In the natural things were not easy. There is much construction on our street. People have to park their cars far away. This evening there was a heavy rain outside.  But the brethren ignored all these obstacles and still came to meet with God. The prayer meeting started well. The grace of God was with us. Everybody was sober and attentive. There is no greater encouragement for a Bible teacher than to see the students coming to the class. To God be all the glory! The following was our message!

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears” (Heb 12:14, 15; LBT)

THE ROOT

The root is the underground (invisible) part of a plant. Roots make up around one-third of the total dry weight of a plant. These are the main functions of the roots:

*To anchor and support plants

*To absorb and conduct water and minerals to the leaves and the fruits

*To store products of photosynthesis (carbohydrates, sugars, proteins)

*For winter survival of perennials

It is difficult to predict the root spread of any plant.  Under favorable growing conditions, the typical root spreads very fast. For example, I read that the total length of root tissues in a single rye plant is around 380 miles!

THE BITTER ROOT

Bitterness is the result of a past painful injury that has not been healed. It comes from broken promises, lost dreams, proud, unrealistic expectations, childhood neglect or sexual abuse. Bitterness starts with blaming God for the pain. Its root is in rejecting Christ crucified, the only mediator between God and man. Bitterness is lack of peace between God and man. God chastises His people. That is He loving work as a Father. We should be grateful for His corrections. Jonah was angry with God. He eventually repented when rebuked by Him. Absalom was angry with his father and brother but he never repented and died a bitter rebellious man. What a loss…

The work of the Holy Spirit is to create the loving bond between the believers, the unity of the Spirit. Bitterness destroys this holy bond of peace and love. Bitterness is a major source of divisions in the churches, quarrels and divorces even among the believers.

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THE BITING ROOT

Bitterness starts as a personal sin but its spreads very fast. Your heart is God’s garden. He plants holy seeds.  “If the root is holy, so are the branches”. God has to right to visit anytime and delight in what He finds there. Look carefully, inspect and be jealous over your heart, for out of it overflows the Word of life. The Holy Spirit plants seeds of love, joy, peace, patience and kindness that will become sweet fruits.

The devil plants weeds to spoil the beauty and the value of the garden. These strange plants cause trouble everywhere. Weeds are very difficult the remove. One of it is called ‘the root of bitterness’. It grows very deep. ‘Bitterness’ comes from the word ‘to bite’. Bitterness is like a poisonous snake in the garden. When it is little, it looks nice and innocent. It adds ‘color’ to the garden…or so we think…But one day it will manifest and will try to bite the gardener. It causes trouble to the other good plants. It oppresses, harasses and annoys them. It pollutes them so that they become weak and sad.

Spiritual weakness and depression may be a sign that a spell of bitterness is over you. Pray and find its source. Separate it quickly before more damage is done! Remove the ‘snake’ from your garden! Every plant the Father has not planted shall be uprooted at last!

A bitter man takes the grace of God for granted, he wastes all its loving warnings and rebukes. He is an enemy of the Cross. The word ‘fall short’ means to be inferior, to be deficient or to miss its blessings. It is like man going to the airport to board the only plane that goes to heaven. Somebody paid for his ticket. But he comes too late. He missed it!  Esau cried at the “Airport of Life” but his tears could not manufacture another plane. This is so sad…

Pray that God reveals if there is any root of bitterness in your heart. Try to remember the most painful event in your life, the greatest disappointment. How did you survive that pain? The only solution for anger is found at the Cross of Christ. Any other location will recycle your pain into false hope and bitterness. Any other god will plant a snake in the garden of your heart.

Before I close…This is a good time to appreciate the grace of God over your life. Worship God who sent His only begotten Son to die for you! There is no other Word I have for better than that…

In Christ I declare:

I repent of every connection I had with bitter people who are angry with God!

I repent for indulging in atheism!

I uproot every root of bitterness!

I kill the biting snake of rebellion deposited in my heart!

Holy Spirit please come and fill me…

In Jesus name

Amen!

“As we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination [claiming to foretell future events and to discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners much gain by her fortunetelling. She kept following Paul and [the rest of] us, shouting loudly, These men are the servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation! And she did this for many days. Then Paul, being sorely annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit within her, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very moment” (Ac 16:16-18; AMP)

Paul was attacked by an evil spirit of Python as he was going to the place of prayer. This evil spirit possessed a slave girl who met him on the way. This slave girl was a false prophetess who spoke under the inspiration of the Python spirit. Paul knew that, regarding this girl, there are only two options:

If she was sent by God, then she will be an asset to their ministry, ‘preparing the way for the Lord’. In that case, Paul was supposed to welcome, encourage and mentor her as anew believer.

But if she was an agent of the devil, she was to be rebuked or delivered. Her shout was not to proclaim the Gospel; it was not to the glory of God! Her shout was a warning to the other demons. She was telling them to run away with their ‘captives’, to prevent their salvation, healing or deliverance.

The gift of discerning the spirits is very useful in situations like these. I am sure that all this time Paul prayed in the Spirit. Because he was not sure about this girl, so he allowed her to shout. He listened not only to her words, but to the tone of her voice. Demons can be detected by their voice. After ‘few days’ he sensed that his spirit became ‘grieved’. The word means to be angry, sorely annoyed, worn out and worried. The same word also means to become poor, a beggar; to work hard for your daily bread and still starve. The Python was trying to come closer and spiritually bind his feet, his chest and his hands. The result will be slow motion, difficulty of breathing and weakness of hands. This will manifest as tiredness, inability to pray or to be led by the Holy Spirit. The weakness of hands leads to poverty. This Python evil spirit is responsible for many cases of chronic depression, fatigue, laziness, anxiety, backsliding and poverty.

The following are some guidelines on how to survive python attacks in the natural:

The best thing is to avoid an encounter by keeping alert for snakes. But if the python is attacking you, trying to coil around your body, do this:

*Wrap your non-dominant arm (left) around your ribs for stability and protection.

*Grab the snake’s head with your free hand, and pull it backwards to break its neck and to unwind the coil

*Stay calm if the snake loops around you. Struggling prompts the snake to squeeze you more

*If you have a knife, with one swift motion, thrust it though the top of the snake’s head

*ALWAYS carry your knife when going to snake territory! Keep your knife as sharp as possible: it may save your life!

Spiritually speaking this means to always watch and pray! We wrestle against principalities and power, wickedness in high places! Train yourself and be ready for warfare! Put on the whole armor of God! Do not forget your shield of faith to protect your heart! Use the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God! Pray with understanding and also pray in tongues! The Holy Spirit in you is stronger than the python! Fear not! God is with you! Jesus has defeated all demons on the Cross of Calvary! In Christ the victory is sure! Once you are free, intercede for others!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I reject the evil spirit of fear!

I receive power love and sound mind!

I am healed and delivered!

I confront, reject and defeat the evil spirit of Python!

