#250: You’re Fighting the Wrong Battles

Transcript

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Thanks for listening to the Revival Today podcast with Evangelist Adolis Shuttlesworth. To stay connected, check us out on Facebook and Instagram or online at revivaltoday.com. Now, here's Evangelist Adolis.

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Oh, hello there. It's Pastor Adolis, and you are watching my podcast, the Adolis Shuttlesworth Podcast. And I want to invite uh invite you uh to our women's conference that's happening in May, May 6th through the 8th, and then again on the 10th. Oh, hey, look at that image. Wait, put it back, put it back. Put it back. Put it back. My thighs hurt. That's me, guys. Um I don't really know what that is, but I like it. I like it. Keep it on, keep it on. Forget the other graphic. Keep this one on. Um, yeah, I'm the glasses. You can be a part of this uh women's conference. You have to be a woman, not identify as a woman, but be an actual uh female to be a part of these meetings May 6th through the 8th. And then we are gonna end it with an exclamation mark on Mother's Day. So you can scan this code. Sorry, it's it's backwards. This code right here, um, and let us know that you are coming. Secure your spot for our women's um conference called Rooted This Year. And uh, you can take that off now, Benny. Uh, but one of the things that the Lord spoke to me in the beginning of the year is this rooted image. And it was like these these deep roots into the ground, and why it's so important as believers, especially with the craziness that's happening in the world today, why it's so important to be rooted in the word of God. And being a strong Christian in these end times is something that's just uh non-negotiable. And so it's gonna take intentionality, it's gonna take um study, prayer, all of that. Um, and so we're gonna talk about it when we're at the rain conference or not rain conference, the uh radiance conference. So be a part of that. Also, I've got a women's mentorship program. Hold on, guys, let me get this out of the way, all right? If you guys are tuning in and you're like, what am I doing here? I'm a guy, I'm not a woman, just wait. Uh, if you are part of the uh if you are not part of the women's mentorship program, I want you to register to become a part of the women's mentorship program. This is a free mentorship program, and what we do is we we give um two, three videos a month. We have question and answers for um, you know, uh the the women that are registered to be a part of this club. I don't know what the heck you call it. Um, and we we go through the average problems that a woman goes through. And then I just, you know, I give you a pow pow when you need it. I encourage you when you need it. I I we walk through the word of God and uh we just get better as women, mothers, uh, entrepreneurs, all of that. Uh so today's title is You're fighting the wrong battles. You're fighting the wrong battles. I think one of the things that we have to um normalize in our lives is this ability to decipher if if we are fighting the good fight of faith. Because here's one thing that the Bible says uh we are fighting the good fight of faith, right? So there's a a fight that is taking place. There's actually a war that's happening and we don't see it, right? Um, but it's it's it's a war, it's a fight that's happening in the spirit realm. And it is it is something that we can be a part of and that we are a part of. And in Ephesians 6, we see that there are weapons that God has given us so that we could maintain our position in that battle. And that position is one of victory. And so if we put on the armor of God found in Ephesians 6, if we are doing our due diligence and putting on the armor of God, then we are secured that victory. Now, what I see happening is that first of all, people don't have the armor of God on. And secondly, they don't even understand that they're in a fight. And so I think that's hilarious because if you understand the the number one element that the enemy uses here on the earth, because according to scripture, Jesus, when he was on the cross, he didn't just die there, he went into the ground. The Bible says he descended, and when he was in hell, the Bible says that's when he went into uh whatever it was, the chamber, I don't know, okay, but it was in that area where uh Jesus went in and pounded Satan's face in. I'd like to, you know, say that there was a a butt weapon of some sort there. And it was in that moment that Jesus took the keys of hell, death, and the grave. And so what does that what does that tell us? It tells us that Satan no longer has dominion, his his footing is not secure here on this earth. So the only power that Satan has is found through deception. And and when we look at the uh uh that that word devil, diabolo, um, in the in the in the Greek, it's it's it's actually it's it's insight on his mode of operation. Dia bolos. And so dia is to uh uh bounce over and over and over again, and bolos is to pierce true. No, bolos is um to bounce over and over again, dia is to pierce true. It's something like that. Um, and so what we we know to be true is that uh his mode of operation is to get you to believe a lie and give it to you over and over and over again until it pierces through. Our job