Joyce Meyer Reveals the Key to Understanding Your Spiritual Authority to Defeat the Enemy - CHARISMA NEWS

Do you know your spiritual authority in prayer? (Unsplash)

Joyce Meyer Reveals the Key to Understanding Your Spiritual Authority to Defeat the Enemy

7/29/2017 JOYCE MEYER  CHARISMA NEWS

I went to church for years and never heard about the devil. It's not fun talking about him, and I don't ever want to put too much focus on him. But the truth is, we have an enemy. First Peter 5:8b (AMPC) says, "...That enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour."

If we're going to defeat our enemy, it's important for us to believe in the power and authority we have in Christ. That's the only way we can have the great life God wants us to have.

There are so many Christians who seem to be going through their daily life just hoping they can make it through the day. They go from one problem or crisis to the next, and they lack a confident, bold faith in God that can keep them stable and full of His peace and joy in the difficult circumstances of life.

The good news is, God doesn't want us to live in the emergency room of life all the time. He wants us to get to the point where we know what to do to have a great life and take responsibility for ourselves, trusting we can do whatever we need to do through the strength we have in Christ (see Phil. 4:13). This means we know who we are in Christ and how to walk in the authority we have as believers in Jesus.

The Truth About What You Have in Christ

John 10:10 tells us Jesus gave His life so we can "have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." When we accept Christ as our Savior, we receive the assurance of eternal life, but we also become joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17) and are entitled to have everything He is and everything He has: grace, peace, righteousness, joy and power and authority over the enemy.

Matthew 10:1 says, "Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity." This authority has been given to every believer. It's important to understand that the devil has power, but we have power and authority in Christ.

Our enemy only has the authority that we give him, and many times we give him the ability to attack us through ignorance.

The devil hates anyone who is trying to do any good in the world, and his influence can be seen in the evil things people do. For example, when I'm tempted to be selfish and complain, it's not God working in my life. James 1:13b, 17a says, "...God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ... Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights" (NKJV).

We need to learn how to be proactive and resist the devil immediately when temptation comes. First Peter 5:9a (AMPC) says to "withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined]." Notice this verse says to resist him at his onset.

Don't wait to see how bad things will get or how much you can get away with before you get in trouble. Be firm in your faith at all times, and resist the enemy immediately when he comes against you. God has a plan for your life, and walking in the authority you have in Christ is an important part of experiencing His will for you.

The Greatest Weapon You Have

The Word of God is an offensive weapon in our warfare against the enemy. It contains life and has the power to renew our minds, heal our brokenness and change our lives! The Word contains God's wisdom and the direction we need for every problem we face. Everything we need is found in the Word; it's God's love letter to us, our instruction book for life and reveals all of God's promises to us as His children.

The power and authority in God's Word equips you to go after the devil—he hates the Word and must bow down to it. But we must approach the Word with the attitude, "With God's help, I'm going to do what it says." That's the key to operating in the authority we have in Christ.

I want to encourage you to make it a priority to spend time with God and study the Word. Go for quality, not quantity; meditate on Scripture so you really get it deep down in your heart. Make a predetermined decision to apply what you learn to your life. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and He will show you how to obey the Word in your daily life.

Remember that in Christ, you have everything you need to enjoy your life and have the abundant life He died for you to have. God has equipped you to stand up to whatever comes against you. Through the power and authority you have in Christ, you can remain stable, full of peace and joy, and advance God's kingdom in the earth at all times. That's God's plan for you! 

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A Christmas Tree for the Devil | David Lazarus ISRAEL TODAY

A Christmas Tree for the Devil

Tuesday, December 22, 2015 |  David Lazarus  ISRAEL TODAY

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Topics:

Palestinians

Earlier this month, the annual Christmas tree was adorned once again in Bethlehem as Palestinians gathered under the starlit pine in Manger Square, a reminder of the peace and light that Jesus brought to the world.

