Faith

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Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Mark 11:25-26, “When you stand praying, forgive if you have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26-But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven, forgive you your trespasses.”

In studying the ministry of Jesus to see how He handled attacks of the devil on Himself and His mission from God, it’s really simple. Satan used people that were close to Jesus to attack Him, as well as those not close to Him. Satan also uses people close to you, as well as strangers to deliver his attacks on you. Its done through sending demons with specific assignments of attack to different individual’s, to families, cities, towns, states, churches, and all over the world. Because of it, you see so much division in homes and in the church, in the world, and all in between.

In satan’s attack on Jesus, he not only used the multitudes of people to come against Him, but he used the religious leaders, the Pharisees. Jesus wasn’t moved or hindered by it any of them. He was on a mission from heaven and therefore, He did as He had done in the wilderness by saying, “It is written...”( Luke 4). Jesus didn’t allow anything to move Him or hinder His mission from God, which was to go to the cross.

When satan saw that Jesus just slipped through the hands of the Pharisees to go on in His destiny, he moved in yet a little bit closer to Jesus. He would now use the disciples in his attack against Jesus. But once again, just as He’d done in the wilderness, Jesus said, “It is written...” He used the Word of God---the sword of the Spirit, as a weapon of power and foiled satan’s plans to hinder and destroy.

Jesus stood strong in the “power (anointing, authority) of His might” against all enemy attacks and He came out victorious over every one of them. By following the example of Jesus, we can do the same. In fact, we MUST do the same. Jesus overcame every attack of the devil against Him and went on to fulfill His destiny (the cross) that He had received from God, the Father. When He ascended to heaven to sit on the right hand of the Father, He could only do so because, what He came to do-- “it is finished.” When you finish your work, you sit down.

In satan using the disciples who were the closest to Jesus, we can see how He was betrayed more than once by those He loved so much. On the night Jesus was arrested, Peter denied knowing who He was three times. Jesus had prophesied earlier that he would do this. Then, there was Judas, who was paid thirty pieces of silver for his kiss of betrayal. But from the cross---really, even before He got to the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26) closes all open doors to the enemy’s attack and run’s him off defeated because we acted in faith (Gal.5:6) and extended God’s love to the person who betrayed us. That person who offended and hurt us is not our enemy. Satan is (1Pet.5:8).

To forgive another person for the wrongful hurt they have caused you is an unselfish act of love. If this is true, and it is, then to hold unforgiveness toward a person who has wronged and hurt you is an ungodly act of selfishness. This only serves to bind both of you up and hold you captive in satan’s prison. To forgive the other person, and receive forgiveness from Father God yourself is liberating. It will loose the bonds so freedom can come “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed” (John 8:36). If we refuse to truly forgive, it will serve as a hindrance to God being able to fully work His will in our lives according to His good plans (Jer.29:11).

When you truly forgive the other person through an act of God’s love and grace (Roms.5:5), releasing it by faith, it takes back ground that has been stolen and jerks it out from under satan’s feet. It cuts his legs off, if you will, until he doesn’t have a leg to stand on to continue his attack against you. So, how important is it to forgive the other person that satan may be using in his attack against you today? It’s not only important, but it’s vital in order to destroy the works of the devil so you can enter into the abundant life Jesus said you can enjoy right now (John 10:10).

From the cross Jesus said, “Father, forgive them (all people, past, present, future), for they know not what they do.” That act of unselfish love (with no thought for self) is what defeated satan. And that is what still defeats him today. I’m going to say it again, the person or persons satan may be using against you today is not your enemy. There is a good chance that they are deceived and don’t realize they’re being used. Then again, they may be aware of it but they choose not to do anything to change it for whatever their reason may be. Either way, they are still deceived.

The truth is, both person’s have ONE main enemy (for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, Eph.6), and if people would only join their faith and their prayer’s and efforts together based on the Word, then God, Who is greater on the inside of them would arise and His enemies would be scattered. “If one can put a thousand (demons) to flight, then two (in agreement) can put ten thousand (demons) to flight.” The Bible clearly says," How can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). They can’t.

They will be walking in opposition (back to back) of each other---of two different opinions and out of balance. This creates an open door for satan to come in and easily attack. The sad part is, the people involved usually don’t understand why things have gone tilt in their lives. They didn’t see the attack coming; therefore, they were knocked off their feet, so to speak. The attack took them by surprise because they were “ignorant of the devil’s devices” (2 Cor.2:11).

