CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVING SPIRITUALLY- SENSITIVITY

Jas 1:16-27 KJV Do not err, my beloved brethren.  17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.  21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We have heard of or read about stimulus in recent news which can be viewed as something that stimulates or acts as an incentive.

Stimulate: To rouse to activity or heightened action, as by spurring or goading; excite.

A stimulus is an agent (as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of a living organism or one of its parts (as by exciting a sensory organ or evoking muscular contraction or glandular secretion) (Free Online Dictionary) we all probably know of the Mimosa pudica

Living things are aware of their surroundings through a characteristic called sensitivity and respond to these stimuli in a way that will prove beneficial and protective. This means they will move away from harmful stimuli and move towards helpful stimuli. We shrink away from fire and intense cold. Our eyes involuntarily close to protect them from harmful light intensity and foreign objects. It is vital that we are able to respond appropriately as the alternative is dangerous or even fatal.

Response can be controlled ...remember Pavlov's dogs?

What causes you hair to rise and "skin to grow?"

We respond and react to feeling cold, hot, thirsty, hungry, sleepy, angry, etc. Some of our responses are instinctive, others are controlled (learned) and deliberate.

We respond to fear, hatred, love,

We have external and internal stimuli!

When it comes to things spiritual we also have instinctive responses and learned responses.
Fear is an instinctive response that we learn to control and in the spiritual realm we learn that we can conquer fear through Perfect Love!

Mar 10:17-22 KJV  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  18  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  19  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  20  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.  21  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.  22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

 

PHYSICAL SENSITIVITY	SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTIC	SCRIPTURE/COMMENTS
Living things respond to favorable external stimuli in order to benefit from their environment	The spiritually alive person responds favorably to spiritually favorable surroundings with beneficial influences. Respond to the Holy Ghost Respond to God's Word Response to nature of surroundings	And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb 10:24-25 KJV Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  2Ti 4:8 KJV
Living things respond to unfavorable external stimuli by moving away to ensure their protection	The spiritually alive person shuns all appearances of evil and avoids Flee fornication. 1Co 6:18 KJV; Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  2Ti 2:22 KJV	Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  1Jn 2:15 KJV Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  Rom 16:17 KJV
Internal stimuli such as hunger and thirst move animals toward a source of supply	Internal promptings to pray, study his Word and fellowship comes from the Holy Ghost and should be heeded.	Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Mat 5:6 KJV
Infection produces intense bodily activity towards defense, healing and protection.	Sin brings the stimulus of conviction which should drive us towards godly sorrow and repentance in order to obtain forgiveness and cleansing.	But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Jas 1:14-15 KJV
Ignoring warning stimuli exposes to danger and ultimately death	Ignoring the promptings of the Spirit and the Word of God is the sure road to spiritual suicide. Being unaware or negligent of your surroundings leaves you in danger of being blindsided. Being unaware of our surroundings leaves us helpless to respond appropriately! Quench not the Spirit.  1Th 5:19 KJV	See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Heb 12:25 KJV Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Jas 1:21 KJV

THERE IS NEED TO BE AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  1Pe 5:8 KJV

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  1Co 16:13 KJV

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  1Th 5:6 KJV

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  Rom 13:11 KJV

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1Ti 6:3-11 KJV

DANGERS OF INSENSITIVITY.

Hearing the Word and not obeying the Word leads to insensitivity and hardness of heart

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Heb 3:7-15 KJV

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  Heb 10:24-27 KJV

Developing of calluses over a period of time results in less if any sensitivity in that region of our body. Constant resistance to the Holy Ghost in areas of our lives result in us being unable to feel and respond to Him after awhile. Remember when He moved you before and your heart was fresh and sensitive before Him? Remember when you lived expectantly awaiting his promptings and touch? Have you asked yourself where it all went? Remember the eager anticipation you had to meet with likeminded saints to worship and praise? Where did it all go? We have ended up like rocky bumps in a flowing river immovable! The ONE river in which we needed to let go and flow with the stream is the one we have ended up resisting. Yet how quickly we have responded to the latest trends, fashions and lifestyles. How instant was our move to adopt and fit in until no one recognizes that we are different! We have yielded and responded to the world and its fashions and flowed with its streams like so much flotsam and jetsam while we have steadfastly resisted the gentle wooing of the Spirit

It's a horrible thing when we have hardened ourselves to the Spirit's voice for then we allow the enemy access with his insistent compelling siren deception to wreck havoc with our will.

