The bulk of the work in this bible study was done in the early 1990's when, as a young Christian, I struggled with a terrible addiction to certain foods. It was originally called "Deliverance from the Sin of Gluttony", but when I realized that the principles in it apply to any habitual or addictive sin, I adapted it to become "Deliverance from Sin". The principles in this study may be used to deliver from drug addiction, smoking addiction, alcohol addiction, television addiction, food addiction, sexual addiction, or any other type of addiction. Jesus can deliver all addicts from all habitual addictions and sins. There were times when I thought I would never be delivered, and sometimes wished I was dead, because I found it impossible to overcome my addiction. But eventually I found the solution, and in the end deliverance was relatively easy. I believe that what is written here will help anyone who has a serious addiction to a sin that they cannot overcome, to be set free, and my prayer is that God will use this study for that purpose. Study diligently, and let God reveal to you the answer.
One of the conditions to be able to pray in total faith is that we know that what we are praying about is God's perfect will (1 John 5:14-15). Thus it is important to establish from the word of God exactly what God's will is when it comes to deliverance from sin. If the Devil can come to us and say, "God will not deliver you from this because ... ", and we do not have a scriptural answer, then he has destroyed our faith for deliverance, and he can keep us in sin. The following sections outline one simple fact, that it is always God's perfect will to deliver us from sin, and when we have these scriptures securely in our heart, then the Devil will not be able to deceive us out of what Jesus died to purchase for us.
JOHN 4:34
34 Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.
JOHN 5:30 (Jesus)
30 I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father
who has sent me.
JOHN 6:38 (Jesus)
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Note: Jesus came to earth to do the will of God (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38), and submitted himself to do it even when faced with death on the cross (Matthew 26:39; 26:42; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42). So there can be no doubt that he did fulfil God's will while he was here.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 (Paul) (RPT)
21 For he made him, who knew no sin, a sin offering for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God by him.
HEBREWS 4:14-15
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
1 PETER 2:21-22
21 For to this you were called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth:
1 JOHN 3:5
5 And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Note: These scriptures describe Jesus as a man "who knew no sin;" (2 Corinthians 5:21), "without sin." (Hebrews 4:15), "Who did no sin," (1 Peter 2:22), and "in him is no sin." (1 John 3:5). Compare these testimonies of others; Pilate's wife, "You have nothing to do with that righteous man:" (Matthew 27:19); Judas, "I have betrayed innocent blood." (Matthew 27:40); the robber on the cross, "this man has done nothing wrong." (Luke 22:41); the centurion in charge of Jesus" crucifixion, "Certainly this was a righteous man." (Luke 22:47), and Pilate who handed him over to be crucified, "I find no fault in him." (John 19:4). It seems that almost every one knew that Jesus was no sinner, even many of his enemies, and as he fulfilled God's will (See #5.111) by being free from sin, then this must be God's will for us also.
MATTHEW 10:25 (Jesus)
25 It is enough for the disciple that he becomes as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have
called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
ROMANS 8:29 (Paul)
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestine to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:47-49 (Paul)
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are those also who are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such
are those also who are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1 PETER 2:21-22
21 For to this you were called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth:
1 JOHN 2:6
6 He who says he abides in him aught himself also to walk, even as he walked.
1 JOHN 4:17
17 In this is our love made perfect, that we might have boldness in the day of judgement: because as he
is, so are we in this world.
Note: The calling of all Christians is to be as Jesus was (Matthew 10:25), to be conformed to his image (Romans 8:29), to walk as he walked (1 John 2:6), to follow his steps (1 Peter 2:21), and to be as he is in this world (1 John 4:17). There is no way that we can fulfil this calling while we are living in sin, because Jesus never sinned (See #5.112). It seems obvious then, that if we are to be like Jesus, free from sin, it must always be God's perfect will to deliver us from it.
MATTHEW 1:21 (The angel of the Lord to Joseph)
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins.
ACTS 3:26 (Peter)
26 To you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless1 you, in
turning away2 every one of you from his iniquities.
ROMANS 8:3-4 (Paul)
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh,
but according to the Spirit.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 (Paul)
21 For he has made him, a sin offering for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him.
GALATIANS 1:4 (Paul)
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to
the will of God and our Father:
COLOSSIANS 1:20-22 (Paul)
20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things
to himself; by
him, I say, whether they are things in earth, or things in heaven.
21 And you, who were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
has he
reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his
sight.
HEBREWS 9:24-26 (Paul)
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the figures of the true;
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year
with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:
but now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
1 PETER 2:24
24 Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live
for righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
Note: The word translated to bless1
(Gr. eulogounta, Gtr. eulogounta) (Acts 3:26) is the accusative, singular, masculine, present, active, participle, of the
verb "eulogeo", "I bless". It is one of the present participles
in the New Testament, which indicates the certainty or immediacy of something that is about to happen. It
could also indicate present intent. Other examples would be, "travelling into a far country" (Matthew
25:14), and "sailing over" (Acts 21:2). We could understand these as meaning,
"about to travel into a
far country", and "about to sail over". Because the action of a purpose is always after
the action of the main verb, a future participle is usually used for this: for example,
"to
save" (Matthew 27:49), "to worship" (Acts 8:27; 24:11), "to bring" (Acts 22:5; 24:17)
etc. are all future participles. However, there are times when a present participle is also used in this
sense, for example: "to prove" (John 6:6), "to minister" (Romans 15:25), and "to
shame" (1 Corinthians 4:14). Some scholars think
that it is quite common (DBW p635-637), so to interpret "eulogounta" as meaning
"(for the
purpose of) blessing", or "to bless", as has been done (KJV) is not unreasonable.
That translated in turning away2 (Gr. en tw apostrefein,
Gtr. en to apostrephein) is a present tense articular infinitive, preceded
by the preposition "en" in the dative case, and thus expresses the "means by which" the blessing
occurs (DFH p69; HPVN p47 #42; WP p112 #8.45b). Thus the turning away from sin also occurs at the same time
as the blessing. We could understand this to mean that, having raised up Jesus, God sent the Spirit of
Christ into the heart of each believer (Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 3:17), blessing them, by turning them away from sin (Acts 3:26). This happens as they grow
from the initial born again experience (1 Peter 2:2) into the fullness
of Christ (Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 4:13). Forsaking sin is visible evidence of the new birth (1 John 3:9; 5:18),
which, being the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ, is essential for salvation (John 3:3-7; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians
13:5; 1 John 5:12). Some may believe that Jesus died on the cross just to obtain forgiveness of sins for us,
but this is far short of the whole truth. These verses indicate that one purpose of Jesus" death was so
that he could deliver us from all sin in our lives now, "turning away every one of you from his
iniquities." (Acts 3:26). He died so that he could save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21), that
"we might be
made the righteousness of God by him." (2 Corinthians 5:21), that "the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us," (Romans 8:4), that "he might deliver us from this present evil world," (Galatians 1:4), and
so that "we ... should live for righteousness:" (1 Peter 2:24). Notice the occurrence of the words
"might"
and "should" in these verses, all subjunctive mode in the Greek, showing the uncertainty of whether it
will happen. Just as Jesus died to save all men (2 Corinthians 5:14), but most will be lost (Matthew 7:13-14; Luke
13:24), so he died to deliver us all from sin, but many of us will not be delivered if we fail to fulfil our
part in our deliverance. God, having sent Jesus to the cross so that we could be delivered from sin, has
proven that it is always his perfect will to deliver us.
PSALMS 50:14-15 (Asaph)
14 Offer to God thanksgiving; and pay your vows to the most high:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
ISAIAH 43:7
7 Even every one who is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed
him; yes, I have made him.
1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 (Paul)
19 What! Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have of
God, and you are not your own?
20 For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit which are God's.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:11-12 (Paul)
11 Therefore we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the
good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the
grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Note: Many times when Jesus healed someone, God was glorified. The multitude who saw the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind to see, "glorified the God of Israel." (Matthew 15:31); and when Jesus healed the sick of the palsy, the healed man "departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and glorified God," (Luke 5:25-26). When Jesus raised up a dead man at Nain, all the people "glorified God," (Luke 7:12-16); and when he healed a woman with a spirit of infirmity, "she was made straight, and glorified God." (Luke 13:12). One of the ten lepers on his way to show himself to the priest, "when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God." (Luke 17:15); and when Jesus healed a blind man, "he received his sight, and followed him glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." (Luke 18:43). Also just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he said "This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by it." (John 11:4). Sickness is the direct work of the Devil (or demons) (Job 2:7; Luke 13:16; John 10:10; Acts 10:38), and deliverance from the Devil's work of sickness brought glory to God, so our deliverance from any evil or sin, which is also from the Devil, also brings glory to God (Psalm 50:15). Therefore, as it is God's will that we should obtain our deliverance, by faith, through Jesus, so that he only may receive the glory, surely he will deliver us when we call upon him in faith.
JOHN 14:13-14 (Jesus)
13 And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 (Paul)
20 For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, for glory to God through us.
Note: God is glorified by our deliverance, not by our bondage to sin. The Devil is glorified by our bondage to sin. We are commanded, "glorify God in your body," (Psalm 50:15; 1 Corinthians 6:20), that's what we were created for (Isaiah 43:7), and we can only do this by being delivered by faith, not by remaining in sin. What glory is it to God, if our only witness is that the Devil is defeating us with sin, and God won't deliver us because he doesn't love us enough, or likes to see us oppressed? How many people would we convert to Christ on that basis? Isn't it much more truthful to tell them that Jesus died to deliver us from sin (Galatians 1:4), "he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." (Hebrews 9:26), he suffered and died to pay for our sins (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24), he rose again to live in our hearts, and turn us away from our past sins (Acts 3:26)? Then we can share with them the love and compassion that God has for his children, and glorify God with our testimony of deliverance from sin. The fact that he has already said "yes" for his glory (John 14:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:20), and he will not alter anything that he has said (Psalm 89:34), proves that it is always his perfect will to deliver us from sin.
ROMANS 12:1 (Paul)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Note: Paul said that to present our bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God," (Romans 12:1), is our reasonable service; but we cannot do this while we are involved in any fleshly lust. To be holy, our body needs to be "set aside" for God's service, and it is impossible to do this properly while we are indulging in any kind of sin. God wants us to serve him, and he wants us to be holy (Leviticus 11:44; 20:7; Romans 12:1; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; 1 Peter 1:15-16), so surely it is his will to deliver us from any sin, if we ask him and trust him.
EPHESIANS 4:27 (Paul)
27 Neither give place to the Devil.
EPHESIANS 6:11 (Paul)
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the Devil.
JAMES 4:7
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.
1 PETER 5:8-9
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour;
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your
brethren who are in the world.
Note: The Devil is always the source of sin, and these verses are commands to give him no place in our lives, but to resist him "steadfast in the faith," (1 Peter 5:9). These are commands to resist sin just as much many other scriptures (John 5:14; 8:11; Romans 6:1-2; 6:15; 1 Corinthians 15:34), and as God would never desire us to sin, it shows that it is always God's will for us to be delivered. God wants us to "walk by faith," (2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 4:12), "Fight the good fight of faith," (1 Timothy 6:12), "live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:20; 3:11; Hebrews 10:38), "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it is tried with fire, might be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" (1 Peter 1:7). Forsaking sin is just one area, who gives us an opportunity to do this.
MATTHEW 7:11 (Jesus)
11 If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father
who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
JOHN 3:16 (Jesus)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life.
ROMANS 8:32 (Paul)
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things.
1 JOHN 3:1
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him.
1 JOHN 4:8
8 He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.
1 JOHN 4:16
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he who dwells in
love dwells in God, and God in him.
Note: These are just a few scriptures, which tell us that "God is love." (1 John 4:8; 4:16), and that he loves us so much that he was prepared to sacrifice his only son to save us (John 3:16; Romans 8:32). There can be little doubt then that God wants us saved and cleansed from all sin; it must be his perfect will, otherwise he would not have gone to such extreme lengths in order to do it. How many of us would sacrifice our only child to save someone else? How many of us would not help someone who was hopelessly struggling for his or her life, and called to us for help, because they could not help themselves? How much more will a loving God come to our aid when he sees us struggling in sin, and we call to him to deliver us from it?
PSALMS 103:8-11, 17-18
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him, and his
righteousness to children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those who remember his commandments to do them.
PSALMS 117
1 O praise the LORD, all you nations: praise him, all you people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endures for ever.
Praise the LORD.
PSALMS 118:1-4
1 O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endures for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endures for ever.
4 Let those now who fear the LORD say, that his mercy endures for ever.
PSALMS 138:8 (David)
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O LORD, endures for ever:
do not forsake the work of your own hands.
PSALMS 136:1-4, 23-26
1 O give thanks to the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endures for ever.
2 O give thanks to the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
23 Who redeemed us in our low estate: for his mercy endures for ever.
24 And has redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures for ever.
25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures for ever.
26 O give thanks to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.
MATTHEW 5:7 (Jesus)
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
MATTHEW 12:7 (Jesus)
7 But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have
condemned the guiltless.
ROMANS 11:32 (Paul)
32 For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
JAMES 5:11
11 Behold, we count them happy who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of
the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Note: We have a God who is "plenteous in mercy." (Psalm 103:8), and if we fear him, then his mercy towards us is "as the heaven is high above the earth," (Psalm 103:11), and from "everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 103:17). Many times it is written, "his mercy endures for ever." (Psalm 118; 136; 138:8), and providing that we are merciful towards others (Psalm 18:25; Matthew 5:7), then he will extend his mercy towards us. The reason why he concluded the Jews in unbelief was "that he might have mercy upon all." (Romans 11:32). There should be no question then about his willingness to be merciful towards us by delivering us from sin, should there? If there is, the answer is in our own hands: "Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:36), for "the merciful ... shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7).
The following scriptures are all to do with promises of deliverance, some from persecutions, some from sickness, some from sin, and depending on our interpretation, some could cover all three. The principle is that God has promised deliverance from all evil (2 Timothy 4:18), and if we regard "the wicked" as the Devil in a spiritual sense, then many of these scriptures point to our deliverance from any of his oppressions. In order to pray in total faith, we need to know for certain that deliverance has been promised. Then when we have the promise firmly in our heart we can claim it with confidence, because "all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen," (2 Corinthians 1:20).
PSALMS 97:10
10 You who love the LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints1; he
delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 (Paul)
13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that you may be able to bear it.
2 TIMOTHY 4:18 (Paul)
18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me to his heavenly
kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Note: The word translated saints1 (Hb. חָסִיד, Htr. chāsîd) (Psalm 97:10) is an adjective which is often used as a noun. It is translated "saints" 19 times, which means "holy ones" or "sanctified ones", and is also translated "holy" (Deuteronomy 33:8; Psalm 86:2), "holy one" (Psalm 16:10; 89:19), "merciful" (2 Samuel 22:26; Psalm 18:25; Jeremiah 3:12), and "godly" (Psalm 4:3; 12:1; 32:6; 43:1). Certainly a holy person should have these characteristics; Paul did when he wrote "the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work," (2 Timothy 4:18), and if we are living a holy life then God will certainly deliver us from every evil work also.
JOB 5:8, 15 (Eliphaz)
8 I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause:
15 But he saves the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
JOB 36:5, 15 (Elihu)
5 Behold God is mighty, and does not despise any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
15 He delivers the poor in his affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.
PSALMS 34:6 (David)
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
PSALMS 35:10 (David)
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like you,
who delivers the poor from
him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and needy from him who plunders him?
Note: Any of us who are poor can claim these promises of God for deliverance:
(Job 5:15) "he saves the poor ... from the
hand of the mighty."
(Job 36:15) "He delivers the poor in his affliction,"
(Psalm 34:6) "the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his
troubles."
(Psalm 35:10) "who delivers the poor from him who is too strong
for him,"
As God has chosen the poor of this world (Isaiah 66:2; James 2:5), then surely then he will deliver us when we cry out to him for help.
PSALMS 34:17-19 (David)
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to those who are of a broken heart; and saves such
as are of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD
delivers him out of them all.
PSALMS 37:32-33, 39-40 (David)
32 The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them
because they trust in him.
Note: "The wicked" (Psalm 37:32, 37:40) can be considered either as people, or as the Devil, who is trying to enslave Christians through fleshly sin so that he can render them spiritually ineffective:
(Galatians 5:17) "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would."
However, deliverance is not unconditional. These promises to the righteous are to those who have God's word in their heart (Psalm 37:30-31 Isaiah 51:7), to those who obey God's word from the heart (Deuteronomy 6:25; Isaiah 48:18; Ezekiel 18:5-9; Romans 6:16-18), and to those who have the faith of the indwelling Spirit of Christ (Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16; Philippians 3:9). Therefore, if we want deliverance, we must set our heart to learn God's word and to obey it. We can then receive righteousness by faith, and expect that God will certainly deliver us.
PSALMS 41:1 (David)
1 Blessed is he who considers the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
Note: If we consider the poor then this is a promise that we can appropriate, but if we have surplus money in the bank, saved up for an "emergency", while the poor of the world starve, go thirsty, naked or homeless, then how will God deliver us? Or if we covetously spend our money on ourselves, pampering our vanity with beauty treatments, or expensive clothes, or collecting worldly possessions around us in direct disobedience to the words of Jesus (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 11:41; 12:33; 16:9; 18:22), then how will God deliver us? Most of the poor are oppressed because they lack the means to supply their own worldly needs, but if we have the means to relieve their oppression and are not doing it, how can we expect God to relieve our oppression?
(Proverbs 21:13) "Whoever stops his ears at
the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard."
(Proverbs 28:27) "He who gives to the poor shall not lack: but
he who hides his eyes shall have many a curse."
(Galatians 6:7) "For whatever a man sows, that shall he also
reap."
Considering the poor is one of the attributes of the righteous (Psalm 37:21; 37:25-26; 112:9; Proverbs 21:26; 29:27; 2 Corinthians 9:9), and if we do it too, then God will surely deliver us in the time of our trouble.
PSALMS 34:4 (David)
4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Note: Even if we consider that we do not fulfil any of the other qualities which carry the promises of deliverance, this one can be claimed by anyone who is prepared to seek God. How do we do it? (See #5.638 Note). Seeking God can also bring many other benefits besides deliverance from some oppression. It can obtain for us forgiveness (2 Chronicles 7:14), understanding (Psalm 14:2; Proverbs 2:1-9; 28:5), meekness (Zephaniah 2:3), righteousness (Zephaniah 2:3; Hosea 10:12; Matthew 6:33), justification (Galatians 2:17), as well as the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:31), and rest (2 Chronicles 14:7). If we seek God with all of our hearts, then God will surely deliver us from all our fears, including any kind of sin.
PSALMS 34:7 (David)
7 The angel of the LORD encamps round about those who fear him, and delivers them.
PSALMS 103:11 (David)
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him.
PSALMS 103:17 (David)
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children;
PSALMS 145:18-19 (David)
18 The LORD is near to all those who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of those who fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Note: Sadly, not enough Christians today have a genuine reverential fear of God. It is clean and everlasting (Psalm 19:9), it keeps away evil (Proverbs 19:23), it brings upon us salvation (Psalm 85:9; 145:19), God's goodness (Psalm 31:19), God's pity (Psalm 103:13), God's provision (Psalm 34:9; 111:5), God's mercy (Psalm 103:11; 103:17; Luke 1:50), deliverance (Psalm 34:7), blessings (Psalm 115:13), and the fulfilling of our desires (Psalm 145:19). It comes through learning the word of God (Deuteronomy 4:10; 17:19; 31:13; Proverbs 2:1-5), by being obedient to God (Deuteronomy 8:6; 14:23; 28:58), through repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-11), and through seeing signs and miracles (Luke 5:24-26; 7:14-16). It is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10), it gives God pleasure (Psalm 147:11), and when we have it, it will cause us to depart from evil (Exodus 20:20; Proverbs 16:6). Fearing God is an attribute of those who are obedient to God's word (Deuteronomy 5:29; 6:2; 8:6; 28:58), of the righteous (Psalm 112:1-3), of God's servants (Psalm 119:38), and of his saints (Psalm 34:9). Certainly God will deliver those who fear him, he cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2).