What a wonderful time to celebrate the goodness and hope that we have in Jesus Christ, especially in that marvelous Little Town of Bethlehem, lying so still under the starry winter night. 

Let’s listen to the speaker, as he stands before the manger and addresses those gathered in honor of the birth of the Little Boy Jesus, circumcised the 8th day by his Israeli Jewish parents, asleep in the hay.

“From the land of Palestine, which has long been home to the coexistence of human beings, religions and cultures, and their children taught the values ​​of tolerance embodied by Jesus, the messenger of love, we bring the message that, in Palestine, people yearn to live in freedom and peace, and that the time has come to unite the world, to lift the historical injustice done to them, and it is time for the implementation of UN resolutions on Palestine, and end the Israeli occupation.

"As in every year, Palestine is celebrating the glorious festivals, while it is reeling from the injustice of the Israeli occupation, and experiencing a serious Israeli escalation, with the intent of murder and torture, and holding the bodies of the martyrs (sic terrorists). [Palestine] is facing the worst deportation schemes and forced displacement, turning towns and villages and towns into ghetto, and the destruction of their houses and confiscation of their land and violation of holy places. [Israel] prevents worshipers, Christians and Muslims alike, to have access to their churches, mosques, and the practice of worship and religious beliefs.

"As we light the holiday Christmas tree, we remind the world that the city of Bethlehem represents the story of the Palestinian (sic Jewish) people and their history and their struggle. Despite our wounds and general pain and suffering and tyranny we remain steadfast, and we are still vibrant with joy despite the walls and settlements which encircle us, and Israel is trying to stifle hope and to confiscate the necessities of life from us. We hope the valued guests here will be ambassadors of the truth, and to relay to their countries and their governments how much sorrow and injustice that they have seen, and how much resilience and hope the people of Palestine have...”

Wait just a minute! This is a celebration of the life of Jesus Christ? This is their way of bringing Glad Tidings proclaiming that Christ has come into the world? By spreading lies and stirring up more anger and hatred towards Israel and using a celebration of the most precious and pure light that will ever come into the world to spread deceitful rumors and call the Jewish people evil? 

And who is this messenger and Bearer of Sad Tidings? Why it is Rami Hamdallah, Palestinian Prime Minister, and known collaborator with PLO terrorists. His pronouncements confirming once again, for Palestinians, that they have no responsibilities and Israel is evil.

O, little town of Bethlehem, how still we see you lie.

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The Startling Scriptural Parallel in the Paris Terror Attacks - JANIE DUVALL CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Keep your eyes on Jesus and watch Him do great miracles for you and around you! (Lightstock )

The Startling Scriptural Parallel in the Paris Terror Attacks

12/1/2015 JANIE DUVALL  charisma magazine

Is it a coincidence that Paris, known as the City of Light, was attacked at the same time of year 2,000 years ago when Messiah said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life?"

Yeshua made that statement a few weeks before Hanukkah (also called Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication). This year Hanukkah begins the night of December 6.

Yeshua also made powerful statements on the day of Hanukkah written in John 10:22-30. He said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one" (John 10:27-30).

I have seen patterns of blessings and curses throughout history at specific times of the year that fall on God's appointed days (the feasts). Throughout history there has been a showdown between the One true God (light) and false gods (darkness). John 10:29 says, "My Father is greater than all."

The devil tries to bring darkness into this world, into this country, and into your life. But our God is stronger and His light brings His glory into every circumstance when we trust Him.

The enemy, who is the god of darkness, thought he won when Yeshua was crucified. Mark 15:33 says, "Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour (mid afternoon)." But Yeshua rose from the grave and His resurrection power brings His light into dark situations.

As we pray for Paris (Paris needs the light of Messiah), the United States, Israel and the world, believe God's light to shine in darkness as you worship the One true Living God. Know that His light is shining through you to bring justice, healing, provision, breakthrough, and shalom (in the Hebrew means lacking nothing, peace). Worship is a key to allow His light to shine through you to a dying world (Matthew 5:16).

