Spiritual Wrestlemania (Part 5)

1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

The objective of wrestling in the natural world is to defeat the opponent by causing him to fall or pinning him to the ground. This results from a series of strategic moves and/or by wearing the opponent down. Satan constantly wars against believers trying to wear them down. His objective is to cause believers to fall, throw them, and trap in the bondage of sin. His goal is to destroy your supportive points, just as a wrestler does to his opponent in the natural world. The goal is to
make you prostrate spiritually.

Victory in natural wrestling also comes through a process of scoring by the judges. The wrestler with the highest points for the most effective strategic moves wins the match. Your spiritual opponent has already been judged. Satan was overcome by the most effective
move in all history, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You wrestle with an enemy who is already judged as a loser in the match. Because of this you do not need to be afraid of his power or strategies in the wrestling match in which you engage. You do not have to fall or be
pinned by the bondage of sin. You can stand confidently in the wrestling match of spiritual warfare and resist him steadfastly in the faith.

Mental attitude is very important in wrestling. In a study on the subject, the following attitudes are said to be necessary for championship wrestling in the natural world. These attitudes also are true in the spiritual realm:

-To wish and want to win is not enough. The champion wrestler must have a will to win. Desire is an emotion which transcends all else in life.

-Sustained effort is required for championship wrestling. A champion wrestler must be persistent and not accept defeat.

-Winning is the goal and purpose of wrestling. To achieve this goal he must not only know he is master of the situation, but he must also let his opponent know.

1 Corinthians 9:24 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

Spiritual Wrestlemania (Part 4)

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

In wrestling, a mobile opponent is considered dangerous. This is why you want to pin your opponent down. In the spiritual world, Satan is a mobile opponent. He goes "to and fro" as a lion seeking to devour. You must be on guard for his constant mobility. Satan also recognizes the effectiveness of your mobility. He wants to prevent you from being on the move for God. This is why he strives to throw you and pin you down spiritually.

Any error made in wrestling results in an action that can be taken advantage of by the opponent. How true spiritually! Any error you make in spiritual wrestling is quickly taken advantage of by the enemy. It is important in wrestling to learn how to recover from a fall. It is necessary to be able to convert the bottom position into an advantage. There are moves of escape and reversal
which will enable this.

In spiritual wrestling you may at times experience a fall and be temporarily pinned by the enemy. But you do not have to remain in this position. God has given strategies in His Word which, if followed, will convert your disadvantage into an advantage. He has provided strategies for escape and reversal spiritually just as are used in natural wrestling.

The life of Joseph is an excellent example of this. He had the disadvantages of being sold into slavery and put in prison. But he converted disadvantages to advantages. In the end, he triumphed over the enemy. There are other moves in wrestling which result in taking an opponent down from behind, dragging, pinning, throwing, and pulling him. Can you recognize similar moves by the enemy spiritually?

1 Peter 5:9 "Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."

Spiritual Wrestlemania (Part 3)

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

Anticipation is important in natural wrestling. A wrestler who can discern when a particular move is going to be made is usually able to block or counter attack. When the intended move is made it is not as likely to be successful since it is anticipated and the wrestler is prepared.

The same is true in the spirit world. If you are not ignorant of Satan's devices and anticipate his strategies, then you are prepared. You are not thrown off balance when attacks occur.

There are moves in wrestling which are made to "bait" an opponent, to tempt and entice him into making a move which will weaken his position. In the spirit world Satan is constantly tempting you to moves which will weaken your spiritual position.

In natural wrestling, moves are planned to place an opponent in a position that leaves him open to attack. Situations are purposely created to do this and advantage is taken of an opponent's weakened position at the instant it occurs.

Spiritually, Satan creates situations which leave you open to attack Then he immediately takes advantage of your weakened position. But you must remember as you wrestle that it is Satan who holds the weakened position. The power within you is greater than his power. He has
already been dealt the final weakening blow by the Lord Jesus Christ. But you must exercise the advantage given you by the Lord in order to win the match.