PROVERBS 28:26 (Solomon)
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoever walks wisely, he shall be delivered.
Note: To walk wisely can be likened to walking in many other ways (See #5.616 Note 1), but sometimes people, and even God, are also described in scripture as walking with their mouth (Genesis 3:8; Psalm 73:9; Proverbs 6:12). So to walk wisely could mean to speak wisdom also. There are many scriptures which show that deliverance comes through speaking the right things (See #5.33; #5.628), and as it is an attribute of the righteous (or just) (Psalm 37:30; Proverbs 2:7; 10:31), then this is one reason why they obtain deliverance (See #5.206).
PSALMS 91:14-15
14 Because he has set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him,and honour him.
PSALMS 145:20 (David)
20 The LORD preserves all those who love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
Note: Loving God is nothing less than total obedience to him:
(John 14:21-24) "He who has my commandments,
and keeps them, he it is that loves me: ... If a man love me he will keep my
words: ... He who does not love me does not keep my sayings:"
(John 15:10-14) "If you keep my commandments, you shall abide
in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
... You are my friends if you do whatever I command you."
(1 John 2:5) "But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God
is perfected in him:"
(1 John 5:2-3) "By this we know that we love the children of
God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
(2 John 6) "And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments."
To set our love upon God, the condition to be delivered (Psalm 91:14), means to set our hearts to be obedient to him, and if we do this, then surely he will deliver us when we ask him.
2 SAMUEL 22:20 (David)
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me because he delighted in me.
PSALMS 18:19 (David)
19 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me because he delighted in me.
Note: Who does God delight in? those who obey his voice (1 Samuel 15:22), his elect (Jesus) (Isaiah 42:1), the righteous (Jeremiah 9:24), the merciful (Micah 7:18), and the upright (Proverbs 15:8). These scriptures (2 Samuel 22:20; Psalm 18:19) show that, if God delights in us then he will certainly deliver us when we need it.
DEUTERONOMY 4:30-31 (Moses)
30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things are come upon you, even in the latter
days, if you turn to the LORD your God, and shall be obedient to his voice;
31 [For the LORD your God is a merciful God;] he will not forsake you, neither destroy
you, nor forget
the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.
Note: Obedience is commanded everywhere in God's word (Leviticus 19:37; 20:8; 22:31; 25:18; Deuteronomy 5:31-33; 6:17-18; 6:24; 7:7; 8:1; 8:6; 8:20; 10:12-13; 11:1; 11:13; 11:22; 11:32; 26:16:17; 27:1; 27:10; 29:9; 30:16; 2 Kings 17:13; Jeremiah 7:23; 11:2-40), and without delay (Psalm 119:60; Proverbs 3:27-28; 6:3-4). It is the foundation on which we should build our future habitation (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49), it is a condition for our spiritual prosperity (Deuteronomy 29:9; Joshua 1:7-8; 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Chronicles 22:12-13; Job 36:11), and it comes before blessings (Deuteronomy 7:12-14; 11:27-28; 28:1-14; Jeremiah 7:23). Obedience to God is nothing less than our duty (Ecclesiastes 12:13; Luke 17:10), and it is also an attribute of the righteous (Deuteronomy 6:25; Isaiah 48:18; Ezekiel 18:5-9; Romans 6:16-18). If we are obedient to him, then God will surely deliver us when we ask him, because we will be able to ask in faith.
PROVERBS 11:21 (Solomon)
21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the
righteous shall be delivered.
Note: Just as in the past children have suffered through the sins of the parents (Deuteronomy 28:15-18; 28:58-59; 2 Samuel 12:13-19; 1 Kings 17:17-18; Hosea 9:16-17), so they have been delivered through the prayers of righteous parents (Psalm 37:25-26; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12). It would be a mistake, however, to assume that it always happens. David, who for most of his life had a perfect heart with God (1 Kings 11:4; 15:3), lost his son (2 Samuel 12:13-19) for his adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:1-17). Job was described as "a perfect and upright man" (Job 1:1; 1:8), but all ten of his children died (Job 1:18-19). Nevertheless, the scripture indicates that there was something lacking in both of these men's lives at the time of their trouble, which accounts for their lack of faith to avoid it.
JEREMIAH 15:19-21 (God to Jeremiah)
19 Therefore thus says the LORD, If you return, then will I bring you again, and you shall stand
before me: and if you take forth the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth: let them
return to you; but return not you to them.
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall: and they shall fight against you, but they
shall not prevail against you: for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.
21 And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.
Note: In a natural sense, this was a promise that God made to Jeremiah, to deliver him out of the hands of the wicked people who he preached to. In a spiritual sense, any of us who God has called to preach the truth of his word, could claim this for deliverance out of the hands of the Devil, who is both wicked and terrible (Jeremiah 15:21).
2 PETER 2:9
9 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly1 out of temptations, and to preserve the
unjust to the day of judgement to be punished.
Note: The word translated godly1 (Gr. eusebhj, Gtr. eusebes) is elsewhere translated "devout" in the KJV. It is so used of Cornelius (Acts 10:2), one of his faithful soldiers (Acts 10:7), and of Ananias who was sent by Jesus to heal Saul and to lay hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 22:12). It means pious, earnestly religious, or simply faithful and obedient, and if we are such then God knows how to deliver us out of temptations, and will do it.
PSALMS 18:25 (David)
25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright;
MATTHEW 5:7 (Jesus)
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Note: These scriptures show that if we are merciful to others, then God will be merciful to us, which means that he will deliver us when we need it. Therefore if we are failing to receive the mercy of God to deliver us from any kind of sin, we should look to our own lives to see where we are failing to show mercy to others. (See also #5.17 and #5.208.)
This section is very important, because many people may fail to get deliverance simply because they do not know how to receive it. The first thing that we need to understand is that Jesus has already paid the price to deliver us from sin (See #5.12), and he lives in the heart of every born again Christian. This does not mean that we have automatic deliverance, because we have to yield to his spirit in obedience to obtain it. We also need to adopt the right attitude towards sin (See #5.5), walk to avoid sin where possible (See #5.4), and overcome sin when we cannot avoid it (See #5.6). All of this is impossible without God’s help, so here we will examine how we obtain the essential help that we need from God. If we try to overcome sin by self effort, or self will, or self determination, we will surely fail. We still need to do whatever needs to be done to overcome sin, but we need to do it from a position of faith, trusting in God to deliver us, and not trusting in our own ability. This section therefore deals with faith, and how we use our faith to obtain God’s favour. If we lack faith, then we need to study first how to obtain more.
There seems to be a certain amount of confusion in the Christian world about how we ought to pray. Some believe in long travailing prayers, while others, mostly faith teachers, tell us that if we pray more than once for the same thing then we have prayed in unbelief. Some have tried this latter method and found that it does not work for them, and so the controversy has continued. Therefore, in this section we will examine these differences from a scriptural point of view, and deal with the question, Should we pray once, or keep on asking? The conclusion is drawn in #5.311 Note 7.
MATTHEW 21:22 (Jesus to disciples)
22 And all things whatever you ask1 in prayer, believing, you shall receive.
JOHN 14:13-14 (Jesus)
13 And anything whatever you ask1 in my name, this I will do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask1 anything in my name, I will do it.
JOHN 16:23 (Jesus to his disciples)
23 And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Amen, amen, I say to you, Whatever you ask1
the Father in my name, he will give to you.
Note 1: In all four cases here, the word translated you ask1 (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13; 16:23) and you shall ask1 (John 14:14) is the same word (Gr. aithshte, Gtr. aitēsēte), and is the second person, plural, aorist, subjunctive, active, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. In each case, Jesus is talking to more than one person, “you” being plural, and the use of the aorist tense indicates that the asking is viewed as a single event rather than as a continuous or repeated one. Usually the aorist subjunctive is used where a single event is indicated (DFH p74), in which case this could be interpreted as “you ask once”; but this is not always so. There are times when it could be interpreted as several repeated actions viewed as a single event; “if he trespass against you seven times in a day,” (Luke 17:4) for example. Also “whoever shall do and teach them,” (Matthew 5:19) refers to the commandments, and obviously does not mean “shall do once and teach them once”, because this would not make us to be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Much rather it means “shall do and teach both continuously and repeatedly”, the whole period of doing and teaching being looked upon as a single event. Similarly, when Jesus said, “whoever shall do the will of God,” (Mark 3:35), he did not mean “shall do once” (cf Matthew 7:21-23), but rather had in mind someone who continually and repeatedly did the will of God. These are just a few examples of where the aorist subjunctive is used for a repeated or continual action. If we understand “you ask” (Matthew 21:22) in this sense, then it explains Elijah’s prayer on mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:42-44), Daniel’s three weeks of fasting (Daniel 10:1-13), Jesus’ praying three times in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44), and Paul’s seeking God three times to remove his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-8), all as being counted as a single “you ask”. Is it possible that “you ask ... believing” (Matthew 21:22) could only ever mean “you ask once ... believing when you ask”? It could if there was an immediate manifestation of the answer to every prayer. But if we examine the promise of salvation as an example, it would mean that every person who ever asked to be saved, believing when they asked, would be saved. This is the same as the false teaching of an unconditional “once saved always saved”, which some believe, but is totally denied by many scriptures (Exodus 32:33; Ezekiel 3:20; 18:24; 18:26; 33:12-13; 33:18; John 15:1-6; Romans 11:16-22; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 10:12; Galatians 5:4; 1 Timothy 5:11-12; Revelation 2:5; 3:16; 22:19). So it doesn’t mean that. Just as the believing has to continue until we die (Ezekiel 33:12-13; Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; Hebrews 3:6; 3:14; 1 Peter 1:9), otherwise our salvation would be lost, so when we ask for something in prayer, we need to continue believing until we receive the manifestation of it.
Note 2: There is no time reference with the aorist subjunctive, so that “you ask” could be past, present, or future tense, depending upon the context. Even so, we can interpret “you shall ask” (John 14:14) clearly, because it is part of a conditional sentence, and if it were past or present tense, then the past or present indicative would have been used instead of the aorist subjunctive (DFH p129-130; JWW p167). In fact, it would not be unreasonable to consider the other three cases here as future tense also. The use of the present participle “believing,” (Matthew 21:22), shows that the believing and the asking occur at the same time, the timing of the present participle being relative to, and usually simultaneous with, the main verb (DFH p57; JWW p152; WP p96), which in this case is “you ask”. The other points made here are that we must ask the Father (John 14:23), we must ask in the name of Jesus Christ (John 14:13-14; 16:23), and our request must be for the glory of God (John 14:13; 2 Corinthians 1:20). As far as forsaking sin is concerned, this always glorifies God when we receive by faith.
(Matthew 7:7-8 ) Ask2, and
it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:
8 For every man who asks receives3;
and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”
(John 16:24) “Until now you asked nothing in my name; Ask2,
and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
The word translated Ask2 (Gr. aiteite, Gtr. aiteite) is the second person, plural, present, imperative, active, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. The present imperative indicates a command to continue doing something, or to do it repeatedly (DFH p92; HPVN p83-84; JWW p74; WP p51); in this case “keep on asking”. This is not “keep on asking for various things” as some would interpret it, because the verse says “it (singular) shall be given you;”, so it means “keep on asking for the same thing”. This is confirmed by “keep on asking anything” (1 John 5:14) (See Note 5), where “anything” is also singular, and is also coupled with “keep on asking”. Also taking these verses (Matthew 7:7-8) in context with a parallel scripture (Luke 11:5-10), the purpose of this teaching of Jesus was not only to get us to pray, but also to keep on asking until we receive. The man asking for three loaves was refused first time he asked (Luke 11:7), and if he had not continued to ask, he would have received nothing. Therefore we can conclude that in this case it means “keep on asking for the same thing”. Notice also that in both of these verses (Matthew 7:7; John 16:24), the giving (by God) and the receiving by us are both future to the “keep on asking”. This indicates a period of asking before we receive what God gives. The word translated receives3 (Gr. lambanei, Gtr. lambanei) is the third person, singular, present, indicative, active, of the verb “lambanō”, “I receive”. In Greek, the present indicative can denote action in progress, or customary or repeated action in present time (HPVN p66). Generally the action is incomplete, here indicating that the receiving is taking place now, at the same time as the asking. The verb is used in conjunction with a present participle “who keeps on asking”, which some would say indicates that the asking and the receiving are going on at the same time. However, with articular adjectival participles, which this is, it is not always so, but if we were to translate the present tense “is receiving”, then it would suggest it to be true here. Another way of reconciling the difference that we have seen between “receive now” and “receive later”, is that “receive now” is by faith, in the spirit realm, and “receive in the future” refers to the manifestation in the material realm (See #5.32 Note).
(Mark 11:24) “Therefore, I say to you, All things whatever you ask4, praying, believe that you are receiving them, and they will be yours.”
The word translated you ask4 (Gr. aiteisqe Gtr. aiteisthe) is the second person plural, present indicative middle, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. The present indicative usually denotes action in progress, in which case it could be translated “you are asking for yourselves”, or as a simple “you ask for yourselves”. It could also denote repeated action in present time (JWW p54; HPVN p66), in which case we could understand it to mean “you keep on asking for yourselves”. The use of the middle voice shows that the ones asking are also receiving (DFH p65; HPVN p63; JWW p93; WP p71), hence asking for themselves. It is wrongly translated “you desire” in the KJV, because although a desire may be there, asking and receiving involves far more than just desiring, which we can do without asking or receiving.
(1 John 5:14-15) “And this is the confidence which we have toward him, that
if we ask5 anything according to his will, he hears6 us.
15 And if we know that he hears6 us, whatever we ask5,
we know that we have7
the requests which we have asked8 from him.”
The word translated we ask5 (Gr. aitwmeqa, Gtr. aitōmetha) is the first person, plural, present, subjunctive, middle, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. While the present subjunctive often indicates continuous or repeated action (DFH p74, JHM1 p186, MW p79), the middle voice indicates that those asking are also receiving (See Note 4), hence asking for themselves. That translated he hears6 (Gr. akouei Gtr. akouei) is the third person, singular, present, indicative, active, of the verb “akouō”, “I hear”, and indicates that God hears when we ask. We can translate this in a simple sense “he hears”, providing that we understand it to mean “he hears every time”, which is what the context indicates, being coupled with the verb “keep on asking”. That translated we have7 (Gr. exomen, Gtr. echomen) is the first person, plural, present, indicative, active, of the verb “echō”, “I have”. It needs to be understood in the present sense of “we now have” or “we are having”, and should not be confused with the past tense in the sense of “we already have”, which some have done. It refers to having something by faith, therefore we have it now in a faith sense, and will keep on having it by faith until the manifested answer appears. That translated we have asked8 (Gr. hthkamen, Gtr. ētēkamen) is the first person, plural, perfect, indicative, active, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. The perfect tense has two common interpretations:
(1) “The Perfect of Completed Action” denoting an action completed in past time, the results of which still remain, e.g. “You have filled” (Acts 5:28), and “I have finished” (2 Timothy 4:7), or:
(2) “The Perfect of Existing State” denoting a current state which also existed in the past, e.g. “He trusted in God;” (Matthew 27:43), speaking of Jesus, who was not only trusting God at the time it was spoken, but also always trusted him in the past. Also note Peter’s statement “We believe” (John 6:69), which was evidently true in past time also (John 1:41; 2:11). Either of these interpretations could apply here in a different sense.
(James 1:5-7) “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask9
of God, who gives to all men liberally, and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 Butlet him ask9 in faith, nothing doubting. For the
man who doubts is like a wave of the sea being driven by the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”
The word translated let him ask9 (Gr. ai0tei/tw Gtr. aiteitō) is the third person, singular, present, imperative, active, of the verb “aiteō”, “I ask”. Again, the present imperative is a command to continue to do something (DFH p92; HPVN p83-84; JWW p74; WP p51), in this case “keep on asking”, and the use of the third person means that the command is given to someone (who could be) other than the hearer. Here it refers to “any of you” (James 1:5). It is worth noting that “keep on asking in faith” implies that according to this scripture, it is possible to ask more than once for the same thing, and still be asking in faith. This is denied by some, and there is a teaching along the lines that “if we ask ten times for the same thing, we have asked nine times in unbelief”. The reasoning is that if we believe that we receive when we pray (Mark 11:24), then there would be no reason to ask for it again. This sounds very logical, but we have already seen that this KJV interpretation need not be taken rigidly (See Note 4), and there are also some other points which contradict this:
(1) If we consider Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, he prayed three times for the same thing, and on the latter two occasions he said the same words (Matthew 26:44). Was Jesus praying in faith? When we consider that he always pleased his Father (Matthew 3:17; John 8:29), and “without faith it is impossible to please him;” (Hebrews 11:6), then we know that he must have been. If we also consider that “whatever is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23), and Jesus never sinned (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:14-15; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 3:5), then this again proves that he prayed in faith. Therefore we must conclude that it is possible to pray for the same thing more than once, and still be in faith.
(2) Jesus was not teaching perfect people how to pray, he was teaching disciples who were often rebuked for their lack of faith (Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20; Mark 16:14; John 20:27). They would have to keep on asking until they believed if they were to receive anything, wouldn’t they?
(3) Consider the many examples in the word of God of people who did not receive the first time that they asked (See #5.528 Notes 1 and 2), but who did receive because they kept on asking.
(4) Praying in faith may also include prolonged periods of time praying in tongues (See #5.611), and this is something that we need to keep on doing.
(5) Also we should understand that “asking in faith” could include not only asking, but also our believing, corresponding confession, and corresponding actions, in which case it is also something that we need to keep on doing. The Greek could be literally translated, “let him keep on asking by faith”, which would then mean that our faith, which includes our confession and corresponding actions, is our petition to God. So let us conclude it like this: whenever the scriptures are in conflict with our own logic and reason, then we need to disregard our own reasoning, however sound it may seem to be, and obey the scriptures:
(Proverbs 3:5) “do not lean on your own understanding.”
(Proverbs 3:7) “Do not be wise in your own eyes:”
(Proverbs 23:4) “cease from your own wisdom.”
Also we need to remember that we are seeking God’s help, and to think that we are wiser than him is an insult:
(Isaiah 55:8-9) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Note 7: So let us summarise how we obtain our deliverance through prayer. Prior to praying, if we are not sure that God will deliver us, then we need to meditate in the scriptures in order to know that Jesus has already paid the price for our deliverance (See #5.12), and that he will deliver us when we pray (See #5.2 complete). We also need to adopt the right attitude before we start (See #5.5), because this will avoid endless frustration and failure. Then we need to pray:
(1) Simply ask the Father to deliver us from our sin in the name of Jesus.
(2) If we do not believe that God has answered our prayer, when we pray, then we need to keep on asking until we do believe it, because believing is a basic condition to receive (See #5.32). Most of us will come into this category of needing to keep praying, because if we are honest, very few of us are at the place to believe that we receive every time that we pray. Periods of praying in tongues may be required to build up our faith (See #5.611).
(3) When we do believe that God has answered us with a “yes”, as he has promised (2 Corinthians 1:20), then it will be only natural to enter into thanksgiving, praise, confession, and corresponding actions. It appears that this type of persistent prayer gained a swift answer in the cases of Elijah (1 Kings 18:42-44), Daniel (Daniel 10:1-13), and Jesus (Matthew 26:36-44).
(4) If we later doubt, or fall back into the sin, then we need to ask again until we have the reassurance that we have received again.
(5) Having received our answer, we then need to “walk it out” by faith until the manifestation is complete (See #5.6).