Psalm 89:15 says, "Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! The Hebrew for joyful sound means a shout of triumph and a shout of applause]. They [worshippers] walk, O Lord, in the LIGHT of Your countenance."

Speaking His promises hold another key to breakthrough. Genesis 1:2 says, "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And, in Genesis 1:3, "God said, 'Let there be light and there was light.'"

In the last days Isaiah 60:2 says, "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you."

His glory will be seen upon you. His light is way more powerful than any darkness. Keep your eyes on Him and watch Him do great miracles in your life and the world around you!

Janie DuVall served as the program producer and music composer for Sid Roth's It's Supernatural. She is a recording artist, producing worship music and symphony soaking. 

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When the Enemy Speaks, Fight With the Word - KATHY DEGRAW, CHARISMA MAGAZINE

The best way to fight the enemy is with God's Word. (Lightstock )

When the Enemy Speaks, Fight With the Word

10/30/2015 KATHY DEGRAW  charisma magazine

Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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Can the enemy speak to us? The fact is, most of us have already heard the enemy in our mind.

Have you ever stopped to consider that some of the thoughts that have been stirring around in your mind were from the enemy? Think about the years you heard in your mind things that were not edifying, encouraging or exhorting. Thoughts such as:

• "You will never amount to anything."
• "Why don't you take that knife and cut yourself?"
• "Why don't you run your car into a tree or off that road?"
• "Your spouse doesn't love you."
• "They are talking about you."
• "Nobody will ever love you."

We have all heard these thoughts in our mind. They have rolled around in our mind and unfortunately some of these thoughts have taken us captive and we have believed them. The thoughts are produced from lying spirits that attack us, our thought process, our feelings and our emotions. They attack the very core of our soul. We find ourselves thinking suicidal thoughts, getting depressed, worrying if our spouse really does love us or if they are cheating on us. Can you relate to any of these?

When these thoughts are rolling around in our mind and we start believing them. They become part of us and who we think we are or we perceive them as reality of what is going to happen to us. These thoughts can become torment as we keep thinking about them, but there is something we can do about our situation.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4-5).  We need to take our thoughts captive and bind our minds to the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16 and Phil. 2:6). 

It can be difficult to conquer our past. We do conquer our past through the Lord Jesus Christ, however now we have to conquer the behavior patterns and habits of automatically allowing our thoughts to go in the wrong direction. The enemy knows this and he sends tormenting and lying spirits forth to attack us. 

Jesus recognized the voice of the enemy. Satan spoke to Jesus in the desert. If Satan spoke to Jesus won't he surely speak to us? In Matthew, Satan tempted Jesus and spoke to Him several times (Matthew 4:3-11). Jesus heard from Satan and kept quoting the Scriptures to Satan. We need to do that! As a thought comes in our mind, we need to speak out loud the Scriptures against these thoughts. As we take hold of the Word of God, believe it and speak it, nothing is impossible for us to accomplish. 

When I was being attacked with mind-binding thoughts years ago, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Kathy, if your mind is full, stuffed and crammed full of the Scriptures, there will be no room for the doubts and lies of the enemy to come in and take a foothold." That was an awesome word from the Lord! When the lies began to attack, I immediately started quoting Scripture. Jesus modeled this for us by immediately taking hold of the Word and if we are supposed to be like Jesus, and we are, than we need to follow in His footsteps.

We are in a battle and the battle begins in the mind. We need to immediately give no place to the devil (Eph. 4:27) and use the Word of God as our great weapon against the enemy. We need to be building ourselves up in the Word of God. We can't quote Scripture if we don't know the Scripture. Feed yourself, feed your spirit man, and give yourself an arsenal of equipment by filling yourself up with the Word of God.

