INTERCESSORY REPENTANCE

For a number of years this ministry has been practicing what we have termed "intercessory repentance." We have encouraged those to whom we minister to practice it as well. Simply defined, intercessory repentance [IR] is the practice of interceding for those who are bound by sin by repenting on their behalf through confessing their sins to God until they are brought to repentance. It consists of a heartfelt sorrow concerning other's sins against God and the desire for them to turn away from their sin and submit themselves to God. We do not in any way seek to undermine the responsibility of the individual to be accountable for their sins.

Often we are not able to talk with those who are involved in sin because they are very defensive, hostile or self-righteous about their behavior. IR provides a powerful way of ministering those who cannot be reached in any other way. It avoids confrontation on a human level, but is a very powerful way to confront the enemy on a spiritual level.

There are ample scriptural precedents to support this principle. Let us examine various elements of this principle in God's Word.

I. The Believer's Priesthood

God directed that Aaron be consecrated as the first high priest of Israel. God established him as the model of priesthood. Priests were to be guardians and servants of the relationship God wanted with His people. The priests represented Israel before God and they also represented God to Israel.

In Leviticus 16, we are provided with detailed insight concerning the high priest's duties. On the Day of Atonement he prepared himself through physical cleansing and then offered a sin offering to make atonement for himself and his family. Following this, he interceded on behalf of the people and once again entered into the presence of God. Aaron received from the people two male goats. One goat was sacrificed as a sin offering and the other was made a scapegoat upon which the peoples' sins were placed and then sent out into the wilderness.

The point is that the priest first dealt with his own sin and then he came before God with the sins of the people. We have been taught that our priesthood primarily involves direct access to God; that we come boldly and directly to Him through prayer. That is true. But our priesthood also involves bringing the sins of others to God, confessing sin on their behalf and asking for God's grace to be extended to them so they may repent. As priests we come to our high priest, Jesus Christ and draw upon the grace provided by the shedding of His blood. As He makes intercession for us, so we make intercession for others, confessing their sins to God. In so doing, we bless them and frustrate the enemy by undermining his sin claim.

II. Forgiveness and Love

IR is not possible unless there is true forgiveness in our own hearts. We have to let go of judgment towards others no matter what they have done to us or to others we love, because the Lord loves them and that is His will. It may be difficult at first, but the Lord will help you do this. Strange as it may seem, we will also benefit if we are obedient in this manner. Through this act of forgiving grace, we will begin to see the person in a new light and will be released from the inner turmoil that has influenced us. It can bring much healing to the body of Christ.

III. Burden Bearing

Gal 6:1-2 (NRSV) "My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Bear one anothers burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

I cannot think of a better way to restore people than to repent for their sins which are grieving God, so that His grace may bring conviction in the area of the sin and hopefully repentance will follow. Through IR we can help fan the fires of conviction as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, because God will honor our priestly work. After a time a change of attitude is often detected and an opening may be provided in which someone is able to speak to the person in a loving and gentle way concerning sin issues. We encourage parents to minister to rebellious children by confessing their sins daily.

IV. Discernment and Warfare

Eph 6:18 "Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints."

As we intercede for those bound by sin, the Spirit will give insight as to the nature of the sin and also the activity of Satan concerning it. It is very difficult to bind up the power of any spirit that is working in someones life unless the sin claim, that gives him power to operate, has been addressed through intercession.

V. The Corporate Element

It is difficult for Americans to understand our corporate accountability before God, because we are culturally very independent and individualistic people. In the scriptures we witness the sin of an individual affecting future generations in a family (2 Ki 5:26-27) and also affecting a nation (Jos 22:20). In many respects, we are our brother's keeper. (Gen 4:9) God considers us accountable for how we feel about others, and how we treat and relate to them. Our sins affect others and their sins affect us.

Nehemiah understood that Israel had been taken into captivity because of their sins. He prayed to God and said, "I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I prayer before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinance which You commanded Your servant Moses." (Nehemiah 1:5-7)

As a result of this intercession, Nehemiah received favor with the king and was sent back to rebuild Jerusalem as governor. After Jerusalem's walls were repaired and gates built, Nehemiah and Ezra, who had also been confessing Israel's sins (Ezra 9:5-15), both witnessed God's Spirit bringing conviction and repentance to the people following the public reading of God's word in chapters 8 and 9. God honored their obedience with a spiritual revival!

Stephen was a man full of God's grace and power. He did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. He was brought before the Sanhedrin because of false accusations and he spoke eloquently but was condemned to death by stoning.