Response to the Holy Ghost is important in knowing the will of God. When God told Philip to leave a tremendous, miraculous 'revival' and "Go Join that chariot" in Acts 8:29, GOD did NOT tell him why! However, when Philip obeyed God (without asking why!) and heard what the eunuch was reading he KNEW why, and was able to take it from there. The result? The gospel was taken to Ethiopia! POINT: Just flow with God. Do not wait for a "twenty year plan in an Excel spreadsheet, broken down into fifteen minute increments with a guaranteed happy ending"!!!

When Israel failed to respond they ended up in a vicious endless cycle of moving in circles until they died never finding the ultimate purpose of God for their lives. A tragic result of disobedience, rebellion, murmuring, fear and unbelief or failing to respond properly to Spiritual Stimuli! DO NOT LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU!

Eph 4:26-32 KJV Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  27 Neither give place to the devil.  28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Rom 8:14-17 KJV For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Many years ago Henry Ford was driving down a highway. Soon he noticed that a car had pulled off the road, that its hood was up, and its driver was attempting a repair job. Henry Ford pulled his car behind the ill one, got out and asked the driver if he could help him. The driver, in anger, said something like this: "Old man, there's not anything that you can do that I can't do. You go your way; I'll take care of this myself." Very quietly, graciously and gently, Henry Ford got back in his car and drove off. Little did the driver realize that he had turned down the maker of the car! Certainly the maker could repair it. The Holy Spirit comes to me and says, "I notice your having trouble with your life."" I say to Him, "I can make it by myself, thank You." He will very quietly and unobtrusively take His flight, and I will have turned down my Maker, certainly the only One Who can adequately do the repair!

UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUTHORITY

Video embedded below notes

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1Jn 3:8 KJV

Eph 2:1-7 KJV And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Col 2:6-17 KJV As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened 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 shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Review questions:

What is the most precious commodity that is an ever constant factor before the Father?

Where was Christ’s Blood offered up? So just how valuable is the Blood of Christ to us?

What is required take to see God? (Pursue, persecute holiness)

Is holiness made up of a series of do’s and don’ts? So what is holiness?

What did God give to man in the beginning?

What did man do with what Gad gave him?

What did Christ come to do about what man had done?

Did Christ succeed in His purpose? So what now?

“

“…that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

The Greek word luō  literally  means to loosen, dissolve, break up. This is what Christ did…He untied and loosed the binding power the devil had over us. Christ unraveled it all leaving the devil with loose empty threads in his hands. The victims are gone! Where?

WHAT IS MY PRESENT POSITION IN RELATION TO THE FATHER?

Historically Christ was crucified a little over 2000 years ago. We however, who have only been recently on the earth, relative to that event, are reported to be quickened TOGETHER WITH Christ!  This is because the death of Christ is an eternal present before the Father even before time ever existed, but was manifested in time and history once. When I believe the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection I am seen by the Father in Christ, made alive with Him! It may have happened at a certain time in a historical perspective but with the Father it is an eternally settled issue!

We need to see ourselves as God sees us. Many effectively are neutralized when they allow the enemy to fill their minds with thoughts of defeat and helplessness and unbelief.

WHAT IS MY PRESENT POSITION IN RELATION TO CHRIST?

I am IN Christ! Where HE is I am! Where He went I went in Him. Where He goes I go! Where He is now that’s where I am! In the heavenlies far above ALL principality, might, dominion and every name that is named in this world and the next!

We need to realize that the unraveling of the enemy power has already been accomplished by Christ. We engage the enemy based on that vital truth.

Every time we confront the enemy it is based on the fact that his authority over you has been stripped and you have authority over him by the blood of Jesus and in Jesus Name.

WHAT IS MY POSITION IN RELATION TO CHRIST AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH?

I am a member of His Body…the Church! The body is whole only when connected to the Head! The members of the body work in harmony when each member yield to the ONE HEAD and are controlled by that ONE HEAD. Read 1 Corinthians 12

Eph 4:11-16 KJV  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Col 2:19 KJV  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

WHAT IS MY RESPONSE IN RELATION TO MY POSITION?

As believers we need to do just that BELIEVE! BELIEVE ALL that God has said about us never once doubting or questioning His declared truth!

All heaven has public knowledge of the enemy's defeat and jubilantly exclaim over it. The enemy still seeks to hide it from the earth and many times is allowed to succeed even by believers. Imagine it! The Son of God in the place of the dead! Light in the place of darkness.

