VICTORY over the ENEMY
CONTENTS:
The enemy our flesh
Love
Godliness
Excellence
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Brotherly kindness
Prayer of authority
Prayer of breakthrough
Pray in the Spirit
THE ENEMY – OUR FLESH
One of the greatest weapons the enemy uses against a child of God is his own flesh.
Ephesians 6:12 says: We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The fact is that this forces of the darkness is attacking our body, soul and spirit every moment of the day and want to defeat us. That is why Paul said we must put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. The armor of God protects the whole body, and we must put it on and girded ourselves for protection.
Girded your waist with truth
Put on the breastplate of righteousness
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace
Taking the shield of faith with which you will quench the fiery darts of the wicked one
Take the helmet of salvation
Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God
Praying with all prayer in the Spirit
If we are covering ourselves with this seven things to protect us and we are a soldier of Jesus Christ, Peter gave us seven more faith enrichments that we as a child of God must add-on to our faith life to be overcomers of the lust of the flesh. This enemy, the lust of the flesh, creeps slowly in through our protection and is like a virus that can get hold of us, and before we realize, we are in his power.
The point of the cross that faces downwards points to the life of human kind. This part of the cross was planted in the ground, and shows that we are made of dust and there is an ongoing war against the lust of the flesh and the Spirit inside us. 2 Peter 1:2-4 shows us that we are partakers of the divine nature, and can escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. He gives us seven tools to overcome:
Excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, Godliness, brotherly kindness and love. If these things are yours and abound, you will neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
LOVE:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must understand love.
1 Timothy 1:5. The purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.
Romans 13:10. Love does not harm to a neighbour.
Real love starts at yourself and it will determine your love for others and for God. Example: If you are the most important person in your own eyes, lust after flesh desires, your heart is evil, boozing, using drugs, addicted to a wrong sexual way of living, abusing other; you will not understand love. The foundation of your love is wrong and it is coming out of an evil heart. Real love is to look after yourself, keep your heart clean and pure and serving God. This pure love will flow out of your heart to your household, to others, to your neighbour and to God. Now you will know how to handle sin and to be an over comer. This love will be like the love of Jesus on the cross; prayer, love and forgiveness.
GODLINESS:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must understand how to live a Godly lifestyle.
Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
2 Corinthians 7:1. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Romans 6:6. Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Galatians 5:16. Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Walk in the Spirit: This is basically that your whole being is yielded to Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit and not to practice sin and walk in sin.
The works of the flesh: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. Galatians 5:19-21.
Colossians 3:5. We must put to death our members which are on earth: Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, idolatry, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language and lies. We must put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created us.
Creation of man:
Genesis 1:26-28.Then God said, “let Us make man in Our image, according to Our Likeness. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them. Then God blessed them.
Fall of man:
Genesis 3. Because man was disobedient to God, He drove them out of the garden to till the ground from which he was taken, and mankind lost his blessing, dominion and glory and died. Sin was now part of his daily lifestyle.
Living like the first Adam is living according to the Old-man procedures, methods and line of actions. This is the former conduct.
Old man:
Ephesians 4:22. Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.
New man:
Ephesians 4:23. And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Living like the second Adam, Jesus, is living according to the New-man procedures, methods and line of actions set out in God’s word. This is the new conduct.
Hebrews 12:14. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord
2 Corinthians 5:17. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things are new.
Philippians 2:14-15. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among you shine as lights in the world.
EXCELLENCE: (Virtue)
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must understand how to be a perfect person in Jesus Christ.
This is a process of a daily commitment, humiliation, take up your cross and obedient to Jesus Christ.
Perfect man: (Results, fruitfulness, producing, production, growth, progressing, increasing)
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Hebrews 6:1. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principle of Christ, let us go on to perfection.
We are the building of God; we are the holy temple of God. We must in our earthly life everyday keep on building our spiritual house till we are the place where God can dwell in us with His Spirit and we are not living according to the standards of our fleshly desires.
