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Tag: Spiritual Warfare

Bible divination

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in The Occult, What’s new?.

What does the Bible say about divination?

The word divination comes from the Latin divinare, meaning “to foresee” or “to be inspired by a god.” To practice divination is to uncover hidden knowledge by supernatural means. It is associated with the occult and involves fortune-telling or soothsaying, as it used to be called.

From ancient times, people have used divination to gain knowledge of the future or as a way to make money. The practice continues as those who claim supernatural insight read palms, tea leaves, tarot cards, star charts, and more.

God tells us His view of divination in Deuteronomy 18:10: “There shall not be found among you . . . anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens.” First Samuel 15:23 compares rebellion to the “sin of divination.”

Practicing divination is listed as one of the reasons for Israel’s exile (2 Kings 17:17). Jeremiah 14:14 spoke of the false prophets of the time, saying, “They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” So, compared to God’s truth, divination is false, deceitful, and worthless.

As Luke traveled with Paul and Silas in the city of Philippi, he recorded an encounter with a diviner: “We were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling” (Acts 16:16). The girl’s ability to penetrate mysteries was due to a demon that controlled her. Her masters received “much gain” from their slave. Paul eventually exorcised the demon (verse 18), freeing the girl from her spiritual bondage and angering the slave owners (verse 19).

Divination in any form is sin. It is not harmless entertainment or an alternate source of wisdom. Christians should avoid any practice related to divination, including fortune-telling, astrology, witchcraft, tarot cards, necromancy, and spell-casting. The spirit world is real, but it is not innocent. According to Scripture, those spirits that are not the Holy Spirit or angels are evil spirits.

Christians need not fear the spirits involved in divination; neither are Christians to seek wisdom from them. The Christian’s wisdom comes from God (James 1:5).

Every spiritual blessing

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, Spiritual Warfare, What’s new?.

What does “every spiritual blessing” mean in Ephesians 1:3?

In Ephesians 1:3–14, the apostle Paul opens his letter with an extended benediction. The entire twelve-verse passage constitutes one continuous sentence in the original Greek language. Paul gushes forth with declarations of God’s blessings without stopping for a breath. He begins, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (verse 3).

Every spiritual blessing refers to all the conceivable gifts of redemption that Christians receive by being united with Jesus Christ. Paul draws an intentional reference to the Trinity in Ephesians 1:3–14 and again in verse 17. God the Father is the originator and source of every spiritual blessing. The realm or scope of these gifts is “in Christ.” Only through our identification and union with God’s Son are we eligible to receive His untold blessings. And the nature of the gifts is spiritual. The Holy Spirit is the executor who applies the work of Christ to our hearts and lives.

Paul goes on to outline “every spiritual blessing.” First, we have God’s gift of being chosen and predestined “for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4–5). Just as Yahweh chose Israel to be His treasured possession, He chooses believers to receive the great honor and privilege of becoming His beloved spiritual children through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father loves us so very much that “he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NLT).

Next, Paul features the gift of God’s “glorious grace” that He has “poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:6–8, NLT). Our heavenly Father is rich in grace, kindness, forgiveness, freedom, wisdom, and understanding, and He makes us rich in the same, in Jesus Christ, His Son. For this reason, Paul could say, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Certainly not the least of God’s blessings in Christ is that “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). The Greek word translated “redemption” here refers to the act of making full payment to free an enslaved person. When we believe in Jesus and receive Him as Lord and Savior, our sins are forgiven, paid for by His death on the cross (Matthew 26:27–28; Colossians 1:14). Christ’s death satisfies God’s demands, releasing us from sin and its associated death sentence (Romans 8:1–2) and making us “holy and blameless in his sight” (verse 4).

Another spiritual blessing in Christ is that God makes “known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:9–10). Paul is speaking here about the divine mystery of the New Testament church, which was formerly kept a secret but is now revealed in Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:26–27). God’s plan is for both Jews and Gentiles to share equally in the gospel of salvation and form one new people united in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:12–13; 3:3, 5–6, 9).

Every spiritual blessing also includes the truth that we have obtained a heavenly inheritance (Ephesians 1:11–14). For now, we are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (verses 13–14). We are marked with God’s seal—the Holy Spirit—who provides us with spiritual security and proof of ownership. In eternity, we will take full possession of that inheritance.

Every spiritual blessing encompasses all the gifts of the Holy Spirit given by God the Father to those who have experienced His salvation in Jesus Christ. Peter affirms that God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3). Believers in Jesus have no shortage of reasons to praise God for abundantly blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

What does it mean that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12)?

In Ephesians 6:12, the apostle Paul introduces the believers in Ephesus to the reality of spiritual warfare in the Christian life: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NLT) (Geneva 1560: and against the worldly governors). Before discussing the armor Christians must wear in combat and their weapons of warfare, Paul stresses that the battle is spiritual, not physical. We do not fight against flesh and blood means we do not face a physical enemy but a spiritual one.