Acts 7:59-8:1 "While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death."

Shortly after Stephen's prayer and death, Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and was converted. God had honored Stephen's prayer.

On the Cross, just before His death, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." The book of Acts is a record of many that came to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Savior. They became the basis of the Church that God called into being to become the body of Christ continuing His work here on earthy.

Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit continue to make intercession for us. This is part of God's wondrous plan of grace.

Some Practical Applications

1. Ministering to family members

2. An effective element to include in our ministry to others

3. An effective way to intercede for institutions, government and nations

Summary of the principles:

1. Adopt a Christ-like attitude toward the person for whom you are interceding. Realize God's desire to see people repent and be free. Ask god to show you any wrong attitudes or motives which remain in you. Pray for God's love to overcome your prejudice and judgmental attitudes.

2. Ask God to show you the sin areas in a person's life that need to be addressed. Make a list of these sins so that you may intercede daily concerning them. Bringing them to God daily is necessary because people renew their sins daily.

3. Address every act of sin that occurs around you immediately. This can be done by immediately praying silently or going into another room for privacy.

4. Use your believer's authority in Christ to address demonic activity and bind the authority of the demon that is working at the time. Command that the demon's power be broken and order him to leave and go to where Jesus sends him. Mental commands can be effective in circumstances where you cannot speak aloud. Spirits communicate on a mental level anyway and the Holy Spirit anoints our commands with the authority and power of God. Always learn to act on the basis of faith, because you will not always see a reaction in the natural. If Christians only realized what often happens when they pray or exercise spiritual authority, they would truly be amazed.

5. Test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1). Do not always assume that your problems are always natural ones, or always the enemy. Pray for spiritual discernment. It is possible to test situations by confessing any sin connection and then exercising spiritual authority against any demonic activity associated with the problem. You will be surprised in the number of times your situation will change as a result.

This principle of intercession can be summed up by the words God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel concerning Jerusalem's sins. "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none."

If you are willing to step out in faith and explore this biblical principle of "intercessory repentance" you will soon realize it is possible through God's grace and power to pull down strongholds that the enemy has built. But you will have to learn to be patient, persevering and stand in faith on God's promises.

By Don Rodgers

IDENITY IN YESHUA (JESUS)

MY RELATIONSHIP I am reconciled to God - 2 Cor 5:18
I'm a child of God - He is my Father - 1 Jn 3:1,2 I am a saint - Eph 1:1; 1 Cor 1:2; Phil 1:1
I am Christ's friend - Jn 15:15 I am a fellow citizen in God's kingdom - Eph 2:19
I am born of God - 1 Jn 4:7 I have been brought near to Christ - Eph 2:13
I have been adopted by God - Rom 8:15 I'm to be righteous and holy like God - Eph 4:24
I have direct access to God - Eph 2:18

MY INHERITANCE I am a citizen of heaven - Phil 3:20
I am an heir of God - Rom 8:17 I've been rescued from Satan's domain - Col 1:13
I am a joint heir with Christ - Rom 8:17; Gal 4:7 I am hidden with Christ in God - Col 3:3
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing - Eph 1:3 I am chosen of God - holy, beloved - Col 3:12
I am a child of promise - Rom 9:8; Gal 3:14 I am a child of light, not darkness - 1 Thess 5:5
I've been given great promises - 2 Pet 1:4 I am a partaker of Christ - Heb 3:14
I'm one of God's living stones - 1 Pet 2:5

MY TRANSFORMATION I'm a member of a royal priesthood - 1 Pet 2:9
I'm redeemed and forgiven - Eph 1:6-8 I'm to be a stranger to this world - 1 Pet 2:11I've been justified - made righteous - Rom 5:1 I'm an enemy of the devil - 1 Pet 5:8
I have eternal life - Jn 5:24
I died w/Christ to the power of sin - Rom 6:1-6 MY CALLING
I am free from condemnation - Rom 8:1 I am to be salt on the earth - Mt 5:13
I have received the Spirit of God -1 Cor 2:12 I am to be light in the world - Mt 5:14I have been given the mind of Christ - 1 Cor 2:16 I'm chosen and appointed to bear fruit - Jn 15:16
I have been crucified with Christ - Gal 2:20 I am called to do the works of Christ - Jn 14:12
I am a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17 I am to do what Christ commanded His disciples - Mt 28:20
I have been made alive with Christ - Eph 2:5 I have been given spiritual authority - Lk 10:19
I am God's workmanship - Eph 2:10 Signs should accompany my work - Mk 16:17-20
I have received fullness in Christ - Col 2:10 I am a minister of a new covenant - 2 Cor 3:6
I am a minister of reconciliation - 2 Cor 5:18,19