Led by the Holy Spirit I enter the enemy’s territory and I free the captives of the evil spirit of Python!

I saw the devil falling and running!

My family is delivered!

My victory is sure!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
This is the road entering the ancient city of Philippi (in today Greece). You see the ruins of the church there. It was around this place that Apostle Paul delivered the slave girl from an evil spirit of divination called ‘python’.

He wrote to the believers in that church:
“I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8; AMP)

“As we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination [claiming to foretell future events and to discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners much gain by her fortunetelling. She kept following Paul and [the rest of] us, shouting loudly, These men are the servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation! And she did this for many days. Then Paul, being sorely annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit within her, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very moment (Ac 16:16-18; AMP)

The slave girl in the passage above looks vulnerable, innocent, friendly and helpful. She was ‘advertising’ Paul and his ministry. These are good and truthful words but, do not forget, she is an agent of the devil. Is that possible? Yes! That is the power of deception!  She was shouting on the road that Paul and the rest believers are ‘the servants of the Most High God’. In Greek, this ‘loud shout’ is like the sound of a raven. What she was saying is true but the sound of her voice had something sinister about it. The scientists say that the raven’s calls can express a wide range of emotions: tenderness, happiness, surprise or rage. Ravens can easily imitate other birds and they can even be taught the human speech.  The devil’s agents are professional liars and successful manipulators!!!

She told everybody that Paul preaches’ the way of salvation’. In Greek the word means salvation, healing and deliverance. Paul was not totally sure about the motives of this girl trying to join the evangelistic team. He probably felt some anxiety concerning her appearance and especially the sound of her voice. There was something strange about it. Not quite right! Jesus said that the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and run away when they hear a stranger (Jn 10). This is a practical question: Do you recognize the voice of Jesus in the voice of other ‘brethren’? To be spiritually deaf is a tragedy for you may follow a hireling, a thief or an agent of the devil. Many have been deceived! When you talk to someone, wait for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and your ears! Wait for the ‘sign of peace’ in your spirit. Without it, do not move! Do not trust! Do not follow! Wait and Pray!!!

This is standard evil strategy: The devil first attacks with deception. No demon come and ‘introduces himself’ to you saying: ‘I am a devil…’ He comes as ‘an angel of light’, thru the church or another ministry. As a believer, I am not suspicious on any stranger. But I remain watchful and calm. Long ago I prayed that my spiritual and physical reflexes should be totally under the control of the Holy Spirit. God has answered that prayer and it has been a great blessing to me. As a pastor, every day, different people come to my office for prayer or counseling. I remain calm trusting the Holy Spirit to have His way. Sometimes, the needy person looks obviously ‘fake’. I still remain calm. No need to get angry. Once the light shines, the darkness is paralyzed. But there are other times when the person looks ‘born again’ and speaks good words. Suddenly, from my spirit I get angry and put a stop to that conversation. I immediately find myself ready for ‘battle’ the whole armor in place. With the authority as an ambassador for Christ, I confront the demon hiding behind the religious grab. This is the same reaction for me when in the past, as a doctor I see an emergency. I become focused, alert, calm and active in the same time. This ‘anger’ is totally under the control of the Holy Spirit. I never lose my temper and I never regret it. I am not afraid. My words increase in intensity. They go like arrows straight to the target. Fruits of deliverance manifest immediately. So I totally identify with what the Apostle Paul experienced on that road to Philippi.

“The reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done]” (1Jn 3:8; AMP)

This is my testimony, my experience, my belief and my encouragement to you: No need to fear! It is possible to be victorious in all spiritual battles! If you are a child of God then you qualify to pray for others that they may be set free! Be holy! Be strong! Let’s put the devil to shame! Enroll in the army that knows no defeat! The truth is marching on…

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I watch and pray always!

The python is dead!

The devil is a loser!

I am lead in triumphant procession as I continue to do ministry!

I get stronger and wiser every day!

I preach the Gospel of Christ Crucified!

My ministry is fruitful!

I set the captives free!

To God be all the glory!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“As we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination [claiming to foretell future events and to discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners much gain by her fortunetelling. She kept following Paul and [the rest of] us, shouting loudly, These men are the servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation! And she did this for many days. Then Paul, being sorely annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit within her, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very moment (Ac 16:16-18; AMP)

Paul was attacked by an evil spirit of Python as he was going to the place of prayer. This evil spirit possessed a slave girl who met him on the way. This slave girl was a false prophetess who spoke under the inspiration of the Python spirit. Her master made money from other men who benefited from her prophetic gift. She was initiated at the famous Oracle at Delphi. To better understand the evil spirit that possessed her please read the following information about the legend of this shrine.

The Delphic Oracle was the most famous pagan oracle among the Greeks. The site of Delphi was located in central Greece on the slope of Mount Parnassus. It was not easy to climb there to meet with its ‘god’. This is the story:

The Greek god Apollo killed the serpent Pytho, who was a snake-god guarding that spot. To atone for the murder Apollo was forced to run away and spend eight years in menial service before he could return forgiven. A festival was held every year reminding the worshippers of this story of courage, humiliation and final glory.

The spirit of Apollo spoke through the priestess of the oracle. She had to be a woman of blameless life chosen from among the natives of the area. She sat on a tripod seat over an opening of the earth. When Apollo killed Python, its body fell into this crack. According to the legend gas arose from the decomposing body of the snake. Intoxicated by the vapors coming from below the earth the priestess would fall into a trance, allowing Apollo’s spirit to possess her. Then she will dance wildly or she will faint. In this state she will prophesy. The sessions were exhausting for the priestess affecting her health. Because of that many of them died young.

God’s judgment came upon this shrine. Barbarian invasions burned the Temple, which had been severely damaged by an earthquake in 83 BC. The surrounding area became impoverished. The sparse local population led to difficulties in filling the posts for priestesses. The Oracle’s credibility fell due to doubtful predictions.

The site is now an archaeological site and a very popular tourist destination. It is easily accessible from Athens as a day trip. The site is also protected as a site of extraordinary natural beauty.

The slave girl was able to correctly identify Paul and his companions as servants of the Most High God. She could not hide that Paul’s God is greater than her own. The demon in her could not resist the name of Jesus that Paul was preaching. The fearful python god proved to be a coward and ran away disgraced, abandoning its prey. The girl was delivered! ‘The knee’ of the python bowed at the name of Jesus! What a mighty God we serve!

Later there was a backlash. The girl’s master, under the influence of the same python god influenced the whole city to attack Paul and Silas. They beat them and threw them into prison. But God was with them and miraculously saved them. Against all odds, the Word of God, the Gospel of Christ crucified, spread in the whole area.

“Jesus is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power]. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]” (Col 2:10, 15; AMP)

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I repent of all idolatry!

The python-god is dead!

All glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“As we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination [claiming to foretell future events and to discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners much gain by her fortunetelling. She kept following Paul and [the rest of] us, shouting loudly, These men are the servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation! And she did this for many days. Then Paul, being sorely annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit within her, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very moment (Ac 16:16-18; AMP)

Recently I had to pray for a young woman who attends our church. She is about 25 years old, not yet married. Her mother, a widow has three other children. She complained to me that her daughter is very rude, stubborn and lazy. Each time they quarrel, she runs away from home. The last time she ran to Cotonou and stayed there alone, in a hotel for a month. I confronted her and she agreed that it is so. She told me that herself and the mum they are like ‘cat and rat’. She said that the reason for this longstanding quarrel is the fact that her mum refuses to say who her real father is. She was brought up by the foster father who died two years ago. She said that until she knows the identity of her father she will not stop fighting her mum. Every word from her mouth was bitter and harsh.

Suddenly I got angry, ready for ‘battle’. I told her that she has a demon. The search for the identity of her real father is not a good excuse to be so violent. I told her that if she is not willing to be delivered, I will send her away from the church. She suddenly started laughing loudly and choking in the same time. I then commanded the evil spirit to leave her and go away! She fell to the floor and started vomiting in my office. I did not want to become emotionally involved with her. I continued to quietly pray in tongues. Then I told her to call the name of Jesus. She struggled. Her mouth was shut. After a while she whispered the name “Jesus…” The battle went on for about half an hour. Finally she collapsed on the floor, tired, sweating and yes, free! Her face changed…that hardness and proud look became soft. Her voice became gentle. She started weeping with gratitude for the grace that set her free. She now called the name of Jesus again in again in worship and love. That day the devil lost another follower. All glory goes to the Lamb upon the throne who died that sinners may live!

In the passage above, Paul was ‘met’ by this girl on his way to the place of prayer. The word ‘met’ means an encounter coming from the opposite direction. This describes an enemy. It is like a snake that suddenly pounces on its victim, ready to kill. I pray that you may ‘see’ this: There is a radical difference when you encounter an evil spirit or you meet the Holy Spirit. The evil spirits may come friendly, with flatter or emotional bribe. But all these are deceptions. Observe the direction from where they are coming to you! Spiritually, they attack from the ‘opposite direction’, which is hell! They are agents of your enemy, the devil who plans to take control over your mind so that you too rebel against God. This evil spirit of python attacked Paul and his friends. He came thru this slave girl (‘house girl’). He came from the opposite direction with evil intent. Once Paul was sure of the truth, he confronted and ‘killed the snake’. The evil spirit left the girl and she was delivered instantly.

Below are some scientific guidelines on how to kill a python if it attacks you. This is wisdom to survive in the natural, but we can apply the lessons to the spiritual realm:

*Killing a snake is dangerous. It is not a joke. You have to be prepared to do it!

*Keep four to six feet away from it!

*Keep your eye on the snake, especially its head!

*Use the shovel or stick to hit hard the snake on top of its head as many times as necessary, to cause damage!

*After that, approach the snake slowly; it may be dead, but you will need to cut its head off to be sure!

*Use the tip of the shovel to severe the head from the body!

These are some spiritual applications: The devil is real. Spiritual warfare is real. Watch and pray! You may need to fast and pray preparing for deliverance. You need to study the Word of God! You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Like David and Goliath, you need just a sling of prayer and a stone of the Spirit to damage the enemy’s head. Put on the whole armor of God! Learn to be skillful with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God! Be mentored by ‘old soldiers’ of Christ! You need to attack and defeat the enemy with a single blow of faith! Deliverance is possible! God will give you the victory! At the name of Jesus every knee must bow! Be humble! Always give all the glory to God!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I study the Word of God!

I watch and pray!

The python is dead!

I am free!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“As we were on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who was possessed by a spirit of divination [claiming to foretell future events and to discover hidden knowledge], and she brought her owners much gain by her fortunetelling. She kept following Paul and [the rest of] us, shouting loudly, These men are the servants of the Most High God! They announce to you the way of salvation! And she did this for many days. Then Paul, being sorely annoyed and worn out, turned and said to the spirit within her, I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her! And it came out that very moment (Ac 16:16-18; AMP)

Recently I had to pray for some brethren who were attacked by evil spirits. Their lives were good in the natural. They were not sick. They had jobs and came to church. But they all had similar complains: they were anxious and experiences panic attacks; they felt a heavy load of care on their shoulders; they were depressed and tired; they were losing money. There was no good (visible) reason for all these complains.

I told them that a demon may be responsible and that they need deliverance. I told them that it is like a poisoned bag pack they carry daily. I prayed with them. I commanded the demons to manifest so that they see the enemy face to face. Then they said Amen! Nothing happened that moment. But after some days, one by one they came back with similar testimonies. For example, one said that in the night, he felt like something was strangulating him. He felt weak like fainting…but he suddenly jumped up and started praying in the Spirit. He said that it was ‘a battle unto death’. The war lasted about an hour. He called the name of Jesus again and again. Slowly the pressure on his neck went away. He felt the Holy Spirit giving him faith and courage to fight unto victory. Lastly, the ‘rope around his neck’ was cut off and he felt ‘the peace that passes all understanding’. He was free at last! What joy! You have to experience such freedom from occult bondage to understand how he felt!

The passage above teaches us great lessons about spiritual warfare. Paul was attacked by an evil spirit of divination who possessed a girl in the city of Philippi. Divination is the practice to predict the future, or to understand deep secrets by interpreting omens or by the help of evil spirits. Other words similar to it are foretelling or soothsaying. The people who practice all these activities are false prophets. Please note that the attack happened on his way to the place of prayer. The word ‘prayer’ also means going to church to do ministry, to serve or worship God.

This demon closely followed and monitored the believers. The girl was the contact point to the coven of witches in that area.  The demon in her is called ‘a spirit of divination’. In Greek it is called ‘the spirit of Puthon’. This was the name of a famous shrine where men worshipped a deity in the form of a mighty snake, a python. The priest of that shrine insisted that he is an inspired prophet. He boasted that he can predict the future and that his deity brings material blessings on the worshippers. This slave girl and her masters were worshippers of that shrine.

What are the lessons for us?

The devil hates prayer. He will attack you if you decide to go to church, to pray or to worship God. The attack comes mostly thru religious spirits or false prophets. Their counsel will weaken your prayer life. These evil spirits promise you revelation knowledge and material blessings. Their source is the devil, the enemy of your soul. They may come thru human beings or they can attack directly. They will try to deceive you pretending that they are holy and friendly. Their intent is to wrap emotionally around you as a python kills its prey. Never give up on prayer! The reason the devil attacks it is because he knows there is power in prayer! So pray always! The Holy Spirit shall strengthen you and give you the victory! Don’t be sorry for the devil! Kill the python! Jesus is Lord!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God!

I am healed and delivered!

I reject all evil spirits, all spells and occult bondages in my life and my family!

The evil spirit of Python has lost its grip and power over my life, my marriage, my family, my ministry and my work!