In natural wrestling, every move you make sets you up for a response from the opponent. The same is true in the spirit world. When you make a move for God, Satan will always counterattack with a move of his own.

Be prepared by studying the Word of God. His Word can help you when the battle comes to your front door.

Spiritual Wrestlemanina (Part 2)

1 Peter 1:13 "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ..."

There are both offensive and defensive strategies in natural wrestling which are applicable in the spiritual world. Stalling is one technique used in wrestling. Stalling is avoiding confrontation with an opponent. Points are lost in the judging system for stalling. You also "lose points" when you "stall" spiritually and do not aggressively wrestle your enemy. Some believers spend their entire lives stalled in confrontation with the enemy. They never aggressively wrestle and gain the victory.

Another important strategy in natural wrestling is to upset the balance of the opponent. Once an opponent's balance has been destroyed, he is kept struggling to regain it.

The Bible speaks much of the importance of balance or "temperance." One of the strategies of Satan in the spiritual realm is to try to upset balance. Many cults have resulted because of improper balance on doctrinal issues. Homes, church fellowships, and even nations have been defeated because of improper balance by wrong emphasis or lack of emphasis in certain areas.

There are two types of balance involved in wrestling: Physical and mental balance. Before physical balance can be destroyed, mental balance must first be attacked. To accomplish this, a strategy of surprise is used. A move is initiated that is distracting and a surprising. While the wrestler focuses on this, the intended technique is applied. By leading an opponent to believe
some move is about to be attempted, he will try to avoid the imagined danger and leave himself open to the actual attack.

How true this is in the spiritual world! Satan upsets balance through the strategy of surprise. He upsets your mental balance by distracting attacks and while you are fearfully focused on these, he launches his intended assault in another area of your life.

Spiritual Wrestemania (Part 1)

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

God's choice of the word "wrestle" is significant. Wrestling is a natural parallel of a great spiritual truth. Wrestling in the natural world is a sport of mastery in strength. To wrestle means "to contend in struggle for power over an opponent."

A wrestler in the natural world must train to be successful at his sport. He must practice wrestling. He must have a proper diet. He must learn the rules of wrestling and they must be carefully followed to win the match. A believer must learn the rules of spiritual warfare in order to be victorious. A proper "diet" of
God's Word and prayer is necessary for successful spiritual wrestling. As in wrestling in the natural world, skill is gained through practice. The primary purpose of training in the natural world is to prepare the wrestler to perform at peak efficiency while experiencing the least amount of fatigue. This is true also in the spirit world.
Some people are easily fatigued and defeated spiritually because they are not properly trained for spiritual warfare.

Individual championship wrestling is not a team sport. When a wrestler tires there is no substitute team member to send in. Wrestling involves intimate, face to face, personal contact with the opponent. The same is true in the spirit world. Believers are involved in intimate, face to face combat with the enemy. No other believer can take your place in this spiritual combat. There are no "time outs" in wrestling as in other sports. There are no "time outs" in the spiritual world either. Satan never rests from this war. The believer must never be off guard.

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

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

Warfare

There are two types of warfare in the natural world: Offensive and defensive. The Bible also
teaches both defensive and offensive spiritual strategies. You must learn to fight both defensively and offensively. The only other option is desertion, which is unacceptable.

Defensive warfare is battle waged to defend territory. It is warfare that waits for the enemy to strike, then pulls its forces together in defensive response. The defender must respond to his opponent and his decisions are forced on him by the attacker. This type of warfare does not advance into enemy territory. It defends territory already claimed. It is important, however, because the spiritual forces of evil are constantly attacking you as a believer. If you do not know how to defend yourself, you will become a victim of these attacks.

Offensive warfare is aggressive warfare. It is not a warfare of waiting and responding in defense. It is warfare which takes the initiative of attack. The enemy is identified, his strategy recognized, and offensive advances against him are made in the spirit world. In offensive warfare the attacker has the advantage of making decisions first. Offensive warfare gains territory rather than defends it.