is to put up that shield of faith and not allow the fiery darts of the wicked one to come in and make a comfy home in our brains because that's where the war happens. The war happens in your head. And if he can trick you and deceive you into thinking that this is just outward circumstances and this is just your son that's manifesting, and your husband's attacking you, and all of these things are attacking you, and why would God allow this to happen to me? And why would he do this? And you're right exactly where the devil would want you to be. Why would God allow for my son to die? Why would that happen? You're exactly your your prime meat for the for the devil, because the Bible says he goes uh uh like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. So he's literally watching and waiting for you to mess up so that he can pounce on your behind. And and it's up to us to stand on guard. Having done all, stand. See, that that word stand is not a one that's just in a relaxed situation. You're standing waiting for the next battle battle because you understand that the the devil has no chill. He's not just gonna be like, oh, I'm sorry, Nancy, you got that attack last week. I'm gonna let you go. No, he's gonna double down because he knows you're in a tizzy. Frank is is is is is is ready to give up on this marriage. And you know what? All I need to do is throw him a curveball over here and then boom, he's out. You know, so it's like we've got to be able to be discerners of what the heck is actually happening. Y'all put on your spiritual glasses. What are you doing? Everything you see right now in the natural is not just happening because of natural outside things. Everything has a spiritual root. And once we understand those spiritual roots are something that are like it, it's actually happening right now, then we'll we're gonna fight the proper fight. And we're gonna take position, and we're gonna say, This cannot harm me. This in no way can harm me because you've given me dominion over every devil. And I uh none of these things will ever harm me, the Bible says. You know, you start gotta like, you know, instituting your authority and your dominion when you're walking this life out. What are you doing just sitting there and getting your butt whooped? I was gonna say ass, but I'm not. You know, what are you doing getting your butt kicked over and over again? And it's like, don't you see that you can stand up, rise up against this? I can't even begin to tell you how many people have inundated my inbox and on Instagram about different attacks. And there's a lot of people coming in through miscarriages, and I don't know why God would allow this. I'm broken, I'm torn, and I lost this, and I'll blah, blah, blah, all this kind of stuff. And I'm like, you need to see that this is a battle. You need to see that this is something that you've got to position yourself to fight against. And unfortunately, most people don't. And and they they feel like they're fighting this battle of cancer. I don't understand why this cancer is coming. It's not a battle with cancer, it's a battle with the spirit of infirmity, wanting to take your behind out. So you address it at the root. See, things are gonna continue to fester if they're not pulled out. And that's one of the things about being rooted. It's like if you're rooted deep down enough, then all of a sudden it doesn't matter what you see on the earth's surface, on the, you know, what's visible to the naked eye, if there's a root system under there, you're gonna shoot right back out. And then, you know, it doesn't matter what happens on the outside, if you're rooted in Christ, then all of a sudden, boom, you're gonna shoot right up. But you know what? It's the same thing when it comes to other things. If there's things that you are battling with that have found their root, a root system in your life, you could chop it off in the in the natural realm and you could put a bandage on it through medicine and counseling and hmm, good intentionality, and let me sit here and no, vitamins and orange juice, and a healthy eating habit and and exercise and all that kind of stuff. But you know what? If it's rooted in there, then it's time for us to uproot those toxic behaviors and recognize that there is literally something spiritual about what's happening here today. And most people don't see that. So here's the number I've got three things that I want to touch up on. The first one is found in 2 Corinthians 11, 14. 2 Corinthians 11, 14. And it says, and is no wonder for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Let me tell you what, you've got to understand first and foremost, when you're fighting the wrong battles, that the devil is not for you ever. He has no sympathy towards you or your children. I've learned that the the the hard way. And if you see what's happening out in the world today, he's got no trill, he's got no mercy, he is altogether evil, as good, as good as God is, the Bible says uh uh uh every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of light in whom there is no shadow or variance of turning. So it's like everything about God is just good, it's pure, it's holy, it's love because he's identified himself as love. But you've got to understand that there is a counterfeit, and his name is the devil, and he comes seeking