The python is dead!

I plead the Blood of Jesus over my life, body soul and spirit!

Jesus is Lord over my life, marriage, family, ministry and work!

To the glory of God Almighty!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“The people murmured against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’- they demanded. Moses pleaded with the Lord to help them, and the Lord showed him a tree to throw into the water, and the water became sweet.
It was there at Marah that the Lord laid before them the following conditions, to test their commitment to him:
“If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.” (Ex 15:24-26)

The people of God crossed over the Red Sea. They praised God for the mighty deliverance. After just three days they began to murmur, asking for water. They saw a pool but the water was bitter and the murmuring increased.
These are some lessons for us:

*Bitterness manifests as murmuring or complaining.
This is the meaning of the word ‘murmur’ in Hebrew: to stop and abide in a house all night; to stubbornly complain or to have a grudge. Pray that you may understand the heart of a bitter man. Just imagine this story: After a long journey, tired and hungry, a traveler has come to a house along the road. He goes in. The host offers him a bed and some food. He gives the best he has .The next morning the traveler asks for his bill. The host tells him that all he received is a free gift for a heavenly Guest paid for him. Courtesy demands that at least he says ‘thank you’ both to the host and to the kind anonymous Guest. But the traveler feels no need to be grateful. He leaves the house grumbling that the bed was too hard and the food was not tasty. Many years later he still remembers the incident as a bad story. This is the heart of bitterness.

*Bitterness and grudges are rooted in ungratefulness and pride.
God tells Moses to cut the branch of a tree that grows by the pool. That piece of wood changes the bitter water into sweet water. That means the solution to the problem was found close by. The ‘medicine’ was planted by God on the shore of the bitter pool.
The word ‘tree’ also means ‘a Carpenter’. In other words, God tells the people to look unto Christ crucified. You don’t have to travel far away to have a solution to your problems. This is the first revelation of God as a ‘Doctor’: Jehovah Rapha. Bitterness is the background of all diseases. Go to the Cross! You need to trust in the Blood of Jesus so that your bitterness is removed! If not, you can never be healthy.

*The Cross of Calvary is the only cure for bitterness.
At the Cross you find life, hope and healing! At the Cross your sins are forgiven and your body healed! At the Cross you shall know the sweet joy of salvation! There is no other place in the universe to find such abundant blessings! The Cross is not fiction! It is a real place in the Spirit realm! Pray that your eyes open to this wonderful truth! It has saved many souls!

In Christ I declare:
I preach only the Gospel of Christ and Him Crucified!
At the Cross of Christ I found salvation, peace, joy, healing and freedom!
To the glory to God!
In Jesus name’
Amen!

“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Heb 12:15)

Thank God, this evening, during the prayer meeting, the battle was easier. The unity of the Spirit was quickly established. The praise was real! The anointing to pray was there. Everybody was hungry for a fresh Word from God. The sound of victory was heard over us. Faith was high! Hope was real! Joy was strong! The enemy ran away; he knows when failure is his portion! Then we preached the Word of God: The stronghold of Bitterness! The light of God shone in the darkness of ignorance and doubt. Many came to the altar and got delivered tonight. All glory to God! We shall never be the same!

This is the definition of bitterness:
* A taste that is sharp, stinging, harsh, painful and unpleasant.
* Something difficult to accept, admit, or bear (ex. the bitter truth)
* Exhibiting strong hatred (bitter foes)
* Severe disappointment (ex. cried bitter tears)
*Resentment; persisted grudges because of a real or imaginary offence
*Cynicism: fault finding; suspicious on all human beings that they are all evil

SIGNS OF BITTERNESS
*Unhappy, depressed
*Jealous on others
*Always grumbling (restless heart)
*Mood swings; emotionally unstable (because they try to suppress their feelings)
*Selfish: not loving others (not patient, not kind, rude, remember wrongs…)
*Angry; over- sensitive; suspicious (easily upset by small incidents such as whispering or laughing)
*Sexual sins
*Rebellion, pride
*Not able to form quality relationships or good marriages (The wall of bitterness is the main hindrance against anything fresh, a new beginning, of finding true love)

SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING
Spiritually speaking, bitterness is the result of painful injury in the past that has not been healed. It comes as a result of broken promises, lost dreams, proud and unrealistic expectations, childhood neglect or sexual abuse. The root of bitterness comes from blaming God for the failure. It also comes from rejecting Christ crucified, the only healer and mediator between God and man. Bitterness is a visible proof of unbelief. A bitter man has no peace with God. With time, bitterness becomes a shield, a barrier against more possible pain. The Cross of Christ is the only place of healing. Therefore, all unbelievers live in bondage to the demon of bitterness.

WARNING!
These are some examples of bitter people: Esau, Balaam, Naomi, Absalom, Ahithophel, Ahab and Jezebel, Simon the sorcerer and the religious leaders in Israel.
Bitterness is a deadly contagious spiritual disease. It is very difficult to counsel such people. Naturally compassionate people are attracted by the bitter men. The spirit of religion may convince believers to take the challenge to pray, counsel or deliver bitter people. It is especially tempting to the naturally optimistic people, the ‘cheerleaders’ type of Christians, ever hopeful but also foolish. The danger is in ignoring the spiritual side of the problem. These are ‘highly sophisticated’ demons. Do not be over confident! Humble yourself! Help giving in flesh is useless and even dangerous! Bitter men are too dangerous for immature Christians to do deliverance! Selah!
Pray and ask God for confirmation! These cases need experienced Holy Ghost ‘surgeons’!

In Christ I declare:
I reject every root of bitterness!
I come to the Cross if Christ!
I drink from the sweet wine of His Grace!
I am free!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet….

To the one who is victorious and does My will to the end, I will give authority over the nations…

I will also give that one the morning star.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 2:18-29)

Jezebel is one of the greatest manipulators in the Bible. She wanted to ‘help’ her husband. Behind the scenes, she ‘organized’ the death of their neighbor, a man of God called Naboth. The religious drama looked so real that the elders in Naboth’ city were deceived and stoned him to death. Because of this evil, Elijah prophesied that Jezebel will die in a terrible way. His prophecy came to pass some years later.

Jezebel the queen is dead, but her spirit is still active in the churches. She manipulates from the background. That is why her agents look humble and hard working. But this is a false humility, a religious poison, fast spreading in the churches. The intent is to weaken the authority of the true servants of God and to quench the Holy Spirit. Many pastors and leaders have been wounded, lost their reputations and even their lives because of this evil spirit. Jesus warns the believers to separate from the influence of Jezebel. All her agents, if they refuse to repent, shall be punished with bareness, incurable diseases and untimely death.

