* Kingdom Released; Bringing Down The Walls

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Ephesians 6:18

When I think of the word ‘released’ I think about being set free; no restrictions from anything or any person that tries or tends to hold us back. 

Sounds wonderful, but spiritually speaking, being released is not a frivolous matter; it’s something to be taken seriously, not lightly and definitely not something to take undue advantage.  Releasing the kingdom of God, is releasing the governing power of God’s kingdom over the spheres of our life, and over the atmosphere that surrounds us.  It’s infiltrating the world with the knowledge of God in word and in deed.

We, the body of Christ, we’re the ones – we’re the ones who’re to be releasing the kingdom of God in the earth at this time.  Our responsibility as kingdom citizens is to release:

Ø The means of escape through salvation, and

Ø deliverance, and

Ø freedom from bondage, and

Ø the power of God being evident everywhere we go, and

Ø the glory of God’s Holy Spirit . . .   

We do this not only in our acts but particularly through our words . . .

We’re to release the Kingdom of God in the earth.  We’re to be the salt that flavors and the shining light that brings

Ø salvation, and

Ø healing, and

Ø miracles, and

Ø the word of God coming to pass, and

Ø the promises of God coming to pass, and

Ø the presence of God in the earth

 This is when our words and our actions are in alignment 
with the word and will of God.

 It’s our responsibility as born-again children of God:

Ø we’re the representatives of God in the world,

Ø we’re filled with His Holy Spirit,

Ø His presence encompasses us and we’re anointed to release the things of heaven in this world. 

The last one is symbolic of many releases recorded in the bible:  The exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt, the crossing of the red sea, the fall of Jericho’s wall, and the advent of the church and others.  All these accounts reveal the children of God in various dispensations being released to reveal the glory of God in the earth.

I see all this in the account of the coming down of Jericho’s wall by the children of Isreal.  You can read this account in Joshua 6.  The bible says that

Jericho was shut up because of the children of Israel: they couldn’t go out and no one could came in.  And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.   6:1-2

The Israelites had to conquer Jericho as the first city on their way to Canaan, because it was the best way for them to enter the Promised Land.  In order to conquer the city, the great wall of Jericho had to come down and for this, Israel needed instruction from God.  There was a literal wall blocking Israel.  There are figurative walls blocking us today.  Walls can be seen as a source of imprisonment and division, a hindrance keeping us from getting where we need to be; too high we can’t get over it, too wide, we can’t get around it and too low, we can’t get under it!  Walls are often symbolic of things we need to break down and overcome.   By following the directions from God, just like the Israelites did, we can breakthrough the wall; be released to release.  If we’re to release the kingdom of God within, we have to follow the specific instructions of God.  God is the answer to our being released; being obedient to His will frees us to release what God has placed within us.  The Israelites had to work together, be in unison, on one accord in their obedience to God.  Not one of them could go off on their own and do their own thing – and neither can we.  This is not the time to showcase our talents, anointing or whatever we have or think we have.  This is a time for unity for the body of Christ; all of us together on one accord!  God gave specific instructions to Joshua that included all of the Israelites; not just some, not just to the ones with titles and positions – they all had a role to play and so do we.  He told Joshua;

And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.   And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; [3-5]

The instructions weren’t just for Joshua, it wasn’t just for the mighty men of valor, the priests and the musicians, the instructions were for everyone; everyone had a part to play; just like we in the kingdom of God do today.  This wasn’t a one man show; everybody had to be in alignment with the instructions.

Through this account, God shows us how to release the kingdom of God in our life, to have victory over the enemy with our mouth decreeing and declaring the Lord's principles over our life and over those atmospheres He directs us to release it!  Kingdom Release is not about our individual time to shine, it’s about us, as a whole, the kingdom of God citizens, being released to go and invade this present culture by releasing the good news of Jesus Christ, shedding the light of God on a sin-sick darkened world!  It’s the kingdom of God in unison with the King.

