A tragic way to fight spirits

Especially dangerous water spirits

Hi saint,

Meat for you today.

Because we don't grow to maturity on milk alone do we?

(Btw I have included a new PDF for you at the end of this important article which is 'strong meat' on this subject too. No cost).

So now,

Let's begin with Jesus' words..

"And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction."

Matthew 10:1,16 ESV

Then down to verse sixteen...

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men... "

Matthew 10:16 NKJV

From this we see Jesus gave his disciples all power they needed to boldly proclaim the gospel to rescue and liberate the lost wherever he sent them.

Clear enough eh?

Though as disciples today if we get this wrong it's easy to suffer loss.

How bad can it get?

Very.

Especially dealing with dangerous water spirits.

Here's an example...

The Tragedy of a Successful Church Plant

A small group from our Church were sent to a town by the sea. Their job was to revive an old church and start a youth work.

Youth leaders from Northern Ireland came to help too.

We helped out a little in leading some worship.

Our Pastor oversaw the church plant.

There was a wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

And the presence of GOD hovered over the meetings like a thick cosy blanket of love. Our Pastor preached the simplest of sermons...

And,

Would you believe it!

Sceptical, bitter young teens started crying and got born again.

People got healed. Families reconciled. Happy hearts.

Attendances surged.

It was amazing!

In fact,

At one stage the Police began attending some meetings.

They were wondering why...

Crime had virtually ceased in this notorious area.

Within a couple of months or so sixty young people between the ages of 15-20 were attending youth services. Unheard of in most UK churches.

All glory to GOD.

It was amazing!

Then one night on holiday I had a dream.

I dreamed a merry band of us were flying across the night sky (kind of like in Superman mode) with our Pastor leading. As we flew we were rejoicing over what the LORD was doing somewhere else.

Thus,

Full of joy in the Holy Spirit we began to prepare for 'landing'.

Then just as we swooped down out of the heavens towards the seaside town where the church plant was...

Suddenly.

Out of the black sea a colossal manlike creature with a great long beard rose up before us, almost knocking us out of the inky sky.

He towered above us in such strength we seemed like gnats.

And there this snarling Titan stood barring our way. Sea boiling and surging around his hips. Raging and cursing us with all his might.

Quite terrifying.

Instantly though...

And in unity we shouted together "Jesus is LORD!" at the top of our lungs.

Until,

I shot bolt upright up in bed shouting my head off, rebuking 'the enemy' I was seeing in the dream. It was the dead of night and my poor wife nearly leapt out of her skin!

Hmmm…

Later I pondered what the dream was revealing to me.

The LORD was gracious. And I understood everything.

You see...

In the sea itself, within one hundred yards of the church... dwelt a major water spirit. A Titan. It patrolled the wide bay.

It was a dangerous spirit too.

In fact.

A few years before, more than forty men were swallowed alive in this very spot. Sucked underwater one terrible night. Lost to a hideously quick tide and mysterious swirling mist.

All lost. Dead. Gone.

Anyway,

I shared the dream with the Pastor and team leaders.

And said...

"This is a warning. There is danger here. If the team does not handle this wisely this work will be destroyed."

Sadly.

The warning sent fell on deaf ears.

(All but this wonderful Pastor took heed. He tried to warn them too).

And within nine months the entire work was wiped out.

Two youth leaders returned to Northern Ireland under a cloud, due to inappropriate behaviour. They’d ruined their futures.

As these things began leaking out into the community, they turned on the church. Bricks thrown, windows smashed.

Building looted multiple times.

Until just a shell was left.

Saved teens went back to the safety of their lives of crime.

Everywhere they went saying…

"We can't trust Christians. They are just the same as everyone else."

A terrible legacy instead of the joy and power of new life in Jesus.

Two thirds involved in the team suffered terrible fallout.

• Sudden illness.

• Financial loss.

• Shame and rejection.

Tragic.

Yet why?

Why was the enemy able to counter attack so successfully?

And tear the individual workers lives apart so deeply?

Was Jesus too weak to maintain His obvious victory in the initial stages of this gospel work? Were the angels of GOD inept to help the saints consolidate their ground won for the Kingdom of Heaven?

Was the enemy more powerful?

No.

The reason for failure is the same one Jesus warned his first disciples about before engaging in spiritual war all those years ago.

It's also why Christians today so often fail to keep their victory even when limitless power has been authorised to them (as Jesus promised) to heal... "Every... affliction." Matthew 10:1 ESV

Verse sixteen again.