Christian warfare consists of a spiritual strategy fought with supernatural weapons against an unseen enemy. The opposition is real but not visible to the naked eye. Beneath the surface, an invisible spiritual battle is raging. We fight this war not with tangible weapons like guns and ammunition, nor with bodily defenses such as kicks and punches, but by daily putting on the whole armor of God, always praying, standing firm in the Word of God, and staying alert (Ephesians 6:13–18).

If we do not fight against flesh and blood, whom are we wrestling with, and who are our spiritual enemies? Paul named these opponents as the devil and his schemes, the rulers, authorities, and “powers of this dark world,” and “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10, 12). His description seems to indicate a pecking order of evil beings who do Satan’s bidding to oppose God’s will on earth.

The apostle Peter also warned believers to remain vigilant against the devil: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8–9).

We do not fight against flesh and blood means that our enemies are not human but demonic. Many in Paul’s Ephesian audience had previously dabbled in the occult (Acts 19:18–20) and would have been familiar with the devil and his evil forces.

The Bible calls the devil, or Satan, “the prince of this world” (John 12:31), “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2), “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and “the accuser” of believers (Revelation 12:10). This is our true enemy.

Paul says, in our fight with this enemy, we must be aware of his tactics (2 Corinthians 2:11). And in Ephesians 6:11–12, Paul mentions three main traits of Satan’s spiritual forces. First, they are powerful. They have authority to rule in the world. Second, they are evil. These wicked spiritual enemies use their power to wreak destruction. They are associated with darkness and not light, wickedness and not good. And, third, they are shrewd. They know how to scheme and strategize. They are so skilled at deception that sometimes they come disguised as angels of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) or wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15).

So how can we, in our human weakness, expect to stand against such strong and cunning enemies? Brute strength won’t win the battle. Humanly speaking, victory is impossible. In our struggle against the devil and his scheming forces, Paul says we must “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). It is our job to stand aside and let God fight the battle for us, and only then are we sure to win.

Only God can strengthen, defend, and deliver us from the power, wickedness, and craft of the devil (2 Timothy 4:17–18). Our enemy may be strong, but God is stronger (1 John 4:4). God makes available to us the same mighty power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Him at God’s right hand in heaven (Ephesians 1:19–20). Our enemies are defeated through Christ’s victory over them on the cross (Colossians 2:15).

When David came up against the Philistine giant, he recognized that his fight was not ultimately against flesh and blood. Goliath taunted David and cursed his God, saying, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks? . . . Come here . . . and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” (1 Samuel 17:43–44). But David, trusting in the strength of the Lord and His mighty power, answered, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).

“For the battle is the LORD’s!” declared David (1 Samuel 17:47), and so ought we as we engage in spiritual warfare. Our fight is not against flesh and blood. The victory depends on the Lord, not us.

Deliverance

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Spiritual Warfare, What’s new?.

What does the Bible say about deliverance?

Deliverance is defined as “a rescue from bondage or danger.” Deliverance in the Bible is the acts of God whereby He rescues His people from peril. In the Old Testament, deliverance is focused primarily on God’s removal of those who are in the midst of trouble or danger. He rescues His people from their enemies (1 Samuel 17:37; 2 Kings 20:6), and from the hand of the wicked (Psalm 7:2; 17:13; 18:16-19; 59:2). He preserves them from famine (Psalm 33:19), death (Psalm 22:19-21), and the grave (Psalm 56:13; 86:13; Hosea 13:14). The most striking example of deliverance is the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3:8; 6:6; 8:10). Here is God defined as the Deliverer of Israel who rescues His people, not because they deserve to be rescued, but as an expression of His mercy and love (Psalm 51:1; 71:2; 86:13).

In the New Testament, God is always the subject—and His people are always the object—of deliverance. The descriptions of temporal deliverance in the Old Testament serve as symbolic representations of the spiritual deliverance from sin which is available only through Christ. He offers deliverance from mankind’s greatest peril—sin, evil, death and judgment. By God’s power, believers are delivered from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) and from the power of Satan’s reign (Colossians 1:13). All aspects of deliverance are available only through the person and work of Jesus Christ, who was Himself delivered up for us (Romans 4:25) so that we would be delivered from eternal punishment for sin. Only Jesus rescues us from the “wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Another aspect of deliverance concerns the temporal. While believers are delivered once for all time from eternal punishment, we are also delivered from the trials of this life (2 Peter 2:9). Sometimes that deliverance is God simply walking through the trials by our side, comforting and encouraging us through them as He uses them to mature us in the faith. Paul assured the Corinthian believers that “no temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In these cases, rescue is not immediate, but in due time, after patience has had its perfect work (James 1:2-4, 12). God makes the way of escape simultaneously with the temptation which, in His perfect will and timing, He permissively arranges or allows for His people.