This Release is necessary.  We can no longer sit back and do nothing, watching passively and saying a silent prayer while our children, our loved ones and the world are being swallowed up in the depravity and darkness that’s overtaking the world! It’s time to rise up and declare the kingdom of God, release the kingdom of God with our mouth, our actions and through the word of God.

Our mouths are powerful godly weapons when used the way God intended.  We daily should be declaring and decreeing, in the name of Jesus:

         ®  that every ungodly act; the very spirit of adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, reveling, and all other ungodly acts and emotions are broken by the power and the authority of Jesus Christ. 

         ®  We’re to declare and decree that every ungodly principality, every power, every might, and every dominion is stripped down from the atmosphere around us in the name of Jesus, and we bind them and cast them out, even as we release the healing power, the authority, and the rule of God‘s kingdom in and over our life, in and over our family, in and over our church, in and over our community, in and over our nation and the world in Jesus name!

          ®  We’re to declare and decree that our emotions, and that our feelings, come into alignment with the holiness of God, with the authority of God, and with the word of God, so that we’re not ruled by our feelings and our emotions, but we’re ruled by the fruit of the Spirit of God.  Don’t downplay the fruit – they’re an essential set of characteristics that sets us apart from the world.  They counteract the works of the flesh.

This is what kingdom release is all about, but we know that Satan is on his job striving to halt or slow down the release so he constructs walls that are impossible without God to surmount.

The children of Israel had to bring the wall down if they were to conquer Jericho and enter the promised land.  What walls in our life need to come down in order for the Kingdom of God in us to be released?  What walls haven’t we dealt with and brought down that’s hindering the release of the Kingdom?  Just like Jericho, there’s no wall that’s too tall, too wide or too deep that God can’t get us through, over or under!  All we have to do is

Ø Approach God with a Repentant and Humble Heart

The Bible says that God resists the proud. Throughout scripture, we see those who humbly come to God in faith, trust in who He says He is, and receive breakthroughs.  The Bible says we’re healed when we confess our sins, humble ourself, turn from wickedness, and seek God. That’s when He responds and releases and delivers.  Kingdom authority in conjunction with God’s spirit brings healing to both the soul and the body but it is always preceded by repentance and humility.

Ø Know Our Identity in Jesus

Our identity in Jesus is the starting point to everything. Our spiritual identity speaks of protection, provision, covenant relationship, Kingdom authority, and eternal destination.

Satan will always attack our identity, just as he did to Jesus in the wilderness.  He challenged Jesus:  “If you’re really the Son of God . . .”  Those were Satan’s words to Jesus then, and he uses the same words to attack us today. If he can get us to question our identity in Christ, he knows we won’t activate the Kingdom authority we have.  Kingdom authority comes from knowing who we are in Jesus Christ. We should make daily declarations of our identity in Jesus.

Ø Speak in Accordance with God’s Word

Just as Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus used God’s Word to battle. He proclaimed, “It is written…” over and over. God’s Word is a two-edged sword

·         capable of pulling down strongholds and

·         powerful enough to cut down lies of the enemy. 

But oftentimes we just sit back and allow the enemy to trample all over us:

•   We let him make us discouraged.

•   We let him make us defeated.

•    We let negativity control our thoughts.

•    We allow our emotions to rule over us.

•   We let the circumstances of life rule over us. 

But it shouldn’t be this way!  We’re the representatives of God in the earth, and we’re given the power to pray the kingdom of God into (somebody said) into reality in our life, and then release it through our words into existence in the world.  Because we’re the representatives of Jesus Christ… And we’re given the authority… Jesus gave us his authority in His name and power through His Holy Spirit!

This is why God’s Word is the offensive weapon in our spiritual armor (see Ephesians 6:17). We’re to pray it and speak it in the Spirit: “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” (Ephesians 6:18).

If we want to release Kingdom authority, start speaking the words of the One in ultimate authority.

Our prayer needs to be, “God, let your kingdom come… And then release Your kingdom into my life that I may release it to the world.”