whom he might devour. He comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. God is the one that comes to give us life in abundance. So you've got to start understanding that there is an active agent against my destiny. There is an active perpetrator, there's a there's a uh a pervert, there's a there's a uh uh uh I forget the other um words we've been using. Um what is it? Where where it's like um it happens often. Not a pervert, a pre a predator. There's a predator, there's a predator at hand in your life, and you've got to identify it. And you've got to identify the fact that, you know, although he comes in like a smooth rico suave, okay, we understand his MO. I understand that that's a predator. Those what he's saying right here is not coming into alignment with what God has for my life. So I understand this guy is is is is a fake. He's a false. And you know, we could we could do that with the with the things that are happening out in our lives right now, the the information we're taking in, this is never gonna get better. This is never gonna get easier. You're losing your wife, you're losing your children, they'll never come back, they'll never forgive you. Does that line up with the word of God? No, it doesn't. So why would we allow those things to continue to fester? And again, it's that bolos, it's that that that ball that bounces over and over again, and he's bouncing it into your head, hoping that he's gonna pierce through and make a stronghold in your heart, in your mind. You know, and that's that's the the tactic there. He wants to come into your life and then control you through the stronghold that you created by allowing yourself to believe that lie. That's how he works. And so it's through manipulation, it's through deception, and then people become his puppets. That's why when we talk about like the the new world order and and the the kingdoms of this world, you know, because Satan doesn't have dominion here, his only uh source of of um impact is going through individuals. You know, Jonathan came out with this um, I think it was a CD. If you don't know what a CD is, look it up. Uh, but it was a CD and we sold it on our product table for a lot years and years and years. And it was called identifying the fool sent to destroy you, and how we've got to identify there's certain individuals that Satan places in our path to take us off course, to take us off of the perfect path that God has for us, right? And so if we start identifying those people, why is it that when I bring up something positive, this person has a visceral reaction to it? Oh, really? Oh, look how wonderful your your life is. Look at that. If only I had a family like yours, if only this, if only that. And so they belittle the blessing of God in your life. Those people, red flag, you should you should begin to identify those certain individuals because we understand just the way God does things, He sends people as a blessing, right? The Bible says, just as I am, so I send you. And and what you do, what you do will be greater than what I do. That's how that is his paraphrase. Uh, you know, what you'll do, what you'll be able to accomplish here on earth, it'll make what I look do seem like child's play. That's that was Jesus' promises to us. What I do, you'll do, and greater. And so he is identified that the source of blessing for met humanity comes from a man, an individual. Yes, it's inspired by God. That's the only way. So we don't take the credit because it's like, oh, it's me. No, we're inspired by God because it's like the the um apostles were saying, it's that well, apart from you, we can do nothing. But with you, I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength to do it. So we know that this love that we have, this ability to be a blessing to generation, comes from God the Father who loves you. So it it all plays in this beautiful, you know, orchestra. And uh the devil does the same thing, he just perverts it. So understanding that the devil comes to destroy you in the form of individuals, right? So all of a sudden you're you're having a great day, and somebody calls you up and says something that you have even been questioning about yourself. Maybe I'm not that. Maybe I'm not gonna be like uh, you know, anything. I shouldn't expect the best, I shouldn't want this for myself. Maybe that is a selfish endeavor, maybe this, maybe that, and then all of a sudden the seeds of doubt come in. You've got to identify those people accordingly. You've got to identify the fact that if Satan can dress himself as an angel of light, there's deception. Deception is his game. And and what he he tries to do is he tries to get in our thoughts, he tries to get in in the desires that we have, and he tries to break our discernment because we look like it, right? An angel of light might might look like an angel of light, but if it's not genuine, if you don't have, if you don't carry the spirit of discernment, which we all have that based on 1 Corinthians 12, we we all have uh uh certain gifts that have been given to us, right? So if you've got the Holy Spirit, covet these gifts, covet the the discerning of spirits, because that's gonna avoid the the problems that this fake angel of light will bring into your uh uh world or whatever. You know, so it's like he he'll just he'll masquerade it. He'll