Topic: Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
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Romans 5:17 AMPC (17) For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Romans 5:17 TPT (17) Death once held us in its grip, and by the blunder of one man, death reigned as king over humanity. But now, how much more are we held in the grip of grace and continue reigning as kings in life, enjoying our regal freedom through the gift of perfect righteousness in the one and only Jesus, the Messiah!
We are reigning in life through Jesus Christ now!
God wants us to know that we have victory over Satan in every contest and circumstance, even as Jesus had victory over Satan when He was on the earth.
We don’t have to struggle to be victorious; we just need to stand our ground with the Word of God against a defeated foe according to what we already possess in Christ.
It does not take all day to stand against evil spirits if you know your authority in Christ. Just speak the Word to them in the Name of Jesus and they have to go.
You and I have authority over yourself and your house! Now, when we are babies in Christ, we can get someone to help us spiritually and pray with us, but there will come a time when WE have to stand in our authority and stop the devil from having the advantage over us.
Why does it seem that we cannot seem to end his domination over us? Ignorance and unbelief.
Hosea 4:6a NKJV (6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Matthew 17:14-21 NKJV (14) And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, (15) “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. (16) So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” (17) Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” (18) And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. (19) Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” (20) So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (21) However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
It is one thing for Satan to dominate unsaved people who are in the kingdom of darkness; they’re under his authority. But he should not be able to dominate us because we are not in his kingdom and under his authority.
Colossians 1:12-14 AMPC (12) Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light. (13) [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, (14) In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.
When the believer prays, he needs to pray from a position of victory because he is seated with Christ in heavenly places, looking down on a defeated foe.
We are in the army of the Lord but we are an occupying force not a conquering force.
Luke 19:13 KJV (13) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
The word “occupy” in the KJV translation means: “to occupy and carry on business”
An occupying army is there to enforce the victory that has already been one by our commander in chief.
That is why we should not magnify the battle; we should magnify the triumph!
What About War and Warfare in the Epistles
The words “war” or “warfare” appear in the New Testament far less than most people think.
1 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV (7) Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?
James 4:1-2 NKJV (1) Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? (2) You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
2 Timothy 2:4 NKJV (4) No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
1 Timothy 1:18-19 KJV (18) This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; (19) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NKJV (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 in God for pulling down strongholds, (5) casting down arguments (KJV – imaginations) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
There are references in Revelation that mention war but that is the final defeat of the dragon and Satan himself.
In 2 Corinthians, Paul is not speaking about battling demonic forces over geographical areas. He is admonishing believers to take control of their own thoughts and imaginations so they can prevent the devil’s lies from getting a stronghold in their minds.
An uncontrolled mind and wrong thinking have as much to with opening the door to the devil as wrong believing and wrong talking do. These are the major “battlefields” in life.
The fact of the matter is that the New Testament teaches us that genuine spiritual warfare has to do mostly with the mind and the flesh and fighting the good fight of faith. Those who wage a good warfare keep their mind renewed and their flesh in check and know how to stand in faith on the promises of God’s Word.
(Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. (11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Brief History of the church at Ephesus:
- Founded by Paul where he stayed for three years raising up elders to lead the church.
- After Paul’s departure, Timothy was sent to pastor the church.
- The Apostle John was a member there and because of his assignment, brought Mary, the mother of Jesus there.
- It was the largest church in existence at the time
- Great men and women such as Peter, Apollos, Aquila, and Priscilla came and ministered there.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
The word “finally” in the Greek language lets us know there might have been a problem in this early church. The word “finally” in the Greek language means the familiar saying, “If you don’t get anything else out of what I am saying to you, get this…”
Why would he have said this?
The believers in this church were not unlike a lot of believers today. They had gathered a vast amount of doctrinal knowledge, information and facts, yet they were still defeated in their lives.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“Brethren” – Greek: adelphos Means: “You and I are brothers! We came out of the same womb of humanity. We have the same feelings; we have similar emotions; and we deal with the same problems of life…”
Paul was identifying with these believers and their personal struggles and their victories. In Greek culture, to call someone “brother” like this was a high honor. It was saying, “Like me, you are still in the fight and are giving it your best shot. Therefore, I am personally proud to be affiliated with people like you.”
- It isn’t how well we fight that really counts in life. What really counts is that we keep on fighting.
This “never give up” kind of attitude will eventually produce victory for us every time.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“Strong” – Greek: en-dunamis – Means: being infused with excessive doses of dynamic inner strength and ability
- We are specifically designed by God to be receptacles of His divine power.
Why was he so emphatic about this? Because he knew that we need to receive this power before our fight commences.
- Without the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit operating in us, none of us can ever be a match against Satan’s schemes and devices.