Ephesians 2:19. You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
KNOWLEDGE:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must read and understand the word of God, which gives us revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
2 Peter 1:2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
To have knowledge of Jesus Christ, we must read and study the Bible and know the plan of God with this earth and the human being. We must know the salvation plan of Jesus Christ, the plan and power of the cross, and the power of His resurrection. We must know the working plan of the Holy Spirit, the purpose of the church and the coming back of the Lord Jesus Christ and His victorious reign on earth forever.
SELF-CONTROL:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must have self-control over our body, spirit, mind and flesh.
Galatians 5:22. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
2 Peter 1:5. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love.
We must bear the fruit of the Spirit. We must deny our self every day, be dead for the world and sin, take up our cross and follow Jesus. Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We are soldiers for Christ. The enemy wants us down and out. But we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and we will overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. Revelation 12:11. Use the sword, the word of God, just like Jesus did when He was tempted by Satan. Jesus said; it is written. Use the scriptures and the promises of God to be a victorious child of God. Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19.
We are children of God, washed in the blood of Jesus and filled with His Holy Spirit. We are not angels, but we are living under the temptation of the enemies and our flesh. Make a decision now!! Say now NO to all the desires of this world and sin, and when the temptation comes, you have already made the decision to stand in the name of Jesus against it, and you will be a victor in Jesus.
Control your mind. Do not let our understanding be darkened and alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance in us and the blindness of our hearts. Let us use our thoughts, mind and understanding to mediate on things that is true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report. If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, mediate on these things, and the god of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9.
PERSEVERANCE:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must have perseverance till the end.
If your choice is Jesus Christ, do not betray Him and yourself. Run the race to the end and God will give you the victors crown.
Revelation 3:10. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on earth.
Luke 14:28. Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it began to mock him, saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish.
Matthew 24:12-13. Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
Hebrews 12:12-13. Strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
BROTHERLY KINDNESS:
To be a total victor over the enemy, that is our own flesh desires, we must have brotherly kindness to all around us.
If we are busy serving others, help the people in need, merciful and compassionate to others, we will be busy in the work of the ministry and will have no time for idleness and to be neutral. We are not talking about time to spent with your family, work, to do hobbies and sports. But to set time aside to be also effective in the ministry of God and to make a difference all around us. This will keep us from laziness and laziness is exactly what the enemy needed to infiltrate us with wrong ideas and sinful things to do.
God has called us for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12.
1 John 2: 9-10. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
We are studying, how to be an overcomer and how to be a victorious child of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The following 3 prayers will help us to be victorious in Jesus Christ.
- Authority
- Breakthrough
- Pray in the Spirit
PRAYER OF AUTHORITY
Acknowledge God’s might and authority:
Matthew 6:9. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done.
Isaiah 42:8. I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Isaiah 45:21. There is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none besides Me. Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
All might and authority was given to Jesus:
John 3:35. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.
Matthew 28:18. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Hebrews 1:2-3. God has appointed Jesus as heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power. Philippians 2:9. God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Isaiah 45:23.
Prayer of authority in the name of Jesus gives healing:
James 5:14. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
Acts 3:6. Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
Acts 3:16. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness.
Prayer of authority in the name of Jesus gives salvation:
Acts 4:12. There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Romans 10:9. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Jesus gives might and authority to His children:
Luke 10:19. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Romans 16:20. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Revelation 12:1.1 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
Jesus gives might and authority to His church:
Matthew 16:18. On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Ephesians 5:23, 25-27. Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and His bones.
Ephesians 3:10. That the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.
The prayer of authority can be shouted out to break through bindings, circumstances, perceptions and limitations.
PRAYER OF BREAKTHROUGH
Jesus told His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father. Acts 1:4.
They all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house. Then there appeared to them divided tongues of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4, 14 & 2:1-4.
Prayers build on the promises of the Word:
Prayers which are unconditionally been taken on the promises of God’s Word, with perseverance and faith in one accord, is breakthrough prayers. That is what happened on the day of Pentecost.
God promised the Holy Spirit – we received it. God promised healing – we received it.
James 5:15. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
Matt 7:11. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.