Kingdom authority means having dominion, the ability or power to do something based on a higher power – of course, that power being God. The Bible is clear that we’re given Kingdom authority through Jesus and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit and, get this, it only comes through a relationship with the One who has ultimate authority.   To bring down the wall for Kingdom release, we must…

    •    Have a repentant and humble heart

    •    Know our identity in Jesus

    •    Speak according to God’s Word

This is what the devil wants to stop! The enemy wants to shut our mouth! The enemy wants to silence our voice!  In prayer… In declarations… And in decrees… If the enemy can get us to come into agreement with pride, not stand firm on our identity in Jesus, or speak according to our own desires rather than God’s Word, he knows we can’t release the Kingdom authority we have in and through Christ.   We all need to stand in unison in our Kingdom authority in this season. God is looking for those of us who’ll do His will on earth as it is written in Heaven.  The earth, this world, is ripe for Kingdom Release.  The Israelites were obedient to the directions.  It is recorded that they followed the instructions as given:

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.  Joshua 6:20  

They were released; the hinderance to the promised land was destroyed!  Are you ready?  Have you prepared yourself and followed the directions given us by God? 

 

Sermonette

Solemn Assembly – 2024 

* The Importance of God’s Will

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  Romans 12:2

 

God would have us inwardly transformed by His Spirit through a total reformation of how we think. This is how we’re empowered to discern God’s will as we live our lives satisfying and perfect in his eyes.  We must be changed in how we think, to have our minds renewed so that we can begin to understand God's will for our lives.

The common meaning of the word "will" is every man has the ability to choose his own words, and to decide what his actions will be.  Our will is the human capacity that allows us to make active decisions instead of automatically reacting to stimuli. That will is the power of choice.  People have the ability to choose their own thoughts, actions, and words.   

The reason why we find it so difficult to engage in the things of God is because we struggle between following God’s will and following our own human agenda’s: personal aspirations, career goals, personal visions for our life. This struggle is what causes the difficulty. Because our backgrounds have shaped us; our agendas or plans are totally different from what God calls us to be.  If we be honest with ourselves and with God, we have to admit that there are some things in this walk that we just can’t do if left to our own devices. For all of those things that we struggle with, that we find difficult to do, we can take our issues to God and ask Him to help us stop doing things outside His will or if you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, ask God to make us start doing the things He requires of us [Psalms 119:35]! We have to understand as believers where He wants to take us in the spirit. The struggle comes in resisting or fighting against God's will. We fight in our self-nature. We put our personal agendas before God.  We take our power of choice; our free will and place it above God sometimes knowingly; sometimes not.

God’s glory cannot be revealed when we negate the scripture. We have to ask our self what are we doing that hinders the glory of God being revealed in us. It really is useless to go against God because He doesn’t need our permission as our life belongs to Him.

Just to recap the 3 aspects of God’s will, it is

Sovereign:     God’s pre-determined plan for the universe revealed in God’s written Word (unaffected by the decisions of man)

Individual:    God’s detailed plan for each individual  (affected by the decisions of man)

Moral:             The moral commands revealed in the written word of God which teach how we should  believe and live 

                           (The individual will of God is always in harmony with His moral will).

 

Collectively, God's will is important because. . . 

¨        it determines our eternal destiny.

 Our eternal destiny depends on doing God’s will. We must respond positively to God's plan of redemption for our life. . .

Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14)

everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven.  (Matthew 7:21)

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. (1 John 2:17)

 ¨        It is the basis of our relationship with God. 

 Our relationship to Jesus is based on doing His will:  For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. (Mark 3:35 See also Matthew 12:50)

             ®      It provides direction.

God's will is important because we’re incapable of directing our own way:   O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10:23)

We lack the ability to guide our own steps. Without God's guidance we go our own way and stray from the plan of God:  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

®      It provides knowledge of the future.

God is the only one with knowledge of the future. He knows the snares of Satan plans for us. He knows the future of the economic and political systems. He knows what events await us in the future:   I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. (Isaiah 46:9-10)

Man is able to function in the present and recall the past. He can also plan for the future. But God is the only one with actual knowledge of the future.

