Submit to God, Resist the devil

by Ivan Ho   16 May 2016

 

Many people respond to circumstances and the things happening around them: the things that they can see, hear and touch with their physical senses.

Some respond to stimuli in the soulish realm, things that appeal to their soul, things that touch their emotions.

Mankind, whether we are aware of it or not, are primarily spirit beings, and our spirit can either respond to the Spirit of God or to demonic spirits. If we don’t know who is speaking to us, we will respond to the wrong kinds of spirits.

Eve responded to the satanic spirit which resided in the serpent, who appealed to her mind, emotions as well as her physical senses, which led to her downfall.

That is why our spirit needs to respond to the Spirit of God at all times and be led by the Spirit of God. Even those who are yet to be born again followers of Christ can respond to the Spirit of God.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

I John 4:4-6 NKJV

 

If our mind and our emotions are not subject to the Spirit of God, we become vulnerable to suggestions and seductions coming from the spirit in the world. Some who are once believers of Christ can be drawn away by demonic spirits that operate in the world. When our heart and our mind are not subject to the government and leading of the Holy Spirit, we will be open to attacks from other spirits that come in. When people are lonely, bitter, frustrated, depressed, resentful, emotionally unstable, they are most vulnerable to demonic suggestions and attacks.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1 Timothy 4:1 KJV

That is why we need to guard our heart and our mind and be constantly submitted to the Spirit of God.

Living in the Spirit realm is not only being reactive and responsive. Our spirit needs to actively engage with the Spirit of God at all times. Drawing near to God is not being passive, resisting demonic seductions is not being passive either. Rather, they are purposeful, deliberate, proactive actions on our part. Some people only draw near to God after they have been bruised and beaten up by all kinds of demonic attacks. At least they realise the need to draw near to God in their times of desperation and despair. How much better if we draw near to God at all times and shut out the operation of evil spirits in our life?

To give you an example: random thoughts from the enemy can come to our mind, like “you are no good, you are a loser…!”. If I entertain and dwell on those thoughts, I will come to the same conclusion, that I am not of any good. Such demonic suggestion directly challenges the truth that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength“. Ultimately, it is not an attack on my personal identity, but my identity in Christ! That’s why when these negative thoughts come, and they will, we need to straightaway shut it down and remind the enemy who we are in Christ, instead of allowing these demonic suggestions to build a stronghold in our mind.

To give you another example: “So and so didn’t say hello to me this morning, he/ she doesn’t care about me at all….!”. If I dwell on such negative emotions, the enemy will build a case in my mind about the other person, with the aim to cause destruction in relationships. I believe many divorce cases begin with one or both parties entertaining such demonic attacks on minor, nothing issues. When such negative emotions come, we need to shut it down straightaway and allow the Holy Spirit to bring us the truth.

To give you another example: I feel guilty and condemned because I stumble in sin over certain area in my life. The word of God says: ” If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). That is the truth. But the enemy can use my failings to continually beat me up and accuses me each and every day, to the point that I would agree with him and feeling condemned instead of turning to God for forgiveness.

I could go on and on how wrong thoughts and negative emotions will take a person further and further away from the truth of God’s word. Inner healing for me is returning to the love and the truth of God’s word. The truth shall set us free!

If you give the devil an inch, slowly and gradually before you realise, he will take over. The way to intercept attacks of the enemy is to speak the word of Christ over any situation in our life, not as a ritual or formula, but speak forth the word of Christ that dwells inside us!

Let’s be proactive in our walk with God and resist the devil and not allow him to come anywhere near our territory!

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

James 4:7-8a NKJV