We
live in the last days. This world is surrounded by darkness; the
strongholds in this world are about ready to swallow the truth
of God. As long as people hold onto these strongholds they are
slaves to sin, especially these seven sins: selfishness, covetousness,
lying, hatred, fear, hopelessness, and guilt. These seven sins
are enemies of God. No one can overcome in their lives with these
strongholds. Every day God wants to visit His children and our
land. He wants to establish His kingdom on the earth but our sin
is stopping the visitation of God. It is as if people are stuck
in the dirt and have a hard time moving forward. We need to break
these chains of bondage, chains of slavery, chains of strongholds,
these seven sins.
Every day we deal with the enemies
of God. Those who allow these enemies to control their lives,
emotions, and feelings are also enemies of God. We have the power
to break these chains and reject the enemies of God, but nowadays
many people are powerless. Sin always causes people to be weak
and pale, pitiful, and powerless. So many people in this world
live in bondage to their past sin. Sin is an enemy of God. Sin
started in the Garden of Eden. But our God is merciful; He has
given us a way out. Even in Genesis, chapter 3, He shows us that
the woman’s Seed would bruise the head of the enemy. This
means that we have power to bruise every stronghold in our lives
and put them under our feet and leave them there.
So many people put their stronghold
under their feet, but then bring them up again. Then they put
them back and bring them up again, over and over again. They deal
with the same situation over and over again. Those who deal with
the same sin over and over again are not overcomers. Scripture
tells us that heaven is for overcomers. We must overcome every
work of evil and enemy of God. We live in a battleground. The
Lord tells us to be still and He will fight through us.
Once God gives us power, no one can take it away. When God opens
a door, no one can close it. God opens doors for us to destroy
the work of the enemy and his power. We belong to God. We are
supposed to be overcomers. Whoever belongs to God should be an
overcomer, but these days many people say they belong to God,
but are beat by the devil every day. This shows they do not belong
to God.
We cannot enter into heaven with
sin; in heaven, there is no sin. Heaven is filled with the holiness,
righteousness, mercy, and the love of God because God’s
name is holy. Holy is the Lord.
Revelation 3:5-13
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will
not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess
his name before My Father and before His angels.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches.”’
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He
who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts
and no one opens”: “I know your works. See, I have
set before you an open door, £and no one can shut it; for
you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied
My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who
say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make
them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have
loved you. 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 the earth. Behold, I am
coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take
your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the
temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on
him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the
New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And
I will write on him My new name.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches.”’”
We must run towards the throne room
of God in heaven. He has given us a great promise. He gives us
a key and a white garment and the power to overcome every tribulation,
trial, and test. His Word also tells us that we must hold onto
what He gives us. We must hold onto faith, the dream, the vision,
and the Word. We must use His power and gifts to be steadfast
for Jesus. The Holy Spirit says that born again believers must
hear what God says and do what the Spirit says. Faith without
action is dead. Because born again believers, the bride of Jesus,
are not using and exercising their faith, the devil has gotten
loose everywhere. We must recognize the devil and cast him out
in the name of Jesus.
God has given us the key to having
a successful ministry and life; overcomers will have a successful
life and ministry. They will have joy all the way to the end.
They will love people all the way to the end. Jesus said that
He loved His disciples all the way to the end; we must follow
the example of Jesus. Whoever holds onto these seven sins will
become an enemy of God and will struggle to love the people of
God all the way to the end. How can we say that we love Jesus,
but not love others? Because God never fails, how can we say that
we love Jesus and then fail over and over again?
The desire of God is for every one
of His children to have a victorious, glorious life every day.
His desire is for them to destroy every stronghold in their lives.
As we study the book of Joshua, we see that the Israelites walked
around Jericho seven times to destroy the walls of Jericho. They
followed the direction of the Spirit of God. As long as we follow
the direction of the Holy Spirit, we will destroy every wall,
stronghold, and bondage. But if we follow the direction of our
own wisdom, understanding, and human knowledge, or even our own
past experiences, we will fail. The only way we can destroy these
seven enemies in our lives is through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The only way we can destroy our seven
enemies is:
By the power of the Holy Spirit
By the blood of Jesus
By following the direction of God
By the spoken Word of God
By prayer
By faith
By obedience
Without these things, we will continue
to fail over and over again, walking around in circles until we
die. But our God has given us His Holy Spirit as well as strength,
understanding, and discernment. He has provided every weapon we
need to destroy the enemies in our lives.
---Excerpt from the introduction
of Seven Enemies of God
|