Offensive advances are the only type of spiritual warfare which will reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot remain in our comfortable homes and churches and practice defensive strategies only. The army of God must advance into enemy territory. It must go to the strongholds of Satan with the power of the Gospel message. We must engage in an aggressive offensive spiritual campaign.

There is one thing in common about offensive and defensive warfare. Both involve personal action by the believer. In natural warfare, unused weapons do not inflict causalities on the enemy nor win wars. The same is true in the spirit world. Your spiritual weapons are affected by your will to use them. It is true that God empowers for battle, but you have a personal responsibility in both defensive and offensive spiritual strategies.

The Holy Spirit knows the strategies of Satan and intercedes for believers engaged in battle:

Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered....because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

The Holy Spirit also gives power to claim enemy territory:

Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Gifts of the Holy Spirit are valuable weapons of offensive and defensive battle. The gifts of the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom provide supernatural revelation for spiritual warfare. The gift of discerning of spirits reveals the deception of the enemy. The special gifts of pastor, prophet, apostle, evangelist and teacher assist in equipping us for battle. The speaking gifts of the Holy Spirit provide special instructions from God and the serving gifts of the Spirit enable the army of God to move forward in spiritual advance.

Jesus Is Still

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world,  that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because He hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."



God the Son, Jesus Christ, combined the divine and the human natures into one union. God the Father, sent Jesus Christ to earth in human form while yet retaining His divine nature. The message is still very simple-Jesus was sent by His Father to earth so that man could be pardoned from sin.



The story of Jesus as recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide a detailed record of the birth, life, death, resurrection, teachings, and ministry of Jesus Christ. As part of the plan of God, Jesus came to earth in human form, ministered among men, died for the sins of mankind, was resurrected from the dead, and commissioned His followers to bear the Gospel to the nations of the world before He ascended into heave,. Even though He is in Heaven today, sitting at the right hand of His Father, He is still omnipresent; that means His presence is everywhere. Jesus has not changed!



Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”



Malachi 3:6a “For I am the Lord, I change not…”



So what does Jesus still do today?



-He still redeems us from sin.

It is through the death of Jesus Christ that you are freed from the bondage of sin in which the enemy has ensnared you.

2 Peter 2:19 "...for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage..."

Romans 8:21 "Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."



Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."



-He still gives us authority over the forces of evil.

The death of Jesus not only freed mankind from sin, but also resulted in triumph over the forces of evil. Because of this, you have authority over the enemy:



Luke 9:1 "Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases."



-He still destroys the works of the Devil.
1 John 3:8 "...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil."



-He still makes intercession for believers.

In Heaven Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father
interceding for believers engaged in spiritual warfare. This means He is talking to the Father on your behalf:



Romans 8:34 "...It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."



Jesus is still the man for the hour-trust in Him and be made clean!

Pro Wrestling (Part 1)

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

There is a great war being waged in the world today.  It is not a conflict between nations, tribes, or government leaders.  It is not a rebellion or a coup.  It is an invisible battle taking place in the spirit world. This is an invisible war in which every believer is engaged.  It is a war where no one wears a uniform, but where everyone is a target.   The historical and prophetical record of this war is contained in God's Word, the Bible.


To understand this war, you must first understand the natural and spiritual worlds.  Man exists in two worlds:  The natural world and the spiritual world.  The natural world is that which can be seen, felt, touched, heard, or tasted.  It is tangible and visible.  The country, nation, city, or village in which you live is part of the natural world.  You are a resident in a natural kingdom located on one of the visible continents of the world.  You can see the people who are part of your environment.  You can communicate with them.  You can experience the sights, sounds, and smells around you. But there is another world in which you live. That world is a spiritual world.  You cannot see it with your physical eyes, but it is just as real as the natural world in which you live.

Paul speaks of this division of the natural and spiritual in
1 Corinthians 15:40,  "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

All men have a natural body which lives in the natural world, but man is also a spiritual being with an eternal soul and spirit.  Man is body, soul, and spirit.  Your spiritual being (soul and spirit) is part of a spiritual world just as your natural body is part of the natural world.