Deliverance is often sought from evil spirits or the spirit of lust, jealousy, etc. It’s important to understand that, as believers, we already have eternal victory over Satan and demons. But we can be delivered from their influence in our lives by using two weapons God has given us as part of our spiritual armor with which we battle “against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12-17). The believer defends himself with the shield of faith and uses the offensive weapon of the Word of God. Against these two, no spirit can prevail. By holding up the shield of faith, we extinguish the flaming spiritual arrows they send against us, arrows of lust, doubt, guilt, jealousy, evil speech, and all manner of temptations. With the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, we overcome the evil one by proving his temptations to be lies because he is the father of lies (John 8:44). John’s second letter commends the young Christians whose spiritual strength came from the Word of God living in them. By the offensive weapon of the Truth, we overcome the evil one (1 John 2:14).

Deliverance from sin, rescue from trials, and escape from the influence of a world in the control of the evil one come only through Christ, the Son of God who has come and “has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20).

God fights our battles

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Deuteronomy, Exodus, Spiritual Warfare, What’s new?.

What does it mean that God will fight our battles (Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30)?

That God will fight our battles means we do not have to anguish, be anxious, or be discouraged when bad things happen in our lives. When it seems a situation is hopeless or the matter at hand is too overwhelming, we may be tempted to doubt God. But Christians must remember that no problem is beyond the scope of God’s sovereign care for His children. He has promised to take care of us (Philippians 4:19), make good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and love us beyond measure (Romans 8:37–39).

In Exodus 14:14 Moses tells the children of Israel, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” At that moment, they were standing at the edge of the Red Sea, hemmed in by the sea before them and the Egyptian army behind. The Israelites are in a seemingly impossible situation, but it was a situation brought on by the Lord Himself. It was God who had hardened Pharaoh’s heart to pursue the fleeing slaves (Exodus 14:4, 8). Why would God do such a thing? The Bible gives some of the reasons: because God wanted to make it crystal clear to Egypt that He is LORD so that He got the glory over Pharaoh (Exodus 14:4). And because God wanted to teach Israel that He is their Deliverer (Exodus 6:6) and their Salvation (Exodus 14:13). They were incapable of escaping the situation on their own—they needed only to wait for God to move on their behalf (cf. Psalm 27:14). The battle that appeared to be between the Egyptians and the Israelites was in reality between the Egyptians and the Lord (Exodus 14:4).

The lessons believers can learn from the Exodus account can be powerful and life-changing. When Christians trust God to fight their battles, it enables them to circumvent what often accompanies conflict, i.e., panic, fear, and hopelessness (Exodus 14:11–12). There are times when we can see absolutely no way around a problem, just like Israel when they were cornered. It’s quite probable not one of the Israelites ever imagined that the massive sea was going to split down the middle, providing their way of escape. When Christians believe God’s Word (2 Chronicles 20:17), they learn that no battle is too formidable or monumental for God to handle (Joshua 1:5).

Moses gives a review of some of Israel’s history in Deuteronomy 1. In his recap he reminds them of the importance of having courage and trusting God at the edge of the Promised Land. Forty years earlier, the Israelites had spied out the land and concluded that they were unable to go up against the Canaanites, who were too big and too strong (Numbers 13:31—33). Due to that generation’s lack of faith, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Moses tells the new generation to avoid their fathers’ lack of trust: “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes” (Deuteronomy 1:29–30). As God’s people obeyed in faith, they would find triumph at every turn. “Victory rests with the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).

Israel, like many Christians today, had forgotten the previous battles God had fought for them all along the way (see Deuteronomy 2:7). The Israelite spies had seen “giants” in the land (Numbers 13:33, NKJV), just like Christians today see “giant” obstacles, complications, and problems that seem too large to conquer. To let the “giants” steal our faith only leaves defeat and a lack of assurance in the God who is in control of every problem, in spite of its size (Romans 8:28).

God is in control, but that does not mean Christians get to avoid the battles—in fact, the Bible states the opposite (2 Timothy 3:12). “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4). In order for a believer to live a life of endurance, character, and hope, we must put on our armor (Ephesians 6:10–17) and trust the Deliverer. We “put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). Our confidence is in God, who will fight our battles and bring us safely home (Jude 1:24–25). “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Resist the devil

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in James, Spiritual Warfare, What’s new?.

What does it mean to resist the devil?

The phrase “resist the devil” is found in James 4:7 where the apostle James exhorts believers to resist the devil in order to cause him to flee or “run away” from us. To resist means to withstand, strive against, or oppose in some manner. Resistance can be a defensive maneuver on our part, such as resisting or withstanding the temptation to sin. Or it can be an action we take to use the only offensive weapon in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18), the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Using the Scriptures to expose Satan’s lies and temptations is the most effective way to strive against and defeat them.

