WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.440 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:27.199 Okay, so I just thought I would do a really light subject today. 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:32.240 Since we've got baby dedication on demon possession. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:40.719 So, okay, here's the deal on demon possession that I need to say, and that is this that there's way too much information. 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:46.880 And this, I've done, I've done seminars on this, have spoken all over the place on this particular topic. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:50.000 But it's under the series of the cosmic war, which we've been on. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:52.719 I think this is the eighth, seventh, or eighth message. 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:59.439 But I decided to make it a part one because as I looked even at my notes, I went, there's no way. 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:01.920 There's just no way we can cover this, right? 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:18.239 And I really want to make sure that I carry you into the positive side, the power side of your identity in Christ and the authority that you have in Christ over darkness and over the demonic. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:26.480 But I can't, I can't present that without you understanding the gravity of how demons work. 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:33.120 So for you that are guests with us, you came for a baby dedication, and you can already tell you don't like this guy. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.599 He's even dressed in black, which that that was not, it has nothing to do with what I'm talking about. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:39.280 It was just more like, I thought about it later. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.680 I thought, okay, there's gonna be all these guests with us today. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:43.120 Don't normally come. 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:51.359 You may be coming from churches where, you know, you would never talk about demon possession, and if you want to leave, it's fine. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:52.159 It really is. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:54.480 I'm used to people leaving, okay? 00:01:54.640 --> 00:02:00.719 Um, it's it's kind of been part of my MO for a long time that I say things and people just leave. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.799 Um, but it seems like more come than leave, so I think it's okay. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:12.800 Uh but this is actually an issue that's really in the Bible, and it's actually going to lead us into Christmas Eve. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:16.479 Because the Christmas Eve service, I'm gonna talk about this. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:23.680 I'll just let you know a little preparation for Christmas Eve that the world needs Christmas. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:28.000 The world needs Christmas. 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:31.680 The world is desperate for Christmas. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:32.879 That's gonna be the thing. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:41.680 Do you realize that the first announcement of to Christmas was not to people, was not to prophets, it was actually to the devil. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.599 So that's a tease for you guys for Christmas Eve. 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:47.680 So here I want to start with this. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:49.840 Can Christians be demonized? 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:52.159 Can Christians be demon-possessed? 00:02:52.240 --> 00:03:03.599 So I'm gonna begin with that, and there's um and that's controversial for sure, and I'm gonna act like a politician, and I'm gonna answer it with yes and no. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:08.240 Okay, so so can a Christian be demon-possessed? 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:09.520 The answer is yes and no. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:18.800 Thirteen times in the New Testament, the King James Version or the New King James Version talks about demon possession. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:21.439 So turn in your Bibles to Matthew 4. 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.280 Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 4, verse 24. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:33.039 And in Matthew, in this gospel, this is the first time that demon possession is used. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:55.199 His fame, meaning Jesus, went throughout all of Syria and they brought them all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:56.719 Now I want you to look at that verse. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:10.000 It's a very interesting verse, because Matthew is actually making a differentiation between diseases, torments, epileptics, paralytics, and demon-possessed people. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:18.720 Now, what that says to all of us when you read that at face value is that you could be tormented and not demon-possessed. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.199 You could have a disease and not be demon-possessed. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:24.480 You could be have epileptic seizures and you're not demon-possessed. 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:28.399 You could be a paralytic, you're not demon-possessed, because he makes those categories different. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:34.800 Now, in other parts of the Testament, and again, we don't have time to go into all of them here, there's 14 of them, 13 others. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:43.279 Um, it would appear that sometimes Jesus recognized a particular sickness as being caused by a demon. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:52.240 He actually uses the same, the same word is used in the Greek for healing someone as casting out a demon. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:05:06.079 So there were times when he cast out blindness, or he cast out muteness, or he cast out what might seem to be, from maybe a clinical perspective, an epileptic seizure. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:07.839 At least it appears that way. 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.839 But in this verse, they seem to all be in different categories. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:12.879 So here's why I say that. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:23.600 I say that because not every sickness is caused by a demon, and not every person who's got epilepsy is caused by a demon, not every paralytic is a paralytic because of a demon. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:29.439 Because in some of the circles that some of you have come out of, you blame the devil for everything. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:30.160 Right? 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:33.279 And so and so you think the devil's behind every bush. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:39.199 My perspective is the devil is not behind every bush, but he is behind some. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:44.160 And so you've got to understand how he works, and that's why we're studying this. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:49.680 Because the key to victory in anything is knowing the tactics of your enemy. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:51.680 And so we do have an enemy. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:58.079 Now, let me just say this that I don't think anybody here is ever gonna meet the devil. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:05:59.759 Capital D. 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:08.240 You and I are not anointed enough, powerful enough, or significant enough that Satan cares that much about you. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:08.959 I'm sorry. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:11.839 I don't want to hurt your feelings, but that's kind of true. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.759 Okay, but what he has is he has a host of demons. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:25.519 And these are kind of small level devils that we've talked about over the last few weeks have different categories of power in the hierarchy. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:27.759 And I'm not gonna go through that again because I've already covered that. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.160 You can go back and look at the past sermons on that. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:35.519 But there are demons that everybody is influenced by and impacted by. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.720 So that's the word used here for possession. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:52.879 Now, in the time of the 17th century, when they were writing the King James Version, King James had these scholars, they chose a particular word, and the word is daimonosomai. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.360 Daimonoe in the Greek. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.560 Daimonosomai, even then, did not mean ownership. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:06.079 But I don't know about you, but I used to run with some guys, and we did some really bad stuff back in high school. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:14.720 And it seemed like the kind of guys that I ran with back in the time before I knew the Lord were always getting their cars possessed. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:20.319 Or they were getting this possessed, and half of them were stolen anyway, so they didn't own them. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:25.360 But possession to me implies ownership. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:33.519 I do not believe any Jesus follower, born-again believer, can be owned by demons. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:35.680 I don't believe you can be owned or possessed. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:44.560 So when I think of possession, that's what I think of is ownership, and so no, you cannot be demon-possessed if that's what we mean. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:51.920 But actually, daimonosomi means demon-influenced or demonically influenced. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:54.800 So I use the word demonization. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:06.639 So there were people who were demonized, would be a better English translation in our vernacular today for demon possession in the Bible. 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:11.600 So I believe, yes, we can be demon-influenced. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:19.839 And it's obvious all through the epistles, the letters of the New Testament, they're talking about spiritual warfare constantly. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:37.440 And so if we as Christians, which the letters were written to, can't be demon-influenced, demonized, then why in almost every letter is there something about the devil or something about the spirits and the impact they can have in our lives? 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.000 James 4, 7. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:45.200 Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:47.279 Now James is writing to believers. 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:51.679 Matter of fact, this is a great recipe for walking in the spirit. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:59.120 Submit to God, number one, resist the devil, number two, and the result will be he will flee from you. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:03.840 So he's writing to believers, submit to God, resist the devil, he will flee from you. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.639 Now turn in your Bibles to Matthew 16. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:08.159 So you're in Matthew now. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:12.240 Keep turning to the right, Matthew 16. 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:14.639 And we have this interesting story. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:19.840 And this is the story of Peter interacting with Jesus. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.399 Now Peter's the leader of the twelve. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:28.799 You'll see, matter of fact, look at verse 15. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:38.320 He's gonna pronounce that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and then he's gonna be demon-influenced. 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:41.360 He's gonna be satanically influenced. 00:09:41.679 --> 00:09:42.559 Look at verse 16. 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:46.720 Simon Peter, so verse 15, but who do you say that I am? 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:52.240 And Simon Peter answered, said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:58.080 So Peter is not only a believer, he's a fired up disciple. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:09:58.639 Okay? 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.879 But now look at verse 21. 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:12.399 From that time, Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:20.000 Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, Far be it from you, Lord, that this should happen to you. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:23.919 And he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:29.679 You're an offense to me, for you're not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men. 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:34.799 So here's Peter, at the same time period, probably within 15 minutes of each other. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:37.440 He says, You're the living God. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.039 You're the Son of God. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:40.639 You're the Messiah. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.639 Nobody else is saying that yet. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:47.600 He's got the insight from the Spirit, and then Jesus says, Well, thank goodness you notice that. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:49.120 That can't be from you. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:52.240 That has to be from the Lord in you. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:11:00.240 And yet then he turns around and he rebukes Jesus who's going to go to the cross and he has to say, get behind me, Satan. 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:02.879 Do you see what's happening here? 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:06.000 That Satan can influence us. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:07.120 He can influence. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:21.919 I mean, there are b there are some Christian leaders right now in our country, leaders of the prophetic prayer movement that are being investigated for all kinds of crazy stuff that they've done in the past. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:23.279 That's not hard. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:25.600 At my age, that's not hard for me to believe. 