Note 8: At this point we need really to explain the difference between “keep on asking”, which the preceding scriptures have encouraged us to do, and “vain repetitions”, which Jesus told us to avoid (Matthew 6:7-8). On the one hand we mean “keep on asking in faith” (James 1:5), believing that God is hearing us (1 John 5:14-15). Those who pray this type of prayer do not trust in their own goodness, but in the goodness of God, and they believe in their heart that God answers because of his love (See #5.16), and his mercy (See #5.17). On the other hand there are those who pray “vain repetitions”, who do not believe that God will answer because of his goodness, but because of their own “good works” (Luke 18:9-14), or because of “their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7). Their words are vain because they are without faith in God. God is not against persistent or repeated prayer; anyone who regularly prays in tongues must know that, and we are told, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), but he is against vanity in every form, including vain praying; “Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the almighty regard it.” (Job 35:13).
Note 9: In my own experience I have found that both types of prayer, “asking once” and “keep on asking”, have worked. I have known the time when I have prayed a simple prayer, asking God for something, and then forgotten about it until it turned up a few weeks later. Then I looked back and remembered that I had prayed for it. On the other hand, I did not get delivered from the sin of gluttony praying that way. Towards the end of my trial I would sometimes come home from work, go to bed after my evening meal, and pray all night until I went to sleep. Many times I asked God to get me out of this wickedness that I could not get myself out of, and my attitude was that I was not going to stop until I did get delivered. God answers both types of prayer when they are done in faith.
ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12 (Solomon)
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion: but woe to him who is alone when he falls; for he does not
have another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
MARK 16:17-18 (Jesus)
17 And these signs shall follow those who believe; In my name they shall
cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
JOHN 14:12 (Jesus)
12 Amen, amen, I say to you, He who believes in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because
I go to my Father.
MATTHEW 18:19-20 (Jesus)
19 Again I say to you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything1
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
MATTHEW 24:35 (Jesus)
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Note 1: Jesus introduced his disciples to the prayer of agreement (Matthew 18:19) because he knew that there would be times when it would be needed. There are times when even mature Christians need the support of a brother or sister in prayer, whenever there is a need beyond our individual faith. If we consider the statements:
(Leviticus 26:8) “five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight:”
(Deuteronomy 32:30) “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, ...?”
We can see that joint faith does not just add together; it multiplies. We have more encouragement also that this type of prayer is beneficial:
(Ecclesiastes 4:9) “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.”
(Ecclesiastes 4:12) “if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
So we can be encouraged, that when our desire seems to be way beyond our faith, God in his mercy has made a provision for such circumstances. He has given the authority over demons, and the power to heal the sick, to any one who believes in him (Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12). As it only has to be appropriated by faith, deliverance from the oppression of the Devil should be available to anyone with friends who believe God’s word.
Note 2: That translated as touching anything1 (Gr. peri pantoj pragmatoj, Gtr. peri pantos pragmatos) literally means “concerning every matter”, and shows that when a prayer of agreement is made, the participants need to agree on all points concerning that prayer.
MATTHEW 10:1,5,8.
1 And when he had called to him his twelve disciples, he gave them authority1
against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every of disease.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them ...
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give.
MARK 6:13
12 And they went out and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
LUKE 9:1-2
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power2
and authority1 over all demons, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
LUKE 10:19 (Jesus)
19 Behold, I give to you authority1 to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power2 of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
HEBREWS 13:8
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
MATTHEW 24:35 (Jesus)
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Note: The word translated authority1 (Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1; Luke 10:19), is the Greek word ecousia (Gtr. exousia) which means “authority”, and is distinct from the word translated power2 (Gr. du/namij Gtr. dunamis) a word which is similar to our English word “dynamite”. When Jesus was alive on earth, he gave his disciples “power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.” (Luke 9:1), “authority against unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every of disease.” (Matthew 10:1), and “authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy;” (Luke 10:19). This authority has never been withdrawn from the church:
(Ecclesiastes 3:14) “whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it:”
(Romans 11:29) “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
However, this power and authority can only be manifested through the spirit of Christ who indwells us, and how much power and authority we have depends on how much of his spirit is in us. If this problem is caused by a demon, then we need to find elders with the spirit of Christ in them to cast it out, but if it is just caused by sin in our heart (Romans 7:17; 7:20), then we need to take it by faith, crucify it, and “sin no more” (John 5:14; 8:11).
MATTHEW 21:22 (Jesus to disciples)
22 And all things whatever you ask1
in prayer, believing2, you shall receive.
MARK 11:23-24
23 For amen I say to you, Whoever shall say to this mountain, Be taken up, and be thrown into the sea, and does not
doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says are coming into being, whatever he says will be his.
24 Therefore, I say to you, All things whatever you ask, praying, believe3
that you are receiving4 them, and they will be yours.
Note: When we have seen any promise in the word of God, and prayed for it, there are four elements to a faith that will receive; believing, confessing what we believe, acting on what we believe and confess, and endurance. All four have to work together for faith to operate, so first we need to answer the question, “What do we need to believe”? That translated you ask1 (Matthew 21:22) has already been explained (See #5.311 Note 1), and can either be considered as a “one off” asking, or as a period of repeated asking viewed as a single event. The word translated believing2 (Gr. pisteuontej, Gtr. pisteuontes) (Matthew 21:22) is the nominative, plural, masculine, present, active, participle, of the verb “pisteuō”, “I believe”. It shows that the believing and the asking occur at the same time, the timing of the present participle being relative to, and usually simultaneous with, the main verb (DFH p57; JWW p152; WP p96), which in this case is “you ask”. Also we must continue believing until we receive the manifestation of what we are asking for, and if we stop believing along the way, then we can expect to receive nothing (James 1:6). The word translated believe3 (Gr. pisteuete Gtr. pisteuete) is the second person, plural, present, imperative, active, of the verb “pisteuō”, “I believe”, and again, as a present imperative, this is a command to continue doing something, literally “keep on believing”. The word translated you are receiving4 (Gr. lambanete Gtr. lambanete) is the second person, plural, present, indicative, active, of the verb “lambanō”, “I receive”. Here we have a choice of choosing to interpret in the present continuous sense, which has been done, or the present simple sense “you receive”. If we believe that we receive in a simple sense, in the spiritual realm by faith, when we pray, then we still need to believe that we are receiving in a continuous sense as far as the manifestation is concerned. Both are correct here in different senses at the same time. However, having already understood “asking”, and “believing”, both in a continuous sense, and interpreted “are coming into being” (Mark 11:23), then for the sake of consistency, it seems reasonable to translate this in a similar manner. If we had total faith like Jesus then we could believe in a simple sense and receive immediately. However, for most Christians, we believe that God answers our prayer when we pray, but as far as the manifestation is concerned, the receiving is happening in a continuous sense, and this is what we should continue to believe. We can understand this in the light of Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 10:1-13), where the angel was dispatched with his answer on the first day that he began to pray (Daniel 10:12). Even so, he had to continue believing that the answer was on the way until it arrived twenty one days later (Daniel 10:2; 10:13).
PROVERBS 10:11 (Solomon)
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
PROVERBS 12:6 (Solomon)
6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
PROVERBS 12:14 (Solomon)
14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered to him.
PROVERBS 12:18 (Solomon)
18 There is who speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
PROVERBS 13:2 (Solomon)
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of transgressors shall eat violence.
PROVERBS 14:3 (Solomon)
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
PROVERBS 15:4 (Solomon)
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness in it is a breach in the spirit.
PROVERBS 16:24 (Solomon)
24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
PROVERBS 18:20-21 (Solomon)
20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips he shall be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and those who love it shall eat its fruit.
MARK 11:23 (Jesus) (RPT)
23 For amen I say to you, Whoever shall say to this mountain, Be taken up, and be thrown into the sea, and does not
doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says are coming into being, whatever he says will be his.
HEBREWS 10:23 (RPT)
23 Let us continue to hold fast the confession of the hope without yielding; for he who has promised is faithful;
ISAIAH 57:19 (God)
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him who is far off, and to him
who is near, says the LORD; and I will heal him.
Note 1: Confession is the second element of faith, so once we have claimed deliverance, and believe that we have received, or are receiving it, we need to confess the same, and retain that confession no matter what happens, because;
(Proverbs 12:14) “A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:”
(Proverbs 12:6) “the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.”
(Proverbs 13:2) “A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth:”
(Proverbs 14:3) “the lips of the wise shall preserve them.”
(Proverbs 18:21) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue:”
(Mark 11:23) “whatever he says will be his.”
God creates the fruit of the lips (Isaiah 57:19), and if we keep on speaking the right things, then he will bring it to pass. There is a spiritual principle in the word of God, “with the heart man believes to ... and with the mouth confession is made to ...” (Romans 10:10), and this not only applies to salvation, but also to receiving any of the promises of God. So we need to keep our confession right; if we say the wrong thing the same rule applies, but in reverse:
(Proverbs 6:2) “You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.”
(Proverbs 12:13) “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips:”
(Proverbs 18:7) “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
(Jeremiah 23:36) “every man’s word shall be his burden:”.
Note 2: When God operates, he does so in total faith, and part of that faith is to say what he is about to do. Thoughts are totally spiritual, but it seems as if God transfers these thoughts into the material realm by speaking them as words first, and then they appear materially. Thus everything that God creates he does by speaking words first, for example:
(Genesis 1:3) “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
(Genesis 1:24-25) “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping
thing, and the beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
(Genesis 1:26-27) “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”
Also in many other places the same principle, of God speaking before creating, can be seen:
(Psalm 33:6) “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”
(Psalm 148:5) “he commanded, and they were created.”
(Isaiah 46:11) “yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
(Ezekiel 12:25) “For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall
come to pass; ... I will say the word, and will perform it, says the Lord God.”
(Ezekiel 22:14) “I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.”
(Ezekiel 24:14) “I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it;”
(Ezekiel 36:36) “I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.”
So if we wish to operate in this type of faith, which brings certain results, then our confession needs to match up to what God’s word says, that we are being delivered as we pray. If we really believe it in our heart, then it will naturally come out of our mouth:
(Matthew 12:34) “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
(Matthew 15:18) “those things which proceed forth out of the mouth come forth from the heart;”
(2 Corinthians 4:13) “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I
spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”
If we are unable to confess it, then it must be that we do not really believe.
JAMES 2:17-19
17 Even so faith, if it does not have works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe, and tremble.
20 But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Do you see how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Note: The third element of effective faith for deliverance is acting in agreement with what we believe and confess. James said three times in this scripture that faith without works is dead (James 2:17; 2:20; 2:26), and it ought to be clear that dead things don’t do anything. They don’t move, they don’t breathe, they don’t speak, and they don’t make or produce anything, do they? In the same way, dead faith will not produce anything; it won’t produce salvation, or healing, or deliverance from sin. Faith without works will never deliver us from sin, because when we have claimed our deliverance, we need to act on our faith by abstaining from whatever sin we have been committing. The scripture instructs this also:
(Matthew 4:7) “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”
(Matthew 19:18) “Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,”
(John 5:14) “sin no more, lest a worse thing come on you.”
(John 8:11) “Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.”
(Acts 23:5) “You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.”
(Romans 7:7) “You shall not covet.”
(Romans 13:9) “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You
shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet;”
(1 Corinthians 6:18) “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is outside the body; but he who commits fornication sins against his own body.”
(1 Corinthians 15:34) “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”
(Ephesians 4:27) “Neither give place to the Devil.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:3) “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication:”
(1 Thessalonians 5:22) “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
(2 Timothy 2:22) “Flee also youthful lusts:”
(1 Peter 2:11) “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”
(1 John 2:1) “My little children, these things I write to you, that you do not sin.”
If we do not abstain from the sin, it shows that our faith for deliverance is dead, and we will have no manifestation of our deliverance (See also #5.630).
MATTHEW 24:13 (Jesus)
13 But he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
MARK 13:13 (Jesus)
13 And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake; but he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
HEBREWS 6:13-15
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
HEBREWS 10:36
36 For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
Note: Sometimes miracles can happen instantaneously, and they require no endurance. Many of the miraculous healings of Jesus were like this (Matthew 8:3; 20:34; Mark 2:12; Luke 1:64; 4:69; 13:13), and even those of the apostles (Acts 3:7; 9:18; 14:10), but these were done by men who were very mature spiritually. With less mature Christians this does not always happen, because our faith has to be tested and tried in order to perfect us (James 1:2-4; 1:12; 1 Peter 1:7). As far as our salvation is concerned, we have this by faith now (Ephesians 2:8), but the manifestation is still future (Mark 16:16; Acts 15:11; Romans 13:11; Philippians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:5; 1:9). We must endure to the end in order to be saved (Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13). Jesus spoke to the church at Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) and told them, “be thou faithful to death, and I will give you a crown of life.” (v10). If they had not endured to the end, but denied him to escape the tribulation they were to go through, then they would have been lost (Matthew 10:33; Luke 12:9). So it is with our deliverance from sin. We have to believe that God has given us the deliverance, confess it, and abstain from the sin until the desire to do it dies. Then we will be set free from it (Romans 6:7). How long we have to endure before our release comes may vary from person to person. It depends upon our faith, and on the circumstances. However long God sees fit to let this trial continue, that is how long we must endure. However he has given us some encouragement in his word:
(1 Corinthians 10:13) “There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer
you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
(See also #5.526).
If we were literally fighting an opponent with sword and shield, what would
be our best tactics? When we saw our opponent about to strike a blow, would it be better to walk into the blow hoping that our shield would
protect us, or to move out of the way so that the blow would miss us altogether? Surely the latter is better.
The same principle is true in spiritual warfare also; it is better to avoid temptation when we can, rather
than walk into it. When the word of God tells us to avoid it, then putting temptation in our own way is
equivalent to spiritual suicide, because once we step out of obedience to the word of God, we step
"out
of faith", and "into the flesh". Without our shield of faith to protect us the Devil can easily
strike us down, but when we stand in faith, we can endure every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13),
"quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:6), and cause the Devil to flee from us (James 4:7). We cannot avoid
temptation altogether because we need to be tempted in order to be proved (Exodus 16:4; 20:20; Deuteronomy 8:2-3; 8:16;
James 1:12), and God allows this just as he did with Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). However,
although as a general rule we should avoid temptation as much as possible, there are times when we are
spiritually weak, when we need to avoid temptation in order to avoid sin. It is just foolish to keep putting
ourselves in a position to be tempted, when the Devil has power over us, and can easily draw us away; but much
better to face it when we are strong in the Lord, standing in faith, and able to overcome it.
When Sennacherib, king of Assyria came to attack Jerusalem, Hezekiah, king of Judah, devised a good plan against him:
(2 Chronicles 32:2-4) "And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem,
3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were
without the city: and they helped him.
4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and
the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings
of Assyria come, and find much water?"
Hezekiah's tactic was to cut off anything that would help the enemy who was against him, and this is also a good tactic for us today in our spiritual warfare. This section therefore deals with how to avoid the temptation to sin, by knowing the ways by which Satan tries to tempt us, and avoiding them.
GENESIS 3:6
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
its fruit, and ate,
and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate.
PROVERBS 23:31-32 (Solomon)
31 Do not Look you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves
itself aright.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
EZEKIEL 14:6
6 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from
your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
MATTHEW 5:29 (Jesus)
29 And if your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from
you: for it is profitable
for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
Note: Solomon said, "the eyes of a man are never satisfied." (Proverbs 27:20), and "the eye is not satisfied with seeing." (Ecclesiastes 1:8). We ought to know from this that there is no point in us looking at things which are forbidden, because continual seeing will put them into our hearts (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 11:18; Proverbs 4:20-21; 23:26), and create a desire for them (Genesis 12:11-12; 26:7). Here are some examples:
(1) Notice how Eve, who was originally a perfect creation (Genesis 1:31), first "saw that the tree was good for food", then "saw that it was pleasant to the eyes" (Genesis 3:6), and was then drawn away into transgressing God's word.
(2) Notice how Achan, came to covet the spoils of war from Jericho that cost the lives of thirty six Israelites by defeat in battle (Joshua 7:1, 5). He "saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight," (Joshua 7:21).
(3) Notice how David, before he committed adultery with Bathsheba, "from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon." (2 Samuel 11:2).
Looking is often the first step in temptation. It can bring things to our remembrance (Genesis 9:16), and the Devil can use this to cause us to remember the past pleasure of dainty food, drink, beautiful women, or possessions. Then, when our hearts desire is activated, our mouth starts to water, or our body begins to react, he has us in the flesh where his victories are gained. Hence the admonitions from God's word telling us not to look:
(Numbers 33:51-52) "When you are passed over
Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of
the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures,"
(Psalm 101:3) "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes,"
(Psalm 119:37) "Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity:"
(Proverbs 23:31) "Do not Look you upon the wine when it is
red,"
(Isaiah 33:15-16) "He who ... shuts his eyes from seeing evil;
He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks:
bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure."
(Ezekiel 14:6) "turn away your faces from all your
abominations."
(Matthew 5:29) "if your right eye offends you, pluck it out and
cast it from you,"
If we can refuse to look, or avoid places where we know that the temptation to look will be very strong, then we can considerably reduce the Devil's opportunities to tempt us.
MARK 9:43 (Jesus)
43 And if your hand offends you, cut it off: it is better for
you to enter into life maimed, than
having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched:
ROMANS 13:14 (Paul)
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not make provision for the flesh, to fulfil
its lusts.
Note 1: What do we mean by "make no provision"? Simply that we do not stock or store the things that will be a temptation to us. In the case of food, do not store dainty food (See #5.420), or food convenient for snacks (See #5.632 Note 1). In the case of drink, or cigarettes, do not keep any around. This can save us from sin many times, because as a last line of defence, when the Devil has overcome our resistance, and we are prepared to sin anyway; if there is no provision there, none of the luxury foods that we enjoy, no alcohol, or no cigarettes, then the Devil can still end up defeated.
Note 2: I used to live just across the road from a shop that used to sell all of the foods that were a temptation to me. It was open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, so that not keeping the foods in the house was never an inconvenience. I worked in a factory at the time, on a training scheme with very low wages, when I first decided to make this principle work for me. When I came home on a Friday night, I would sort out my money for house food and bills etc., and then "charitably dispose" of the rest to leave me with no money all week. I thought that this would prevent me from buying the tempting foods, and thus keep me out of trouble, but it had only a limited effect. There were times when it definitely prevented me from sinning, but there were other times that I would feel so hungry, that I would just eat anything available. So as a substitute, I would help myself to other foods in the house, and it wasn't long before I would take from the food money to buy some luxury foods. This is therefore only an aid in an emergency, and not a substitute for the real answer to the problem, which is faith in the heart, a willingness to die to self, and to put right that which is wrong in our lives (See #5.518). Eventually I moved to another accommodation, again opposite a supermarket, which was open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week and less on Sunday. Next door was a fish and chip shop, which was also a temptation to me, and it was open until midnight most nights. I have experienced the time when I have been lying in bed trying to sleep, but the temptation was such that I have got up at five minutes to midnight, and bought chips from next door! Needless to say I did not obtain deliverance while living at either of these places. God eventually moved me to a far more isolated accommodation before he delivered me.
PROVERBS 4:14-15 (Solomon)
14 Do not enter into the path of the wicked, and do not go in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not pass by it, turn from it, and pass away.
PROVERBS 5:3, 8 (Solomon)
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
8 Remove your way far from her, and do not come near the door of her house:
PROVERBS 7:6-8, 21-23 (Solomon)
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strikes through his liver; as a bird makes haste to the snare, and does not know that it is for his life.