The first way to conquer the lies the enemy is telling you is to acknowledge how he speaks to you. If you can recognize how the enemy speaks to you, then you have just exposed him. When we expose the enemy, we begin to take our authority over the enemy. Exposing the enemy is the beginning of ending the spiritual warfare he is trying to afflict on us. If you can't recognize when the enemy is speaking to you, spend time seeking the face of God. Discern and self-examine with God's help.

When the enemy tries to give you direction don't listen to it, don't take it in, rebuke it (which means take authority over it) and cast it away. Instantly, purge it from your mind, as it is a distraction and assignment from the enemy.

In order to be able to discern more clearly ask yourself the following questions:

• "How does God speak to me?"
• "Where am I when God speaks to me?" 
• "How does the enemy speak to me?"
• "Can I hear God's voice?"
• "Do I know the difference?"

We need to take authority over our thoughts and change the way we think. We need to take our thought and ask ourselves does this line up with God's Word. When you discover it is not lining up with God's word, dismiss it and move on. The battlefield is in our mind and we need to get the power back into our mind that God gave us, because His Word says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind," (2 Tim. 1:7).

Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries a prophetic healing ministry releasing the love and power of God. She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours. Kathy enjoys writing and is the author of several books including Flesh, Satan or God—Who Are You Hearing From? (from which a portion of this article was adapted). Connect with Kathy at www.degrawministries.org.

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

When the going gets tough, 

the tough get going.

TO ISRAEL!

If the devil thinks he can stop me 

from going to Israel 

he is dead wrong.

Only for the courageous. 

Not the feint-hearted. 

Our brothers and sisters 

need us now.

More than ever.

May 7-15, 2016

(This isn't your parents tour.

I dare you to come.)

Ahava Adventures - Journey of Love

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

(P.S. My 12th journey in supporting our friends.)

7 Weapons the Enemy Uses to Defeat You - CHARISMA NEWS

The powers of darkness will use a variety of methods to oppress man's basic nature seeking to gain a foothold of intimidation, domination and control. (Charisma archives)

7 Weapons the Enemy Uses to Defeat You

10/10/2015 DR. F. DEAN HACKETT  charisma news

There are seven mighty weapons the enemy primarily uses from his arsenal.

1. Pride

The kingdom of darkness was birthed in the pride that filled Satan's heart (Is. 14:12-18). Satan's arrogance had its roots in his physical beauty (Ezek. 28:12-18). The original sin took place in the Garden of Eden, as a result of the serpent's appeal to the pride of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:1-7). Pride is one of the three root sins of mankind.

"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" (1 John 2:16). Satan will use pride to keep people from seeking God (Ps. 10:4). Jesus said pride comes out of the heart of a person and defiles them (Mark 7:22). Pride is the root of all contention and strife (Prov. 13:10). The Apostle John wrote of the dangers pride and how Satan will use it to fight against the church.

"I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to put himself first among them, did not accept us. Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what kinds of works he does: ranting against us with malicious words. Not content with that, he does not accept the brothers, and stops those who want to, and throws them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. Whoever does good is from God, but whoever does evil has not seen God" (3 John 9-11).

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18).

 2. Greed

Satan's heart is not only filled with pride but with greed.

"You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I set you there; you were upon the holy mountain of God; you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. By the multitude of your merchandise, you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire" (Ezek. 28:14-16).

Satan tempted Balaam to prophesy against the people of God for great wealth (Num. 22-23). The apostle Peter warned the church in 2 Peter 2:1-16 of the demonic strategies used against Balaam. Jude warned of these same strategies in Jude 1-11.

Jesus also warned the church at Pergamos of these satanic strategies (Rev. 2:14). The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. He gave five dangers of greed in 1 Timothy 6:9-10. It makes a person more vulnerable to temptation, it sets a spiritual snare, it creates foolish and hurtful lusts which will drown a person in destruction and perdition, it causes a person to err from the faith, and it pierces a person through with many sorrows.