Life in the place of death! Truth confronting lie. God against the devil. The outcome is never in doubt. Might and mayhem wrecks havoc and makes the devil's authority over become nothing. My plea of the Blood of Jesus releases my faith in Him and his completed work. What Jesus did was a complete work of redemption. We need not add or take away from it. It remains established forever. We simply rest in confidence on this solid bedrock fact and resist every effort of the enemy to draw us away from that victory to a place where his attack will effectively neutralize us.

Some of us have never experienced compete victory in Christ, NOT because He is ineffective. He CERTAINLY IS NOT! We have failed to achieve the victory because satanic strongholds planted in our pre-conversion life have been allowed to remain and fester. The enemy has busily occupied himself fortifying these strongholds and sources of attacks stealthily and has purposely allowed us to believe they do not exist. The devil is never contented with just a toehold. The toehold becomes a foothold which progressively becomes a stronghold. Even the devil believes in “one one dutty build dam”

He has also deceived us into thinking that some of these fixtures are actually spiritually beneficial to us and has continued to feed us with error laden mixtures. We really need to pull these down:

 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. . 2Co 10:3-6 KJV 

How is he able to neutralize a believer?

Spiritual gaps and holes in our lives by which the enemy enters, are made by us when we fail to guard our lives, minds and thoughts etc.

Remember the mind is the principal area he seeks to attack twisting our thoughts suggestively until we tie ourselves up in unbelief and actually believing in our unbelief!

This war is not over until it's over at the coming of the Lord. It's a lifelong commitment to God's purposes in and for your life. It has no retirement in this life but we fight and stand and fight and stand and having done all to stand.

Become skilful in the use of your God given weapons!

It is pointless having weapons and not know how to use them. In order to avoid defeat and be effective warriors we not only need to have weapons, we MUST know HOW to use them properly. A deadly weapon in the hands of the unskilled is a threat not just to enemies but also self and friends. Skill in handling is therefore necessary.

Heb 5:12-14 KJV  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.  13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.  14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Eph 4:1-7 KJV  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,  2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;  3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;  5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,  6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

USING YOUR AUTHORITY!

Video embedded below notes

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 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: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Eph 1:15-2:7 KJV

 Pop Quiz! A few questions concerning the two previous lessons!

What is the most precious commodity that is an ever constant factor before the Father?

Why is the Blood of Christ described as precious? Where was Christ’s Blood offered up?

So just how valuable is the Blood of Christ to us?

What is required take to see God? (Pursue, persecute holiness)

Is holiness made up of a series of do’s and don’ts? So what is holiness?

Where is the Holiest place? How can we enter into the Holiest place?

AUTHORITY AND DOMINION WAS GIVEN TO MAN

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 creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen 1:26-28 KJV

MAN LOST THE GOD GIVEN DOMINION

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Heb 2:6-8 KJV

JESUS CAME TO WREST CONTROL FROM THE ENEMY

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1Jn 3:8 KJV

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Heb 2:14-15 KJV

JESUS HAS GIVEN TO THE BELIEVER AUTHORITY

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luk 10:19 KJV

The Father was enabled to strip authority from the principalities etc that were struggling to ensure Jesus remained in the realm of the dead which would have made all our belief and preaching vain! However God the Father raised Him up and stripped forever all authority from the opposition and handed it over to Jesus!

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mat 28:18-20 KJV

WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE AUTHORITY

We need to recognize the source of our authority and how it came about to become ours.

Imagine Jesus about to be resurrected and all the hosts of evil combining to restrain Him and keep Him in the realm of the dead. Then the strength and power and authority of the Father is displayed by the Almighty Holy Spirit as He wrenches His Son from their grasp without even breaking a sweat! 

He not only raises Him from the dead but raises Him FAR above ALL principality might and dominion, and every name that is named in every age, past, present and future.

Then realize that the authority commanding this unspeakable might and indescribable power is bestowed on the believer who is now one with the Father and the Son! He's got your back and all of you!!!

As believers and disciples of the Lord, we are already positionally at the right hand of God the Father in Christ. So even though my body is resident here on earth it is a temporary setting in anticipation of my full inheritance through final redemption of the body. Spiritually I presently have access to the throne room of God and an audience with the Father into whose presence I can appear anytime through Christ's Blood with which I am sprinkled.

The spiritual armor is essential to combat the forces of evil that attempts to draw the believer out into the open where he may be successfully attacked.

Beware of abuse to this authority. Do not become a son of Sceva!