PROVERBS 23:19-21 (Solomon)
19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
20 Do not be among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Note 1: There is a spiritual principle here, not to go where we can be tempted, "Avoid it, do not pass by it, turn from it, and pass away." (Proverbs 4:15). The Devil is "more subtle than any beast of the field" (Genesis 3:1), and if he is subtle enough to tempt perfect people like Adam and Eve into sin, then let us not be so puffed up as to think he cannot draw us away also. If Eve had not been near the tree of knowledge of good and evil, she would not have seen that "the tree was good for food", or that it was "pleasant to the eyes" (Genesis 3:6), and would not have fallen into sin at that time. If Achan had not been among the spoils of Jericho (Joshua 7:1), he would not have coveted and stolen from them (Joshua 7:21), and lost his life (Joshua 7:25). If David had not been walking on his roof, when he should have been at war (2 Samuel 11:1), or at least in bed (2 Samuel 11:2), then he would not have seen Bathsheba washing herself at that time. He would then have avoided his adultery with her (2 Samuel 11:4), and the murder of her husband Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:15). So if we do everything in our power to avoid the Devil's temptations, then we can pray "do not lead us into temptation" (Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4) and expect God to take care of the rest. But what point is there in asking God, "do not lead us into temptation," if we deliberately put ourselves in the position that we are asking him to keep us from?
Note 2: I got so frustrated and upset with my constant failure to have my eating habits under control, that there were times when I became very desperate. At one such desperate time, while studying this principle of "do not go near", I took time off from work and pitched a tent in a lonely spot in a wood. I took no food with me, and I was so far off the beaten track that I saw nobody for sixteen days. My tent was so small that I spent almost all the time lying down; I studied the word of God, meditated, prayed, quoted scriptures, and sought repentance, healing and deliverance. At the end of this time I was cold, hungry, and very weak, but had no manifestations of healing, although I did believe that I must have been delivered from my food problem after all this. The bottled tap water, which I had taken with me, tasted "not quite right" by this time, and although I had prayed over it, I think it may have been the reason why my bowels suddenly became very active. Both of my airbeds were punctured, and I would have had to lie on cold stony ground if I had stayed; so I quit and went home. Within two days of getting home, God wonderfully blessed me with a vision, but imagine my disappointment when within five days of my return, I was back to my old habits, overeating the wrong foods again. I had made several mistakes which I can list as follows:
(1) My motive was wrong, I wanted deliverance for selfish reasons, and not so that I could be a blessing to others (See #5.506; #5.512 Note 2).
(2) I went as a matter of self-will and determination, trying to get God to deliver me and heal me, but that wasn't faith. I would have done better to receive my deliverance and healing first by faith, and perhaps then gone in order to drive the victory home.
(3) When I returned, I didn't continue to meditate the scriptures (See #5.622), and the end of the fast was really the end of my effort, when really I should have continued after my return (See #5.508).
(4) When I got home, I did not change, or intend to change anything in my life. I had not really seen the cause of the problem, which God wanted me to deal with. Until I did, he was not about to deliver me (See #5.518). Eventually I did learn that God wanted me to speak out more boldly against the wickedness of the world, the errors of the churches, and act more lovingly towards others. When I sought his help to show me how to do it, and by his grace began to put right where I was falling short, he did deliver me (See #5.512 Note 2).
PROVERBS 23:20-21 (Solomon)
20 Do not be among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh:
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
EPHESIANS 5:11 (Paul)
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Note 1: Solomon outlined an important principle in the word of God when he said, "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you shall not go: Lest you learn his ways, and get a snare to your soul." (Proverbs 22:24-25), and that principle is that we learn from the people we keep company with. So if we can avoid the company of people who habitually sin, we will avoid the temptation through the eyes (See #5.402), and the tendency to become like them, because we do tend to become like the people that we keep company with (Proverbs 13:20; 27:17). Thus there are many admonitions in the word of God to avoid the wrong company:
(Exodus 23:33) "They shall not dwell in your
land, lest they make you sin against me:"
(Psalm 26:4-5) "I have not sat with vain persons, neither will
I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will
not sit with the wicked."
(Psalm 101:4-5) "A perverse heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbour, him will I cut off: him who has a high
look and a proud heart will I not suffer."
(Psalm 101:7-8) "He who works deceit shall not dwell within my
house: he who tells lies shall not tarry in my sight. I will early destroy all
the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the
LORD."
(Proverbs 2:11) "he who follows vain persons is void
of understanding."
(Proverbs 13:20) "a companion of fools shall be destroyed."
(Proverbs 14:7) "Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you perceive the lips of knowledge are not in him."
(Isaiah 9:16) "For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and those who are led of them are
destroyed."
(Matthew 15:14) "if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall
into the ditch."
(Romans 16:17) "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which
cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned;
and avoid them."
(1 Corinthians 5:11) "But now I have written to you not to keep
company, if any man who is called a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, no not
to eat."
(Ephesians 5:6-7) "Do not let any man deceive you with vain
words: for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of
disobedience. Do not you be therefore partakers with them."
(2 Thessalonians 3:14) "if any man does not obey our word by
this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be
ashamed."
(Titus 3:10) "A man who is an heretic after the first and
second admonition reject;"
(2 John 9-11 RPT) "Whoever transgresses, and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not
have God. He who abides in the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If any man comes to
you, and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not say to him,
"Welcome;" For he who says, "Welcome," to him partakes in his evil deeds."
Jesus also taught us that sometimes we must even choose between him and our family:
(Luke 14:26) "If any man comes to me, and does not hate
his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, yes, and his own
life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Jesus did not literally mean that we should hate our family, because he told us also, "Love your enemies", (Matthew 5:44). What he meant was that our love for our family should be like hate, when compared to our love for him:
(Matthew 10:37) "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
Jesus considered our earthly family relationships far less important that our spiritual ones (Matthew 12:46-50).
We are also advised to keep good company:
(Psalm 101:6) "My eyes shall be upon
the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he who walks in a perfect
way, he shall serve me."
(Psalm 119:63) "I am a companion of all those
who fear you, and of those who keep your precepts."
(Proverbs 13:20) "He who walks with wise men shall be
wise:"
So if we wish to forsake any sin, avoiding the company of those who are indulging in it is essential. Solomon said, "Do not be among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh:" (Proverbs 23:20), and if we break this principle, we can expect to reap the consequences.
Note 2: One problem that I encountered was people who insisted on feeding me even when I didn't want to eat. Some people simply did not understand how important it was to me to control my food consumption, while others did not think that they had been hospitable to me unless they have stuffed me full of food. I had to tactfully share how I felt about this with those that needed to know, and while most genuine friends did co-operate; I avoided those who wouldn't, so as not to offend them by refusing. There were some times when I did overeat to avoid giving offence, but even though I didn't want to do it, I never felt guilty about it when I did.
PROVERBS 19:15 (Solomon)
15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Note 1: When we are busy our mind is occupied with the things which we are doing, and as we can usually only concentrate on one thing at a time, when we are thinking about good, we are not thinking about evil. Hence God's word exhorts us to think only about good things (Philippians 4:8). Only when we are relaxing, not occupying ourselves with good things, does the Devil have opportunity to get us to think about the wrong thing. Therefore it is a good tactic of spiritual warfare, to keep our minds busy with the right things; meditate in God's word (See #5.414; #5.622), praise God (See #5.612), pray (See #5.416), do God's will (See #5.412; #5.614), "always abounding in the work of the Lord," (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Note 2: Even ordinary works, such as our daily job by which we earn our living, can help us to keep away from sin. However, the warning needs to be given not to enter into carnal, fleshly works, when doing the work of God. Jesus was once asked, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" (John 6:28). Fleshly people always want to be seen doing something, but Jesus did not answer, " Do this ... or do that ... or do the other!", he simply said, "This is the work of God, believe on him whom he (God) has sent." In other words, "Believe what I say!", and if we do that, works of faith will follow. Fleshly, carnal works can be recognized by certain characteristics:
(1) They will be done publicly, so that they may obtain the approval of others (Matthew 6:1-6). This is contrary to faith (John 5:44), not like Jesus (John 5:41), and will not receive anything from God (Matthew 6:2; 6:5).
(2) Their methods may be carnal, that is, copying worldly methods that cannot be found in the scriptures. These will be justified by their own logic and reason, which God has warned us to refrain from (Proverbs 3:5; 3:7; 23:4). The attitude will be that "the end justifies the means"; but this is not right, and it may result in losing some of those involved in it (1 Chronicles 13:1-13).
(3) They will lack spiritual results which bring glory to God or Jesus, such as:
(a) Genuine salvation of souls (John 15:8),
(b) Healing of the sick (Matthew 9:8; 15:31; Mark 2:12; Luke 5:26; 17:15),
(c) Answers to prayers of faith (John 14:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:20),
(d) Demons being cast out (Luke 13:13),
(e) People being baptised in the Holy Spirit (John 16:14).
JOHN 4:31-34
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know of.
33 Therefore his disciples said one to another, Has any man brought him anything to eat?
34 Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.
Note: Jesus attitude always was that spiritual food (the word of God) was more important than physical food. When he was tempted by the Devil after fasting forty days and nights in the wilderness (See #5.610), he quoted at him:
(Matthew 4:4) "Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
(Luke 4:4) "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word of God."
He taught his disciples also, that if they took care of the spiritual things, God would take care of their physical needs:
(Luke 12:22-23; Matthew 6:25) "And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no
thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than clothes."
(Luke 12:29-31; Matthew 6:31-33) "And do not seek you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither
be of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things.
But rather you seek the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added to
you."
(John 6:27) "Do not labour for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures
to everlasting life."
Paul supported this teaching:
(Philippians 4:19) "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
There is a principle here, that when we do the will of God, and set our mind on spiritual things, fleshly sinful desires will cease to be a problem to us.
JOSHUA 1:8
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate1
in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it: for then
you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
PSALMS 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate1 day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his
leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
PSALMS 119:15
15 I will meditate2 in your precepts, and have respect to your ways.
1 TIMOTHY 4:15-16 (Paul)
15 Meditate3 upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that
your profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save
yourself, and those who hear you.
Note 1: Meditating often implies pondering or turning thoughts over and over in the mind or heart. The word used in the Old Testament for meditate1 (Hb. הָגָת, Htr. hāga) is used in this sense (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 77:12; 143:5; Isaiah 33:18), and is translated "studies" (Proverbs 15:28; 24:2). When used in connection with the tongue it is translated "utter" (Job 27:4), "speak" (Psalm 35:28; Proverbs 8:7), "speaks" (Psalm 37:30), "talk" (Psalm 71:24), and "muttered" (Isaiah 59:3). The general sense of the word seems to indicate "being occupied with", or "concentrating on", and whether done with the tongue or in the heart, these scriptures imply that the word of God is the centre of attention. In the New Testament, the verb meditate3 (Gr. meletaw, Gtr. meletao), used in (1 Timothy 4:15), can mean "to care for", "to attend to", or "to practice". If we consider this to be done in the mind, then the translation "meditate upon" is correct, otherwise the translation "attend to", or "practise", might be better. Repeated thinking upon, or muttering the word of God over and over, is spiritually equivalent to chewing the cud (Leviticus 11:1-8; Deuteronomy 14:3-8), and is essential if "clean meat", that is, spiritual truth is to be obtained. Just as clean meat could not be produced without chewing the cud, so spiritual truth cannot be certain without due meditation. If we can keep our minds occupied with God's word, it will not only strengthen us, but it will also rob the Devil of his opportunities to put his tempting thoughts to us. How often should we do it? The word of God says "day and night," (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2), "these words, which I command you this day, ... they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." (Deuteronomy 6:6-8), "lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes." (Deuteronomy 11:18), "my words ... Do not let them depart from your eyes;" (Proverbs 4:20-21). These scriptures show how important it is.
Note 2: Failing to do this was another of my frequent mistakes. There were times when I was confident of deliverance, and walked in victory for periods of up to a month, but I did not continue to meditate as much as I should have done. I lost spiritual strength, and consequently when the Devil came again, as he invariably does (Matthew 12:43-45); I would fall again. Not only do we need the word of God in our hearts to get delivered from sin (Psalm 119:11), but we also need it there to stay delivered.
MATTHEW 6:9,13 (Jesus)
9 After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever, Amen.
MATTHEW 26:41 (Jesus)
41 Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
MARK 14:38 (Jesus)
38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
LUKE 11:2-4 (Jesus)
2 And he said to them, When you pray, say, Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into
temptation; but deliver us from evil.
LUKE 22:40 (Jesus)
40 And when he was at the place, he said to them, Pray that you do not enter into temptation.
Note: Does God really lead us into temptation? Certainly he does! Who led Jesus to be tempted in the wilderness?
(Matthew 4:4) "Then Jesus was led up of the
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil."
(Mark 1:12-13) "And immediately the Spirit drives him into the
wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan;"
(Luke 4:1-2) "And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned
from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days
tempted of the Devil."
We need to be tempted in order to be proved (Exodus 16:4; Deuteronomy 8:2; 8:16; 2 Corinthians 13:5; James 1:12), but it also seems clear that God will deliver us from it if we ask him, otherwise Jesus would never have instructed us:
(Matthew 6:9-13) "After this manner therefore
pray: ... do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil:"
(Matthew 26:41) "pray that you do not enter into temptation:"
(Mark 14:38) "pray, lest you enter into temptation."
(Luke 11:2-4) "When you pray, say, .. do not lead us into
temptation;"
(Luke 22:40) "Pray that you do not enter into temptation."
One thing is certain, it is easier for us to stay out of sin if we are not tempted, and if we pray in faith as Jesus commanded here, we would certainly avoid many undesirable difficulties. This is one of the reasons why the wicked keep on sinning, because they do not pray this prayer. But, the righteous do not sin (Ezekiel 3:20; Romans 6:18; John 8:34 with Romans 6:20; 1 Corinthians 15:34; 1 Peter 2:24), because they do pray this prayer, and believe God to keep them from it.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:9-11
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry
after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it worked in you,
yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes,
what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes, what zeal, yes, what revenge! In all things
you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
ECCLESIASTES 7:3 (Solomon)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Note: Repentance removes sin from the heart, and will therefore enable God to hear our prayers (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2). There are at least nine steps to a complete repentance:
(1) Believe in Jesus (Acts 10:43; 13:38). There can be no true forgiveness without this because
he has paid the price for our sins to be forgiven (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:5), and he is the one who
delivers us from sin (Matthew 1:21; Acts 3:26; 1 Peter 2:24).
(2) Pray to God for forgiveness (2
Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 32:5-6; Daniel 9:20; Acts 8:22).
(3) Confess each sin to God (Psalms 32:5; 51:2-3; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
(4) Be sorry for our sin (Psalm 38:18; Ecclesiastes 7:3; 2
Corinthians 7:8-11).
(5) Forsake the sin (Isaiah 1:16-18;
Jeremiah 36:3; Ezekiel 18:21-22; 2 Timothy 2:19).
(6) Destroy all association with past sin (Joshua 7:11-12;
Isaiah 27:9; Acts 19:18-19).
(7) Make restitution where possible (Exodus 22:1-7; 2
Samuel 12:6; Proverbs 6:30-31; Ezekiel 33:14-16; Luke 19:8).
(8) Renew our heart and mind with God's word (Joshua 1:8;
Psalm 1:2; 119:11; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23;
Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 8:10-12).
(9) Obey God's word and do good (Isaiah 1:16-18;
Ezekiel 18:21-22; 33:14-16; Ephesians 4:28; James 4:17).
So if we pray with supplications to God, confess our sin, be sorry for it, forsake it, and destroy all association with it. If we make restitution where possible, renew our mind with God's word, and begin to do the good that we ought to do; then the lust will have been removed from our heart, and our sin forgiven. Remember, "if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Corinthians 11:32), but "except you repent, you shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3; 13:5). (See also #5.640)
PROVERBS 23:1-3 (Solomon)
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
2 And put a knife to your throat if you be a man given to appetite.
3 Do not desire his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
1 PETER 2:11 (Peter)
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
war against the soul.
Note 1: A glutton should refuse dainty food. By dainty food, we mean any food that is sweet or tasty to the point that, when we have eaten it, we are left, wanting to eat more. Usually this is the type of food that is eaten between meals (See #5.632 Note 1), and any desire that we have for such food will surely be used by the Devil to draw us away into overeating (James 1:14). The immediate solution is to abstain from them (See #5.630) until they are removed from our heart. After this we can adopt the same attitude as Paul, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (1 Corinthians 6:12). For the alcoholic, even one drink should be refused, and for the smoker, even one cigarette should be refused (See #5.508). This is the Devil's tactic, to make us think that we can indulge a little, and then stop. If we fail this, sin always leads to more sin (Proverbs 5:22; Jeremiah 9:3; Romans 6:19; 7:15-20).
Note 2: Sweet foods such as cream biscuits, chocolate biscuits, and various chocolate foods were my big temptation, and the problem was that once I started to eat them, I found it almost impossible to stop. Even before I was saved, I had a habit of eating a whole packet of biscuits after my evening meal, but this was nothing like what came on me during my trial. At the worst time, I would come home from work and eat a normal evening meal, after which I would go across to the shop and buy two packets of various biscuits, and eat them. After this I would go to another shop (the local shopkeeper having noticed and commented on my habit) and purchase two more packets and eat them. O wretched man that I was, I would then go to another shop and buy one medium sized and one large chocolate bar and devour both of them! The Devil can never get anyone to this state in an instant, but it grows in us over a prolonged period as we continually yield to it, so the way to stay out of this trouble is to avoid such foods altogether. I do not advocate that eating such a food is a sin, many people enjoy such foods in total moderation, but they are not making the sacrifices that Jesus has called us to make, and the danger is there if we let it get out of control. Paul had a good attitude to such a situation: "All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." (1 Corinthians 6:12).
This section deals basically with the reason why many of us who try to live a Christian life are still walking in bondage to sin. It is simply because of a "lack of commitment". Some of us have been born again, even been baptised in the Holy Spirit, but have never sat down and made certain basic decisions which we really need to make if we are to become overcomers. Therefore when we undergo a trial or temptation, there are times when we are prepared to obey God, but other times when we are prepared to go the way of the world. None of us can ever be completely free from sin with this attitude, because whenever the trial becomes difficult, we will almost invariably take the easy route, which is failure. If we are in any doubt about where our loyalty is, then the Devil will always be able to defeat us, because one of the conditions to receive from God is not to doubt (Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:23; James 1:6). Therefore it is essential when attempting to forsake sin, that we get certain basic questions settled in our hearts, so that we do not keep stopping to reconsider our position, which will defeat us (See #5.504), or quit before we have the total victory (See #5.508).
JOSHUA 24:14-15 (Joshua)
14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which
your fathers served on the other side of the river, and in Egypt; and serve
you the LORD.
15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom
you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served who were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
1 KINGS 18:21
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long do you limp between two opinions? If the LORD be
God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
DANIEL 1:8
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor
with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
ACTS 11:22-23
22 Then tidings of these things came to the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem: and they sent forth
Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of
heart they would cling to the Lord.
2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 (Paul)
7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of
necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.
Note: This is something that we all need to do before we enter into spiritual warfare like forsaking sin, purpose in our heart whom we are going to serve, God or sin:
(John 8:34) "Whoever commits sin is the
servant of sin."
(Matthew 6:24) "No man can serve two masters: for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and
despise the other."
Without a definite commitment to serve God, we will find forsaking sin far more difficult, if not impossible, because the Devil will always have a weapon to defeat us with, which is our own lack of purpose of heart. Forsaking sin is not something that we succeed at when we just try it. It is something that we succeed at when we set our heart to do it (Daniel 1:8; Acts 11:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7; Colossians 3:2), when we determine not to look back (See #5.504), and determine to kill the sin stone dead (See #5.508).
GENESIS 19:17,26 (Lot's escape from Sodom)
17 And it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for
your life; do not look behind you, neither stay in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest you are consumed.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
PSALMS 18:37-38 (David)
37 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again
until they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
PROVERBS 4:25-27 (Solomon)
25 Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before
you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left: remove your foot from evil.
LUKE 9:61-62
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell,
who are at home
at my house.