This is why so many churches are torn apart and the people are left wounded and damaged. This is why so many homes and families are torn apart and the members left wounded and damaged. It’s because they fought against each other instead of taking a stand on God’s Word and by the Spirit to join in unity to fight against their mutual enemy, Satan and his demons.

Can’t you just envision what would happen if the Church family ever gets hold of this truth? That the other family members are not their enemy? Yes, that's going to happen in heaven one day, but it’s also to be a reality right here, right now, “As the days of heaven on earth.” Think about all the families of the earth finally recognizing who their real enemy is, realizing it’s not each other. And it’s not God.

Envision the Church truly coming together in love and forgiveness, becoming a unified front to the devil by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Homes and families would then begin to know God’s love and the true peace, joy and harmony this can bring. We would all begin to know what it is to experience, “the days of heaven here on earth.”

Is this kind of loving unity impossibility? “Nothing is impossible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23). But the question is, who believes enough to get up and do something about it? “But be a doer of the word, and not a hearer only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:23). The real change begins with each person individually. It begins within first, not without. It is first between you and your heavenly Father, Who wants to transform you more into the likeness of Christ, the Anointed One.

Father God, wants to bring His Church into the manifested reality of righteousness, purity and holiness. At the same time, your Father God, wants to bind up your wounds and heal your broken heart. Your Father God wants to strengthen you with His Word and His might to go and do what He’s called you to do for the advancing of the Kingdom in the earth--- “Being fruitful in every good work.” (John chapter 15).

EXAMINE THE HEART:
Take a moment to examine your heart to see if there is someone in your life who has wronged you and wounded you and you have been holding unforgiveness toward them. If so, I encourage you to release love and forgiveness toward them today and set both of you free in Jesus name. I encourage you to close the door to the enemy today through the unselfish and loving act of forgiveness.

There is no peace in carrying around resentment, anger and bitterness toward someone who has hurt you. You will go through the motions of living while experiencing a lack of true peace and joy. You will be miserable in your soul and spirit. All the while, the devil will try to keep your mind focused on all that the person or persons has done to you in the past. Even if they said or did something to hurt you one minute ago, a second ago, its now in the past and forgiveness is needed.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU:
Father God, in Jesus name, I approach Your throne in behalf of my sisters and brothers who have been hurt in the past and they have been suffering at the hand of the enemy through unforgiveness. I ask you, by the power of the blood of Jesus and by your grace, that You will empower them to be able to say, “I forgive you” and mean it from their hearts. Help those who has been devastated through the hurtful hands of others, and who are now angry and bitter, help them by your grace to be willing to “be willing” to forgive and be set free of this torment of the mind.

I ask for your love to come and blanket these, Your people, who are wounded and who need your healing touch upon their hearts, their minds, their spirits and their bodies (physical healing). I thank You, for ministering to Your hurting lambs today and for bringing fresh life where deadness has been. I speak resurrection life to each one and declare that out of those deadened areas, life will spring forth fresh and anew from Your fountain that flows freely with Living Water.

YOUR PRAYER:
Dear heavenly Father, I thank You today, for loving me, for accepting me and for working all things for my good. I confess before You that I have held unforgiveness, anger, resentment, and bitterness in my heart toward (name the person or persons). Your Word tells me to forgive others so that I might receive Your forgiveness. I repent of this sin and I ask you for your grace as I choose this day to forgive (Name person or persons) for every hurtful thing they ever said or did to me. I release (name the person or persons) into Your love and Your care.


Cleanse my heart with the blood of Jesus from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I thank you for it. I receive cleansing in Jesus name. Father, it is my will to forgive and by faith, I do so, but I can’t heal the wounds that are still there. I ask you to heal the wounds in my soul and make me whole by the power of your Spirit.

I ask you to strengthen me by Your Word that I may grow in faith and be able to stand strong against the enemy who only wants to destroy me. I thank you and praise you in advance for it. I close the door to the enemy this day through repentance and through the loving act of forgiveness. I open the door of my heart even wider to the Holy Spirit to come in and do His sanctifying work in my heart and spirit.

I praise You and I thank you for Your love, Your grace and the freedom purchased for me by the blood of Jesus. And because of that, I take back, in the name of Jesus, ground that the enemy stole from me. I declare that I am an overcomer---I am victorious through my Lord, Jesus Christ because He always “causes me to triumph over the enemy,” Amen.


Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams
11-6-04

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