MY POSITION I am to be an expression of life in Christ - Col 3:4
I am connected to the true vine - Jn 15:1,5 I am a partaker of a heavenly calling - Heb 3:1
I'm a willing slave of righteousness - Rom 6:18,22
I am a temple of God - 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19
I am one spirit with the Lord - 1 Cor 6:17
I am a member of Christ's body - 1 Cor 12:27
I am reconciled to God - 2 Cor 5:18
I'm a child of God - He is my Father - 1 Jn 3:1,2 I am a saint - Eph 1:1; 1 Cor 1:2; Phil 1:1
I am Christ's friend - Jn 15:15 I am a fellow citizen in God's kingdom - Eph 2:19
I am born of God - 1 Jn 4:7 I have been brought near to Christ - Eph 2:13
I have been adopted by God - Rom 8:15 I'm to be righteous and holy like God - Eph 4:24
I've been justified - made righteous - Rom 5:1 I'm an enemy of the devil - 1 Pet 5:8

MY CALLING
I am free from condemnation - Rom 8:1 I am to be salt on the earth - Mt 5:13
I have received the Spirit of God -1 Cor 2:12 I am to be light in the world - Mt 5:14I have been given the mind of Christ - 1 Cor 2:16 I'm chosen and appointed to bear fruit - Jn 15:16
I have been crucified with Christ - Gal 2:20 I am called to do the works of Christ - Jn 14:12
I am a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17 I am to do what Christ commanded His disciples - Mt 28:20
I have been made alive with Christ - Eph 2:5 I have been given spiritual authority - Lk 10:19
I am God's workmanship - Eph 2:10 Signs should accompany my work - Mk 16:17-20
I have received fullness in Christ - Col 2:10 I am a minister of a new covenant - 2 Cor 3:6
I am a minister of reconciliation - 2 Cor 5:18,19

POWER OF PRAYER

by Don Rogers

Gracious God, I acknowledge that You are worthy of all honor, glory and praise. I am thankful for the victorious work of Your Son, Jesus Christ at Calvary for me. I appropriate His victory for myself now as I willingly surrender every area of my life to Your will.

Thank you for the forgiveness and righteousness that has been given to me as Your adopted child. I trust in Your protection and provision daily. I know that your love for me never ceases.

I rejoice in Your victory, my Lord, over all the principalities and powers in the heavenlies. In faith I stand in Your victory and commit myself to live obediently for You my King.

I desire that my fellowship with You become greater. Reveal to me those things that grieve You and enables the enemy to secure an advantage in my life. I need the Holy Spirit's powerful ministry in my life; bringing conviction of sin, repentance of heart, strengthening my faith and increasing perseverance in resisting temptation.

Help me to die to self and walk in the victory of the new creation You have provided for me. Let the fruits of the Spirit flow out of my life so that You will be glorified through my life.

I know that it is Your will that I should stand firm and resist all of the enemy's work against me. Help me to discern the attacks upon my thoughts and emotions. Enable me to stand upon Your Word and resist all the accusations, distortions and condemnations that are hurled against me.

It is my desire to be transformed through the renewing of my mind, so that I will not compromise with the ways of the world, or yield to the enemy's attacks, but be obedient to Your will.

I draw upon those spiritual resources that You have provided me and I attack the strongholds and plans of the enemy that have been put in place against me. I command in the name of Jesus Christ that the enemy must release my mind, will, emotions and body completely. They have been yielded to the Lord and I belong to Him.

Lord, enable me to become the person You created me to be. Help me as I pray to be strong in faith. Show me how to apply Your Word in my life each day. I know that I wear the full armor of God when I am committed to and stand firmly upon Your Word. I want You to have the supreme place in my life.