62 And Jesus said to him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God.
Note: There is a principle here, revealed by the word of God, that whatever we determine to do, if we know it to be right, that we should not look back, "Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. ... Do not turn to the right hand nor to the left:" (Proverbs 4:25-27). This then should be our attitude when forsaking any sin. The consequences of looking back were disastrous for Lot's wife (Genesis 19:26), and Jesus said that if we looked back, we were not fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). If we keep on stopping to reconsider our position after we have decided to forsake our sin, then we are double minded, unstable in all of our ways (James 1:8), and we will receive nothing (James 1:6-7). So when we start, we need to be determined not to look back (Luke 9:62), and not to turn again until the sin is totally destroyed (Psalm 18:37), then it will not rise again (Psalm 18:38).
ROMANS 6:6-7 (Paul)
6 Knowing that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that
from now on we should not serve sin.
7 For he who is dead is justified from sin.
GALATIANS 5:24 (Paul)
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 PETER 4:1-2
1 Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for
he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;
2 That he should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Note 1: We have already seen that we have all been called to take up our crosses and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:24; Luke 9:23), the purpose of which is to crucify "our old man" or "the flesh" by denying ourselves. "Our old man" is the spirit which lives within us, which causes us to sin. It is likened to having a body, called "the body of sin" (Romans 6:6), "the body of this death" (Romans 7:24), and "the body of the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11). This spiritual body is figuratively made up of spiritual flesh, and is often referred to simply as "the flesh" (Galatians 5:24; etc.). To crucify "the flesh" may be an easy thing to say it, but it is another thing altogether to do it. There is no way that we will accomplish this without suffering, because just as literal crucifixion was a process of suffering, so is the process of forsaking sin, "he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;" (1 Peter 4:1). Jesus was our example to follow:
(Matthew 27:50-51) "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the spirit.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the
top to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks split;"
(Mark 15:37-38) "And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit.
And the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom."
At his death, the veil of the temple, a large thick curtain that prevented entrance into the Holy of Holies, was torn in two, making entrance possible.
(Hebrews 10:12) "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
(Hebrews 6:19-20) "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and
which enters into that within the veil;
Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a
high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."
The Holy of Holies is symbolic of the presence of God. It was where the high priest entered once a year to make atonement for the people, with the blood of animals (Hebrews 10:7). The veil, which prevented entrance by others, was symbolic of the flesh of Jesus:
(Hebrews 10:19-20) "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh;"
This is why when the physical flesh of Jesus was killed, the veil of the temple was also destroyed. How does this apply to us today?
(Romans 8:3) "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:"
The physical flesh of Jesus was a likeness of our "sinful flesh", the spirit man that lives in us and causes us to sin. When Jesus died on the cross, he not only paid for our sin to be forgiven, but he was also showing us how to receive it, by crucifying the sin in our own life in order to be free! As Jesus' physical flesh was crucified, so we are meant to crucify our spiritual flesh (Galatians 5:24). Therefore, we have to take up our crosses and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:24; Luke 9:23), and if we don't do it, we are not worthy of him (Matthew 10:38). As Jesus hung on the cross, his blood drained out of his body, and he became weaker and weaker, because the life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:10-14). So it is when we put our spiritual "old man" on the cross to crucify him by denying ourselves. The life drains out of him, and he becomes weaker and weaker. When he dies we will have no more desire to commit sin, and we will also be able to enter into the presence of God, just as Jesus did. He was our forerunner (Hebrews 6:20), someone who goes before and leads the way. Paul described himself as having reached this place:
(Galatians 2:20) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the (physical) flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Therefore, before we start, we need to accept the fact that we will have to suffer in order to be delivered; we will have to overcome any kind of craving or desire for as long as it takes for our total deliverance to be manifested. If we do not accept this at the outset, then it is likely that our defeat will come as soon as the Devil puts any pressure on us.
Note 2: This was one of my problems, and it may well be with others also; I did not wish to go through a prolonged period of suffering, and the very thought of it often defeated me. I was not casting down imaginations as I should (See #5.613), neither was I obeying the command "take no thought for tomorrow" (See #5.620), and I also had my attention focussed on the problem I faced, which is not faith (2 Corinthians 4:18). When I eventually did get delivered, I was concentrating more on the joy that was set before me (Hebrews 12:2), and ignoring the circumstances. I wasn't concerned about tomorrow either, because I was busy taking the opportunities to help others, which God had placed before me (See #5.512 Note 2).
NUMBERS 21:33-35
33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all
his people, to the battle at Edrei.
34 And the LORD said to Moses, Do not fear him: for I have delivered him into your hand, and all his people,
and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they
possessed the land.
DEUTERONOMY 2:31-34 (Moses)
31 And the LORD said to me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before you: begin to possess,
that you may inherit the land.
32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.
33 And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.
34 And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little
ones, of every city, we left none to remain:
1 SAMUEL 15:2-3
2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, I remembered that which Amelek did to Israel, how he laid wait
for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; but slay both man
and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
2 KINGS 13:14-19
14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down to
him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen.
15 And Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took to him bow and arrows.
16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and
Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And
he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for
you shall
smite the Syrians in Aphek, till you have consumed them.
18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon
the ground. And he smote thrice and stayed.
19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have smitten five or six times; then
you would have smitten Syria till you had consumed it: whereas now
you shall smite Syria but thrice.
PSALMS 18:37-38 (David)
37 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again until they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they are not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
Note 1: When Saul went to fight against Amalek, God instructed him, "utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:3). When the Israelites went to take the promised land they often destroyed their enemies completely (Joshua 6:21; 10:28-37), Rahab and her family being an exception (Joshua 6:25). When they fought against Og the king of Bashan, "they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive:" (Numbers 21:25). When Moses recalled how they fought against Sihon king of the Amorites, he said, "we smote him, and his sons, and all his people ... and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain:" (Deuteronomy 2:33-34). Why did they have to employ this tactic of utter ruthlessness and destruction against their enemies?
(Numbers 33:55-56) "But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it
shall come to pass, that those which you let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in
your sides, and shall vex you in the land in which you dwell.
Furthermore it shall come to pass, that I shall do to you, as I thought
to do to them."
(Joshua 23:12-13) "Else if you do in any way go back, and cling
to the remnant of these nations, even
these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in to them, and they to you;
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of
these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps to you, and
scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this
good land which the LORD your God has given you."
(Judges 2:2-3) "And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down
their altars: but you have not obeyed my voice: why have you done this?
Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns
in your sides, and their Gods shall be a snare to you."
These scriptures make it clear, that if they did not destroy these enemies, they would become;
(Numbers 33:55) "pricks in your eyes, and
thorns in your sides, and shall vex you."
(Joshua 23:13) "snares and traps to you, and scourges in your
sides, and thorns in your eyes,"
(Judges 2:3)"as thorns in your sides,"
Therefore Israel should have utterly destroyed them, but they didn't do it:
(Psalm 106:34-36) "They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:
But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
And they served their idols: which were a snare to them."
The result was that they were given over into the hand of their enemies, who ruled over them, and oppressed them (Psalm 106:41-42).
Note 2: In one sense, the promised land for us today is the kingdom of God, which is within us (Luke 17:21). It is our clean heart where God wishes us to sow his seed (Luke 8:15), which is the word of God (Luke 8:11). Some of the inhabitants which we are to drive out are "the sin which does so easily beset us," (Hebrews 12:1), and these sins need to be utterly and totally destroyed when God leads us to deal with them. If we do not do it, then various things can result:
(1) God will drive us out of the land (Numbers 33:56), which means that we will backslide.
(2) This sin will continue to be pricks in our eyes, thorns in our sides, and vex us (Numbers 33:55).
(3) God will drive out no more inhabitants (Joshua 12:13; Judges 2:3), which means that we will be
unable to forsake other sins, or even obtain healing for some sicknesses.
From personal experience, this will lead us into total and utter bondage and misery. The love of any kind of sin is one of the Devil's strongholds in our heart, and it needs to be completely and utterly destroyed as soon as possible if we are to walk free from bondage in this Christian life.
Note 3: Early in my Christian walk, when I became aware of this problem in my life, I tried to control my eating by will power and self effort, not knowing much about faith. I knew that it needed to be dealt with and totally destroyed, but the spiritual warfare that broke out in my mind when I tried to do it was so severe that I decided to leave it until later. That was a great mistake in itself (See #5.510), because when God shows us these things, he expects us to deal with them. Nevertheless, it did not seem such a very great problem at the time, but then I was not engaged in soul winning or any other activity that would cause the Devil any great problem. When I did start to work actively for God, about twelve months later, the Devil attacked this weakness of mine with almost unbelievable vigour, to defeat me time after time, and keep me spiritually impotent. I found difficulty in all areas of my Christian life, soul winning was almost ineffective, and trying to believe God for the healing of various ailments, which I had had for many years, caused me endless pain, discomfort, suffering, and frustration, over a period of four and a half years. Many times I felt like God was just point blank refusing to help me, and not until I dealt with the sin problem did God have mercy on me enough for me to receive the manifestations that I so desired.
LEVITICUS 19:13 (God)
13 You shall not defraud your neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him who is hired shall not abide
with you all night until the morning.
DEUTERONOMY 24:15 (God)
15 At his day you shall give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and
sets his heart upon it: lest he cry against you to the LORD, and it is sin to you.
PSALMS 119:59-60
59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet to your testimonies.
60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep your commandments.
PROVERBS 3:27-28 (Solomon)
27 Withhold not good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give when you have it by you.
ROMANS 13:7-8 (Paul)
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he who loves another
has fulfilled the law.
GALATIANS 6:10 (Paul)
10 As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially
to those who are of the household of faith.
Note: If God has said to us, "at his day you shall give him his hire," (Deuteronomy 24:15), "Withhold not good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it." (Proverbs 3:27), "Render therefore to all their dues ... Owe no man anything," (Romans 13:7-8), "As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good to all men," (Galatians 6:10), then he has established a godly principle that we should not delay to do good when we have the opportunity. This would include also that we do not delay to forsake sin, "I made haste, and delayed not to keep your commandments." (Psalm 119:60). From personal experience, one of the Devil's tactics to keep us in sin, is to get us to delay forsaking our sin, with a remark something like, "Why not have a good time today and give it up tomorrow?" or "Leave it until next week, it will be easier then". This is very subtle. He knows that if we fall for it today, he can come back with the same approach tomorrow, and we will fall for it again. God is not mocked by man (Galatians 6:7), and if we think that we can sin when we like, and give it up when we like, then we are deceiving ourselves. As soon as we make the decision to continue to sin, God refashions our heart accordingly (Psalm 33:13-15), and if we cannot resist today, then there is no way we will be able to resist tomorrow with our heart in a worse condition. God will not allow any of his children to mock him in this way and get away with it. We cannot dictate to God when we will sin and when we will give it up, so if we wish to forsake the sin, then the choice is, do it now, or fail.
MATTHEW 22:37-40
37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
JOHN 13:34-35 (Jesus)
34 A new commandment I give to you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.
JOHN 15:12-13 (Jesus)
12 This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
ROMANS 13:8-10 (Paul)
8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he who loves another
has fulfilled the law.
9 For this, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not bear
false witness, You shall not covet; and if there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended
in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
10 Love works no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-2 (Paul)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and do not have charity, I am become as sounding
brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I
have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and do not have charity, I am nothing.
GALATIANS 5:6 (Paul)
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.
GALATIANS 5:13-14 (Paul)
13 For, brethren, you have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty for an occasion to the flesh,
but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
1 JOHN 3:11
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1 JOHN 4:7-12
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that
loves is born of God, and knows God.
8 He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the
world, that we might live through him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we aught also to love one another.
12 No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us.
1 JOHN 5:1-3
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves him who begat
loves him also who is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
2 JOHN 5-6
5 And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had from
the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have
heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
Note 1: "God is love." (1 John 4:8,16), and if we wish to be like him then we ought to act in love toward God and toward others. We are often exhorted to do this by the word of God:
(Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; Matthew 22:37) "you
shall love the LORD your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your might."
(John 13:34-35; Romans 13:8; 1 John 4:7; 4:11; 2 John 5) "love
one another."
(Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14)
"love your neighbour as yourself."
Why should love be our motivation for forsaking sin? Simply because our faith needs to operate by love (Galatians 5:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:11), and if it doesn't, then we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2), and it will profit us nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). Love is the most powerful motivating force in the world, it "suffers long," (1 Corinthians 13:4), "Bears all things, ... endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7), it casts out our fears (1 John 4:18), and it never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). In its ultimate expression it would cause us to lay down our lives for others (John 15:13), and with such a powerful force as our motivation, forsaking any sin would be a certainty. While we are in sin, our prayers for others are hindered, because, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." (Psalm 66:18). So if we are praying for the healing or salvation of loved ones, then we need to let our love for them be our motivation for forsaking the sin; this will ensure not only that we forsake it, but that we also stay out of it.
Note 2: I believe that not always letting love be my motivation for doing things was one of the main things that God was trying to call to my attention. Some people may have considered that I was a loving person already, because many of the things that I did were in line with the word of God, but just like Job (Job 3:25) I sometimes did things out of fear of the consequences of not doing them. Also in small things, like contacting people, visiting them, or doing things that would benefit them, I would sometimes not do them if it were inconvenient. Also in the studies that I was doing, I tended to concentrate on those studies that interested me, rather than the ones which I knew would benefit others, and so really I was not letting God lead me as far as study was concerned. This particular study on overcoming sin was one that I was neglecting. I ought to have studied what God knew was best for his purpose, rather than my own interest, but I wasn't doing it. Only when I realised these things, and changed my reason for doing things did I get delivered. I had no great spiritual experience like some have described, but I made a definite decision to act in love towards others where possible, and from then on I began to seek God's help to do it. Sometimes after that, when I came to make decisions, I would ask myself, "What would love do in this situation?" I have no worries now about forsaking sin, for I know that as long as I submit myself to do what God expects of me (See #5.604), he will keep me out of it.
HABAKKUK 3:17-18
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of
the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there
shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 (Paul)
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
JAMES 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
1 PETER 1:5-9
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In which you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through various trials:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it is tried with
fire, might be found to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving at the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Note: There is probably only one way that we can "count it all joy" during a trial, and that is when we have the assurance in our heart of the victory, because joy comes with believing (1 Peter 1:6-8), and it comes "of faith." (Philippians 1:25). If we have prayed for our deliverance, and we believed that we received when we prayed (Mark 11:24), then joy ought to be a natural reaction as we rejoice in the victory (1 Samuel 1:18). There should be no need to force it, it ought to flow from us like rivers of living water (John 7:38). However, if we are not standing in faith, and we are suffering this problem as a chastisement, then there is no way we can count it all joy; for "no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous:" (Hebrews 12:11). Joy is one of the spiritual sacrifices that God wants us to offer to him (Psalm 27:6), and it is an outward expression of the faith in our heart, without which it is impossible to please him (Hebrews 11:6).
PSALMS 50:14-15
14 Offer to God thanksgiving; and pay your vows to the most High:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you
shall glorify me.
MATTHEW 7:7-8 (Jesus) (RPT)
7 Keep on asking, and it will be given to you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking,
and it will be opened to you:
8 For every man who keeps on asking receives; and the man who keeps on seeking finds; and
to the man who keeps on knocking it will be opened.
MATTHEW 17:19-21
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
20 And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief; for amen I say to you, If you have faith as a
grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove from here to yonder place; and it shall remove; and
nothing shall be impossible to you.
21 However this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.
MATTHEW 21:21-22 (Jesus to disciples) (RPT)
21 And answering Jesus said to them, Amen, I say to you, If you have faith, and do not doubt, you will not
only do the miracle of the fig tree, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Be taken up, and be
thrown into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
MARK 9:23 (Jesus to a father) (RPT)
23 Jesus said to him, If you are able to believe, all things are possible to him who believes.
MARK 11:22-24 (RPT)
22 And answering Jesus says to them, Have the faith of God.
23 For amen I say to you, Whoever says to this mountain, Be taken up, and be thrown into the sea, and does
not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says are coming to pass; whatever he
says will be his.
24 Therefore, I say to you, All things whatever you ask, praying, believe that you are receiving them,
and they will be yours.
LUKE 17:5-6 (RPT)
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.
6 And the Lord said, If you have faith as a mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, Be pulled up
by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.
JOHN 14:13-14 (Jesus) (RPT)
13 And anything whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
ROMANS 8:37-39 (Paul)
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 (Paul)
13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will
not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 (Paul)
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 (Paul) (RPT)
20 For all promises of God, in him are yes, and in him Amen, for glory to God through us.
2 CORINTHIANS 2:14 (Paul)
14 Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (Paul)
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
2 PETER 2:9
9 For the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the
day of judgement to be punished:
1 JOHN 5:4-5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the
world, even our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Note: During any trial of our faith, the one thing that the Devil always tries to do is to sow doubt in our heart about what God has said. Notice how he did it with Eve in the garden of Eden, saying "Yes, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1), suggesting that she could, of course. When he realised that she knew what God had said, then he tried to get her to doubt the truth of it, saying, "You shall surely not die:" (Genesis 3:4). These scriptures make it clear what God has said about our deliverance. So providing that we are repentant before God, and sincerely looking to put right that which we have done wrong to cause our problem with sin, then there are more than enough scriptures here to sustain us through any trial. God knows how to deliver us (2 Peter 2:9), he has said that he will if we ask in faith (Psalm 50:15; Matthew 21:22), and he cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). All that remains for us to do is to meditate these scriptures into our heart, until we have the assurance of the victory, then act on our faith by giving up the sin, and let the praise and thanksgiving flow from us.
PROVERBS 23:13-14 (Solomon)
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
14 You shall beat him with the rod, and deliver his soul from hell.
LAMENTATIONS 3:39-40 (Jeremiah)
39 Why does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:31-32 (Paul)
31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Note 1: Sometimes an oppression of one sin can be a chastening for another sin, and this being so we need to understand the reasons why God chastens us, and the way to avoid it. He chastens us when we are in sin (Leviticus 26:27-28; Psalm 89:31-32; 107:17; Jeremiah 2:19; 30:14), because he is displeased with us (Psalm 6:1; 38:1), because he loves us (Proverbs 3:12-13; 13:24; Hebrews 12:6-8; Revelation 3:19), and because he is a faithful Father (Psalm 119:75). The purposes of God's chastening are:
(1) To get us to learn his word (Psalm 94:12; 119:71),
(2) So that he can give us rest (Psalm 94:12-13),
(3) To get us to acknowledge our sins and turn from them (Job 34:31; 36:7-10; Proverbs 29:19),
(4) To get us to cleanse our hearts (Job 41:24-25;
Psalm 73:13-14; James 4:8; 1 John 3:3),
(5) To make us holy (Hebrews 12:10),
(6) To make us righteous (Hebrews 12:11),
(7) To get us to pray more (Isaiah 26:16),
(8) To get us to seek him (Hosea 5:15), and
(9) So that we are not condemned with the world (Job 33:14-22, 33:29-30;
Psalm 73:12-19; Proverbs 23:13-14; 1 Corinthians 11:31-32).
This latter point could bring us to believe that while we are being chastened, then we are under condemnation; in which case it is an urgent need to turn away from our sin and repent (See #5.418; #5.640). As long as we refuse to do this, then God has to keep chastening us as long as he considers us to be sons, otherwise how would he get us to turn back to him? If we continue to refuse when we are chastened, and forsake him, then he will forsake us (2 Chronicles 15:2), his power and his wrath will be against us (Ezra 8:22), and he will cast us off for ever (1 Chronicles 28:9). Is it possible that we are being chastened without being in sin? Some of us may like to think so, but the answer from scripture is definitely no:
(Psalm 91:9-10) "Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even
the most High, your habitation; There shall no evil befall you,"
(Proverbs 19:23) "The fear of the LORD tends to life; and
he who has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil."
(Proverbs 26:2) "the curse causeless shall not come."