Because spiritual warfare is just that, it must be understood with a spiritual mind.  In our natural, sinful state, we can not understand spiritual things:
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." It is necessary to use "spiritual discernment" to understand spiritual things.

Perhaps one of the best examples of natural and spiritual discernment is recorded in II Kings chapter 6.  It records the story of a natural battle in which troops of the enemy nation of Syria had surrounded a small town called Dothan where the prophet Elisha was staying.  When Elisha's servant, Gehazi, saw the great host of the enemy he became fearful.  Elisha prayed that God would open Gehazi's spiritual eyes so he could see the angelic hosts surrounding and protecting them. On this occasion, God actually opened the natural eyes of Gehazi and allowed him to visibly see the superior forces of God aligned for battle.

The story of this battle at Dothan is similar to present spiritual conditions in the Church.  There are some, like Elisha, who see clearly into the realm of the spirit.  They know there is a conflict occurring, have identified the enemy, and recognize the greater forces of God that assure victory. Then there are others like Gehazi, who with a little encouragement, will be able to open their spiritual eyes and no longer be fearful of and defeated by the enemy.  But sadly, there are many people who, like those in the city of Dothan, that are spiritually sleeping. They do not even know that the enemy has surrounded them and is poised for attack. Of this we must be aware.

The Repentance Enlistment

In the natural world, when a soldier joins an army, he must deny any previous allegiance he has had to another army or country. When you join the army of God, you must reject your allegiance to sin and the Kingdom of Satan. This is done by repentance.

Repentance is "an inward decision or change of mind resulting in the outward action of turning from sin to God and righteousness." Acts 20:21 calls it "repentance toward God." By the act of repenting you turn away from your sin and leave the Kingdom of Satan.

Repentance is a personal decision to change your allegiance from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God. This change of mind and turning from sin cannot be done in yourself. It is the.power of God which actually brings the change in the mind, heart, and life of a sinner:

Acts 11:18 "Then God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

Repentance is a gift of God:

Acts 5:31 "Him (Jesus) hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance..."

Although emotions may be involved in repentance, true repentance is a decision, not just an emotion. Sorrow for sin and the shedding of tears is not enough in itself. This must be accompanied by an inward decision that results in an outward change.

Why is repentance so important?

1. God Commands It:

Acts 17:30 "...but (God) now commandeth all men everywhere to repent."

2. It Is Necessary To Avoid Spiritual Death:

Luke 13:3 "..but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

3.It Is Necessary For Eternal Life:
Through repentance the penalty of death is removed and eternal life is granted:

Acts 11:18 "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

4. It Is Necessary For Forgiveness:
God cannot forgive your sins unless you repent:

Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

5. It Is God's Desire For All:
God does not want anyone to experience the spiritual death of eternal separation from God in
Hell:

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord...is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

6. It Is The Reason Jesus Came Into The World:

Luke 5:32 "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

7. It Is Necessary To Enter God's Kingdom:

Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

When you become part of the Kingdom of God, you are enlisting in God's army. Make up your mind to be a good soldier.

Three Battlefields

Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

When you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, that Spirit indwells your spirit. The Holy Spirit in your spirit opposes the lusts of the flesh. Your flesh wars against your spirit and the Spirit of God within you. The flesh entices you to sinful lusts. This is why you cannot live the way your flesh desires to live.

Paul described this battle between the spirit and the flesh in Romans chapter 7:21-23:

"I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man (the spirit); But I see another law in my members (the flesh), warring against the law of
my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

Three battlefields are listed here:

1. The battlefield of the Spirit-Paul wanted to do right and knew that was his responsibility, but there was a war in his heart being constantly waged.

2. The battlefield of the mind-Again, he knew he was living right, yet he struggled with doing what was correct because of that inner conflict in his head.

3. The battlefield of the flesh-This battlefield is one we don't associate with the Apostle Paul. How could he be tempted to give into earthly desires? We must recognize that all people are tempted by the flesh, but it's how we handle the lusts thereof that make the difference.