Jericho was the tithe city of the promise land, set apart by God. No one was to take spoil for themselves, it was all to go into the treasury of the Lord (Josh. 6:17-19). One greedy man took some of the spoil bringing judgment upon himself, his family and the nation of Israel (Josh. 7:1-21).

Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit when they told the Apostle Peter in Acts 5:1-10 that they were bringing the whole price of their land as an offering to God. They kept part of the money for themselves, lying to the Holy Spirit and the apostles. Judgment was both swift and deadly.

3. Appetites of the Flesh

Demonic forces corrupted the early generations of mankind through sexual sins (Gen. 6:1-5). Satan trapped the Israelites by tempting them with sexual sins in Numbers 25:1-8 and 31:16. Satan took down Samson in Judges 16:5-20 by enticing him through the appetites of the flesh.

The apostle Paul warned the church at Thessalonica of this powerful weapon of the enemy (1 Thess. 4:1-8), and also warned his spiritual son, Timothy, of the strong snare these appetites are to men of God who want to be vessels of honor in the house of the Lord in 2 Timothy 2:19-26.

4. and 5. Rebellion and Stubbornness

Satan is the author of rebellion. He planned an attempted overthrow of heaven as described in Isaiah 14:13-15. He prompted a rebellion against Moses and Aaron by Korah and Dathan in Numbers 16:1-50. Saul was a self-willed and rebellious king over Israel, animated by powers of darkness (1 Sam. 13:1-14, 15:1-11).

We read in 1 Samuel 15:23 that rebellion is like witchcraft and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. The apostle Paul warned the church in 2 Timothy 2:23-3:9 of the dangers of rebellion and stubbornness. 

6. Bitterness

Unforgiveness gives the enemy a foothold (Eph. 4:26-27). "Give place to the devil" in Ephesians 4:27 means to give him an area of jurisdiction.

Jesus declared in Matthew 18:21-25 that unforgiveness in a person's heart causes God to have to turn you over to tormentors. Bitterness will bring defiling into every area of a person's life, relationships and endeavor (Heb. 12:14-16).

 7. Condemnation

Satan was the accuser against Job (Job 1:1-12, 2:1-7). He is called "the accuser of the brethren" in Revelation 12:10 and accuses the believer to God day and night. The tactics he uses are domination, intimidation and control. The Midianites used these tactics to keep Israel in bondage to their tyrannical rule in Judges 6:1-5.

In 1 Samuel 17:1-24 we read that the Philistines used this same tactic against Israel with Goliath. The enemy has used this mighty weapon to control people, groups and nations for centuries. The following are some examples of the means used by the enemy in history.

In his book Western Civilizations, Edward McNall Burns says that the Assyrians "depended upon frightfulness as a means of overcoming their enemies. Upon soldiers captured in battle, and some upon noncombatants as well, they inflicted unspeakable cruelties such as, skinning them alive, impaling them on stakes, cutting off ears, noses and sex organs, and then exhibiting the mutilated victims in cages for the benefit of cities that had not yet surrendered. The accounts of these cruelties come from the records of the Assyrians themselves. Their chronicles boasted of them as evidence of their valor."

The Roman Empire used crucifixion and other means of cruelty to intimidate their subjects. John Foxe, in his book Foxe's Book of Martyrs, says: "'In so much that (as Eusebius recordeth) one might then see cities full of men's bodies, the old there lying together with the young, and the dead bodies of women cast out naked, without all reverence of that sex in the open streets.'"

The Nazi's used open cruelty to bring intimidation, domination and control. Kazimierz Smolen, in his book Auschwitz 1940-1945: Guide-Book Through the Museum, says: "The prisoners then recalled scraps of information so nightmarish that it could hardly be believed. They went back to the period just after the end of World War I, when the name of Corporal Adolph Hitler had begun to appear ... his storm troops (SA), the main purpose of which was to spread terror ... demonstrations occurred in Berlin in 1932. ... Reich Stag was set on fire. ... Unused factories were changed into the first concentration camps. The Nazis had put thousands of Germans behind wires and bars. 250,000 anti-fascists were sent to concentration camps up till 1939, and 32,000 among them were executed with the ax."