(Ecclesiastes 8:5) "Whoever keeps the commandment shall feel no
evil thing:"
(1 John 5:18) "We know that whoever is born of God does not
sin; but he who is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one does not
touch him."
Note 2: I once had an occasion to dig a big rock out of a garden. When I first uncovered it, it looked small and easy to remove, but I soon found that it was not only much larger than I had thought, but it was also buried much deeper than I had expected. In order to get it out, I had to dig round it and first remove all the smaller stones, rubble, and earth, which were holding it in place. Many times I attempted to move it, but had to go back and remove more from around it before it eventually came out. So it is sometimes with sin. We may not realise how large, or deep-rooted the problem is until we try to remove it. The solution may be, as with the rock in the garden, that we may need to put right some smaller things in our life before God will allow us to remove the big one. Correcting smaller problems first will not only make us spiritually stronger, and give us practice with the spiritual warfare involved, but will also remove any support to the Devil's stronghold in our heart, that we are looking to destroy. Scripturally we need to show our faithfulness in small things first, before God will trust us with anything big:
(Luke 16:10) "He who is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he who is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
JOHN 5:19
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, Amen, amen, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of
himself, but what he sees the Father do: for whatever things he does, these also the Son does likewise.
JOHN 5:30 (Jesus)
30 I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgement is just; because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.
JOHN 8:28
28 Then Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he,
and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.
Note 1: Jesus made it very clear in these three scriptures that he could do nothing by himself, and yet to us it appears that Jesus could do all things. The reason was that he did everything by faith, trusting in the Father's leading, and therefore he could do all things, because "all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23). Jesus also said, "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed ... nothing shall be impossible to you." (Matthew 17:20), and this shows the attitude that we need to adopt. We need to trust in God, and not in ourselves, otherwise we will fail.
Note 2: This was one of my big mistakes as I sought deliverance. I thought that if I memorised the right scriptures, said the right things, and did the right things, then God would certainly deliver me. It was as if my faith was to some extent in my own ability to put the word of God into practise, and this didn't work for long. As soon as I overate slightly, or ate too early (See #5.632), then because my faith was at least partly in my performance, it would almost always fail after that. It was as if I could never sin just a little bit and stop; but almost every time that I failed, it would be a complete disaster. We do have to memorise the right scriptures, say the right things, and act on our faith, but if our faith is in God, and not in ourselves or what we do, then we would not fail, and slight errors would not condemn us (See #5.6402).
JOHN 15:5 (Jesus)
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much
fruit; for without me you can do nothing.
ROMANS 7:24-25 (Paul)
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but
with the flesh the law of sin.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 (Paul)
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 2:14 (Paul)
14 Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13 (Paul)
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Note 1: When Paul described his total bondage to sin (Romans 7:14-24), his deliverance came only "through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 7:25), he said our victory comes "through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57), and that he could do all things "through Christ" (Philippians 4:13). So what does it mean, "through Christ"? The answer is, through the spirit of Christ, which indwells every one of us when we are born again (Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 4:19; 1 John 5:12), or more accurately, through the faith which the indwelling spirit of Christ gives us (Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16; 2:20; 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 12:2). Having already established that we can do nothing by ourselves (See #5.520), when we yield ourselves to be obedient to God, through the indwelling spirit of Christ, that is when we obey the word of God in our hearts, then our faith will work, and he will deliver us. Jesus came to deliver us from sin (Matthew 1:21; Acts 3:26); he is the word of God (John 1:1 with 1:14; Revelation 19:13), and his presence in our heart sets us free from sin:
(Psalm 119:11) "Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
Jesus is the truth (John 14:6), which is also the word of God (John 17:17), and knowing him sets us free from sin:
(John 8:32) "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
Jesus is also the Son of God (Luke 1:35; John 9:35-37), and God sends the spirit of his Son into our heart (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6) to deliver us from sin:
(John 8:36) "If the Son therefore shall make
you free, you shall be free indeed."
(Acts 3:26) "To you first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus,
sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities."
Note 2: I suffered a lot through not understanding this. I thought that in order to be free from this habit, I had to fight through a prolonged period of spiritual warfare until I got the victory. If I had understood then that in one sense, "through Jesus Christ" not only means "through faith", but also "through obedience to God", "through his word in me", "through the spirit of his Son Jesus in me", I would have been set free much sooner. When my deliverance finally came it was because I set my heart to put right the things which were wrong in my life, and sought God to do it, after which I was set free. I did have temptations after that, but nowhere near as fierce as they had been before, and I soon realised that God was fighting my battles for me, as he has promised that he would for obedient children (Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30; 3:22; 20:4; Joshua 23:10).
LUKE 18:9-14 (Jesus)
9 And he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote
upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one
who exalts himself shall be abased; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
Note 1: This scripture shows the different approaches of two men to God. One went listing out his own good deeds, and another went admitting his failure and looking for mercy. The latter received the favour of God, because he is a merciful God (See #5.17). Look how people approached God in the Old Testament:
(Deuteronomy 21:8) "Be merciful, O LORD, to
your people Israel,"
(Psalm 30:10) "Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me:"
(Psalm 56:1; 57:1) "Be merciful to me, O God,"
(Psalm 67:1) "God be merciful to us, and bless us;"
(Psalm 119:41) "Let your mercies come also to me, O LORD,"
Consistently it seems that they all knew to look to God for mercy in order to get an answer. Even in the New Testament, look how people approached Jesus for healing:
(Matthew 9:27) "Son of David, have mercy on
us."
(Matthew 15:22) "Have mercy on me, O Lord,"
(Matthew 17:15) "Lord, have mercy on my son;"
(Matthew 20:30) "Have mercy on us, O Lord,"
These and many others knew to come to Jesus looking for mercy, and every one received it! If God has shown us that this way of approaching him is the one that he will answer, then this is the way we should do it too.
Note 2: Why are our own good deeds of no avail when we go to God? Simply because God is not interested in self righteousness, only the good that is done through the indwelling spirit of Christ, by faith. If by faith, then there is no reason to boast (Romans 3:27), because God has given us the ability to do them. Look at the attitude of people with great faith, who approached God and got an answer:
(1) Jacob seeking deliverance from his brother Esau; "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which you have shown to your servant;" (Genesis 32:10). He got delivered.
(2) The centurion, who had a greater faith than any in Israel (Matthew 8:10; Luke 7:9), seeking healing for his servant; "I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof: Therefore neither did I think myself worthy to come to you:" (Luke 7:6-7). His servant got healed.
(3) The woman of Canaan seeking healing for her daughter, when Jesus referred to her as "a dog"; "Truth, Lord:" (Matthew 15:27). Her daughter was healed.
These examples show that it is not our worthiness that God is looking for, but rather our knowledge of our own unworthiness, and the great mercy that he is willing to show to us. This then is the attitude that we ought to adopt when seeking our deliverance.
EXODUS 23:27-30 (God)
27 I will send my fear before you, and will destroy all the people to whom you shall come, and I will make
all your enemies turn their backs to you.
28 And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.
29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year; lest the land becomes desolate, and the beast
of the field multiply against you.
30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you are increased, and inherit the land.
DEUTERONOMY 7:22-24 (Moses)
22 And the LORD your God will put out those nations before you little by little: you may not
consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon you.
23 But the LORD your God shall deliver them to you, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction,
until they are destroyed.
24 And he shall deliver their kings into your hand, and you shall destroy their name from under heaven:
there shall no man be able to stand before you, until you have destroyed them.
HEBREWS 6:11-15
11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end:
12 That you do not be slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
13 For when God made promises to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.
15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
HEBREWS 10:36
36 For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
Note 1: There are many of the promises in the word of God which require patient waiting for the complete manifestation of. A few examples are; the promised land to Israel (Exodus 23:29; Deuteronomy 7:22); Abraham becoming a father of many nations (Hebrews 6:15); the manifestation of our salvation at Christ's second coming (Hebrews 9:28;10:36); wisdom and understanding (Deuteronomy 32:2; Proverbs 2:1-9; Isaiah 28:9-10); and the kingdom of God within us (Mark 4:26-32; Luke 13:18-21; 17:20-21). It may not always be the case, but with some sins, patience and endurance will certainly be required to overcome. The sin of gluttony is an example. In my experience, the most weight that I lost over a long period of time was about a stone (14lb.) a month and that was with a severe food restriction. Someone with a lot of weight to lose would not be able to lose it all within a short period. Apart from this, it is unlikely that anyone, who has a gluttony problem, has sufficient faith to endure the spiritual warfare involved anyway. The weapons of spiritual warfare need to be learned, and diligently practised with before we become proficient with them, and if the user is a new Christian, or a novice, this may take time. To take on too much at the outset may well be begging defeat: "If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how canst you contend with the horses?" (Jeremiah 12:5). My advice, to anyone setting out to destroy a lust such as gluttony, would be to eliminate problem foods first, avoid dainty foods (See #5.420), and begin to stick to regular meal times (See #5.632). Study and practice using your spiritual weapons here first, and then gradually reduce your regular food to whatever level you believe that God would wish, but don't use this gradual approach as an excuse to do nothing. That will not fool God.
Note 2: My problem was really highlighted when I began to seek God for souls at the place where I worked. While doing a heavy manual job in a factory, I reduced my food to one meal a day, which I ate after work. After working about a week in a state of exhaustion, I suffered an attack of what I can only describe as acute despondency, and overate considerably. I thought that God would do something because I was fasting; but I wasn't praying enough, or witnessing enough, and as I was the only Christian in the place, he would have had to use me to speak to them, which I wasn't doing. In the months and years which followed I suffered attacks of exhaustion, fainting, despondency, condemnation, and when I overate, sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea. One time while riding a bicycle along a busy main road, I became so faint that I began to wobble uncontrollably. Everywhere seemed to be swirling round, and thanks be to God I was able to get off and sit on the pavement until it stopped. I don't recommend anybody to follow my example, even though it has turned out right in the end; it would be better to learn from my mistakes and avoid them.
2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 (Paul) (RPT)
20 For all promises of God, in him are yes, and in him Amen, for glory to God through us.
Note 1: As far as his promises are concerned, God has promised to answer "yes" to every single one of them, when we ask in faith. Therefore, if we know that God has promised deliverance from sin, we should not accept "no" for an answer. If we do, then we have effectively called God a liar, because "he who believes not God has made him a liar;" (1 John 5:10). Look at some examples of the attitude of people who received from God by faith:
(1) Jacob wrestled all night with "a man", whom he perceived to be God (Genesis 32:24-30), in order to obtain a blessing. During the struggle "the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of Joint" (v25), but he still would not let go. He insisted, "I will not let you go, except you bless me." (v26). Jacob would not take no for an answer, and he received his blessing.
(2) A Greek Syrophoenecian woman from Canaan sought Jesus to heal her daughter, who was vexed by a demon (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30). At her first attempt Jesus ignored her, so she cried after the disciples (Matthew 15:23). Jesus" disciples besought him to send her away (Matthew 16:23), and Jesus refused to help her, saying, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24). She did not give up, but fell at his feet (Mark 7:25), worshipped him (Matthew 15:25), and besought him again (Mark 7:26). Jesus refused again, this time referring to her as a dog (Matthew 15:26; Mark 7:27). She still did not give up, but admitted, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table." (Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28). Jesus said she had great faith, and granted her request (Matthew 15:28; Mark 7:29). She would not take "no" for an answer, and her daughter was healed (Matthew 15:28; Mark 7:30).
(3) The story of the man who was sick of the palsy is told in three scriptures (Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26). Four men brought him on a bed to find Jesus (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:3; Luke 5:18), but could not get near him for the multitude (Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19). They did not give up, but uncovered the roof of the house and let him down before Jesus (Mark 2:4; Luke 5:19). Jesus saw their faith which would not take no for an answer (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20), and the man got healed (Matthew 9:7; Mark 2:12; Luke 5:25).
(4) When Elijah was praying for rain (1 Kings 18:41-46), he already knew that God would send it, because God had told him so (1 Kings 18:1). Nevertheless, when he got down to pray, he sent his servant to see if there were any clouds (v43). When his servant came back, having seen nothing, Elijah did not stop praying. He eventually sent him seven times before he saw the clouds forming over the sea (v44), and he knew that it was about to rain. Elijah would not take "no" for an answer, and got what he prayed for.
(5) When Daniel sought God for the understanding of a vision that he had seen (Daniel 10:1-21), he fasted for three weeks while he was praying (vv2-3). God had answered his prayer on the first day (v12), but because the angel who had been sent with the answer was hindered by a wicked spirit in the heavens (v13), Daniel had to continue to seek the face of God. He could have quit without having received his answer at any time, because he had no visible evidence that God had answered his prayer, but instead he continued steadfastly, refusing to take "no" for an answer, and he got his understanding (v14).
If this is the way that people of faith have received from God in the past, by refusing to take "no" for an answer, then it will surely work for us also.
Note 2: Not only does the scripture show that not taking "no" for an answer is profitable when we seek from God, but it also indicates that it works for worldly people too:
(1) A man in need of three loaves was refused when he first asked his friend (Luke 11:5-7), but he refused to take "no" for an answer and got as many as he needed (Luke 11:8). Jesus was teaching us here how to pray and receive from God.
(2) In the parable of the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus was teaching us how to pray always, and not to faint (v1). The widow was refused her request for vengeance at first (vv 4-5), but because she kept on coming, and troubled him, the judge decided to avenge her (v5). She would not take "no" for an answer, and got her vengeance. This was a comparison of how we should seek God to obtain things from him by faith (v8).
(3) King Saul was a disobedient king who was rejected by God for his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:1-35). After he admitted his sin (v24), he sought honour from Samuel before his people, by requesting him to turn with him when he worshipped the Lord (v25), but Samuel refused (v26). Saul did not give up, but grabbed hold of Samuel's mantle, and tore it as he turned to leave (v27). Even after Samuel had told Saul that his kingdom would be taken from him, and that God would not repent (vv28-29), he still did not give up, but requested again that Samuel would turn with him (v30). This time Samuel did turn (v31). Saul would not take "no" for an answer, and got that which he desired.
These are all examples of how worldly people received the things which they were after by refusing to take "no" for an answer, and if it works for them, seeking from imperfect people, how much more will it work for us, seeking from a perfect God?
MATTHEW 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to him, and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus says to him, I do not say to you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all
that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him an hundred pence: and he
laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what you owe.
29 And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
32 And his lord, after that he had called him, said to him, O you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you desired me:
33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow-servant, even as I had pity on you?
34 And his lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
MATTHEW 6:14-15 (Jesus)
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
MARK 11:25-26 (Jesus)
25 And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any: that your Father also who is
in heaven may forgive your trespasses.
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Note: These scriptures make one point very clear, that if we do not forgive others their trespasses against us, then God will not forgive us our trespasses. Can you imagine how many people are bound with some kind of sin, or sickness, that they cannot get rid of, simply because they cannot receive God's forgiveness while they are not forgiving offences committed against them? If this refers to you friend, forgive. Just as the servant in the parable was turned over to the tormentors for his unforgiveness (Matthew 18:34), perhaps you have been turned over to spiritual torment in sin, or physical torment in sickness for your unforgiveness. Forgive, and if you find that difficult, then pray according to the previous section (See #5.528), and ask God to help you.
ROMANS 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Note: There are two spiritual laws which can operate in the lives of people. The first is the
law of sin and death which operates in almost everybody, and the second is the law of the Spirit of life which
operates in those who are fully in Jesus Christ. In most Christians, both laws operate to some degree, but the
aim should be to destroy the law of sin and death completely, and operate only in the law of the spirit of
life. When a man (or woman) does this he can walk free from sin. The law of sin and death operates when a
person has learned the knowledge of evil. The knowledge of evil gives him evil desires (Proverbs 21:10), so that he
thinks evil (Genesis 6:5; Proverbs 15:26), and he speaks evil (Proverbs 6:12). Despite any good intentions that he may have,
he almost always ends up doing evil (Romans 7:15; 7:19). Such a person will find it almost impossible to do right
(Jeremiah 4:22), "because the carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be." (Romans 8:7). The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus operates when a man has learned
God's word, and his heart full of God's word, which is an attribute of a righteous man (Psalm 37:30-31; Isaiah
51:7). He thinks right (Proverbs 12:5), he has good desires (Proverbs 11:23), and he speaks good (Psalm 71:24; Proverbs 10:11).
Because his thoughts and desires are only to do good, it is easy for him to do good, and he does right things
(1 John 2:29; 3:7). Jesus is an example of this. His thinking was always right (John 5:30), his desires were
right (John 13:1), he spoke words of life (John 6:63), and he did good (Acts 10:38). When his spirit fully
dwells in us, and we let him control us (Galatians 4:6), we will not sin.
The aim of every Christian ought to be to refuse to see or hear the knowledge of evil, and to have his mind
and heart transformed by renewing it with the word of God (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23).
JAMES 4:7
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
Note 1: Trying to resist the Devil without first submitting to God is a waste of time and effort. Jesus said, "The Son can do nothing of himself," (John 5:19), "I can of my own self do nothing:" (John 5:30), and "I do nothing of myself;" (John 8:28). How much less can any of us resist the Devil without God's help, when Jesus himself said, "without me you can do nothing." (John 15:15). Essentially it means submitting our will to his will, and is the same as #5.412, when God becomes our shield (Psalm 3:3; 28:7; 33:20; 84:9-11; 115:9-11, 119:114; Proverbs 30:5) of faith, with which we can resist the Devil (Ephesians 6:16).
Note 2: One of my greatest errors in trying to defeat my own gluttonous habit was not first submitting myself to God. I used will power, self reliance, and my own determination, because I had such a zeal to serve God and please him. I saw this as an opportunity to prove myself. What followed was about five years of dismal failure and misery, during which time the more I tried the more I failed. My weight continually went up and down like a yo-yo, and many times I "gave up", but only for a short while, then I would try again. Eventually I got to the place where I just refused to try any more; I argued with God, I confessed that I could never get myself out of it, and I refused to make any more effort. This was exactly where God wanted me to get to. He doesn't want any of us to do anything for him of our own ability, he just wants us to die to self so that we can call on him, and he can deliver us by faith. If I had managed to escape this my own way, I would have taken the glory wouldn't I? God will never let us do that, he wants us to surrender to him, so that he can manifest his power through us. Although he can do things infinitely better than we can, he does not override our free will; we have to surrender it to him. If you recognise the problem in your own life, then you need to sit down and meditate in the scriptures, and let God deliver you by faith.
EPHESIANS 4:27 (Paul)
27 Neither give place to the Devil.
EPHESIANS 6:16 (Paul)
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
JAMES 4:7
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
1 PETER 5:8-9
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world.
Note: If our deliverance is immediately manifested when we pray, then we will not have to walk it out by faith. However, many of us may have no physical evidence of deliverance after we have prayed; we may still have the cravings, the hunger pains, severe temptations, and still be lusting after the thing that the Devil is using to tempt us. This is when we have to rely on our faith, and believe that we are delivered even though we cannot see it; "faith is ... the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). We have to believe that God has answered our prayer, that the delay in it's manifestation is only temporary (Daniel 10:12-13), and if we resist "steadfast in the faith," (1 Peter 5:9), then the Devil will have to flee from us (James 4:7). Until he does we will have to fight some spiritual warfare (See #5.608 Note 2), and resist the fiery darts which the Devil may throw at us, such as thoughts, circumstances, pain, persecution, silence from heaven, negative feelings, guilt etc..
MATTHEW 10:1 (Jesus) (RPT)
1 And when he had called his twelve disciples to him, he gave them authority1 over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every disease.
MARK 16:17 (Jesus)
17 And these signs shall follow those who believe; In my name shall they cast out demons; they shall
speak with new tongues;
LUKE 9:1 (Jesus) (RPT)
1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power2 and
authority1
over all demons, and to heal sicknesses.