The lusts of the flesh, if not conquered, lead to sinful works of the flesh which result in spiritual death:

Galatians 5: 19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such thing shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.:

This list can be divided into four categories of sins:
a.Worship Sins-Idolatry and witchcraft.

b. Sexual Sins-Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness.

c. Personal Sins-Drunkenness and revellings.

d. Relationship Sins: Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings, and murders.

These are in contrast to the fruit of the Holy Spirit which should be developed in the lives of believers according to Galatians 5:22-25:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."


The world and the flesh combine with Satan and his demons to war against believers. These are the spiritual forces of evil. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can you keep these feelings under control. Remember, you are more than a conqueror through Him that loves you!

Battle Cry

The Bible gives other names for God which reveal His ministry to you as you are engaged in any spiritual conflict. The names for God include:

1. Jehovah, which means Lord. The Bible combines this word with other names for God:

-Jehovah-Rapha-"The Lord that healeth"-Exodus 15:26

-Jehovah-Nissi-"The Lord our banner"-Exodus 17:8-15

-Jehovah-Shalom-"The Lord our peace"-Judges 6:24

-Jehovah-Ra'ah-"The Lord my shepherd"-Psalms 23:1

-Jehovah-Tsidkenu-"The Lord our righteousness"- Jeremiah 23:6

-Jehovah-Jireh: "The Lord who provides"-Genesis 22:14

-Jehovah-Shammah: "The Lord is there"-Ezekiel 48:35

2. Elohim, means God and is used wherever the creative power of God is implied.

3. Father-Acts 17:28; John 1:12-13

4. Adonai, means Lord or Master: Exodus 23:17; Isaiah 10:16,33

5. El-This is often used in combination with other words for God:

-El Shaddai-"The God who is sufficient for the needs of His People"-Exodus 6:3

-Elolam-"The everlasting God"-Genesis 21:33

-El Elyon-"Most high God who is exalted above other so called gods"-Genesis 14:18,22

6. Yahweh: In the Hebrew language in which the Old Testament was written, the word "Yahweh" means God. This word is combined with other words to reveal more about the character of God. God is called:

-Yahweh Jireh-"The Lord provides"-Genesis 22:14

-Yahweh Nissi-"The Lord is my banner"-Exodus 17:15

-Yahweh Shalom-"The Lord is peace"-Judges 6:24

-Yahweh Sabbaoth-"The Lord of Hosts"-1 Samuel 1:3

-Yahweh Maccaddeshcem-"The Lord thy Sanctifier"- Exodus 31:13

-Yahweh Tsidkenu: "The Lord our righteousness"-
Jeremiah 23:6

-Yahweh Shammah-"The Lord is there" -Ezekiel 48:35
Yahweh Elohim Israel: "The Lord God of Israel"-Judges 5:3

-Quadosh Israel-"The Holy One Of Israel"-Isaiah 1:4

7. The Lord Of Hosts-In the Biblical record, these different names of God were used when requesting God to move in a specific way on behalf of His people. For example, the name Jehovah-Rapham meaning "the Lord that healeth," was used when seeking
healing.

The specific name of God which should be used in spiritual warfare is "Yahweh Sabbaoth" which is translated "the Lord of Hosts" in the King James version of the Bible. When you call upon that name in spiritual conflict, the battle is the Lord's and all the hosts of Heaven come to your aid.

Repentance-Persuaded

You and I must know how men are persuaded to repent. Men repent because of various things that touch their lives:

1. God is good!

The blessings of God in the life of an ungodly person are not to be mistaken as God's approval of his life style. The goodness of God is one way the Lord appeals to men to turn to Him:

Romans 2:4 "Despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and long suffering; not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

2. The preaching of His Word!
The preaching of the Word of God causes men to repent. The preaching of Jonah resulted in the whole city of Ninevah repenting:

Matthew 12:41 "The men of Ninevah shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn
it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas."