If you have been involved with this evil spirit you need to stop immediately and pray for deliverance. Let me tell you now: It is not easy! Manipulation is like a drug, like heroin; it very addictive. Jezebel’s fully trained agents are spiritual successful criminals, actively serving the devil who ‘was a murderer from the beginning’ (Jn 8:44). They cannot live simple lives anymore. Everything they do has an evil purpose. They mind is so polluted that they cannot think ‘straight’ anymore. They delight in wickedness. In medicine these are called Psychopaths. They are mentally sick unstable people who lack social skills. In other words, they do not know how to behave in society. They flatter, deceive and misuse innocent people. Then they betray and forsake them. Only God knows the number of deeply hurt people hiding in the churches. They are in pain but they don’t know what to do and where to go. These criminals can break someone’s heart and feel no compassion and no guilt. They are pathological liars; show superficial charm, tend to be impulsive, and refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

“Have nothing to do with them!”

But there is hope! God searches our hearts and minds. Nothing is hiding from God! He will punish the trouble- makers and heal their victims. We need to pray! Pray for your pastors and their families!  We need to do spiritual warfare until the victory is sure! Trust God! With God all things are possible! The church is the Body of Christ! He died on the Cross that we might come together to worship Him. Nobody wounds His Body and go away free! God is a jealous God!

Dear Child of God, you who are truly saved, who faithfully serve God, even in the midst of pain, who worship God in Spirit and in truth, be encouraged today!

In Christ I declare:

I do not tolerate Jezebel!

I completely reject Jezebel!

By the Holy Spirit I am encouraged today!

I receive authority over the nations to preach Christ to them!

I receive the Morning Star, the light of the world!

In Jesus name

Amen

“No one who trusts in You will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others” (Ps 25:3)

You have prayed… God’s answer is different than what you have expected… You feel disappointed…Then this Word is for you:

Be encouraged! God will take another route but He will still meet your needs! He wants to give you something better than your expectations! He wants to increase your reward! Trust God! Your future is safe in God’s hands! Say this: “My future is better than my past! I look ahead and I rejoice!”

In Christ I declare:

I do not trust in any man! All my trust is in God! I shall not be disgraced! My enemies shall be disgraced and demoted for trying to deceive me! Faith 100% Doubt 0%!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“They’re a sorry bunch—pseudo-apostles, lying preachers, crooked workers—posing as Christ’s agents but sham to the core. And no wonder! Satan does it all the time, dressing up as a beautiful angel of light. So it shouldn’t surprise us when his servants masquerade as servants of God. But they’re not getting by with anything. They’ll pay for it in the end” (2 Cor 11: 13-15; TM)

Recently, the Holy Spirit exposed a web of deceit in our church. It was well covered. It was professionally designed to last forever. We were deceived. But not God. The Word of God is sharper than two edged sword. It penetrates and divides. God knows no limits. God is not a respecter of any person. Any structure of biter envy, selfish ambition, pride, hypocrisy or religious sham shall be exposed and none can cover it! I counsel you to pray until there is an answer! Let God have His way! Let God take the glory!
This is the truth as revealed in the scriptures. The devil sends his agents to the churches. He trains his workers to be successful deceivers. Some are easy to detect but some are very good at their evil trade. Their strategy is to infiltrate, pollute and weaken the believers with lies, false doctrines, rebellion and doubt. All successful liars are also skillful manipulators. A manipulator is a master deceiver. Thru lies or other evil means a manipulator tries to take control over his victim for his own advantage. The following is a general description of a deceiver, a manipulator or a religious liar. Meditate and pray about all this! It may save your life…

A manipulator is skillful. He is intelligent. He knows his trade and he knows the weakness of his victims. He speaks with confidence when he lies. He does not feel shame and his conscience do not bother him. That is his advantage. You may confuse this boldness with the true confidence of a mature believer. It is not the same at all. He knows that everybody needs some help or a word of kindness. So he comes as a friend or as a humble servant. He wants to visit you at home. He brings gifts. But he is a spy for the devil. He studies you to gain some knowledge about your weaknesses. He will come in the way you expect a friend to come. If you are a Christian, most of the time he will come thru the church. You will see him praying, quoting scriptures, singing in the choir or saying that he is available to listen to your pain. Slowly, he builds an emotional bridge, a soul tie of confidence so that you trust and accept him. Most women think that if a man or woman attends the church, does ministry, prays or cares to listen to their troubles, that one is a true believer. It is not true! There are many liars and false brethren who mingle among the true believers. The church is a mixed multitude. Like the wheat and the tares, they grow together for some time. But God knows them all and He shall separate them at harvest time. As the fire burns the tares, the wicked shall be punished at last.

In Christ I declare:
The Word of God is my final standard!
I submit to the Word of God!
I reject all lies and manipulations!
I separate from any agents of the devil!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Look at Me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear Me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside Me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s My gift to the conquerors!”
(Rev 3:20 21; TM)

“Dear friends…
This is a letter to you…it is my testimony…For 32 years Jesus was standing outside the door of my heart… Why my heart- I don’t know… How did He find my address – I don’t know … All I can say is this: He was so patient with me. Try to imagine this…Many years have passed and Jesus was still standing there. He could have gone away tempted by my doubts, insults or stubborn silences. The grass in front of my door became dry because of His feet…. Winter and summer, Jesus was there, waiting for me to open from inside… It made no sense… Cold, hot, windy or rainy…He was still there, waiting…

Jesus was knocking at the door of my heart. He was not sleeping there like a homeless beggar. Not at all! He had a message He wanted me to hear…Love was knocking and knocking…. There was a dent in my door because of His knock. In the past I begged Him to stop, to go away and leave me alone. If I was the one standing there, I could left, long ago, and… looked for a better friend…But not so with Jesus…My anger, my rudeness did not drive Him away…Sometimes I screamed and shouted at Him…I told Him that I am tired of His ‘wicked’ knocks….With time, little by little, my heart started failing me… some beats were missing…all because of His knocks…

I told myself so many times: Jesus is stalking me, hunting me, persecuting me…Does He have that right? But to whom can I go and complain? I heard that He pays all the judges on the earth…
Then I asked myself: what does a man do to drive Jesus away? How can I be free from His love…where can I hide…how long will this secret drama last? I had no answer…

Then Jesus started calling me…My name sounds so different in His mouth…He had ‘a foreign accent’ that annoyed me… Sometimes He whispers… occasionally I can feel His pain, His love, His longing…But still, something stops me and I cannot open the door…
What manner of Man is this” Why does He love me so…I already rejected His proposal and all…Why me?