"For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

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Greg Laurie Points His Finger at the Devil in #IAmaChristian Massacre - Jennifer Justice

A woman kneels at a memorial to honor the victims of the Umpqua Community College shooting. (Reuters)

Greg Laurie Points His Finger at the Devil in #IAmaChristian Massacre

10/5/2015 JESSILYN JUSTICE  charisma news

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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In the wake of the travesty targeting American Christians, evangelist Greg Laurie says now is the time Christians need to stand up for their faith.  

"Should we retreat and try to blend in? Should we no longer speak up for what we know is true? No, we should be even bolder and stand our ground and speak up for our faith," Laurie says. "Events like this can be frightening, I know. But remember this: each of these courageous believers were welcomed into heaven by the Lord." 

Laurie penned the words in response to the Umpqua Community College shooting where Chris Harper-Mercer killed nine, allegedly for their faith.  

Report after report indicates Harper-Mercer asked if the students were Christians before he pulled the trigger.

Laurie isn't the only one identifying persecution against Christians after the atrocious shooting.  

"Persecution and targeting of Christians isn't just in Iran or the Middle East, it's right here in America," Franklin Graham says. "The bold souls at Umpqua Community College who stood up to say they were followers of Jesus Christ were heinously gunned down with no mercy." 

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Coalition, joins both Graham and Laurie in crying out on behalf of believers being slaughtered on their own soil.  

"Accordingly, as a nation, we must repudiate all religious bigotry—without exception. More than ever before, we must stand committed to protecting our God-given and constitutionally protected right of religious liberty," Rodriguez says.  

While some politicians look to gun-control measures to reduce violence, both Rodriguez and Laurie point to the issue of sin as the true root of evil.  

"When an event like this recent shooting takes place the question is always asked, 'Why?' Mental health and gun control solutions are usually brought up, but the one thing you rarely heard said is, 'It happened because people are evil,'" Laurie says. "Yes, just as surely as there is a God in heaven, there is a devil, who I believe is behind this persecution against followers of Jesus." 

To address the atrocity, and to even prevent more, Rodriguez is adamant Christians need to stand up against sin and how its shaped America.  

"The discussion should not be limited to guns, laws, rights, mental illness and prevention," Rodriguez says. "At the end of the day, our conversation must compel us all to address the issue of sin, resulting in hatred, intolerance, animosity, bigotry, apathy, complacency and murder." 

With lives at stake, the issue of faith goes much deeper than embarrassment over potential disagreement, Laurie says. Rather, the threat of death should embolden us to live stronger lives for Christ. 

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!

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4 Unfailing Defenses to Combat Torment in the Night

Here's how you can sleep peacefully in victory over Satan. (iStock photo )

4 Unfailing Defenses to Combat Torment in the Night

9/19/2015 KYLE WINKLER  charisma news

Satan isn't creative, but he is predictable. He operates from a playbook of strategies, which he launches systematically on person after person.

But, don't mistake predictability for stupidity: He's certainly cunning and knows just when to attack. Many of his plays are set in motion—not when we're alert and strong—but when our defenses are down. It's no surprise, then, that one of the most popular questions I receive regarding spiritual warfare relates to how to combat torment in the night—persistent nightmares, sexual dreams or even the presence of hovering figures.

Nighttime Attacks in Scripture

Satan's work under the cloak of the night isn't without biblical precedent. To be certain, it's what led to the near-destruction of Job. Allow me to elaborate. Job was considered by God to be "blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil" (Job 1:1).

