10:25 AMP/TPT). There are things that GOD will only do within a time frame. It is through the Church that the devil is defeated, so the one who tells us not to come to church is not the Holy Spirit. Time spent in the presence of GOD is precious, and the more we meet, the more it spells defeat to the devil.
8. Keep ourselves from erroneous, legalistic, mixed, and false teachings and anything that takes the place of GOD in our hearts – We must guard ourselves because false teaching also comes from the pulpit and it is taught by demons. Furthermore, there is no deliverance in legalism. Only the truth sets us free (John 8:32 NKJV). We must therefore keep ourselves from such teachings and from anything or anyone who takes the place of GOD in our hearts (1 John 5:21 AMP).
9. Live at peace with everyone – We should never take revenge because GOD is the only just and righteous Judge (Romans 12:18-21 AMP). Furthermore, unforgiveness is the surest way to lose one’s deliverance, as it opens the door for the devil to torment us (Matthew 18:34-35 KJV). Evil and violence only beget more evil and violence, and GOD is a GOD of reconciliation. It is our acts of kindness which will lead our enemies to remorse and repentance. If GOD wants peace between us and our enemies, how much more does He want it between us and the brethren, our relatives, and families?
10. Pursue holiness – We ought to pursue holiness and sanctification, living free from sin, and making ourselves separate from bad things (Hebrews 12:14 EASY/EXB).
True deliverance, administered by the Holy Spirit, is the highest point of spiritual warfare that we will see here on Earth.
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