00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:35.759 I can be up to no good just like that if I begin to stray away from God's word, from fellowship, from accountability in my life. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.240 So I'm using the word demonized. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:48.559 I'm talking about demon influence, and I'm telling you, all of us in this room can get into trouble if we don't walk with God and submit to him on a regular basis. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.799 One noted theologian, C. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:52.879 Peter Wagner, who was a close friend of mine. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:58.080 I studied under him at Fuller when I was getting one of my degrees at Fuller. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:59.440 He's now deceased. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:04.080 He wrote this in my research, I've noticed several things. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:14.240 For one, almost all those who themselves are actively involved in a ministry of exorcism or deliverance, affirm that Christians can be demonized. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:19.120 Those who deny it, by and large, have had little or no direct contact with the demon. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:28.799 And I found that to be true, that there will be, there may be someone today in a crowd this size that might come up and say, I don't believe in what you say, and they said some things. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:34.559 And my response, I'll just let you know so you don't have to come up and bother me, is that my response is always the same. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.799 Have you had any experience in this? 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:38.639 And their answer is always no. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:42.080 So until you've had experience in it, don't talk to me about it. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:45.759 Take what I'm saying is true because here's the deal. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:53.679 I think you know me well enough by now to know that I've always tried to ground my experience with the scriptures. 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.320 Scriptures come first, okay? 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:58.720 Then experience comes out of that. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:10.480 But my experience lining up with scripture has been that in almost all the cases I've dealt with, these are Christians who are demonized. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:15.360 I don't find non-Christians who are demonized who want to get rid of their devils. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:17.039 They like them. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.360 They dig them, they hang out with them. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.840 That's where their identity comes from, is from that. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:23.279 So it's very rare. 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:28.159 I think only two cases that I've ever had where someone came to me, they don't know the Lord. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:36.559 They know they don't know the Lord, and they are so tormented, they want to be set free, and they heard that I could help. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:45.360 And so I lead them to the Lord first, and they give their heart to Christ, and then we start dealing with the demonic, and that takes time. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:55.759 Now that's why I'm calling this part one, because we need to get into the difference between a power encounter and a truth encounter, and we don't have time today. 00:13:55.919 --> 00:14:07.200 So in January, as we go through the Christmas season into the new year with some stuff we're going to do there, we're going to come back to this, and I'll do a part two about truth encounter and power encounter. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:09.039 That's really, really, really important. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:13.759 Because you can have a truth encounter and not have a power encounter, all the demons come back. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:20.960 But if you have a truth encounter through the discipleship of the gospel in our lives, they don't come back. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:25.360 So, so here's what Wagner's talking about. 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.480 Then he goes on. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:33.360 For another, I have discovered that several Christian leaders have changed their opinion on this matter over the years. 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:37.279 But the changes I have found have all been in the same direction. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:44.799 From once denying that demons can harm Christians to now affirming that they can and do. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:52.960 As of yet, I've not known anyone who has changed from believing that demons harm Christians to not believing it anymore. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:57.120 For example, Charles Swindah has changed his opinion. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:01.200 Now, this was written in the 90s, but that has really been true. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:09.440 I've seen that so many times with noteworthy even cessationists, those who raise your hand if you know what I mean when I say cessationist. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.240 Okay, so maybe half of you or a third of you. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:23.840 So cessationists would believe that all of the gifts and the power of the Holy Spirit in the supernatural gifts like healing, deliverance, and such ceased. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:34.559 It's called the cessationists, ceased after about, it varies a little bit, maybe 50 years to 150 years, when the canon of Scripture was completed. 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:37.840 There was no need for miracles like that anymore, and so they ceased. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:38.960 I don't believe that. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.320 But I came out of that. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:42.639 So I understand that belief system. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.879 And some of you may still believe that. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:49.600 And I hope that as we grow in Christ, we can grow in that. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:52.799 So now look at Ephesians chapter 4. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:16:03.679 So continue to the right, and let's look at an example in one of the most spiritual epistles in all of the New Testament, which is the book of Ephesians. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:08.639 It's called, some have called it the cosmic church as a theme for Ephesians. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:10.559 Ephesians 4 is amazing. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:16.399 All of Ephesians is very powerful in understanding spiritual warfare. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:18.480 And you guys have seen how many times I've gone to Ephesians. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:31.039 I've gone to Ephesians, what, like a half a dozen times over this series, especially because of all the mention, chapter 1, chapter 2, and chapter 6 on principalities and powers. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:35.279 And so here I want us to camp. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:43.039 I actually want to start at verse 17, but before I do, look down at verse 27 and underline this. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:49.120 So look at verse 27 as a rubric for everything else I'm going to read, starting at verse 17. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:53.840 It says, nor give place to the devil. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:57.919 Now again, this is written by Paul to believers. 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.639 Can't give a place to a devil unless there's a place that can be given to the devil. 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:07.519 So this is to believers, nor give place to the devil. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:23.039 Now go up to verse 17, and the reason I'm doing this is because I think it explains so well the new man and the old man and how we give place to the devil. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:46.720 Verse 17, this I say, therefore, I testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.799 Wow, there's so much here. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:58.880 He's saying that there's a potential that we can still walk as we used to walk before we knew Christ, even though we have Christ in our heart. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:00.319 You could still do that. 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:02.720 You have a choice about what you're going to put on. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:18.400 You have a choice of the clothes that you've put on, and you also have a choice every day whether you're going to put on the old man, which was being corrupted in your life before, or the new man, which is living in righteousness. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:26.559 And he even says that you can come to a place in your life where you have such a futile mind you can't even think straight. 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:35.519 I mean, it's you guys to see what happens with believers. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:37.119 They're not here right now. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.759 You're not in this category, by the way. 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.720 You're here. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:46.960 But even in the nine years since the inception of the road, there's people that are not here anymore. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:56.160 And they were leading small groups and they were fired up and they were following Jesus and they were evangelists for Christ. 00:18:56.319 --> 00:19:00.240 And then they started kind of moving in a different direction. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:16.319 They started reading certain stuff, they started looking at certain stuff, and gradually over time, they fell into the futility of their mind, alienated from the life of God, and that ignorance took over, and we don't see them anymore. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:21.359 And then they got a divorce, or they had an affair, or they committed suicide. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.759 I mean, I could go through all I've seen it all. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:30.559 The potential in all of us to be demonized is always there. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:32.400 It's always there. 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.559 And then it talks about uncleanness. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:40.160 But then verse 20 says, You did not learn Christ this way. 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:45.680 If indeed you have heard of him and have been taught by him, truth is in Jesus. 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:58.640 So stay connected, stay connected to the word, stay connected to believers, stay connected to new men, new man, new woman type people, those who walk in that. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:04.400 That you put off, verse 22, concerning your former conduct. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:10.559 Well, he's saying put it off because it's still there, it can still come, it can still entice. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:17.279 The old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:29.279 So just because we're born again does not in any way cause us not to be attempted again and again to go back to those old ways. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.680 That's why we have the church. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:37.359 That's why many of the reformers said, no church, not saved. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:39.119 No church not saved. 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:46.720 That they they meant it that those who are truly saved, you're in the church because you're putting on the new man. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:50.880 And those that begin to disassociate from the church, they're not even believers. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:52.240 Now, I don't believe that. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:59.039 I'm not that extreme, but I'm telling you, great reformers like Calvin and Luther believe that. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:03.200 That's how important the church is. 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:06.079 That you've got to be where new men are. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:12.720 You've got to be where the new people of God are, or you're hopeless because you'll go back. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.400 We know that's true. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:19.039 I mean, we even look at what's happening in the body of Christ right now with leadership and stuff like that. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:28.000 There's leading pastors that do dumb things because they've learned how to cloak it in manipulation and stuff. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:32.480 And so they know how to say all the right things, but they've got this dark thing going on, right? 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.839 We all have that tendency. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.680 I have that tendency. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:38.079 I need you, you need me. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:41.119 I need to hang out with people like you. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:43.680 You're my favorite people in the world. 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:45.519 Listen, I believe that with all our heart. 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:50.720 We go to other places and go, man, I can't wait to get back to road people. 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:53.440 Because we're pretty honest, right? 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:55.680 We're pretty honest about our stuff. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:59.759 We don't do a lot of religious posturing and stuff, and um. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:11.359 And that's the kind of church I want to be in because that's the kind of church I feel most comfortable in, because then we can quickly repent because we love each other and we're for each other. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.640 So he says these things. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:16.079 And then he says, be renewed in the spirit of your mind. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:19.039 So he keeps going back to the mind, the mind, the mind. 00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:25.519 And that you put on the new man, which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:28.079 Therefore putting away lying. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.000 Some of you are liars. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:32.319 You lie a lot. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:36.079 Okay, advice from Pastor Steve. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:38.160 Lying is a bummer. 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:44.160 Because you wake up in the morning and you can't remember who you lied to the day before. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:47.200 Or you can't remember who you lied to the week before. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:53.359 And now you're trying to remember in a conversation or situation, well, did I tell them this or did I tell them that? 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:59.519 And so you're in this quandary constantly because you lie a lot. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.119 So stop doing that. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.960 Matter of fact, he's going to say that's how the enemy gets a foothold in your life, is lying. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:12.880 It was Mother Teresa who said, Mother Teresa, I mean a lot of theological stuff with Mother Teresa, I'd have problems with. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.839 But one thing I can say, Mother Teresa was a pretty holy person. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:20.160 She said, get up in the morning, spend an hour with God, and don't lie. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:24.240 That's pretty good advice. 00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:32.960 If you walk in truth, in my new book that I'm working on on Nine Habits of Courage, I talk about the fact that you've got to build a house of truth. 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:35.440 I think that's Habit 7 or something. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.960 Build a house of truth. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.480 Walk in truth. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.240 So therefore, put away lying. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:46.559 And I wouldn't be saying it in verse 25 if some people in Ephesus were liars. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:52.400 Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we're members of one another. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:56.799 Verse 26, be angry, but do not sin. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:02.640 Do not let the sun go down in your wrath, nor give place to the devil. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:05.519 So that's the context of what he's talking about. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.240 So my new this is a New King James Version. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:10.559 It says, nor give place to the devil. 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:14.079 But actually the NIV is better on this one, which is rare. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:17.039 I think usually NKJV is better. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:29.359 If you're an NIV person, uh I apologize for hurting your feelings, but I'm just as for a teaching perspective, because I like literal, I like I look up words, NIV isn't as good, but it reads better. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.720 So I totally get it. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:32.480 I keep using your NIV, that's fine. 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:35.039 It's not an issue to get worked up over. 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:36.480 But this one, they really get it right. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:38.319 This is what it says in the NIV. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.279 Do not give the devil a foothold. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:44.880 That's a great, great translation. 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:49.599 Do not give the devil a foothold. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:54.640 In the Greek, it's the same root word for a stirrup on a saddle. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:02.880 Don't give a stirrup so that the devil can mount you, that he can have influence over you. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:26.799 This is perfect in understanding the demonization process of what he just said all through basically Ephesians 4, especially from verse 17 about the new man, that when you begin to indulge in certain sins in your life, which all of us are capable of, whether we walk with the Lord for six months or sixty years, you still are capable of that. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:41.599 You are giving a foothold probably not to Satan, but to devils, plural, to demonic emissaries, which are all seen in the same rubric in the New Testament. 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:43.839 So, everybody look at me. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:45.839 I'm gonna give you a little illustration. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:54.640 So all of us have fleshly areas of the old man that we battle with, and my fingers represent that. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:58.480 For some of you, it might be lust, it's a struggle for you. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:05.039 Some of you it's lying, some of you it's anger, some of you it's jealousy, maybe envy. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:06.400 Just go through the list. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:12.880 You have the whole list there in um in Galatians, in Ephesians, talks about all these different areas where we all struggle. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:18.160 So when we are born again, the blood of Christ covers that. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:22.720 So we're forgiven of all of that, and you're gonna go to heaven. 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:32.880 And um, but even though if my hand were turned red with the blood of Christ, I still battle with stuff because I'm still in the flesh. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:35.680 I'm not devoid of my flesh. 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:38.319 As a matter of fact, I think it's a bigger battle. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:46.160 I used to say, Liz doesn't like when I say this, but I I think it's it's a it helps people understand better that I was a happy pagan. 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:55.119 I mean, I really enjoyed being a pagan because I didn't know anything else but being a pagan. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:04.720 So I was into paganism, and that's like drinking with my buddy, stealing stuff, running around, carousing, all that. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:07.920 I didn't, my conscience didn't bother me one whit. 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:11.920 Okay, then I get saved, and then the battle begins. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:17.680 Because now all this stuff that I used to do, and I was like, that's cool, man, more the merrier. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:31.359 And now went, I gotta somehow begin to corral this flesh and walk in holiness because my love for God became greater than my love for my sin. 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:35.200 And so I wanted him, and I wanted to be forgiven. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:41.200 And man, I have no regrets after you know 45 years of walking with the Lord. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:56.000 But here's what happens is that we start indulging sins, and let's say it's a sin of jealousy, and you're you're struggling with jealousy, and you go home today, you confess to the Lord, I'm I'm jealous about this, and I give it to you, and I surrender that area to you, Lord. 00:27:56.400 --> 00:28:00.240 And it's it's quiet, all quiet on the fleshly front. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:00.720 Okay? 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:10.559 But then, you know, you begin to start messing around, and you're on the internet, and you're looking at some lustful stuff, and you keep indulging that, but then you stop. 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:12.240 Okay. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:15.599 So what was here, and now, okay, it's forgiven. 00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:20.559 You're you're walking in holiness and righteousness, peace, and joy, the fruit of the kingdom of God again. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:21.440 That's fantastic. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:33.440 Now, here's the problem the problem is when we have these areas of our life that we are continually indulging in, there's demonic spirits of lust. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:36.400 There's demonic spirits of jealousy. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:41.359 There's going to be a point where they come in and they lock in on that area. 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.359 That's a foothold. 00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:54.720 If you don't deal with it, more spirits come, more spirits come, and more spirits come, and it becomes a stronghold. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.680 It goes from a foothold to a stronghold. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:01.039 And that's when you're in big, big trouble. 00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:06.160 So I believe, and I have a whole, I only got a third of the way through the message today. 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:08.559 So we'll pick it up in January. 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:18.640 I don't want to leave you hanging that much, but let me just say this: you can be set free by putting on the armor. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:24.480 And in some cases, you're gonna need somebody to cast that spirit out. 00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:27.680 That's what I'm talking about about a power encounter and a truth encounter. 00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:29.839 We don't have time to get into all that. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:32.400 But um, there you go. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.359 That's part one. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:34.559 So stand with me. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.839 Alright. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:38.960 So, let me leave you with this. 00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:40.400 Here's what I want to leave you with. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:45.920 So, when we moved to our house in Black Forest, we had mice. 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:47.279 They were gross, man. 00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:52.799 We had so many mice, and at one point I tore out the fireplace because I wanted to redo. 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.480 Hey there, buddy, what's happening? 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:59.759 Um, there is a fireplace we tore out, and the mice just keep running through, man. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.640 So, guess what you got to do to get rid of mice? 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:11.839 You can either trap them, which takes forever, or you can figure out what they're feeding on and start eliminating that. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:35.359 So if you're here today and you are letting the enemy feed on something you know in your heart isn't right, I want to encourage you to share that with someone that you trust, a blessing ally, confess it, and then get some accountability so you can be set free. 00:30:35.599 --> 00:30:36.880 But let's put on the armor. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:38.559 I want to put on the armor secondly. 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:41.359 Put on the armor, and we'll talk more about this in January. 00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:45.920 But let's take your hands right now, hold them out like this, and then put it on your head. 00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:49.279 So, Lord, I put on the helmet of salvation. 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.240 Say that. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:53.279 Renew my mind. 00:30:54.960 --> 00:31:01.359 The corruption of the old man is over in my life. 00:31:01.920 --> 00:31:06.480 I put on the new man, renewed in the spirit. 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:08.880 Now put your hand on your chest. 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:13.599 Lord, you tell me to put on the breastplate of righteousness. 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.079 I put on the breastplate of righteousness. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.200 I'm gonna live wholehearted today. 00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:26.640 I'm gonna live wholehearted this week through the breastplate of righteousness. 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:28.559 Now put your hands on your waist. 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:31.200 Lord, I'm gonna live by the belt of truth. 00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:34.240 I'm gonna live in truth. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:36.319 I'm gonna quit lying. 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:39.519 I'm gonna start learning to tell the truth. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:41.680 Alright, put your arm out like this. 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:43.519 This is the shield of faith. 00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:51.920 I put on the shield of faith, which extinguishes all the darts of the enemy. 00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:54.400 In the name of Jesus. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:57.440 Now hold up this hand with this hand so you can keep these right here. 00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:59.359 This is the sword of the spirit. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:07.279 You said faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, which is the sword of the spirit. 00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:15.759 I'm gonna extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy with the shield of faith and the word of God. 00:32:16.880 --> 00:32:19.519 Now, everybody, not everybody can bend down, okay? 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.400 But I want you to just point your hands at your feet. 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:26.000 These are the feet of the gospel of peace. 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:31.519 May I be a peacemaker everywhere I go. 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:36.880 May I be the good news and share the good news. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:38.720 Father, we thank you for today. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:40.319 We worship you, we bless you. 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:41.839 Let's worship Allah. 00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:49.839 Thank you for listening to the Foreign for War podcast. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:53.440 We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world. 00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:59.440 To connect with Pastor Steve's sermons, books, and blog, visit Steve Holtonline.org. 00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:00.559 God bless.