But unbeknownst to Job, a wager was made in the heavens, instigated by Satan. The devil argued that if God's blessings were removed, Job wouldn't maintain his righteousness. And God allowed, then Satan immediately went to work attacking Job's character, stealing his property, children and health. Eventually, when word got around of Job's tribulations, his friends came to determine just what was going on. They remained quiet, for the most part, seeking to properly discern the situation. But it all radically changed after an attack in the night.

In the midst of deep sleep, Job's best friend, Eliphaz, reported, "A word was brought to me secretly" (Job 4:12–13). It was an experience so intense, in fact, that he was overcome with dread and shaken to his core (Job 4:14). Shortly after, Eliphaz felt a spirit glide across his face, causing his hair to bristle. When a form stood before him, he heard a voice:

"Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?" (Job 4:17).

These were no innocent questions about humanity's position compared to God. No, this spirit was planting impure thoughts to put into question the very declaration God had previously made about Job. That is, it questioned Job's righteousness. And it worked. Eliphaz quickly broke his silence to indict Job for his own distress.

So many of us have experienced something similar—dread and trembling in the night that shakes our very cores. What should be a new day filled with God's new mercies (see Lamentations 3:22), turns into a day of feeling dirty and defeated.

Your 4 Defenses

Thankfully, God never leaves anyone to be the devil's doormat. And even in your sleep, you don't have to be defenseless. Nighttime is a crucial time to trust in God's power to combat the enemy on your behalf. And I've learned four unfailing ways to do so—sure to end nighttime attacks for good.

1. Close open doors. Yes, you may sleep more peacefully if you close—and lock!—your bedroom door. But that's not what I'm talking about here. There may be spiritual doors left open in your life, welcoming the enemy in to attack. These often include lifestyle sins such as offense and unforgiveness, occult practices or sexual promiscuity. To close these doors, simply acknowledge the sin and thank God for His finished work on the cross that removed it. Then ask Him to manifest the power of the cross in your life to sever the sin's hold on you.

2. Plead Jesus' blood. Speaking of the accuser, John wrote that we overcome him "by the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:11). I've found that invoking the power of Jesus' blood is especially critical to ending attacks in the night. Before you go to bed, speak aloud, "I cover myself in the blood of  Jesus." I believe this places a spiritual force field around you that the enemy can't penetrate. The blood of Jesus freshly applied on you repels Satan with a reminder of his defeat at Christ's cross.

3. Ask God to surround you with leagues of angels. Within God's heavenly hierarchy are hosts of angel armies that He charges to guard and protect us in everything that we do (Psalm 91:11). Many find it particularly effective to pray aloud before retiring for bed, "God, I ask you to send leagues of angels to protect me as I sleep." You probably won't see them, but be assured that an angelic line of defense will report to duty to surround you in your slumber.

4. Meditate on God's Word. God gives us His Word as a weapon in spiritual warfare. In fact, God's Word is the final piece Paul lists in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:17). To keep the enemy at bay, maintain a practice of running God's Word through your mind and your mouth. Additionally, many find it helpful to saturate their environments with the Word by playing Scripture set to music. My new Experience Freedom album (available on CD and iTunes) is a powerful resource for this. It guides you in speaking the Word over yourself, and is useful to set a peaceful environment while you work or sleep. One thing is certain: The father of lies has no power when the truth of the Father is present.

It's easy to get into battle mode, believing that we must fight Satan in our own efforts. But God revealed to me that spiritual warfare isn't about having a bloodbath with a devil that's defeated.

No, it's about standing in the victory of the One who defeated him. And in this case, you can sleep soundly in victory by activating God's defenses on your behalf: His cross, His blood, His angels and His Word.

Kyle Winkler teaches people how to live in victory. His mobile app, Shut Up, Devil!, is the No. 1 spiritual warfare app; and his recent book, Silence Satan, has helped thousands shut down the enemy's attacks, threats, lies and accusations. Kyle holds a Master of Divinity degree in biblical studies from Regent University. Get daily encouragement from Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.

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