I knew that the door cannot be open from the outside. The house was built in such a way that only I can open it for I alone have the key, inside… Sometimes I panic…I look thru the window and I see Him standing there, the same spot, behind the door…I have to admit, He looks so strong… He can really break my door…for a moment fear comes in…’what if Jesus breaks my heart…what if I die’… Again I have to admit that after all these years, He never used His feet to bang or shake the door…He is just there, standing, knocking, calling and waiting…

Often I was so angry… because Jesus blocks my door…I can’t even go outside … my old friends sent me messages to come and do wicked in the night, like we used to do…But who can drive away this Jesus? Nobody dares to push Him…and even after all these years, He still does not look in a hurry anyway…

Inside the house, all my candles have been burnt off…I now sit in the darkness…day and night is the same to me… No food, no water, no hope… all this resisting is not fun anymore…
Then one day, a tiny ray of light comes from outside, passing under my door… My darkness cannot arrest it… Trapped in my house by eternity itself, with peace outside the door…dying inside…I finally decided to surrender…what else can I do? Shaking from hunger and sweating with fear, I slowly turn the key, press the handle and open the door…

For a moment time stood still…I am too weak to be happy, too exhausted to shout for joy…I collapse at His feet… the last words on my dry lips… ‘It is finished…Welcome home…Lord…!”
I don’t know how long I was unconscious…Only my Savior knows…
Later I tried to open my eyes, but the light was too strong…slowly, I see that my small heart cottage became transformed into a palace…I see a chandelier with stars hanging from the sky…there is a great table set before me…I seat on a high chair with many soft pillows… I hear strings are playing somewhere…looking cool, the angels move effortlessly up and down on a staircase that touches the earth…One serves me wine…I look over my head and I see a banner of light… written on it was a poem that even a fool can translate: ”No greater love than this”… One of the busy angels comes closer. He says he is on an errand to my home town, that if I have a letter he can carry it there, for me…

I don’t know if this is a dream or not…I turn my head and see Jesus, next to me…The same Jesus…He entered the house that rejected Him…He is now settled in the same heart that despised Him… how can I describe that love…My God… I try to think, what can be the reason for this love… Is it that I pray much … Is it that I give money to the church…Why does He love me so…Suddenly I hear the angels singing a song called ‘Grace, Grace’… I fear I will have headache for I do not understand this grace… I see Jesus laughing at my surprise… He is happy now, no need to wait outside my door… with spices in His mouth and stars in His eyes He touches my hand, saying “Eat…We have won the victory…This is our freedom banquet, the champions’ festival and your coronation ceremony…”
I can’t stop thinking…If this is a dream…I don’t want to wake up…
Jesus reads my mind… ”It is not a dream…’- He laughs- You have tasted of My wine…This joy is real…I have decreed…Truth is stronger than shadows and our love shall be forever and ever!”

Dear friends on earth, if an angel has come to your window, if this letter has reached you, if you can read these words…then it is a miracle…this is what I want to say…Let me not forget…Just in case Jesus is standing outside your door, knocking and calling your name, please, please, do not be foolish like me and waste so much time. Quickly run and open it! Once Jesus comes in, your heaven has started! Trust me, this is the truth…I can never lie again…for I am free indeed…”

As for me, right now, I don’t have to power to remember anything else…I have no strength to think about affairs on earth…all I care, all I know and all I live for is this:
“I am my Beloved and He is mine…”

Yours eternally…”

(TODAY I AM 60! TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!)

“Not long afterwards Jesus began a tour of the cities and villages of Galilee to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God, and took his twelve disciples with him. Some women went along, from whom he had cast out demons or whom he had healed; among them were Mary Magdalene (Jesus had cast out seven demons from her), Joanna, Chuza’s wife (Chuza was King Herod’s business manager and was in charge of his palace and domestic affairs), Susanna, and many others who were contributing from their private means to the support of Jesus and his disciples” (Lk 8:1-3; LB)

Jesus was hated and persecuted for many things. His enemies tried to ‘catch Him in His words’. They twisted things He said and doctrines He thought. They were jealous because of His supernatural wisdom and power to do miracles. They mocked Him and slandered His name. But please notice this: with all their evil skill of finding fault they could not accuse Jesus of improper behavior towards women. This is very interesting. Along with the male disciples women were a permanent part of the entourage of Jesus. At that time, the women were supposed to stay indoors, not to be seen. But Jesus allowed them to follow Him openly. If the enemies could find fault with His behavior towards the women, they could have attacked Him. But they could not!

These were grateful, humble, hardworking, gentle and generous women. But they were not always like that. These women were once troubled by demons. They used to live lives of utter despair. Their husbands (if they had one) or their families could not help them at all. No one needs a demon possess woman, not even as a house servant. She is less than an animal in the bush. These women had what medically can be descried an incurable form of madness. They were hopeless. They were rejected by all men, sleeping on the garbage fields, outside the city.

Try to imagine the day Mary Magdalene met with Jesus. All the seven demons fought madly in her chest to stop the heart from beating. They also tried to stop her breath. Satan, their captain, instructed them to kill their victim before she has a chance to be free. But they tried in vain. Face to face with the Prince of Peace, they could only cry out like wounded rats, abandoning their stronghold and flee away. Suddenly, Mary became normal; her mind and heart at peace with God and with herself. In an instant, the mark of madness on her face has gone away. For a long time her brain was used as an abode for crazy beings. After so many years of losing her mind to strange fearful imaginations, she can now think freely, like a human being created by God. She can think freely…what a blessing…

(Do you thank God that you can think freely?)

A woman like Mary has no other business in life than to follow her Savior and her Healer. For the remaining days of her life she will serve and worship Him. Along with the other women they followed and served Jesus and the other disciples. They served as mothers, sisters and friends. They did what they could do to make it easier for Jesus to preach the Gospel to other lost souls. No man could condemn and no man could separate them from Jesus. They became women of God doing ministry for the glory of God. Just imagine the wonderful women’ fellowship and prayer meeting they had every day…

As a woman, this is a very encouraging thought to me. For centuries, women have been ignored and persecuted in all cultures including Israel. To feel safe and appreciated is the best wish any woman can dream of. Jesus provided that, and so much more. Jesus gave them an identity, true hope and the privilege of doing ministry. Just think of their reward in heaven…

Any man who claims to love the Lord should do nothing less. Fathers should encourage their daughters to be women of God! Husband should love their wives as Jesus loved Mary, Joanna and Susanna! Pray for the women in your midst!

On behalf of all of the women, especially the believers, I say ‘thank you’ to the men! May God bless any man who loves his wife, sisters and daughters with the love of Jesus! I am indeed grateful! Heaven sends greetings!

In Christ I declare:

I am a woman of God!

I am woman of prayer and peace!

I am healed!

I am delivered!

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so!

My husband loves me with the love of Jesus!

I feel safe and strong!

I shall fulfill my destiny!