masquerade himself as something, you know? He'll take that offense and he'll make it look like oh, this isn't really offense, this is justifiable. This isn't really a lie, it's just a little bit of a lie. And we understand even with Adam and Eve, it was just a little bit of a tweaking of the word of God. You know, it was the temptation that we've we see in the book of Matthew with Jesus. It was if if you do this, I'll give you this word. You know, if if you bow down and you serve me, if you bow down and worship me, I'll give you the kingdoms of the earth. It's like, wait a minute, what? And what was Jesus's response? What should have been the response of Adam and Eve? The word, but it wasn't. And so they fell prey to the enemy's tactics and all authority was stripped from them. You know, it's the exact same way. Jesus was the second Adam, the Bible says. So we mimic our lives after Jesus, you know, and so the the one thing that made Jesus successful is that anytime there was a lie, anytime there was even like a little bit of a trickle, even of a hint of a lie, he always responded with the word of God. Adam, the first Adam, did not do that. He just took it. He didn't realize that he was like fighting uh a battle at the time. He didn't even feel realize it was, you know, and then the what it what did he do? It was the woman. And we start playing the games again because you didn't understand that that was a uh a battle that you've lost. You didn't confront it using the word of God, you didn't see that it was an attack against your destiny and against the flow that you had with God, and so you just took it and you accepted it as your reality, and then it snuffed you out. And you don't have to live that way. You can identify the enemy and you could say that that that one sent to destroy me. I know it, it's a lie. But if we're not rooted in the word of God, if we're not grounded in the word of God, we're not gonna stand a chance out there to try to decipher a lie from a truth because the only way to combat a lie is with the truth found in God's word. So you gotta be able to decipher that. You gotta be able to discern what's good and what's bad. And luckily for you and I, we've got the spirit of discernment, the spirit of wisdom and revelation that is in us called the Holy Spirit. And if you don't have the Holy Spirit, I want to pray a prayer over you and and and we'll lay hands on you through the screen, and you'll be baptized with the spirit of uh uh the Holy Spirit because it's necessary in these last days, especially when the Bible says there's gonna be a strong delusion that is set in the last days. It is up to us, and that's where where that that rooted comes from. It's it if we have to stay sober and vigilant and strong in the Lord and the power of his mind, then we have to understand that the reality for that is because the delusion is coming in, and it's such a deep delusion that many will be led astray. And so we're talking about aliens, all that kind of stuff. I'm gonna get there. You just wait and see. But you know, it's it's this ability to see things correctly. Directly. Most people don't see it. They just think it's cancers. I don't know why God would allow this. I don't know why God would take this from me. He didn't take anything from you. Number two. Number one is uh Satan operates through deception. Okay? It's not what you think it is. It's not the obvious destruction that's happening all around you. He functions out of deception. Number two, he redirects blame to other people. That's exactly what I was just touching on when it came to Adam. It's like he didn't man up to the occasion. And so what was the first thing he said? The woman. The woman made me do it. No. And and herein lies another uh element of truth here where people miss left and right. It's like, oh, it's just, I can't, I don't understand why my my my husband's acting up. I don't understand why my wife is like that. And it's it's, you know, I'm I'm trying to reel her in, I'm trying to make her happy, and she's just negative, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. All this kind of stuff. And it's like, listen, you've got to identify here that uh instead of going to the source of the problem, which is a spiritual route, you're looking at it for face value. And you're looking at the personality there. It's like it's not the personality, it actually has nothing to do with what you think it is. It's a spiritual route. And if they're not in alignment with the word of God, then why are you getting all kinds of messed up about it? That makes no sense. You know what the Bible says about sinners? That they're gonna sin. Sinners inevitably do what their title is sin. And so all of a sudden, we're we're looking at these people that haven't, they don't know the word of God, they're they're sowing seeds of discord, they're sowing, and then all of a sudden we're building this like a fence, and I can't believe God will allow these people to say that. And it's like, God didn't allow that. You're fighting the wrong fight. You've got to understand that if people are not aligned with the word of God, they're inevitably gonna do, they're inevitably gonna screw up, they're inevitably gonna mess up, right? And so you're blaming it on your spouse, you're blaming it on your kids, you're blaming it on