It is important to read the whole verse: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Resisting the devil must be accompanied by submitting to God. A disobedient or unsubmissive believer will not see victory.

The apostle John records Jesus saying about Satan, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). As Christians, we have full life when we are aware of the reality of the presence of evil. As we struggle to stand firm in our faith, we must realize that the enemies we are up against are not merely human ideas, but real forces that come from the powers of darkness. The Bible says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Why will resistance cause the devil to flee? Because he knows he cannot have victory over us if we are prepared to do battle against him. As mentioned before, the Bible assures us that we need only put on the full armor of God to be fully protected from evil and to actively resist it. There is nothing more frightening to Satan than a believer who is fully equipped with spiritual armor, beginning with the “helmet of salvation,” which protects our minds, and the “breastplate of righteousness,” which protects our hearts because it is the righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Only a true believer wears these because only those who have received God’s forgiveness by grace through faith have eternal salvation and the righteousness of Christ imputed to them.

Once fitted with the helmet and breastplate (literally, “chest protector”), we are then to take up other defensive weapons with which to battle Satan: truth, the readiness to proclaim the gospel, and the faith that shields us from all the flaming arrows of the evil one. The final piece of armor is prayer. We pray for strength to resist evil and to actively battle against it. We pray for wisdom in the conflict, and most of all, we remain steadfast in our prayers, both for the ability to resist the devil and also for other believers who struggle in the same battle. When the church, the body of Christ, stands united against evil, fully equipped with the armor of God, we present a formidable foe to the evil one and we will see God get the glory for the victory.

As a side note, the Bible never gives Christians the authority to “rebuke” the devil, only to resist him. Zechariah 3:2 tells us that it is the Lord who rebukes Satan. Even Michael, one of the most powerful of the angels, did not dare to accuse Satan, but rather said, “The Lord rebuke you” (Jude 1:9). In response to Satan’s attacks, Christians should redouble our efforts to clothe ourselves in the spiritual armor, wield the Word of God, and rely on His power through prayer. Instead of focusing on “rebuking” the devil, we should focus on resisting him with the full armor of God.

My name is Legion for we are many

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Mark, What’s new?.

What is the meaning of “My name is Legion, for we are many” (Mark 5:9)?

During His time on earth, Jesus encountered many strange characters, including a demon named Legion who had possessed a man. In Mark 5:9, Jesus demanded the demon’s name, and it replied, “My name is Legion, . . . for we are many.” Legion, then, was not a solitary demon but was revealed to be a collective. The revelation potentially sheds light on why the possessed man was heavily tormented and had great strength. The people of the area had attempted to restrain him with chains, but he had torn the shackles apart (Mark 5:2–5).

Historically, a legion constituted the largest Roman military unit, often comprising thousands of soldiers. From the demon’s name, it is apparent that numerous unclean spirits can inhabit one person, a fact that underscores the difference between spiritual and non-spiritual entities. Without physical bodies, spirits can be likened to vapor, capable of occupying any space. The use of both singular and plural pronouns in the text of Mark 5 implies that a horde of demons can act cohesively, possibly for the purpose of deception. Scripture does not explicitly state the number of demons that formed Legion, but they entered a herd of around 2,000 pigs (verse 13).

Jesus’ demand for Legion’s name holds significance as it unveiled the demon’s true nature. While some posit that Jesus required the demons’ name to expel them, it is more likely that He aimed to reveal their hidden nature, asserting His authority over all of them. Names were crucial in the ancient world, even more so than today. Legion’s willingness to disclose his name underscores Jesus’ sovereignty over demons.

Additionally, it is significant that Legion has a name associated with warfare. Elsewhere, the word was used to designate groups of holy angels. When Jesus faced arrest, and Peter attempted to defend Him, Jesus said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53). Once again, we recognize God’s sovereignty and superiority, as well as the reality of spiritual warfare.

What lessons can we draw from the encounter between Jesus and Legion? First, Scripture affirms an unseen reality beyond ours. In today’s postmodern, materialist milieu, we may lose sight of and ignore the existence of spirits. Even within Christian circles, discussions about the supernatural can be uneasy. While we should not obsess over the supernatural realm, we needn’t live like atheists.

Second, Christ’s authority surpasses all forces, as epitomized on the cross (Colossians 2:15). Even spirits in rebellion acknowledge His supremacy. God’s sovereignty is absolute, despite our inability to fully grasp how it works with the free will He gave His creation. Nevertheless, Scripture asserts both God’s control and our free will.

Finally, we are enmeshed in spiritual warfare and should remain vigilant. Fortunately, we have enough weapons in our arsenal to withstand the threat (Ephesians 6:10–18).

For the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in What’s new?.

For the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;