I will serve and worship Jesus all the days of my life!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
“You shall take the case to the sanctuary of the Lord your God, to the priests and Levites, and the chief judge on duty at the time will make the decision. His decision is without appeal and is to be followed to the letter. The sentence he imposes is to be fully executed. If the defendant refuses to accept the decision of the priest or judge appointed by God for this purpose, the penalty is death. Such sinners must be purged from Israel. Then everyone will hear about what happened to the man who refused God’s verdict, and they will be afraid to defy a court’s judgment” (Deut 17:8-13; NLB)

As David went to fight Goliath, he surely remembered the story of Ichabod. He knew the truth. Even if the army of Israel loses against the Philistines, Jehovah can never lose against Dagon. That can never happen! His faith was in God alone. He was ready to die to honor God! He knew God’s promise: ‘if you honor God and you give Him all the glory, God shall honor you!’ Face to face with Goliath, David has a glimpse of his destiny, of his ministry. This life on earth is not about giants or about solving problems! This was his decision: He shall live his life in such a way that people will see him and give God all the glory! His own glory did not matter! Let God have it all! This was a destiny moment for David. This was his holy secret that made him ‘a man after God’s heart’. In life or in death, he shall serve the Living God! He shall fulfill ‘God’s purpose in his generation’ by giving Him all the glory! Others shall see him and do the same! That shall be his heritage! That shall be his memorial! That shall be his eternal reward!

“I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disgraced” (1Sam 2:30)
To honor God means to glorify God. To despise God means to dishonor Him by being proud in His presence. The result of such a stubborn attitude brings down God’s judgment on the unrepentant sinner. A man can also despise God by dishonoring His servant. It is like treating with contempt a judge in his own court. In the Old Testament, the punishment for open, willful disrespect against the high priest or the authority representing God was death.

This is what David believed: Goliath has insulted Jehovah! Goliath has insulted God’s servant! It does not matter that David is just seventeen years old…God is on his side! By faith, David stood as God’s ambassador, priest and judge! He announced the decree: because Goliath has despised the name of God in God’s own ‘court’, Goliath has to die! And the judge’s hammer fell with the sound of holy anger! The sling and the stone was just the picture of that hammer!

How long ago did you taste pure victory in spiritual warfare?
How long ago did you feel the mantle of God’s sovereign authority on your small shoulders?
Do you know that you are a king, a priest, a judge and an ambassador of Jesus?
Do you walk in that knowledge?
Do you walk in that anointing?
What is your testimony?
What is your heritage?
How will your loved ones remember you after you’ve gone?

In Christ I declare:
Dagon has fallen!
Babylon has fallen!
It can never rise again!
This is the decree of the Lord!
As for me and my household, we shall serve and honor the Lord!
I shall live all my life conscious of the presence of God!
It is my responsibility and my privilege to give God all the glory!
In Jesus name
Amen!

“Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy and it left him, and from that moment the boy was well” (Mt 17:18)

These are some medical facts:

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a childhood disorder described as an ongoing pattern of anger-guided disobedience, hostility, and defiant behavior toward authority figures. Children suffering from this disorder may appear very stubborn and often angry.

These are some signs that the child has ODD:

Actively refuses to comply with the house rules; stubborn; rude

Performs actions deliberately to annoy others; likes to provoke others

Easily annoyed, jealous, oversensitive and often loses temper

Argues often; quarrelsome

Blames others for his or her own mistakes

Persistent malice, grudge and desire for revenge

This is a good example how science, medicine in particular, is far away from the scriptures. The childhood sickness called ODD is in fact the activity of demons, making the child stubborn and difficult. Without treatment, the child becomes a very selfish and immature adult. The treatment the Doctors recommend is called Psychotherapy. They say that if you talk and explain to the child that his behavior is wrong, after sometime he will change. But what the child really needs is deliverance. The ‘treatment’ is fasting and prayer. The parents need to study the Word of God and to have faith in it. They need to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I have a great burden for the families that ignorantly suffer under the oppression of the devil. I pray that the parents are more sensitive to the demonic activity in their homes. Is your child sick? Is your child difficult to manage? Is your child provoking you? As a parent, do you lose your temper? Are you tired? This is my ‘prescription’: Go to Dr. Jesus! His Blood can cure any disease, physical or spiritual!

You don’t need money! Just faith!

Let’s pray:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You on behalf of my readers who have problems in their homes. In particular, their children are hot tempered, stubborn, lazy and rude. They take pleasure in provoking their parents and teachers. I pray that You intervene in their situations. I command every evil spirit to come out and go away, in the name of Jesus! I destroy every occult spell upon these families, in the name of Jesus! I plead the Blood of Jesus upon their homes! I declare healing, deliverance and freedom in the name of Jesus! Father we promise to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus name I pray, Amen!”

In Christ I declare:

My child is healed!

I am a happy mother!

I am a happy father!

All glory to God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

“Lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell and would root out all I have planted… It would completely ruin my life’s work…it would burn to the root all my increase… it would have uprooted my harvest” (Job 31:11, 12; NLT; ETR; ESV; NIV)

Lust is an extremely expensive ‘hobby’. Even if you are a millionaire, you end up a beggar. It is the door to mysterious poverty, no matter how hard you work!

Job was a righteous man. He was also the richest man in the world at that time. One of the secrets of his wealth was his desire to be free from sexual sins. We may not connect sex with money, but the Word of God can never lie. If Job was alive today, I would have liked to listen to his sermon; how he was able to apply the Word of God, remain faithful, humble and increase in wealth.

Job tells us that sexual lust has the capacity ‘to uproot my harvest’. In Hebrew, this word means ‘employment, income, increase, profit or fruits’. It is similar with the words ‘entrance’ or ‘spiritual warfare’.  This is a great lesson here. Sexual sins are a major source of poverty all over the world. Lust is like bad body odor. The man does not perceive it but others do. Nobody will like to hire ‘a stinking’ man. Spiritually, the man addicted to lust is marked for failure. He shall not be able to find a good job. Even if he has a job, and even if he works hard, he shall not able to enjoy the work of his hands. He shall be sacked just before promotion. There shall be no profit in business and no savings in the bank.  Lust is a fire that destroys any hope of a new beginning, genuine friendship, victory or promotion.

If you are an unbeliever, you may laugh at this. But if you are a believer, you shall accept this wisdom. According to the Bible, there is a simple formula: Sex within the marriage is blessed by God and brings favor and wealth. Lust and adultery brings poverty. The connection is spiritual, therefore invisible. But it is stronger than the ropes of a mighty ship. Many fools ignored it and wrecked their lives.

“Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes; for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread and the adulteress preys upon your very life” (PV 6:25, 26)

A man addicted to lust shall remain a miserable and hated man: a trouble- maker that nobody wants to help; lonely, poor and wretched all his days. Except he makes peace with God! The only hope is found in Christ alone. There is need for genuine repentance, confession and even restitution. Prayer and deliverance has to be done under the leading of the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus!

But for you who are a child of God, free from the bondage of any known sin, blessed are you! The pure in heart shall see God! This is the holy declaration of our Lord! You live in the Land of Promise, escorted to heaven by angels, satisfied with the Bread of life, drunk with the wine of His presence and spreading everywhere the fragrance of your Lord. This is destiny fulfilled! There is no gift greater than that! God shall supply all that you need, and even more, out of His overflow of His glorious riches found only in His Beloved Son!  Let’s give glory to the Lamb upon the Throne who died that we may live! He that offers abundant life sends you greetings from above!