3. The call of Jesus!
As the Word of God is preached, people hear and respond to the call of Christ which leads to repentance:
Matthew 9:13 "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

4. The conviction of God the Father!
Jesus said no one could come to Him except the Father draw him. God draws men to repentance.

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him..."

5. Correction from the Word of God..
Rebuke causes men to repent. Rebuke is correction given from the Word of God.

Luke 17:3 "If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him."

6. Godly sorrow!
Repentance is accompanied by emotion. Natural emotion alone is not true repentance, but Godly emotion leads to true repentance:

2 Corinthians 7:10 "Godly sorrow [for sin] worketh repentance to salvation."

The Repentance Draft

Is there unconfessed sin in your life? Wherever there is sin, there must be repentance,

1 John 1:8, 9 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

-Repentance is necessary for salvation, God made a special plan to enable the message of repentance to reach everyone. The call to repentance began in the New
Testament with the ministry of John the Baptist.

Mark 1:3, 4 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way the Lord, make His path straight.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

-Repentance was the first message Jesus preached.

Mark 1:14, 15 "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, And saying, the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel."

-Repentance was preached by believers in the early Church:
Mark 6:12 "And they went out and preached that men should repent."

Acts 20:21 "...Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."

Today, believers still have the responsibility to spread the message of repentance throughout the world. Jesus gave final instructions to His followers in Luke 24:47 that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

When you preach the message of repentance, you are actually calling others to enlist in the army of God. Will you make a commitment to start drafting others into this great spiritual army?

The Holy Spirit (Part 2)

Jesus promised His followers that upon His return to Heaven He would send the Holy Spirit to earth to comfort them.

John 14:16, 17 "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."

One of the main functions of the Holy Spirit is to direct our attention to Jesus Christ.

John 15:26 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will sent unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall
testify of me."

God the Holy Spirit, in spirit form and invisible to the natural eyes of man, is in the world today. He is active in convicting men of sin, drawing men to Jesus Christ, equipping believers with power for spiritual warfare, guiding them, and testifying of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit has a sensitive nature. This means He has feelings that can be affected by the actions of man. Because of the sensitive nature of the Holy Spirit the Bible warns that we should not:

-Lie to the Holy Spirit-Acts 5:3, 4 

-Resist the Spirit -Acts 7:51

-Quench the Spirit-1 Thessalonians 5:19

-Grieve the Spirit-Psalms 78:40 and Ephesians 4:30

-Insult the Spirit-Hebrews 6:4-6

-Blaspheme the Spirit-Matthew 12:31, 32

-Vex the Spirit-Isaiah 63:10

It is important that you do not offend the sensitive nature of the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is offended by your actions He will withdraw His presence. You cannot wage effective spiritual warfare without the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are several titles used in the Bible to describe the Holy Spirit. A title is a descriptive phrase which explains a person's position and/or function. It is important that you know the function of the Holy Spirit as you enter spiritual warfare. The Holy Spirit is called:

a. The Spirit of God-1 Corinthians 3:16

b. The Spirit of Christ-Romans 8:9

c. The Eternal Spirit-Hebrews 9:14

d. The Spirit of Truth-John 16:13

e. The Spirit of Grace-Hebrews 10:29

f. The Spirit of Life-Romans 8:2

g. The Spirit of Glory-1 Peter 4:14

h. The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation-Ephesians 1:17

i. The Comforter-John 14:26

j. The Spirit of Promise-Acts 1:4, 5

k. The Spirit of Holiness-Romans 1:4

l. The Spirit of Faith-2 Corinthians 4:13

m. The Spirit of Adoption-Romans 8:15

You need His infilling today. Ask your heavenly Father and He will fill you with His Holy Spirit as Jesus promised and out of your soul will flow "rivers of living water!"

The Holy Spirit (Part 3)

You need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who gives you power to walk in the spirit rather than the flesh. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the Holy Spirit in overcoming the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Through the Holy Spirit you can be led by the Spirit instead of the flesh.

(1) Let your spirit speak by the Holy Spirit!
God communicates to your spirit by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

(2) The Holy Spirit can also communicate directly to God from your spirit!