I surrender myself completely to You, Lord. You are always faithful and You extend Your grace to me constantly, even when I do not realize it. I claim Your promise of forgiveness, cleansing and healing in its fullness. In faith, I receive the victory today that you have already put in place for me. I do this in the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior with a grateful heart. AMEN

SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

By Don Rogers
In order to exercise any kind of authority, one must represent a source that is ready and able to back up the represented authority with an adequate reserve of power.
1. THE CALLING TO EXERCISE AUTHORITY
Luke 9:1,2,6 - the disciples
Luke 10:19 - the seventy-two
Matthew 28:18-20 & Mark 16:17-20 - all believers
Romans 16:20 - all believers
James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8,9; & Ephesians 6:10-18 - all believers
2. THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO EXERCISE AUTHORITY
FAITH - rooted in Jesus Christ (Mt 16:16,18,19)
UNITY - of belief and purpose (Mt 18:19)
It is extremely important to understand correctly what the Lord is saying about the conditions of exercising spiritual authority. Many assume they have carte blanche or full discretionary authority to personally exercise. That is not what is being said by the Lord. Notice the following verses which portray accurately what was expressed in the Greek language.
Matthew 16:19 - "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you forbid on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven." (Williams version)
Matthew 18:18 - "I solemnly say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must be already permitted in heaven." (Williams version)
We must always be seeking God's will in each instance before exercising authority in Jesus' name. Sometimes we will already know God's will because it is revealed in His Word and other times we will need a direct revelation as to what we should do and when we should do it.
3. THE MANIFESTATION OF AUTHORITY
The keys of the Kingdom - to bind & loose what God has already bound or loosed. This is contingent on knowing God's will, not being led by our desires. (Mt 16:19) (Note: The Greek word "bind"(deo) means to "put in bonds" or "forbid" - the sense might be to restrict or limit by God's authority the activity of the enemy or even render him helpless. The Greek word "loose" (luo) means to break up, destroy, dissolve or put off - the sense might be to break up the work of the enemy, destroy his strongholds or power, dissolve or put off whatever the enemy has put in place and thus "permit" the freedom the Lord has ordained.)
Demonstrating the presence of God's kingdom - Ministering in power (Mt 12:28) Personally, I am committed to taking God's kingdom presence, His power and authority with me whenever and wherever I minister. I go as a representative of God's kingdom, operating in the calling He has put upon me. It is as objects of God's grace we are able to become "administrators of God's grace" to others. 1 Peter 4:10 - "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
4. CONDITIONS THAT RESIST SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
Lack of Faith - Mt 17:19-21
A Community of Unbelief - (Prayer group, congregation etc) - Mk 6:4-6
The Practice of Sin - Gal 4:9; Jn 8:34,35
The Tricks of Satan - (Hindered through deception, attacks etc.) - 2 Cor 2:11
5. GOD'S AUTHORITY COMMITTED TO HUMAN HANDS
Moses - Exodus 14:15ff - parting the Red Sea
Elijah - 2 Kings 2:7-8 - parting the water in the Jordon River
Elisha - 2 Kings 6:17,18 - praying blindness upon the enemy
Paul - Acts 13:11 - pronounced blindness upon Elymas, the sorcerer
Peter - Acts 5 - pronounced the death of Ananias & Saphirra
The Promise - Acts 1:8 - power from the Holy Spirit
The Testimony - Romans 15:18,19 -
"I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit."

PUTTING YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND DOESN'T STOP SATAN FROM HARASSING YOU!