your boss, and it has nothing to do with it. Rise above that, have eyes to discern the reality of these things, and recognize, oh, this might just be somebody that's being sent to knock me off course and to help me quit believing for my breakthrough. Even if it is your mother. And I'm not saying your mother's from Satan, but I'm just saying there's look at Peter. You know, Peter at one at one point, in the book of Matthew, I think it is, obviously. Uh, but at one point, uh Jesus says, Who do you say I am? And then Peter pipes up, and he's, you know, rough around the red uh edges, probably some redneck from you know, whatever. And uh, and he said, You are the son of the living God, you are the Messiah, the son of the living God. And then all of a sudden, everyone's like, What? Like, who is this? Who hijacked Peter's mouth and brain to actually say something that is coherent? And Jesus even said, uh, you know, flesh and blood didn't show you that. God showed you that. Again, Adoles' paraphrase. And then it wasn't even two, three verses down the road where say uh Peter pipes up, you know, and probably because of uh what he just said, and he's like feeling himself, and it's like, wow, I impressed Jesus, and you know, I silenced the the the 12 disciples here, and they're looking at me like, you know, I'm an angel of the Lord. And then all of a sudden, he Jesus talks about his own destruction being uh, you know, his own death. He's predicting his own death, and Peter pipes up and said, I won't allow that. And then what does Jesus say? Satan, get thee behind me. Because some people even might be well-intentioned, they might love you, but it's not inspired by faith. And so they'll step into the flesh, even if it is for a moment, and then all of a sudden you're questioning, like, yeah, maybe this isn't God's plan. But Jesus, knowing the word and knowing his mission, knew that Peter was talking out of his butt. And so he had to deal it accordingly. Get thee behind me, Satan. There are certain people that I've had to, you know, address in a very strong way, blood relatives, because they say something that's contrary to the word of God, and I won't stand for it. So it's like, I love you, but this is contrary to the word of God. And if I don't cut it out like this, it's gonna continue to fester. So I'll uproot it by by addressing the situation. I didn't have to get hot, I didn't have to get spicy, I just said that's not what the Bible says. The Bible says that long life will he give me, that I will joy uh uh the the blessing, uh whatever it might be. You know what I'm saying? So it's like addressing the situation right when it happens, and it doesn't have to be this ego-driven, emotionally charged thing. You just snip it, snip it at the bud. And um, and so yeah, so so identify that. You're you're fighting the wrong battles, you're thinking that it's certain individuals and certain conflicts that are happening at church, and it actually has nothing to do with it. It's a spiritual thing. And actually, the Bible even says, make room for for each other's uh errors. Um, I I think it's a psalm, I don't know Proverbs, I don't know. Uh, but but make room for each other's faults, make room for that. Walk in love, read, get intoxicated with what love is, 1 Corinthians 13, that it keeps no record of wrong. It's just it lets it go. You know, it's like I'm just gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. And maybe you said that um it, you know, and it hurt my feelings, but I'm just gonna like, I'm just gonna make that be something that you just said because you love me and care for me, and I'm gonna move on with my life, and I'm not gonna keep that as an offense harbored in my heart. Move on and understand the reality of what's happening. And finally, Satan's always gonna thrive with your lack of discernment. Period. So we understand in Hosea 4.6, it says, My people, what? They perish, they die because of their lack of understanding. Your inability to understand and actually reject the knowledge of the truth. How do we reject it? By not being intentional about it, by allowing CNN to come in and filter your brain now. So now all you're doing is filtering the the information through the lens of unbelief and doubt and and uh and uh you know a new world order agenda. I'm just kidding, but I'm not. Uh so you you've gotta be able to recognize these patterns that are happening. It's like, do you really think it was by chance that three different things happened all at the same time for your destruction? Do you really think is that where we're going? Is that where we're gonna? Is that what uh no? You have to understand that there is an enemy that's attached to that. And so this isn't just happen happy clappy, and this isn't a part of God's mysterious sovereign plan because we don't know why he does certain things. You know, these things are written, the Bible says, so that we might know. You can know with certainty that if it's with failure and lack and sickness and disease, you can put that to the credit of the devil. And everything that's good and perfect, give it to God because that's that's his source, that's his bless. His his he wants to bless you, he wants to give you favor, he wants to have you be successful. You know, so it's like be able to recognize that you've got to have the