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men... "

Matthew 10:16 ESV

The reason for their failure is as simple as this...

Sadly,

Two thirds of the team were not walking in INNOCENCE.

Here's why...

1. Pride: They began boasting they were being used by GOD, with a 'special anointing which others didn't have', (especially the mother church which sent them).

In 'special spiritual warfare' prayer meetings they began brazenly attacking the powers of darkness revealed in the dream.

Worse still they mocked the devil boasting that... "They had the 'anointng' and the power of GOD but the enemy had nothing."

Yet.

Arrogantly attacking heavyweight spiritual opposition like this is dangerous. Especially for novices... (especially anyone with secret vices).

Scripture backs caution in spiritual warfare too.

The Archangel Michael was EXTREMELY cautious in combat. And that despite GOD authorising him to go on His assignments with astonishing power.

Notice his HUMILITY...

"Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” "

Jude 9 NKJV

2. They began backbiting against the mother Church which sent them. As meetings rapidly grew in size... pride in the 'signs' the LORD was doing among them surged.

They even rebuked their elders and overseers during leaders meetings!

Asserting...

"God was doing a 'new thing' with them” etc.

They claimed the 'old wineskins' of the mother Church were useless for the new wine of their new outreach model etc. Next they asked to separate from the church.

3. Finally, secret sin later manifested in inappropriate behaviour (which in turn leaked out into the community, who turned on them when they found out).

So there we have it.

What's to learn?

Lots.

To grow strong. To keep what we win with the LORD. To cast out the powers of darkness so they cannot rise up against us later…

We'd better be sure we walk in CONSISTENT innocence.

• Pure.

• Holy.

• Humble.

(Engaging in spiritual warfare while harbouring unconfessed areas of sin is dangerous. Doing so gives the enemy legal ground to launch counter attacks and take back what you may have won previously. The ‘house’ must not only be clean, it needs to be filled with the active presence of the Holy Spirit or the last state will be even worse than the first (Matthew 12:45).

And also to become...

Wise as serpents.

Meaning,

We either ignore the reality of the spiritual realm to our detriment or do as Jesus counsels and become as wise as serpents.

To open those thoughts up further consider these meditations on the Matthew 10 passage...

"Be wise to KNOW YOUR ENEMY because he is as cunning and subtle as a snake. Study therefore how snakes operate. How they silently move.

How they are almost invisible... until they leap and attack, (when fools least expect)."

Don't be a fool.

Understand the strategies of your enemy.

Wisdom means you will be one step ahead of your invisible foes.

Jesus sends us out as sheep among [dangerous] wolves [who hunt in packs] remember.

So learn to pick the battles you engage in.

Jesus always did so. Remember, He once hid himself to escape being stoned to death.

Caution and retreat spared his life (it may spare yours too)…

"They picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple."

John 8:59 ESV

So to conclude…

Love GOD, boldly proclaim His victory, yet exercise wisdom.

"Get good advice before you start a war. To win, you must have many good advisors."

Proverbs 24:6 ERV

Until next time overcomer!

I am praying the LORD grants you breakthroughs into continual victory, for your freedom, strength, rest and peace.

Blessings.

Dave.

PS As promised I am going to cautiously recommend a small PDF for you below.

There is no cost.

This small book is by an ex-agent of the enemy.

He is a Pastor now and has led many souls into the victory of our King and LORD Jesus.

Yet I must also warn you...

It is harrowing to read in certain sections. It is graphic. It is not for the feint of heart.

That said...

It also reveals how far above and mighty the power of our GOD is, over all the powers of darkness. How exceptional and invincible Jesus is over all.

(He alone holds the keys of death and hell).

However...

It also exposes the ways evil spirits secretly operate.

Yet wonderfully...

In a very succinct way it reveals EXACTLY what the saints need to do to win the invisible war with darkness.

Please do not share this PDF with others unless the Holy Spirit gives you peace to do so.

DO NOT give it to recent converts, weak saints or Christians ungrounded in the Word of GOD and in fellowship and real discipleship.

Here is your copy

Praise GOD for His wonderful Son!

PPS There will be things you do not understand in this book.

Do not worry.

I am from Africa,

So these things are no surprise.

Similar activities took place all around where I was brought up.

Do not worry.

Continue reading to the end this astonishing true story and see how Christ is so mighty to save and willing to help you.

And then,

You will get to the section where this brother gives you the weapons you need to win if you do :)

Be strong...

The LORD is with you!