CHRISTIAN PASSIVITY
by Don Rogers
I have noticed throughout nearly forty years of ministry a passive approach to the Christian walk that many Christians adopt without realizing it.
When I speak of “passivity” I mean the lack of engaging the scriptural truths that God has provided in His Word and working them out in everyday experiences.
Too often, Christians are satisfied to fill up on knowledge and do very little with it. Many seem to believe that acquiring the knowledge is sufficient concerning their obedience to God. But in reality, it is only the beginning of the process that God has called us to partake. We are told to study the Word (2 Tim. 2:15 KJV - “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”), meditate on the Word (Psa. 119:97 “O how I love Thy law! It is my all the day.” NAS), and work out the Word daily in our lives. (Phil. 2:12-13 “… work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” NAS)
There used to be a saying, “let go and let God.” My, how that expression his been misused. It became a spiritual excuse to not be actively engaged in the Christian struggle; just wait on the Lord to intervene. If He doesn’t, it must be His will.
Christian passivity is extremely detrimental to personal accountability in our living for God. So many Christians today lack personal commitment and a submissive attitude. It is quite apparent on the local church level.
I have noticed in the last fifteen years how many Christians migrate continually to a host of special meetings and conferences. So many that I have talked to seem to be searching for the “magic formula of truth” that will turn their lives around to victory. Yet, after many such meetings, they are just as empty as before. They have acquired information, but there is little apparent change in their lives. Many have become bewildered and confused as to why this is happening to them. Some even get angry at God for not doing something to change their lives.
It is quite apparent that numerous Christians are waiting for God to do something for them and are not taking responsibility to begin applying His truths to their lives, or yielding to the Holy Spirit, or trusting Him to help them work out their salvation daily, or depend on the cooperative relationship God desires us to have.
Fewer Christians are making the time to daily study their Bible and then spend time meditating on what the have read. If this is not done, it is like gulping food down without chewing it. This does not help the digestion process.
It is not enough to do your duty and read a bit of scripture each day. Have you noticed how little of it you retain? God wants us to desire His Word like food, and chew on it and digest it with the enlightenment that the Holy Spirit provides. When we hunger and thirst for the riches of the Word, it will be opened up to us. A superficial reading of the Word will not cut it , as far as spiritual growth is concerned. It is also very disrespectful of the wonderful revelation that God has provided us.
There are other reasons why passivity has crept into the lives of Christians. One has to do with “wrong priorities.” We live in a fast paced society where there are many demands upon ourselves and our family members. There will be little time for our spiritual lives unless they are given a place high on the list of our priorities. If we just hope to find time after we have taken care of other responsibilities, we will never have a consistent time with God, His Word, His people or for His service. Trying to squeeze everything in to a given day does not work either. We have to take inventory of our lives and start pruning away the non-essentials. God has to be first, the marriage second, the family third, work and then other things. Setting right priorities is often painful at first, but in the end it is liberating. The enemy will provide you with many reasons why you should continue to hang on to some things in your life.
I have a tendency to hold on to every little thing that has any value. I hate to throw anything away. Needless to say, I have multitudes of shelves in my cellar that are completely full as well as the aisles between them. I have not used these things for years, but I still hold on to them. It is almost impossible to find anything when I decide I want it.
In reality, I have wasted valuable space with things I may never use. That is what we are doing with our daily lives; letting a lot of insignificant things clutter our day and rob us of the benefit of the more important things.
Jesus pinpointed the problem in his interpretation of his Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:14 “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”
Another symptom of passivity is evident when it comes to the biblical teaching of spiritual warfare. The apostle Paul is very clear in Ephesians 6 that Christians are in a struggle with spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. There are many Christians who choose to let God fight the battle rather than get involved. It is clear that they feel ill equipped to deal with such a battle and they are not eager to find out. But all through scripture we are commanded to resist our enemy.
Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
Throughout the body of Christ there is a fear of aggressively resisting the enemy who seeks to rob us and hinder us from attaining what God has called us to be. Part of fulfilling the Great Commission is setting the captives free. In order to do that, we must often confront the enemy in the power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Warfare is about having a biblical world view which includes the reality of an ongoing battle with the forces of evil for the souls of mankind. To join this battle one must have faith in the sovereign power of our God, assurance of our identity in Christ and faith in the promises of God.
God uses the struggle to strengthen His people in their faith and teaches them to not depend on their own strength or understanding. We learn to be led by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.
Passivity can be all encompassing. It affects people mentally, emotionally and their wills.
Mentally, we do not challenge the thoughts that come to us that are inconsistent to the Word of God. Many of our thoughts have their source in the enemy. We are told to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:5
Emotionally, we let our feelings have undue influence in our lives, even at times having more weight than the Word of God. The enemy is very effective in stirring up our emotions with his intimidating suggestions.
The will is powerless to take any action or stand firm against what is being experienced. The enemy likes to suggest the hopelessness of our situation and that God will not be there when we need Him. As a result, people get into a fatalistic acceptance of the inevitable. These are some of the dangerous outcomes when passivity is allowed to become a way of life for the Christian. God has called each of His children to an active relationship with Himself and with others. The enemy wants to isolate us into passivity, but we must resist this. Our faith is about an intimate relationship with our Savior and a daily resisting of the temptations of the world and our enemy.
Passivity in and of itself can provide an opportunity for the enemy. First, we are living in disobedience and lacking in faith. Second, we are not prepared to stand against temptations and persevere during trials. We are not trusting in the omnipotent power of God to enable us and to protect us. We have allowed the enemy to become as big as God in our lives by blaming everything that happens in our lives on demonic activity. That is exactly what Satan wants you to believe. We allow ourselves to become easy prey to fear and stop trusting in the promises of God, the victorious finished work of our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross and His triumphant victory over the enemy through the resurrection.
"Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you - unless, indeed, you fail the test!" 2 Corinthians 13:5 NET
I hope none of you have been trying to live your lives on the basis of an emotional religious experience you once had, but have never really experienced the fruits of inner transformation by the Spirit of God in your lives. Head knowledge of religious truth is never an adequate substitute for heart knowledge that brings about inner joy and faith in God despite the circumstances you experience. Such an experience brings freedom from fear and the desire to glorify God through your lives.
Put yourselves to the test!