spirit of discernment. If there isn't that, you're just gonna continue to fight the wrong battles. And that's so frustrating because then you don't understand that you have dominion over this, you do not have to succumb to the problems that are around you. That cancer has no control over you. That cancer has no dominion. You have dominion over it. You can speak to that mountain. See, and most people are wanting to just be prayed for, just pray for me and disbelief. No, you could actually, you yourself can speak to that cancer and command it to go and it has to obey. I just had a uh uh a lady contact me uh from California, I think maybe Arizona, uh, but she said, I uh I was uh we were believing for this cancer, it was um this tumor, and and uh our church has has uh our church has instructed us, she's part of our church. Uh this church has instructed us to speak to that cancer. And so she's like, I've been speaking to that tumor and I've commanded it to die. And so when she went in to check up what was a cancerous tumor, okay, when they went back, all of a sudden that form, that that tumor in and of itself was completely dead. And she's like, and it actually obeyed what I said. I spoke to it and I commanded the life to be drawn out of it. And so now I've got that tumor inside my body with absolutely no life in it. So they're just gonna remove it and then just be done with it. No cancerous cells, no life form of any kind. Why? Because she believed what the word of God declares over her life, that she is uh uh uh healed, that she doesn't have to be um, you know, she doesn't have to succumb to anything that is is orchestrated by the devil, and you could speak to something and it will be done if if all you do is believe and you do not doubt in your heart. This isn't, if if you're not seeing the manifestation of these things, then it's time to understand. I might be right and fighting the wrong fight. I might be doing it wrong, I might not have the discernment that's necessary to see with clarity in this situation. So put down the goggles of offense and feeling and doubt and fear and begin to see your circumstances with clarity, with the word of God, with the help of the word, you're gonna make it in Jesus' name. And so if you aren't baptized in the Holy Ghost, I want you to put one hand on your belly, Father, in the mighty name of Jesus. That's one of the wonderful things about being baptized in the Holy Ghost. For me, there's a lot of people that are watching this that aren't filled with the Holy Spirit, but I'm telling you right now, this is what makes the difference. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit. In the book of Acts, you've declared that you can't do anything. Don't do anything you told the disciples until he comes here, until this power comes on you. And that power he was talking about was the Holy Spirit. And so, Father, I thank you that that same power that enabled Jesus to do the mighty things he did on this earth now is in us. So, in the mighty name of Jesus, be baptized from the top of your head to the soles of your feet with the Spirit of God in Jesus' name. Be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And Father, I thank you for this baptism because from this baptism comes out the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and you lead us into all truth. So in Jesus' name, I thank you for the spirit of truth that now abides in us and leads us and guides us into all truth in the mighty name of Jesus. And if you got baptized with the Holy Ghost, with the evidence of tongues, let me know. I'm on Instagram, a dollar shuttlesworth. And if uh uh you want to uh live a life that is above the natural order, this is how to do it. Get in your word like never before. Recognize that there really is a devil trying to destroy you and your family's life. Attack appropriately, do it by the spirit. You can't do it in the flesh. So, in the mighty name of Jesus, let that revelation come like a light bulb on the inside of you. Stop frustrating yourself. Stop trying to fight that that fight that that uh is already over. What are you doing? It's over. He's given us the victory, you're healed. You're you're uh the head and never the tail. You're able to do everything God has in store for you. That marriage is is is healed. Your children are serving the Lord, they're gonna serve the Lord. Have eyes of faith to discern the reality of what's happening in your life in Jesus' name. I love you. Make sure that you're um attending one of our church campuses. We've got four of them. We've got a California campus, an Arizona campus, a Texas campus, and here, home, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Uh, this is my home. This is the church that the Lord has given us. Um, and we're about ready to uh go into a brand new building. And so I'm believing that each and every person that calls this their home will believe God to bring someone in for our Easter uh worship service. And so whether you're in California, Arizona, Texas, or Pittsburgh, I want you to bring one and believe God for one individual to come in. Um, and we'll be praying for you. We've got service, um, we've got services all the time all the time. So just make sure that you are in the know of all the wonderful things that are happening. I love you so much. See you next time. Bye.