Some people think Satan has foreknowledge of the future. He does not. If he did, he never would have motivated the crucifixion of Jesus. He would have been able to look into the future and see that by this act redemption from sin would become a reality. Satan only knows what God chooses to reveal about the future. For example, Satan knows that his eternal destiny is Hell because God revealed it.

Just as He has made His sovereign will known to all man, rather we choose to believe it or not.

¨        Actually, IT’S COMMANDED THAT WE KNOW IT

 Knowing God's will is also important because you are commanded to know and do it

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)

As the servant of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.   (Ephesians 6:6)

God desires our obedience to His will more than He desires our sacrifices or praise:

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry. . . (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

God wants us to stand perfect and complete in His will:  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete [mature and confident] in all the will of God. (Colossians 4:12)

             ®      It results in doctrinal soundness.

 

Jesus said:   My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:16-17)

If you do God's will as it is revealed to you, then you will develop spiritual maturity in judging sound doctrine. This will prevent you from being deceived by false teaching.

®      It results in answered prayer.

When you are living in the will of God you can pray with confidence that your requests will be answered:

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.  (1 John 3:22)

Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth. (John 9:31)

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. (1 John 5:14)

®      It brings spiritual blessings.

 Spiritual blessings are promised if we do God's will:

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)

Blessings will actually pursue us:

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to serve and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth;  And all these blessing shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

®      It helps us avoid chastisement.

Chastisement means discipline, reproof, and correction. Those who deliberately turn away from God's revealed will are chastised:

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. (Deuteronomy 28:15)

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him; For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye are without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  (Hebrews 12:5-9)

Jesus also warned:

And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (Luke 12:47)

Knowing God’s will is a serious matter for those who desire to live the abundant life and avoid chastisement.

®      It results in success.

One of the instructions given to Joshua when he assumed leadership of the nation of Israel was to keep the commandments of God and walk in His ways. If he did this, Joshua had this guarantee:

Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

Psalms also records that a man walking in God's way will be successful and "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (Psalms 1:3).

In a world filled with failure and defeat, knowing and doing the will of God is the secret to successful living.

 ¨        THE PROPER MOTIVATION

We should be motivated to do God's will because we love Him. Love desires to please the object of that love:

 If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)

 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)

 

Sermonette 

 

  

* Who's Fooling Who?

 

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness: whose end shall be according to their works.  
2 Corinthians 11:14-15

The power of God is the visible demonstration of His desire to reveal Himself to man. Spiritual power is God's Kingdom in action. It brings spiritual life.  God is the source of power and has many ways He reveals His power on earth. But God's great power does not go unchallenged.  There is still a power struggle going on in the world today. It is not a war of flesh and blood though that is certainly occurring even as I speak. It is the struggle of a very challenging counterfeit rebelling against God.  That counterfeit is Satan.  This time I’m not speaking about our wayward self-nature or the influences of the world – but Satan, He’s truly a challenging imitator.  It was Apostle Paul in his efforts to teach us to take heed, that said:

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.  2 Corinthians 2:11

 Satan has a powerful organization. His followers can do powerful acts. And yet, Jesus informs us that Satan is not the one to fear and he’s definitely not the one to bow or surrender to – the one we must fear is God; he has both the power to take our life and the authority to cast our soul into hell. So, he’s the only one we need to fear.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.  Luke 12:5

Just know God has greater power. Jesus said:  

. . . Greater is He (Jesus) that is in you than he (Satan) that is in the world. 1 John 4:4

We know through the word how Jesus came with great power and authority to destroy the evil works of Satan and how Jesus delegated power over all the power of the enemy to believers.  He left us with strategies and tools for facing the power of the challenging counterfeit.

The first step in overcoming the power of Satan is to recognize that Satan imitates God's power.  

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  John 8:44

God, through His Holy Spirit gives us a measure of discernment. It is an unusual ability given by God to immediately discern the intent or motive of another person's spirit and know if the spirit working within them if they are good or evil. Use it to determine whether people's spirits are of God or Satan. 