1 Corinthians 14:2 "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh
mysteries."

(3) When you speak in an unknown language, which is the physical evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2, your spirit is communicating directly to God. When this happens, one of the important functions of the Holy Spirit is to pray according to the will of God!

Romans 8:26, 27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

(4) Again let me mention we must develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit!
In contrast to the works of the flesh, we must develop the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This includes:

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

(5) Don't live in or with a spirit of condemnation!
Satan uses the weaknesses of the flesh to make you live in condemnation. But Paul said in Romans 8:1:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

If you fail and engage in fleshly conduct, do not remain in condemnation. Repent and ask forgiveness:

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. Let Him be that to you today!

The Holy Spirit (Part 1)

There is a spiritual experience called the baptism of the Holy Spirit which involves the sign of speaking in other tongues as profiled in Acts 2 and the evidence of power to become an effective witness of the Gospel according to Jesus in Acts 1:8.

To overcome and defeat spiritual warfare, it is important for you to experience this baptism of the Spirit. This is your source of power for spiritual battles.

The Holy Spirit gives special spiritual gifts to believers. The main scriptural references listing the gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in:

-Romans 12:1-8

-1 Corinthians 12:1-31

-Ephesians 4:1-16

-1 Peter 4:7-11

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary to equip the believer for combat against the forces of evil. The gifts of the Holy Spirit include the following:

1. Special gifts to equip God's people:
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.

2. Speaking gifts to explain God's truth:
Prophecy, teaching, exhortation, word of wisdom, word of knowledge.

3. Serving gifts to enable God's work:
Serving, helps, leadership, administration, giving, showing mercy, discerning of spirits, faith,
hospitality.

4. Sign gifts to establish God's authority:
Tongues, interpretation, miracles, healings.

The Holy Spirit also develops spiritual fruit in the life of the believer. The "fruit of the Holy Spirit" refers to the nature of the Spirit revealed in the life of the believer, spiritual qualities which should be evident in the lives of all Christians.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for power. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is for character in the life of a believer. If you do not develop Christlike character traits then you will become a victim of the forces of evil. Spiritual fruit is evidence of spiritual maturity. Like fruit in the natural world, it is a product which is the result of the process of life.

There are two types of spiritual fruit.

-There is the spiritual fruit of reproduction:

John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain."

-There is also the inner fruit of Christlike qualities. These qualities are completely opposite of the fleshly nature of man:

Galatians 5:19-23 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Although the power of the flesh was defeated at the cross, as a believer you experience this only
to the degree that you practice faith in the finished work of Jesus. Therefore, to be effective in denying the power of the sinful nature of the flesh, it is necessary that you develop or "put on" the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Who Is Jesus?

The name "Jesus" means "Savior or Deliverer" according to Matthew 1:21. The name "Christ" means "the Anointed One" according to John 4:25, 26.