In Christ I declare:

I am free from sin and shame!

God is my provider!

I shall not want!

My children shall never beg bread!

The work of my hands is blessed!

My harvest is insured by the Word of God!

I live to worship God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

Then let my wife grind for another,

And let others bow down over her.

For that would be wickedness;

Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment” (Job 31:9-11)

Lust is the door for worse sins to enter. Lust is the door to ‘marriage fire’, bringing in troubles leading to divorce! Lust is ‘contagious’; its pollution spreads and multiplies!

The punishment of the adulterer is manifold. It affects his health, his marriage, his ministry and his finances. The demon of lust is like venereal   disease. It starts little but it is deadly. Outside the power found in Christ alone, it is incurable. No man addicted to lust can ever be healthy or normal. His mind and his body burns like ‘fire’. He is restless, lonely and tormented. He has no peace and no joy.

The wife of an adulterer suffers too. She will be ‘forced to join’ the husband, share in his sin and become an adulteress herself. She is in danger to be ‘raped’ by seducing spirits. Other men shall ‘bow down to her’. In other words, she will attract evil men who desire to have sex with her, if she likes it or not.  In Hebrew it means to bend the knee, to prostrate, to subdue, to cast down or to become depressed. This is even a known medical fact. The victims of betrayal, of adultery in particular, struggle with extreme feelings of rejection, inferiority complex, confusion, fear and chronic depression.

The only hope for the wife is found in Christ alone. She has to protect herself from this ‘second hand backlash’ of evil spirits coming thru the husband. She needs to be truly born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. She needs to study the Word of God and pray. She has to be a warrior and an intercessor. In this way, she will not be deceived. She will understand the spiritual background of the tragedy in her home. By the power of the Holy Spirit, she will be able to trust God for the complete deliverance of her husband. She will refuse to share in his sins but still remain faithful to him. She will learn to submit to her husband, not foolishly or cowardly, but only ‘as unto the Lord’ (Eph 5:22). This is a great spiritual achievement for a godly wife! I am a pastor to women and I see this struggle in their lives. Once her obedience to God’s Word is ‘complete’, God intervenes and punishes all disobedience in the erring husband (2Cor 10:6). Jesus has the power to bring all things under His sovereign control. The victory flag shall be raised on that marriage and the home declared fit for the holy habitation of the Prince of Peace.

Yes, the battle is fierce but there is hope for the battered, hopeless, lonely rejected victim of adultery! Reject worldly proud counsel! Divorce should not be the only ‘automatic’ option. God is the creator of the universe. In Christ, the power of creativity is limitless. God can still use that wounded heart and broken marriage! Bring the pieces to Him. His is the Potter and we are the clay. God can make a way where there seems to be no way! Let your trust be in Him alone! He will not allow you to suffer indefinite shame! I know, for I have tasted from His overflowing wine of mercy and grace. I know, for I have wept with those who weep and rejoiced with them who rejoice!

For nothing is impossible with God!

In Christ I declare:

My body soul and spirit belong to God!

My marriage, my children belong to God!

I am holy for God is holy!

I refuse to share in the sins of another!

I am an intercessor to my husband!

I have a living hope!

My heart is free from sin!

To the glory of God!

In Jesus name

Amen!

 
“Then the Lord God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (Gen 2:18; NLT)

I see that God is cleansing your heart in preparation for ministry blessings. You are at the point when you shall meet your wife. She is a true believer, a humble woman of God, hardworking, gentle and strong, faithful and adventurous in the same time, a spiritual nurse and a warrior, a singer and a teacher of children. She will love you for Christ sake and not for any other reason. She will help you to fulfill your destiny. Maybe you say that such a woman does not exist. But God has decreed it to be so, and it will be so! So, rejoice!

“I made a covenant with my eyes

    not to look lustfully at a young woman.

For what is our lot from God above,

    our heritage from the Almighty on high?

Is it not ruin for the wicked,

    disaster for those who do wrong?

Does He not see my ways

    and count my every step?” (Job 31:1-4)

Lust is defined as an intense desire, a craving for pleasure for pleasure’s sake. There is lust for knowledge or lust for power. But lust is especially described as sexual passion. It is an intense and unbridled sexual desire. There is no restrain and no discipline in this longing. Lust is a rebellious sexual desire separated from God’s love, plan and purpose for man. Lust is sin. It is self-seeking, evil and destructive.

Sexual desire is normal in marriage. But sex outside the holy boundaries of marriage is called sin. Fornication and adultery are done for just a moment of enjoyment. These pleasures have no other redeeming purpose.

Proverbs 31 describes the godly woman. In the same way, Job 31 describes the man of God.

Job was a righteous man. He suffered unjustly but God vindicates him at last. Job was also a victim of slander. His ‘friends’ call him names and assume that God punishes him for his sins and evil doings. Job tries to justify himself. In his defense, he tells them that long ago he took practical measures to protect himself against sin. Job knows that his eyes are the gates of sexual lust. To protect himself from the danger of polluting his heart, he made a covenant with his eyes not to look lustfully at any woman who is not his wife. Job’s words should be used practically by all believers, especially the men. The eyes should not be independent, rebellious or wild. Like the whole body, they have to be disciplined and kept holy. Job reminds us that God is Omniscient and Omnipresent! Secret sins do not exist! God sees all thins.  Many men of God have ignored the danger of lust and have fallen to sexual sins. Their ministries have been destroyed and many got hurt. There are fearful consequences for tolerating sin, for breaking God’s commandments. God hates sin! This is God’s Eternal Word: “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14)

Samson lusted after Delilah. He paid with his eyes, his job as a judge, his freedom and his testimony.  David lusted after Bathsheba. He paid for that with the peace of his home and the death of four of his children. Amnon lusted after his half-sister Tamar and then rejected her. That brought much sorrow in the family. Herod lusted after Salome and paid for it with the head of John the Baptist and the everlasting shame to be an enemy of God.

Lust is a sin of the eyes and of the heart. It is very addictive, worse than drugs.  If not confessed and repented of, lust becomes ruin and disaster. The word ‘ruin’ it means bending down like a slave; to be oppressed or completely burnt by fire. The word ‘disaster’ means a strange, unexpected, sudden and deceitful calamity. It is a state of deep misery caused by major tragedy and loss. Thru prayer, all sexual improper fantasies should be brought under the feet of Christ and nullified there!  All strongholds of lies and deceptions have to be destroyed! (2Cor 10:1-6)

IN CONCLUSION:

The sign of a true believer is that, for Christ’ sake, he does not tolerate sexual imaginations!!!

In Christ I declare:

I made a covenant with my eyes, in the presence of God, that I will see all things thru the ‘filter’ of Christ!

I destroy all strongholds of lust in my life!

I reject all demons connected with sexual sins!

My tolerance for sexual imaginations is 0%!

I am healed, wealthy and blessed!

My marriage is blessed!

There is peace in my heart and home!

In Jesus name

Amen!