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

As I went through this teaching the L-rd took me back to a time when he told me to cover my mind in the blood of Yeshua (Jesus) because that would be the first place that the enemy would attack me. That's why it is so important for us to put on the full armor of G-d everyday... Taking up the helmet of salvation...which covers the mind from attack. Covering are minds with the blood and the word. Washing the mind with the word to get out all the garbage and replace it with the things of the L-rd!

Satan's most frequent and consistent attack is directed against our minds. He sends his hosts out with an arsenal of weapons: lies, threats and intimidation, questions, accusations, lust and other enticements.
The attack often starts very early in life. If a child is abused at home, lies from the enemy appear in the thoughts saying the child deserves it or is not worth anything to anyone. Accusations surface in the thoughts that it is the child's fault anyway.
As many children are developing, questions from the enemy often appear in their thoughts regarding their sexual identity. Over and over these thoughts emerge causing confusion, shame and fear.
Once a child begins to receive any lie as truth, more lies will appear to reinforce the central lie. After awhile, the child will begin to focus on its own shortcomings and perceive the rejection of others. Sometimes people are directed, by the enemy, into their lives to prey on them to add more reinforcement to the lies.
If parents do not reflect the character of God to their children, the children will project all their shortcomings on to God. For instance, if one or more parents is cold, lacking in emotion, rigid and constantly preoccupied with other things, the child will see God as lacking compassion, unloving and not there for them. The enemy will encourage these perceptions.
Many bring a lot of bad baggage along with them into adulthood from their childhood. Some grow up in homes where there has been considerable control, manipulation and emotional or physical abuse. Women are often "led" to find a man of similar qualities to continue the destructive negative reinforcements in their lives. We cannot underestimate the enemy's influence in these situations.
In many cases, the enemy already has claims upon parents and even grandparents. Now the enemy focuses on the children, because he knows that the consequences of family sins can make the children vulnerable to similar attacks.
We minister to many adults who have been believing the enemy's lies about themselves for years. Often there are strongholds of low self-esteem and self hatred. Needless to say, it is very difficult for them, as believers, to live by faith. The enemy continues to pummel them will lies and accusations, causing much doubt and hopelessness.
We see many adults who are full of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. Some time in their life, often in childhood, they have been hurt deeply by someone. The enemy will constantly give them "flashback memories" of that situation in the past. The memories are so painful, that they constantly stir up the anger, bitterness and resentment, so strongly that it is very difficult for that person to forgive, even though they know the need to.
We could continue indefinitely with these scenarios, but it is my hope you have gotten the point concerning the enemy's activity directed toward your thoughts.
What is a person to do when their mind has been under assault for such a long time? My answer to that is not simple, nor is it easy. But you have to start somewhere.
1. It is extremely important to correct the wrong perceptions of God. Any study that presents a balanced study of the character of God will be extremely beneficial. You might want to start with a simple study that we have on this site, entitled "Knowing God." This can be found at http://www.sw-mins.org/strat4.html This is only a basic study which can be built upon with more in-depth studies. I can't emphasize enough how important it is for you to correct your perception of God and have it line up with the Scriptures.
2. It is equally important to discover what God has to say about you. You need to know your true identity according to the Word of God. The enemy has been distorting and lying about you, so that you have a false perception of yourself. We have a simple study on this site in which you can discover what the Word of God says about you. The page is called, "The Believer's Identity in Christ," at http://www.sw-mins.org/identity.html Again, this is only a basic study which you can build upon later.
3. The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." The first two steps, "Knowing God" and "The Believer's Identity in Christ," are the beginning of that process. It is imperative that you fill your mind with TRUTH to counteract the lies you have been believing. You also have to confess specifically that you have been believing the lies of the enemy and ask God to forgive you and cleanse you.
Part of taking your thoughts captive is to start disciplining yourself concerning the things you watch in the movies, TV and the Internet, as well as the things you read in books and magazines. You need to clean up what you are allowing to influence your mind and emotions.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
It won't be easy at first, but with God's help and a desire to please Him, you can overcome and claim victory.
4. God has given each of us direct access to Himself through prayer. He has said that we can come boldly into His presence and present our requests to Him. Most people do not take advantage of this great privilege. Many see it only as an obligation rather than a way to experience fellowship with the Lord. Parents want their children to come to them with their concerns. How much more does our God want us to come to Him. Jesus spent much time with his Father when he was on this earth.
Without a consistent prayer life and fellowship with the Lord, you will not experience the victory that you desire. God has given us the Holy Spirit to teach how to pray. God has given us promises to claim. He has given us tremendous provisions to utilize in our daily lives.
In closing, I want to remind you of another statement by the Apostle Paul.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
May God bless you with the determination to conquer the enemy's deceptions. It is the Lord's will for you to be free.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT WHICH IS THE WORD OF G-D

As the years have come and gone the one thing that has remand consent has been G-d's word!