LUKE 10:19 (Jesus) (RPT)
19 Behold, I give to you the authority1 to tread on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power2 of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you, certainly not.
PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 (Paul)
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Note 1: The word here translated authority1 (Gr. e0cousi/a, Gtr. exousia) comes from the impersonal verb e!cesti, (Gtr. exesti) which means "it is lawful", and has the basic meaning of "lawful right", or "authority", to exercise power. It is sometimes incorrectly translated "power" in the KJV (Matthew 10:1; Luke 10:9). and is distinct from the word translated power2 (Gr. du&namis, Gtr. dunamis), which is like our English word "dynamite". When Jesus gave authority over all demons to his disciples (Matthew 10:1; Mark 16:17; Luke 9:1), and over all of their power (Luke 10:19), he effectively gave it to every disciple of his who is willing to receive it. He gave it to Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve (Matthew 10:1), and also his betrayer (Mark 14:43-45; Luke 22:47; John 18:2-3). He gave it to Simon Peter who later denied him three times (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-27), and to the other disciples who fled for their lives and left him when he was arrested (Matthew 26:31: Mark 14:27). He also gave it to seventy other disciples (Luke 10:1; 10:17-19) who later deserted him when his words became too strong for them (John 6:60-66). So we can dispense with any idea that we have to be perfect before we can be given this authority. It has already been given to us, although we do need to recognise that it must be exercised in faith (Matthew 17:20), and using the name of Jesus; because "at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;" (Philippians 2:10). When the disciples cast out demons in Jesus" authority, they used his name (Mark 9:38; 16:17; Luke 9:49; 10:17), and when they healed the sick, they used his name (Acts 3:6; 4:10). So when we stand to resist the Devil and his temptations against us, we ought to use the name of Jesus also.
Note 2: There are some good reasons why people fail to exercise their God given authority over the Devil:
(1) They do not realise that they first have to take the authority. Look at an example:
(Joshua 1:3) "Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said to Moses."
God had given Israel the promised land, but they still had to believe God, and go and fight for it by faith. He gave them everywhere that they were prepared to tread on. If they refused to fight, would they have received the land? Obviously not. So it is with the authority that God has given us. It is our rightful possession, given to us by God through his word (Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1; 10:19), but we still have to fight to take what belongs to us. There are three ways in which we walk spiritually, which we need to recognise. The first is that we walk spiritually with our thoughts:
(Deuteronomy 29:19) "he blesses himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though
I walk in the imagination of my heart,"
(Jeremiah 13:10) "This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the imagination of
their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them,"
(Ephesians 3:17) "that you from now on do not walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,"
The second is that we walk spiritually with our mouths, through what we speak:
(Genesis 3:8) "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking
in the garden in the cool of the day:"
(Psalm 73:9) "their tongue walks through the
earth."
(Proverbs 6:12) "a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth."
(Jeremiah 23:14) "the prophets of Jerusalem ... walk in lies:"
So we need to speak the word of God, which is "the sword of the Spirit," (Ephesians 6:17), and use it against the enemy. The third is that we walk spiritually according to our deeds:
(Deuteronomy 10:12) "what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, and to walk
in all his ways,"
(1 Kings 15:3) "And he walked in all the sins
of his father,"
(2 Chronicles 7:17) "if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, and
do according to all that I have commanded you,"
(Mark 7:5) "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition
of the elders?"
Therefore, to walk in a spiritual way, we need to have our minds renewed with the word of God (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Titus 3:5), so that our thoughts, words, and deeds can all be right. Then we can exercise this total authority over the Devil.
(2) We need to realise the importance of our words, and if we expect the Devil to submit to our words, then we should be submitting to our own words ourselves. If I say to a friend, "I will be there tomorrow at 8 p.m.", and then I fail to turn up, or arrive late, then I have not kept my word. In fact I have lied. If I fail to obey my own word, then how can I expect the Devil to obey it? Can you see the Devil arguing his case before God? that our words do not have authority because we do not submit to them ourselves? Keeping our own words should be a habitual way of life, and is necessary to prove that they have authority. When we get this right in our own lives can we expect the Devil to submit to our authority.
(3) If we are using God's word against the Devil, which is our spiritual sword (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12), and we expect the Devil to recognise its authority, then we need to show that it has authority in our own lives, by submitting to it, and obeying it. If we do not do this, the Devil's argument will be that we do not believe that God's word has authority, because we do not submit to it in our own lives. This obedience is required for us to have the ultimate authority that we need to do God's work, otherwise we can fail:
(Hosea 14:9) "the ways of the LORD are
right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall in
them."
(Proverbs 22:12) "the LORD " he overthrows the words of the
transgressor."
These two scripture highlight why some people can speak faith, act on their faith, and still not receive from God; because we cannot walk by faith while we are walking in sin. God overthrows our words!
MATTHEW 4:1-4
1 Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
LUKE 4:1-4
1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the Devil. And in those days he ate nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the Devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Note: The word of God is one of our offensive spiritual weapons. It is "the sword of the Spirit," (Ephesians 6:17), "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword," (Hebrews 4:12), and as it is the weapon Jesus chose to use against the Devil, then we should use it too. However, there needs to be some power or force behind this weapon when we use it, and that power is our faith. When the disciples failed to cast out a demon (Matthew 17:16), Jesus said it was because of their unbelief (Matthew 17:20). Even though they had been given the authority (Matthew 10:1; Luke 9:1; 10:19), had cast out many demons before (Mark 6:13), and probably said the right words this time also, they still needed more faith behind their words on this occasion; more power behind the sword. There is no truth in the Devil (John 8:44), "he is a king over all the children of pride." (Job 41:34), and it must be very painful for him when we continually contradict him by quoting the word of God at him in faith. What should we quote at him when he attacks us with the temptation? Here are a few examples that I obtained from God's word for my own temptations with food:
(1) When tempted to eat too much
(a) It is written,
"abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." (1 Peter 2:11).
(b) It is written,
"the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man
with rags." (Proverbs 23:21).
(c) It is written,
"if you live according to the flesh, you shall die:" (Romans 8:13).
(d) It is written,
"Whoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up the
cross, and follow me." (Mark 10:21).
(2) When tempted with dainty food
(a) It is written,
"Do not desire his dainties: for they are deceitful meat." (Proverbs 23:3).
(b) It is
written, "he who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;" (Galatians 6:8).
(c) It is written,
"do not make provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts." (Romans 13:14).
(d) It is written,
"those
who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5:24).
(3) When tempted to go to feasts or parties
(a) It is written,
"Do not be among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh." (Proverbs 23:20).
(b) It is written,
"the house of feasting ... is the end of all men; and the living will
lay it to his heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
(c) It is written,
"a companion of fools shall be destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20).
(d) It is written,
"she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives." (1 Timothy 5:6).
(4) When tempted to break a fast
(a) It is written,
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds
out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4).
(b) It is written,
"My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work." (John 4:34).
(c) It is written,
"those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:8).
Whatever your temptation may be, you can find scriptures in God's word that will be effective against it.
In order that the quotations we choose may be used effectively, in faith, they need to be in our heart. So we need to meditate on them (See #5.414
Note; #5.622), do not let them depart from our eyes (See #5.624), keep hearing them (See #5.626), and
keep speaking them (See #5.628).
1 CORINTHIANS 14:2 (Paul)
2 For he who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not
to men, but to God; for no
man understands him; however in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:4 (Paul)
4 He who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:14 (Paul)
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
EPHESIANS 6:18 (Paul)
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching in this same thing with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
JUDE 20
20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
Note 1: The first time that we see the gift of tongues manifested in the New Testament, is when the disciples received it in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, as they were baptised in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). They spoke with what is referred to as "various kinds of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:10), or "diversities of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:28), which is a gift to minister to foreign people in their own language (Acts 2:8-11). All do not have this gift (1 Corinthians 12:30), but all those who are baptised in the Holy Spirit do have the ability to speak with what Paul called "tongues ... of angels," (1 Corinthians 13:1), or "the unknown tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:2; 14:4; 14:14). This is a promise for every believer (Mark 16:17; Acts 2:38-39), and has several purposes:
(1) To pray and communicate with God (1 Corinthians 14:2; 14:14),
(2) To edify the believer and build up his faith (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20),
(3) To give thanks to God (1 Corinthians 14:17),
(4) To enable the believer to intercede for others, according to God's perfect will, when he
does not know what to pray for according to his knowledge (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:18).
Note 2: There are some who believe that they cannot speak in tongues unless they get "an unction" or "an anointing" from God, and indeed they cannot, because it is "According to your faith be it to you." (Matthew 9:29). However, Jesus said, "all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23), and speaking in tongues is no exception to this. The scripture teaches that we already "have an unction" (1 John 2:20), and that "the anointing" abides in us (1 John 2:27), which is the Holy Spirit. So any believer, who has been baptised in the Holy Spirit, can pray in tongues any time he is prepared to lift up his voice in faith and speak. However, it needs to be exercised in faith to get results, just as praying in English does. This is really a humble way to pray. It has to be done trusting God, because we do not know what we are praying for, and it has the advantage that we can never pray a wrong word, because the Spirit of God gives us the utterance (Acts 2:4). Nevertheless, as it builds up our faith (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20), it will help us with any problem, and we need to set time aside daily to do it in private.
EXODUS 17:9-13
9 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on top
of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the
top of the hill.
11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand,
Amalek prevailed.
12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat
on it;
and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his
hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
PSALMS 18:3 (David)
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
PSALMS 67:5-7
5 Let the people praise you, O God; let all the people praise you.
6 then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God shall
bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
PSALMS 106:47
47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks to your holy name, and
to triumph in your praise.
Note 1: Praise is one of the weapons of our spiritual warfare. After Paul had cast a spirit of divination out of a woman who followed them at Philippi (Acts 16:16-18), both Paul and Silas were beaten with many stripes (Acts 16:22), thrust into prison, and fastened in the stocks (Acts 16:24). Then, "at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises to God:" (Acts 16:25). The result of this was a great earthquake, which opened the prison doors, set all the prisoners free from their bands (Acts 16:26), and led to the salvation of the jailer with all his house (Acts 16:32-34). This complete turnaround of their situation demonstrates the power of praise. Also the holding up of Moses" hands, which is symbolic of praise, caused his people to prevail over their enemies, but when he didn't do it Israel's enemies prevailed over them (Exodus 17:11). When we praise God we will be saved from our enemy (the Devil) (Psalm 18:3) and God will bless us (Psalm 67:5-7); he is the same God that blessed Paul and Silas, and he has not changed (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). No wonder David said, "his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1).
Note 2: There is a difference between a triumph and a victory. By definition, a victory is "success in a battle, a contest, a or game, when one opponent, team or army defeats another". By contrast, a triumph is "joy at a success", or "the processional entry of a victorious general into ancient Rome". This was when a Roman general had won a great victory over his opponents, and came to parade through the streets of Rome, with all the people cheering and praising him. It was a time of rejoicing and celebration for the victory which had already been won. The general would ride in a specially decorated chariot, and behind him in chains would be the kings and the army chiefs whom he had conquered. For the general it was a time of exultation, but for the enemy it was a time of great humiliation. In New Testament times this last description would be in the mind of the writers, and this is what Jesus did after he had won the victory over the Devil on the cross.
(Colossians 2:13-15) "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out
of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show
of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
The word "spoiled" in this last verse means that Jesus "took the power off the principalities and powers", so that he now has all authority over them:
(Matthew 28:18) "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
All power is given to me in heaven and in earth."
(Colossians 2:10) "And you are complete in him, who is the head
of all principality and power:"
(Ephesians 1:19-22) "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand
in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not
only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things
to the church,"
(Philippians 2:8-10) "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
Therefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;"
If Jesus is triumphant over the Devil and his demons, the he must symbolically be in the chariot where the Roman general would be in a natural triumph, and the Devil and his demons would be in chains behind him. So where is the church in this picture? You see, by faith we have been given authority over the Devil and his demons:
(Luke 9:1) "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority
over all demons, and to cure diseases."
(Luke 10:19 RPT) "Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over
all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you, certainly not."
And by faith therefore we also have the victory:
(1 John 5:4) "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith."
Because we have the victory, by faith we are also seated with Christ:
(Ephesians 2:4-6) "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)
And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus:"
As Jesus is the head of the church, and the church is his body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1:24), then as the body goes where the head goes, we must be figuratively in the chariot with Christ. In fact we should be triumphing:
(2 Corinthians 2:14) "Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."
How do we triumph? By praising God (Psalm 106:47). The classic example of this is when the apostle Paul and Silas were flogged, and put in the stocks in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:23-24). They sang praises to God (v25), which means they were triumphing, and God was so pleased with this, that he sent an earthquake and set all the prisoners free (v26). This is the way to obtain deliverance from sin. By faith we have the victory, so we can triumph in praising God.
2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5 (Paul)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh:
4 [For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;]
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Note 1: Why cast down imaginations? Because they are usually evil (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Deuteronomy 29:19-20; Proverbs 12:20; Jeremiah 7:24; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; Nahum 1:11; Zechariah 7:10; 8:17); deceitful (Psalm 10:2; 38:12; Jeremiah 23:16-19), and vain (Psalm 2:1; Acts 4:25; Romans 1:21). They are an attribute of the proud (Psalm 10:2; Luke 1:51); God hates them (Proverbs 6:16-18; Zech 8:17); and we are told to cast them down (2 Corinthians 10:5). Their source must be obvious. From the day that we are born, the Devil and God both have an earnest desire to win our heart for themselves, because our heart determines our purpose (Daniel 1:8; Acts 11:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7), it devises our way (Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 57:17), our words come from our heart (Proverbs 16:23; Matthew 12:34-35; 15:18-19; Mark 7:21-22; Luke 6:45), our deeds come from our heart (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-22; Romans 2:14-15), and ultimately the state of our heart will decide our eternal destiny. Thus whoever we permit to gain control of our heart, effectively has control of us; but in order to gain that control, both God and the Devil have to follow the same law that God has ordained from the beginning of the world; "plant seed, water it, it will grow":
(Galatians 6:7) "whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap."
The place that they have to plant the seed is in our heart (Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:15), but before this it has to
pass through our mind, which is the conscious part of our heart, and effectively the doorway to our heart. The
thoughts of our mind are stimulated by our five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing; but primarily
the latter two, what we see, and what we hear. The battlefield for spiritual warfare is in our mind, and when
we attempt to forsake a sin, we are attempting to recapture for God, part of our heart that is under the Devil's
control, being possessed by a lust. It is his spirit, called "the prince of the power of the air"
(Ephesians 2:2), that works in all those who are disobedient to the word of God. His first line of defence is
usually to try to blind our minds to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4), and to sear our consciences (1 Timothy 4:2), in order
to keep us from knowing that we are in sin. Once we have been enlightened by the word of God (Psalm 119:105,
130; Romans 3:20), and our consciences have become un-seared, he will try to twist the scripture in order to hide
the consequences of our sin from us. He did this with Eve in the garden of Eden when he said,
"You shall
surely not die:" (Genesis 3:4). Having failed in both of these areas, the Devil will next seek to defeat us
through the flesh, which is his last line of defence. As we abstain our sin, he may attack us with cravings,
hunger pains, physical weakness, shaking, fainting, headaches, or in other ways, in an attempt to deter us
from forsaking the sin. But if we first submit ourselves to God (James 4:7), and resist the Devil steadfast in
the faith, he will surely flee from us (See #5.606).
During this trial, we need to cast down imaginations to prevent the Devil sowing more seeds in our heart, and
to prevent him from watering those that he has sown previously. It may help us if we keep in mind what the
scripture teaches, that sin will condemn any of us unless we forsake it (Ezekiel 3:20; 18:20; 18:24-26; 33:12-13; 33:18; Romans 6:23).
Note 2: During the early days of my trial I found resisting thoughts impossible to cope with. They were very persistent, nagging, and not knowing how to resist them, I would eventually give in to them. Thoughts are spirit. They come from our heart (Genesis 6:5; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21), and we use them to make decisions (Proverbs 16:9; Daniel 1:8; Romans 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 9:7); but it also seems clear that the Devil can put them in if we let him (John 13:2; Acts 5:3). When our thoughts are going wrong we are under a spiritual attack of the enemy, who is invariably trying to get us to sin. I eventually found that the most effective way to resist thoughts was to speak to them, command them in the name of Jesus, and quote scripture at them. It was then that I began to fight back, with some success at first, but not always. The secret is to know that we have the authority over these things through Jesus (See #5.608), and when I began to believe that, I enjoyed prolonged periods of success. If thoughts are allowed to escape without resistance, they will invariably come again, but if every time they come we give them a good thrashing with the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6:17), they will always be defeated, and eventually cease to be a problem. (See also #5.620).
JOHN 4:31-34
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know of.
33 Therefore his disciples said one to another, Has any man brought him anything to eat?
34 Jesus says to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work.
Note: Jesus attitude always was that spiritual food (the word of God) was more important than physical food. When he was tempted by the Devil after fasting forty days and nights in the wilderness (See #5.610), he quoted at him:
(Matthew 4:4) "Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
(Luke 4:4) "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word of God."
He taught his disciples also, that if they took care of the spiritual things, God would take care of their physical needs:
(Luke 12:22-23; Matthew 6:25) "And he said to his disciples, Therefore I say to you, Take no
thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than clothes."
(Luke 12:29-31; Matthew 6:31-33) "And do not seek you what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither be of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things.
But rather you seek the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added to
you."
(John 6:27) "Do not labour for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures
to everlasting life,"
Paul supported this teaching:
(Philippians 4:19) "But my God shall supply all your need
according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
When we do the will of God, and set our mind on spiritual things, daily food will cease to be a problem to us. None of us can say that we are walking in the will of God while we are in sin, because it is a total failure to be like Jesus (See #5.112).
GALATIANS 5:16 (Paul)
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Note 1: Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) is essentially the same as walking in God's truth (Psalm 86:11; 3 John 4), walking after his commandments (2 John 6), walking in good works (Ephesians 2:10), walking uprightly (Psalm 84:11), walking as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6), walking by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7), walking in the light (1 John 1:7-9), walking honestly (Romans 13:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:12), walking in the law of the Lord (Psalm 119:1-3), walking worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:12), walking worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10), walking in God's ways (Psalm 119:3), walking in wisdom (Colossians 4:5), walking circumspectly (Ephesians 5:15), walking in love (Ephesians 5:2), walking as children of light (Ephesians 5:8), walking after the spirit (Romans 8:1-4), and really means walking in full obedience to God in all things. If we do this, it will be impossible to fulfil any lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16), but much study of God's word will be required for us to obtain that position (See #5.608 Note 2).
Note 2: I found that there was one obvious thing, which I needed to avoid during my trial with food, and that was weighing myself often. The temptation was to keep on weighing myself to see how much weight I had lost when I had kept a few good days, but this was not a good thing. If my weight loss was going to encourage me, then I was not walking according to the Spirit, but according to the flesh, "For those who are according to the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;" (Romans 8:5). As soon as my weight did not fall, or even went up slightly, then I would become discouraged. This happened to me often at first; I found that sometimes my weight fell quite quickly, then it would stop falling for several days, or even go up sometimes, and because I was discouraged, I would sometimes give up. When we walk by faith, "we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:" (2 Corinthians 4:18), which in this case is not our weight, but the complete manifestation of our deliverance. As the Devil often tries use physical circumstances to discourage us, if we stop looking at the things of the flesh, then we have taken one of his devices away from him. Before my complete deliverance came, I stopped weighing myself altogether.
2 SAMUEL 22:4-7, 18-20 (David) (Also Psalm 18:3-6, 17-19)
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 When the waves of death surrounded me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of hell are round about me; the snares of death confront me;
7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he heard my voice out of his temple,
and my cry entered into his ears.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from
those who hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
20 He brought me forth into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
PSALMS 50:15
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.