There are additional names given Jesus Christ throughout the Bible. These include the following:
Adam (the second)-1 Corinthians 15:45-47
Advocate-1 John 2:1
Almighty-Revelation 1:8
Alpha and Omega-Revelation 21:6
Amen-Revelation 3:14
Ancient of Days-Daniel 7:9
Angel of His Presence-Isaiah 63:9
Anointed Above His Fellows-Psalms 45:7
Anointed (His)-Psalms 2:2
Apostle of our profession-Hebrews 3:1
Arm of the Lord-Isaiah 51:9-10
Author and Finisher of Faith-Hebrews 12:2
Author of Eternal Salvation-Hebrews 5:9
Begotten of God-1 John 5:18
Beloved-Ephesians 1:6
Bishop of Souls-1 Peter 2:25
Blessed and Only Potentate-1 Timothy 6:15
Branch (The)-Zechariah 3:8
Branch (Righteous)-Jeremiah 33:15
Branch of Root Of Jesse-Isaiah 1:1
Bread of Life-John 6:48
Bright and Morning Star-Revelation 22:16
Captain of the Lord's Host-Joshua 5:15
Carpenter's Son-Matthew 13:55
Chief Cornerstone-1 Peter 2:6
Chiefest Among 10,000-Song of Solomon 5:10
Christ (The)-John 1:41
Christ the Lord-Luke 2:11
Christ Jesus Our Lord-Romans 8:39
Christ the Power of God-1 Corinthians 1:24
Counselor-Isaiah 9:6
Covenant of the People-Isaiah 42:6
Dayspring-Luke 1:78
Daystar-2 Peter 1:19
Deliverer-Romans 11:26
Door (The)-John 10:9
Elect-Isaiah 42:1
Emmanuel-Matthew 1:23
Eternal Life-1 John 5:20
Everlasting Father- saiah 9:6
Faithful and True-Revelation 19:11
Faithful Witness-Revelation 1:5
First Begotten-Hebrews 1:6
First Born-Psalms 89:27
First Born Among Many-Romans 8:29
First Fruits-1 Corinthians 15:23
First and Last-Revelation 22:13
Foundation Laid in Zion-Isaiah 28:16
Glorious Lord-Isaiah 33:21
God of Israel-Isaiah 45:15
God with Us-Matthew 1:23
Great God-Titus 2:13
Great High Priest-Hebrews 4:14
Head of the Body-Colossians 1:18
Head over all Things-Ephesians 1:22
40
Headstone of the Corner-Psalms 118:22
Heir of all Things-Hebrews 1:2
Holy One of Israel -Isaiah 41:14
Hope of Glory-Colossians 1:27
I Am-John 8:58
Image of the Invisible God-Colossians 1:15
Immanuel-Isaiah 7:14
Jesus Christ Our Lord-Romans 1:3
Judge of Israel-Micah 5:1
King of Glory-Psalms 24:7
King-Zechariah 9:9
King Over all the Earth-Zechariah 14:9
Lamb of God-John 1:29
Light of the World-John 8:12
Lily of the Valley-Song of Solomon 2:1
Living Bread-John 6:51
Lord God Almighty-Revelation 4:8
Lord and Savior-2 Peter 2:20
Lord of All-Acts 10:36
Lord our Righteousness-Jeremiah 23:6
Lord (Your Redeemer) -Isaiah 43:14
Love-1 John 4:8
Man of Sorrows-Isaiah 53:3
Master-Matthew 23:10
Messiah-Daniel 9:25
Mighty God-Isaiah 9:6
Mighty One of Jacob-Isaiah 60:16
Most Holy-Daniel 9:24
Most Mighty-Psalms 45:3
Nazarene-Matthew 2:23
Only Wise God-1 Timothy 1:17
Our Passover-1 Corinthians 5:7
Physician-Luke 4:23
Prince of Peace-Isaiah 9:6
Prince of Kings of the Earth-Revelation 1:5
Prophet-Deuteronomy 18:15-18
Propitiation-Romans 3:25
Rabbi-John 1:49
Redeemer-Isaiah 59:20
Resurrection-John 11:25
Righteous Servant-Isaiah 53:11
Rock-1 Corinthians 10:4
Root of Jesse-Isaiah 11:10
Rose of Sharon-Song of Solomon 2:1
Savior of the World-1 John 4:14
Seed of David-John 7:42
Seed of the Woman-Genesis 3:15
Shepherd (good)-John 10:11
Son of God-Romans 1:4
Son of Man-Acts 7:56
Son of Mary-Mark 6:3
Son of the Highest-Luke 1:32
Star out of Jacob-Numbers 24:17
Stone-Matthew 21:42
Sun of Righteousness-Malachi 4:2
Sure Foundation-Isaiah 28:16
Teacher-John 3:2
Truth-John 14:6
Unspeakable Gift-2 Corinthians 9:15
Vine-John 15:1
Way-John 14:6
Wonderful-Isaiah 9:6
Word-John 1:14
Word of God-Revelation 19:13

There is no other name greater than the name of Jesus. He is as close as the mention of His name.