It has never failed!

At the very beginning of my relationship with the L-rd he taught me how to pray scripture over every circumstance, that has been my life line! Epheshians 6

talks about the sword of the spirit which is the word of G-d. G-d gave us the sword (word) to use during battle. If you have G-d's word hidden in your heart doing battle become easier. However if you are just starting out G-d's word stands firm.... go to the WORD and read the scripture over yourself , friends and family! It will never fail you!

Here are just a few scripture, as you go through the word the L-rd with enlighten you as to all the scriptures you have in your arsenal.

"Is not My word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" (Jeremiah 23:29) NIV
A few of these prayers have been PERSONALIZED for more effective praying.

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me: fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, may ruin overtake them by surprise -- may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like You, O Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." (Psalm 35:1-10) NIV

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my right and my cause; You have sat on Your throne, judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name for ever and ever. Endless ruin has overtake the enemy, You have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.
You reign forever; You have established Your throne for judgment. You will judge the world in righteousness; You will govern the peoples with justice. You are a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. (Psalm 9:1-10) NIV (Personalized)

Lord, You are my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? You are the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask You Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in Your house all the days of my life, to gaze upon Your beauty and seek You in Your temple. For in the day of trouble You will keep me safe in Your dwelling; You will hide me in the shelter of Your tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at Your tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice when I call, O Lord, be merciful to me. (Psalm 27:1-7) NIV (Personalized)

In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since You are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge. Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.
Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction and my bones grow weak (Psalm 31:1-10) NIV
How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear you, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You. (verse 19) NIV

I will extol You Lord at all times; Your praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in You Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Be glorified Lord; I exalt Your name.
I sought You Lord, and He answered me; You deliver me from all my fears. Those who look to You are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. I called and You heard me; You saved me out of all my troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:1-10) NIV (Personalized)

I wait patiently for You Lord; You turn to me and hear my cry. You lift me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; You set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. You put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to You God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
How blessed I am when I make You my trust, and do not look to the proud, or turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.
Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, but my ears You have pierced, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, "Here I am, I have come -- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:1-8) NIV (Personalized)
Do not withhold Your mercy from me, O Lord; may Your love and Your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head and my heart fails within me. Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. (verses 11-13)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:1-10) NIV

In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Rescue me and deliver me in Your righteousness; turn Your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.
For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on You; You brought me forth from my mother's womb I will ever praise You. (Psalm 71:1-6) NIV

May my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word. May my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for You teach me Your decrees. May my tongue sing of Your word, for all Your commands are righteous. May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts.
I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. Le me live that I may praise You and may Your laws sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant for I have not forgotten your commands. (Psalm 119:169-176) NIV

I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen [me] with power through his Spirit in [my] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in [my heart] through faith. And I pray that [I], being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all [I] ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work with [me], to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21) NIV (Personalized)

What is Spiritual Warfare

I'VE BEEN PRICKED IN MY HEART TO RUN THESE ARTICLES ON SPIRITUAL WARFARE...

I SEE HOUSEHOLDS GOING DOWN IN FLAMES BECAUSE THEY AREN'T AWARE THAT THEY HAVE ALL POWER IN HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SAVE THEIR FAMILIES...

PLEASE FOLLOW ME THOUGH THE WORD...