Prayers answered by the supernatural power of God:
James 5:17. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
Acts 16:25-26. At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Supernatural things that happen by the working of the power of God through the prayers of believers are answers on breakthrough prayers.
Prayers in the name of Jesus Christ:
Acts 3:6. Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
Prayers in the name of Jesus Christ bring forth healing and wonders. Lame walk, blind see, dead rise, dumb speak and leprosy healed.
Prayer and fasting: Matthew 17:21.
Prayer and fasting bring breakthroughs in people’s lives that are bounded by the forces of darkness. It brings victory in the spiritual and unseen dimension.
Luke 4:14, 33, 35. Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee. In the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. Jesus rebuked him, saying, be quiet and come out of him.
Prayer in the depths of God:
Deep inside the earth there are great forces at work, like heat, gas and water that comes together and the result is volcanoes that burst out and bring forth fire, ash and lava. Outside the earth in nature, heat bring wind, wind bring clouds, clouds bring rain, thunder and lightning and the rain bring fruitfulness on earth.
There is a Spirit in prayer. The only heat that will make the wind of God’s Spirit blow, is the heat of prayer. James 5:16. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avail much.
Ephesians 3:18-19. May we be able to comprehend what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Job 11:7-8. Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven.
Pray into the depths of God’s treasures, with the power of the Holy Spirit and based with real faith on the promises of God in the name of Jesus Christ, that comes out of a burning heart for God and over the lips of a person completely dedicated to the Lord of heaven and earth, is due to be answered with signs and wonders and breakthroughs.
Pray that hearts of people and churches will explode and the power of God break the shackles of bondage and people be set free.
PRAY IN THE SPIRIT
Ephesians 6:18. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
The beginning of speaking in tongues:
The church of Jesus Christ was founded on the day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Certain God’s given actions that took place on that specific day that did not happened before. Repentance and baptizing was well known because it was preached by John the Baptist, Jesus Himself and His disciples. But it was on the Day of Pentecost the first time that the Holy Spirit was poured out in its fullness and worked in a miraculous way so that Jesus disciples were speaking in other tongues. There were plenty of Jews present on that day from every nation in every part of the world under heaven. Acts 2:5. God brought them that specific day together so that they can see and hear the hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in other tongues in their own language declaring the wonders of God. Acts 2:11. The Holy Spirit interpret and translate all the speaking in tongues in different languages from all over the world, so that every one present could understand it. It was a miraculous event from God.
Acts 2:4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:38-39. Peter said: Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.
Gift:
This gift of the Holy Spirit is for all who repent from their sins and is baptized. This gift or promise that was received on the day of Pentecost is the speaking in other tongues. It was only Jesus disciples who received this gift that day, but we read in the Acts of the Apostles on different occasions that many of God’s people has received the gift when there was laying hands upon them. Acts 8:17, 9:17, 10:44, 19:6. Peter actually said to all of the thousand people who were together, that it is for you and your children all over the world.
Pray in the Spirit:
Jude verse 20. But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in t`he Holy Spirit.
A person who has received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and can pray in other tongues, can also pray in the Spirit. Speaking and praying in the Spirit are the same speaking in tongues and language that is not understandable. Speaking in tongues is normally translated and interpret by a person through the Holy Spirit in a understandable language. But praying in the Spirit with other tongues is not normally translated to make it understandable because it is closet mistrial communication with God.
1 Corinthians 14:14-15. If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding.
1 Corinthians 14:2. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. We thus see that speaking or praying in the spirit, is to speak directly to God.
Romans 8:26-27. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning that cannot be uttered. The Spirit makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Conclusion:
When a human spirit is filled with the Holy Spirit, he can speak in another tongue, which is not understandable for men, but praying to God. The Holy Spirit Himself makes intercession for us according the will of God.
Spiritual gifts:
1 Corinthians 12: 4-11. There are nine different kinds of Spiritual gifts. Two of them is, different kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues. When this gift is working in the church, there must be an interpretation to lay out the word that was spoken.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28. Let all things be done for edification.