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

In addition to this, God has provided other methods of detection. 2 Peter 2 and the book of Jude lists the characteristics of people with seducing spirits to help you identify them. No matter how spiritual or powerful a person may appear, evaluate him on the basis of God's Word.

Because Satan imitates the power of God through supernatural manifestations of miracles, signs, and wonders, God has provided a way to evaluate ministries. Jesus compared men to fruit trees:

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.  Matthew 7:18, 20

Satan can imitate spiritual gifts and God's power, but he has no imitation for a holy life exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit which includes . . .

. . . love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance . . . Galatians 5:22-23

Evaluate ministries by spiritual fruit instead of supernatural manifestations of power.

In order to recognize false doctrines of Satan's teachers, apostles, prophets, and ministers, we must know what is taught in the Word of God. Paul told Timothy:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Even though Apostle Paul was a great spiritual leader in the early church, the believers at the city of Berea checked everything he said by God's written Word:

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Acts 17:11

To avoid being deceived by Satan's power, examine everything that is taught in light of God's Word. Evaluate the lives of those who are teaching powerful doctrines or performing signs and wonders.

We should not accept any teaching, doctrine, revelation, or miracle that is not in harmony with God's Word. The power of Satan often attracts believers through so-called "special revelation of new truth." People claim special dreams, appearances by angels, visions, voices, or other supernatural events. But Apostle Paul warned:

. . . but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ.  But though we, or an angel from Heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.   Galatians 1:7-8

 and which does not come to pass:

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:22

We should not accept any revelation that leads us away from God and the truth of His Word

If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder he foretells to you comes to pass, and if he says, Let us go after other gods—gods you have not known—and let us serve them, You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or to that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being.  You shall walk after the Lord your God and [reverently] fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and cling to Him. Deuteronomy 13:1-5

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.  Proverbs 21:16

God warned Israel to avoid every type of Satanic influence:

. . . destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places. Numbers 33:52

God gave specific instructions to the Israelites. Israel was to have no contact with the work of Satan in any form:

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  You must be blameless before the LORD your God.  The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.  Deuteronomy 18:9-14

We too should destroy anything we own that has to do with witchcraft or the work of the devil. This includes idols, lucky charms, potions, amulets, crystal balls, games, divining devices, and other similar items. Destroy any evil literature and music that does not glorify God. This is what people did in the New Testament when they became believers:

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Acts 19:19

We should not spend time in places where there is evil influence.  The Bible records that God manifested Himself in special places such as the Old Testament temple and the upper room of a house on the Day of Pentecost. It is equally true that Satanic power can be manifested in special places dedicated to evil. This includes places where evil pictures are shown, drinking and riotous behavior is occurring, seances are being held, worship of Satan is occurring--anywhere sinful practices are going on.

We should avoid such environments, because Satan's power is especially strong there. We cannot pray, "Lead me not into temptation," and then put ourself in such a place:

. . . and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.  1 Corinthians 10:20

We should not associate with false leaders, teachers, prophets, ministers or apostles:

Abstain from all appearance of evil.  1 Thessalonians 5:22

God's organization, the true church; the body of Christ, is more powerful than that of Satan:

(God) hath put all things under His (Jesus) feet, and gave Him (Jesus) to be the head over all things to the church. Which is His body . . .  Ephesians 1:22-23

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Ephesians 3:10

Jesus is the head of the Church. Believers are the body. If all things (including Satan and his religious structure) are under the feet of Jesus, then they are also under our feet because we are the body. "Under the feet" means they are under the power and authority which God has delegated to us.

Jesus said we have power over "all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). This includes spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan and his hosts challenge God's power, but they certainly are not a threat to Him or His people. The Church is actually to demonstrate God's power to these evil principalities and powers!

Through the Gospel, Prayer, His Holy Spirit, love, and the Word we understand the principles of God's power, and will not be deceived by or ignorant of the counterfeit works of Satan.

Sermonette