This is an important question, because "spiritual warfare" means different things to different people. The term itself is not found in the scriptures, but the concept is taught. Two of the most commonly associated passages were written by the Apostle Paul.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms." Eph. 6:10-12
Our ministry's stress upon spiritual warfare is an attempt to bring about a proper balance in Christian lives. So many Christians have become passive and fearful. Some are satisfied just to believe the right things and attend church services and activities each week. This type of lifestyle is quite different from that which Jesus had called believers. Like the apostles (Lk 9:1-2) and the seventy (Lk 10) who were told by Jesus to go out and preach and teach about the kingdom of God, and he also said they were to heal the sick and set the captives free. In Matt. 28:18-20, Jesus commissioned the disciples.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The new converts were to be discipled and taught that God wanted them to be doing the things that Christ's disciples had been doing. And Jesus would be with His people to the end of the age, doing His works through them as they were yielded to Him in faith.
The reason ministries like ours exist at all is because of the failure of the Church to obey all of Christ's commission to His people. Working in the power of Christ to do extraordinary things in His name has been reasoned away, saying, "God does not work like that today." But we, and ministries like us, are reminders that God continues to work the way He did with the first century Church.
Spiritual warfare is a pro-active approach to our faith. We actively resist the devil when his hosts harass us. We actively pursue spiritual disciplines that will make us stronger and better prepared. We actively engage the enemy when people are in spiritual bondage.
We utilize prayer as a weapon to penetrate strongholds that cannot be reached in any other way. Spiritual warfare is the putting aside of passive attitudes towards faith which keep us from commitment and cause us to pursue only those things that will benefit us. Instead of seeking our own agenda, we submit our will to God and accept the sacrifices He calls us to make.
There is not one area of Christian ministry that has not become a battleground, but often there is not discernment that some form of spiritual resistance is in place. It has become common to attribute a natural or human explanation to most problems and leave it at that. The one who has a spiritual warfare perspective will be inclined to test the situation to ascertain whether or not there is something more than natural influences involved. For instance, when my daughter started having a series of painful bone cysts develop at the base of her spine, we challenged them with prayer and spiritual authority and they disappeared. When people enter our office for ministry, they often develop headaches or experience overwhelming fear. A command of spiritual authority immediately brings relief.
A spiritual warrior has an alertness to the activity of the enemy. This alertness is by no means fear or paranoia. He does not go around crediting Satan and his hosts for everything wrong under the sun. The Apostle Paul was a good example of a spiritual warrior. He didn't go out of his way to look for demonic activity, but when he encountered it, he quickly recognized it and then he confronted it with spiritual authority victoriously.
A spiritual warrior knows he must bring discipline to his thought life and to his actions. If he allows these areas to be compromised, he will not be effective in resisting the enemy. He takes sin very seriously, because he knows that sin always gives the adversary an advantage. He must always be on guard against comparing himself with others and being entrapped by the subtlety of religious pride. The true warrior knows that he can do nothing that is affective in his own strength. His strength, authority, wisdom and discernment are dependent upon his close walk with his Lord. He should always remain focused and guard himself against distraction caused by problems and troubles that appear. These are designed to get his eyes off the Lord and lure him into working in the flesh.
Understanding spiritual warfare provides a new perspective on parenthood. Parents are entrusted with children by the Lord to nurture, cherish and protect. In the parent, the child needs to see a reflection of God's attributes of unconditional love, faithfulness and holiness. The parent should become a steward of God's grace in the home and be on guard against the enemy's assaults on any member of the family. A godly parent can exercise great authority in the name of Christ to resist the enemy and fight on behalf of the children. Like Job, a parent is also the priest of the home, bringing the sins of the children to God so that the enemy cannot establish strongholds in their lives.
Spiritual warfare awareness can also be very effective in witnessing and evangelism. You learn to recognize the barriers and strongholds in advance and prepare the way through prayer, spiritual authority, divine appointments and ministry.
A spiritual warrior knows his inheritance in Christ. He knows God's promises and is not easy prey to the lies and deceptions of the enemy, who tries to call these promises and inheritance into question. He understands the lie is the enemy's language and his most effective weapon. Therefore, the warrior seeks constantly to fortify himself in an understanding of God's truth which he wears like armor for protection.
To summarize what I have been talking about, a commitment to spiritual warfare means:
1. A New Attitude - You begin to think like an overcomer with a victorious attitude. You walk according to your inheritance of grace in Christ. You no longer have an attitude of playing it safe or seeking not to rock the boat. You realize you want to be on the front lines for God, not trying to live the comfortable life with as few problems as possible.
2. A Greater Focus - You carefully guard against the attempts to distract you or to push your buttons. You recognize that the enemy likes to entangle God's people in the cares of this world or provoke us to react in the flesh. You understand the importance of keeping your eyes on the Lord and standing in faith upon God's character, not in your abilities.
3. A Necessary Discipline - You have begun to discipline yourself on all levels. You are setting more time aside for study and prayer. You are spending more time being alert and obedient to the leading of the Spirit.
4. A More Balanced Biblical World View - You take very seriously the Biblical warnings to God's people about an enemy that is real.

BY DON RODGERS

http://www.sw-mins.org/strat1.html