PSALMS 118:5
5 I called upon the the LORD in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
Note: One way of interpreting calling on God, is simply praying and asking for his help (Psalm 55:16-17; 86:5-7), or his intervention in some matter (1 Samuel 12:17). If we need deliverance for any reason then we should call upon God (Psalm 50:15; 118:05), and if we do it in faith (Matthew 21:22; James 1:6), then he will answer us (Psalm 4:3; 50:15; 86:7; 118:5; Jeremiah 33:3). He will come near to us (Psalm 145:18), be rich towards us (Romans 10:12), be merciful towards us (Psalm 86:5), and save us from our enemies (2 Samuel 22:4; Psalm 18:3; 55:16). By doing it we can obtain forgiveness of sins (Psalm 86:5; Acts 22:16), and deliverance (2 Samuel 22:7,18-20; Psalm 50:15; 118:5), providing that we do it while he is near (Isaiah 55:6). The time is coming when it will be too late to call upon God (Proverbs 1:28).
MATTHEW 6:34 (Jesus)
34 Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient to the day is the evil of it.
Note: From personal experience, one of the demons tactics during a trial will be to say something like, "Even if you survive today, you won't survive tomorrow," or "You won't be able to keep this up all next week, will you?". This can be very disheartening if we are going though a crisis period when we are struggling to last out the next hour, or even the next few minutes. Nevertheless, the Devil "is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:44), and he knows no more about tomorrow than we do, which is very little (Proverbs 27:1; James 4:14). So if we take no thought for tomorrow as we are instructed by Jesus, we can be free from any long term concern, and life will be far more tolerable. Taking one day at a time makes life so much easier.
JOSHUA 1:8
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate1
in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it: for then
you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.
PSALMS 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor
sits in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate1 day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
PSALMS 119:15
15 I will meditate2 in your precepts, and have respect to your ways.
PSALMS 119:92
92 Unless your law had been my delight, I should have perished in my affliction.
1 TIMOTHY 4:15-16 (Paul)
15 Meditate3 upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your profiting may
appear to all.
16 Take heed to yourself, and to the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save
yourself, and those who hear you.
Note: The meanings of the Hebrew and Greek words, translated "meditate", has been discussed earlier (See #5.414). As this meditation is one of the ways to get the word of God into our heart and increase our faith, it is therefore an essential activity during any trial for deliverance or healing. Apart from being the spiritual bread, "which strengthens man's heart." (Psalm 104:15), the word of God leaves little room for the Devil's doubts and fears, when we keep it in our mind. So how often should we do it? The word of God says "day and night," (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2), so certainly as much as possible. The point is that our thoughts, confession, and actions must all agree together for us to act in complete faith, so this meditating on the word of God is very important.
DEUTERONOMY 6:6-9
6 And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart:
7 And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you
sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates.
DEUTERONOMY 11:18-20
18 Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon
your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
19 And you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, and when you
walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
20 And you shall write them upon the door posts of your house, and upon
your gates:
PROVERBS 4:20-23 (Solomon)
20 My son, attend to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
PROVERBS 23:26 (Solomon)
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
Note: Jesus is the word of God (John 1:1; 1:14; Revelation 19:13), and though we read the written word, it becomes the "living Word", which is Jesus, when it enters into our heart. Thus there are many admonitions to keep the word of God before our eyes, which are effectively one of our spiritual mouths, and as these scriptures show, this is one of the ways that we get it into our hearts. If we are obedient, and keep the word of God before our eyes, then we will be strengthened (Psalm 104:15). We will be "transformed" (Romans 12:2), because "we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory," (2 Corinthians 3:18), as the word of God is "written ... with the Spirit of the living God ... in the fleshy tables of the heart." (2 Corinthians 3:3). Job said, "I made a covenant with my eyes;" (Job 31:1), and one way that we can do this today, is to keep the word of God before our eyes. Keep on looking at the promises of deliverance, and searching for any error in our lives that may be the cause of our problem.
PROVERBS 18:15 (Solomon)
15 The heart of the prudent gets knowledge, and the ear of the wise
seeks knowledge.
PROVERBS 23:12 (Solomon)
12 Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
PROVERBS 23:19 (Solomon)
19 Hear my son and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
EZEKIEL 3:10
10 Furthermore he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak
to you receive in your heart,
and receive with your ears.
Note: All of these scriptures link what we hear with what we retain in our heart, and Elihu indicated that our ears are effectively another of our spiritual mouths when he said, "the ear tries words as the mouth tastes meat." (Job 34:3). There are other scriptures also which indicate that what we hear goes into our heart:
(Matthew 13:19) "one hears the word of the
kingdom ... that which was sown in his heart."
(Mark 4:15) "when they have heard ... the word that was sown in
their hearts."
(Luke 8:12) "those who hear; then comes the Devil, and takes
away the word out of their hearts,"
(Luke 8:15) "which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it,"
The knowledge that we gain through getting God's word into our heart will multiply God's grace to us (2 Peter 1:2), renew our "new man" each day (Colossians 3:10), enable us to "pertain to life and godliness," (2 Peter 2:3), escape the sin that we are in (2 Peter 2:20), and do the good that we cannot do otherwise:
(Jeremiah 4:23) "they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."
If we keep on hearing the word of God, it can also establish our heart in God's promises of deliverance, and build up our faith:
(Romans 10:17) "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
If we fail to do this the consequences are clear:
(Proverbs 28:9) "He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."
PROVERBS 10:11 (Solomon)
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
PROVERBS 12:6 (Solomon)
6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver
them.
14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered to him.
PROVERBS 12:18 (Solomon)
18 There is who speaks like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
PROVERBS 13:2 (Solomon)
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of transgressors shall eat violence.
PROVERBS 14:3 (Solomon)
3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
PROVERBS 15:4 (Solomon)
4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness in it is a breach in the spirit.
PROVERBS 16:24 (Solomon)
24 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
PROVERBS 18:20-21 (Solomon)
20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his
lips he shall be filled.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and those who love it shall eat its fruit.
MARK 11:23 (Jesus)
23 For amen I say to you, That whoever shall say to this mountain, Be you removed, and be you
cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says
come to pass; he shall have whatever he says.
HEBREWS 10:23
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering [for he is faithful who promised],
ISAIAH 57:19 (God)
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him who is far off, and to him who is
near, says the LORD; and I will heal him.
Note 1: Once we have claimed deliverance, and confessed that we have received it, we need to retain that confession no matter what happens, because:
(Proverbs 12:6) "the mouth of the upright
shall deliver them."
(Proverbs 12:14) "A man shall be satisfied with good by the
fruit of his mouth:"
(Proverbs 13:2) "A man shall eat good by the fruit of his
mouth:"
(Proverbs 14:3) "the lips of the wise shall preserve them."
(Proverbs 18:21) "Death and life are in the power of the
tongue:"
(Mark 11:23) "he shall have whatever he says."
God creates the fruit of the lips (Isaiah 57:19), and if we keep on speaking the right things, then providing that we believe it, he will bring it to pass. There is a spiritual principle in the word of God, "with the heart man believes to ... and with the mouth confession is made to ..." (Romans 10:10), and this not only applies to salvation, but also to receiving any of the promises of God. So we need to keep our confession right; if we say the wrong thing the same rule applies, but in reverse:
(Proverbs 6:2) "You are snared with the words
of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth."
(Proverbs 12:13) "The wicked is snared by the transgression of
his lips:"
(Proverbs 18:7) "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his
lips are the snare of his soul."
(Jeremiah 23:36) "every man's word shall be his burden:"
Note 2: At one point in time, I believed these scriptures and saw them as my way to deliverance. I had a key to the local church and went up there every day for almost a fortnight. I walked up and down confessing the promises, deliverance, and healing, at the end of which I became so hungry one day that I yielded to temptation, overate considerably, and stopped doing it. This was one of my efforts to deliver myself, and that was the reason why it failed. Instead of believing that I was delivered, and confessing what I believed, I tried confessing in order to get delivered, and this was not faith. Even so, I did get some relief for one of the long term illnesses that I was seeking healing for, and I noticed that as time went on I was doing less confessing, and more praising of God, which indicated to me that my faith was increasing. As "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17), and I was hearing it as I spoke it, I believe that if I had continued longer, then I would have eventually believed and been delivered by faith. However, without being prepared to change my life at that time, if I had received, it would probably only have been temporary, as on other occasions (See #5.512 Note 2). When I eventually did get delivered, I was confessing exactly the same, but this time from a believing heart, and I did not find it anywhere near as difficult as these two weeks.
MATTHEW 16:24
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him
deny1
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
MARK 8:34 (Jesus)
34 And when he had called the people to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever will
come after me, let him deny1 himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
LUKE 9:23 (Jesus)
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny1 himself, and
take up the cross daily, and follow me.
ROMANS 6:12-14 (Paul)
12 Do not let sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in
its lusts.
13 Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves
to God, as those who are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
1 PETER 2:11 (Peter)
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
TITUS 2:11-12 (Paul)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly, in this present world;
Note: The word translated deny1 (Gtr. aparneomai) (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23) is a strengthened form which means "utterly deny", and it should be obvious to most people that this self denial is an essential part of forsaking sin. If we could just keep this one instruction, "abstain from fleshly lusts," (1 Peter 2:11), we would eventually be delivered. Many worldly people, without faith in God, have obtained deliverance from lusts such as smoking, drinking, etc. just by abstaining from them. Although they do this by trusting in their own power, which is self righteousness, we are called to do it by faith in God, trusting him to deliver us and keep us through the trial, rather than in our own ability. According to scripture, one of the criteria which God uses to continually refashion our heart is our deeds (Psalm 33:13-15; 62:10-12; Proverbs 1:30-31; 7:1-3; 14:14; Ecclesiastes 7:2; 8:11; Jeremiah 17:9-10; 32:19), therefore, as we abstain, God is refashioning our heart accordingly and eventually the lust will disappear. The process can be considerably quickened by applying the instructions in God's word, to avoid looking (See #5.402), repent (See #5.418; #5.6401), meditate in God's word (See #5.414; #5.622), and confess our deliverance (See #5.628), all of which God considers when he refashions our heart.
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8 (Solomon)
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace;
Note 1: This scripture indicates a principle, that there is a time for everything, "a time to every purpose under heaven:" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). It applies particularly to gluttony, so we can say, "there is a time to eat, and a time not to eat". The time to eat is at regular meal times, and the time not to eat is in between meals, or before a regular meal time by bringing the meal time forward. The Devil is a subtle deceiver (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9), and if he can manipulate us in small things, it will not be long before he begins to manipulate us in bigger things. To bring a meal time forward may not seem much of an error, but the deception is that when we keep on bringing them forward, we will end up eating extra meals. If we cannot wait until the proper time to eat, then the Devil has demonstrated that he has power over us, and we should recognise it, even if we refuse to confess it, "for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Peter 2:19). Getting us to eat between meals is another tactic of the Devil, and another demonstration of his power over us. "In between meal foods" are a common temptation that the Devil uses to get us to eat too much, they are usually in addition to meals, usually the "wrong" types of food (See #5.420), and they are not necessary. This is something that we should strictly avoid if we mean to bring the flesh into subjection.
Note 2: During my trial I set specific times to eat, and almost every single time that I ate early, I overate during that day. The Devil was very subtle, my thought was that it did not matter if I ate early, I could still resist for the rest of the day, but I found that once I had yielded, my resistance disappeared, being convicted that I had done wrong. This was because I was trying to deliver myself (See #5.520 Note 2; #5.628 Note 2), and as my confidence was partly in my performance, once I failed, the Devil condemned me (See #5.6402). Setting a rule like this gives us a yardstick to show us whether we are operating under "law" or under "grace". Under law it is almost impossible to keep the times, but under grace it becomes easy. Such rules as this are no substitute for putting our heart right with God, but they should be kept as a matter of personal discipline. That is not to say that we should keep it legalistically, when it causes offence to others, or is just too inconvenient because of other priorities. Nevertheless, if we discard it, then we are giving place to the Devil, which we are told not to do (Ephesians 4:27), and may find that God ceases to protect us. If this happens we will fall again.
PSALMS 50:14-15
14 Offer to God thanksgiving; and pay your vows to the most High:
15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.
PSALMS 95:1-2
1 O come, let us sing to the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
PSALMS 100:4
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful to him,
and bless his name.
PSALMS 107:21-22
21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
PSALMS 116:17
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 (Paul)
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 2:14 (Paul)
14 Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
EPHESIANS 1:15-16 (Paul)
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints,
16 Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
EPHESIANS 5:3-4 (Paul)
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (Paul)
6 Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God.
1 THESSALONIANS 1:2 (Paul)
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 (Paul)
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 TIMOTHY 2:1 (Paul)
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men;
Note: Here again, if we have set our hearts right before God, and prayed in faith for deliverance, believing that we receive when we pray (Mark 11:24), then thanksgiving ought to flow from us naturally, without effort. The reason why we are always expected to pray with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:18), is because we are expected to pray in faith, and it is a natural response for us to want to thank God when we believe that he has just granted us deliverance. If we could deliver ourselves, then we wouldn't need to thank God for it. But just as Jesus could do nothing by himself (John 5:19; 5:30; 8:28), we also need God's help in everything, which was why Paul said, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
JOB 42:10
10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
PSALMS 18:25-26 (David)
25 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful; with an upright man you will show yourself upright;
26 With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the crooked you will appear perverse.
MATTHEW 5:7 (Jesus)
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
MATTHEW 7:12 (Jesus)
12 Therefore all things whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
LUKE 6:38 (Jesus)
38 Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over,
shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure it shall be measured to you again.
GALATIANS 6:7 (Paul)
7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
Note: These scriptures show that God treats us the way we treat others. If we are merciful to others, then God will surely be merciful to us (Psalm 18:25; Matthew 5:7) and deliver us. If we do good to others, then he will do good to us (Matthew 7:12), and if we give to others then he will also give to us (Luke 6:38). Therefore, if we are having difficulty believing for our deliverance, we should examine our lives to see where we have been falling short in the past, and repent (See #5.418; #5.6401). If we have the means to help others, and refuse to do it, how then will God help us? "whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7). Nevertheless, having something to put right in the past should not keep us from receiving deliverance if our heart is set to make amends; Jesus" attitude was to heal first, and then say "sin no more," (John 5:14), and he is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8). God turned Job's captivity when he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10), so why not pray for someone that you know needs God's help?
PSALMS 34:4 (David)
4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
MATTHEW 7:7-8 (Jesus)
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you:
8 For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it shall be opened.
Note: Before we seek God we need to prepare our hearts (2 Chronicles 12:14; 19:3; 30:19; Ezra 7:10; Job 11:13) with the godly sorrow of repentance (See #5.418; #5.6401). How then should we seek him?
(1) By seeking his ordinances (1
Chronicles 28:8), his law (Ezra 7:10), and his precepts (Psalm 119:45; 119:94); in other words by diligently studying the word of God,
(2) With fasting (2 Chronicles 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Daniel 9:3),
(3) By prayer (Daniel 9:3),
(4) With weeping (Ezra 10:1; Daniel 10:2),
(5) Seek "early", that is, earnestly (Psalm 63:1; 78:34; Proverbs 8:17; Isaiah 26:9; Hosea 5:15),
(6) In due order, that is, the way God wants it done (1 Chronicles 15:13),
(7) By separating ourselves from evil (Ezra 6:21),
(8) With our whole desire (2 Chronicles 15:15),
(9) And with all of our hearts (Deuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:12-13; 31:21; Psalm 119:2; 119:10).
If we do this, and keep on doing it (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalm 105:4), then his promise is that he will be found (Deuteronomy 4:29; 1
Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2-4; 15:15; Isaiah 45:19 Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:8-9), and when we find him, we will surely be delivered.
2 CORINTHIANS 7:9-11
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry
after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world works death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that you sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it worked in you,
yes, what clearing of yourselves, yes, what indignation, yes, what fear, yes, what vehement desire, yes,
what zeal, yes, what revenge! In all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
ECCLESIASTES 7:3 (Solomon)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Note: We have already seen what constitutes repentance (See #5.418 Note), but this is not something that we can do of our own selves. It is the goodness of God which leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4), so we need to ask him for it in faith, because these scripture show that the effect on the heart, which is really the cause of our problems, is most beneficial. What should we repent of? We could start with whatever sin we are fighting against, couldn't we? and then go on to anything else that the Lord may show us.
JOHN 3:17 (Jesus)
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
JOHN 8:10-11
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said to her, Woman, where are those who accuse you? has no man condemned you?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.
ROMANS 8:1 (Paul)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Note: During my trial, whenever I failed, the Devil would come and condemn me. He would say things like, "you're useless", "you're a total failure", "you're nothing", "you will never make it". I found it so easy to agree with him, not knowing at the time that the Devil was behind it, because all circumstances pointed to it being true. I became downcast, upset, and in need of comfort I would invariably seek it by eating more food. I did not feel worthy to even talk to God, and there were times when I didn't pray much, or seek God's help, for long periods of time. One day when considering the scripture, "by their fruits you shall know them." (Matthew 7:20), I considered that the fruit of this condemnation was always more sin, and realised that it was the Devil who was behind it, as the scripture confirms (1 Timothy 3:6). It couldn't be God or Jesus, could it? God didn't send Jesus to condemn (John 3:17; 8:11; Romans 8:1)), and neither of them has changed (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). If we have been condemned, then we need to understand that "the flesh" (Galatians 5:16-17), or "the old man", which is really "self", is still alive in us, and we have allowed the Devil access through this. The Devil cannot condemn the spirit of Jesus within us, so if "our old man" was crucified with Christ, in a manifested sense (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20), then he would have no access here either. The word of God says, "Neither give place to the Devil." (Ephesians 4:27), so refuse to be condemned.
If we have failed, then we need to understand the reasons why we have failed, and seek God to change us.
Failure is caused by several factors:
(1) We were not operating in faith. This must be so because faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20;
Mark 11:23; 1 Corinthians 13:2), and will "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16), one of
which must have temporarily stopped us. There are several ways to increase faith:
(a) Repent of any known sin (Psalm 66:18;
Isaiah 59:2; Jeremiah 5:25; See #5.418, #5.6401),
(b) Meditate in God's word (See #5.414, #5.622),
(c) Keep on seeing God's word (See #5.624),
(d) Keep on hearing God's word (See #5.626),
(e) Keep on confessing God's word (See #5.33, #5.628).
It is essential that we spend time doing the previous four points before we do this one, so that we can
believe what we confess.
(f) Keep on doing God's word (See #5.34, #5.412, #5.630),
(g) Pray in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20),
(h) Pray and fast (Matthew 17:19-21; Mark 9:28-29; See #5.416),
(i) Exercise our faith through trials in other areas (Job 23:10; Jeremiah 12:5; James 1:2-4; 1:12; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 3:18),
(j) Love others (1 Corinthians 8:1; 13:7; Galatians 5:6),
(k) Seek honour from God, not men (Matthew 6:1-6; John 5:44).
(2) We were not operating in love. This must be so because love thinks no evil, bears all things, believes all things, endures all things, never fails (1 Corinthians 13:5-8), and it makes faith work (Galatians 5:6). There are several things that we can do to correct this:
(a) Commit our works to God (Proverbs 16:3),
(b) Seek to do God's will rather than our own (John 5:30), which is essentially the same as
submitting ourselves to God (See #5.604),
(c) Seek to help others instead of ourselves (1 Corinthians 13:5), this will also get our thoughts off our own
problem, which must be good. If the Devil cannot get us to think wrongly first, he cannot draw us away to do wrong.
(d) Pray for God's love to be manifested in us (Matthew 7:7-8; John 14:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:20).
(3) Check through the study to see if we have made any obvious error, and determine not to repeat it.
(4) Ask for help and support from others if we need it (See #5.312; #5.313), and then carry on. If we trust in God we cannot be beaten.
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