The biggest lie ever propagated by Satan and by other demonic spirits is the bodies we temporarily occupy belong to us…THEY DO NOT! Let me say that again. The body that you currently occupy DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU! One last time:
GOD IS THE OWNER OF EVERYONE’S BODY!!!
GOD IS THE OWNER OF EVERYTHING!!!
YOU CANNOT SELL YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL OR ANYONE ELSE!!!
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
At our very best, we are priests allowed to dwell with God in His Holy Tabernacle. At the very least we are doorkeepers, stationed at the entrance to prevent demonic spirits from entering.
DOORKEEPER: H5605, sâphaph
BDB Definition:
1) (Hithpoel) to stand at or guard the threshold
Psa 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
We are simply stewards for a very short time, and eventually we are going to be judged according to how well we conducted ourselves as stewards of God’s property.
UNCLEAN SPIRITS
The term “unclean spirit” apparently is a catch all term that refers to all demonic spirits.
UNCLEAN: G169, akathartos
ak-ath'-ar-tos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of G2508 (meaning cleansed); impure (ceremonially, morally (lewd) or specifically (demonic)): - foul, unclean.
Luk 8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
Luk 8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
Luk 8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was DRIVEN [emphasis added] of the devil into the wilderness.)
DRIVEN: G1643, ἐλαύνω, elaunō, el-ow'-no
A prolonged form of a primary verb (obsolete except in certain tenses as an alternate of this) of uncertain affinity; to push (as wind, oars or daemoniacal power): - carry, drive, row.
Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are DRIVEN (G1643) of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
We see from this story of the demon possessed man, who lived in the tombs, that demons DROVE him to self-destructive behavior.
I believe ALL humans have experienced some form of compulsive self-destructive behavior, perhaps not as dramatic as the demon possessed man in the Book of Luke’s narrative, but to one extent or another. The influence of demonic spirits covers a wide spectrum of activity, anywhere from offering evil suggestions, to an overpowering compulsion to perform a destructive act.
In order to understand the spirit dimension, we must think of ourselves as spiritual ships being blown to and fro by winds (SPIRITS). Some of us our DRIVEN by a gentle breeze (The Holy Spirit), others of us are being DRIVEN by raging hurricanes (demonic spirits).
I can tell you from personal experience that I have felt compelled to do things that I did not want to do but which I felt DRIVEN to do. The Apostle Paul gives us a list of the “works of the flesh”.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
If you are honest with yourself, I think you will admit that you have also felt DRIVEN to do things during your lifetime that you KNEW were destructive to yourself and to others.
Being DRIVEN is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on the identity of the spirit driving you. We see in the scriptures that Jesus was also DRIVEN but He was DRIVEN by the Spirit of God.
Mar 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mar 1:12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
The SECRET OF VICTORY over the flesh is CHOOSING to be DRIVEN by the Spirit of God and NOT by “unclean spirits”.
One powerful secret is PRAYING IN TONGUES. I have found that if a destructive desire presents itself to me, whether it is a desire to eat something I know is bad for me (cookies, pie, cake and ice cream) or drink something I know is bad for me (alcohol, caffeine, sugary drinks) or do something I will regret (get angry at somebody) all I have to do is take a break and pray in tongues and the desire eventually leaves. The calm gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit SHALL overcome the raging hurricane of carnal desires.
Speaking in tongues appears like foolishness to the world, many times I have thought to myself, “Is this real?” However, many millions of people speak in tongues and as a result they have experienced a radical transformation in their lives.
In the Old Testament, the High Priest took the incense from the Holy Place into the Holy of Holies and placed it in front of the Ark of the Covenant. We enter into the Holy of Holies by SPEAKING IN TONGUES!
My lifetime of experience brought me to only one conclusion…SPEAKING IN TONGUES WORKS! Over many years, my walk with the LORD was hot and cold with many backsliding experiences, like a rising and falling tide that continually changed depending on my circumstances; however, when I resolved to speak in tongues everyday a transformation began to take place. Speaking in tongues “transfigures” us because, like Moses, we are entering into the presence of the Most High God!
Speaking in tongues is not just something that should happen one time after you are baptized in the Holy Ghost. Speaking in tongues is not something you do once a year like the High Priest in the Old Testament. You MUST speak in tongues every day! You should enter into the Holy of Holies every day!
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Speaking in tongues is how you enter into God’s REST AND REFRESHING! How very sad that the Prophet Isaiah spoke the last sentence: YET THEY WOULD NOT HEAR! All the billions of people in the world, including many nominal Christians, are fighting, backbiting and murdering because they refuse to seek God’s answer. Certainly the saints of God desperately need to enter into His rest!
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
The only thing stopping us from entering into God’s REST is unbelief. Maybe we tell ourselves that speaking in tongues is foolish, and perhaps it is foolish according to men’s wisdom:
1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
If we are wise in our own eyes, God will not accept us as sanctified vessels. We must be willing to be foolish in the sight of men if we want to know God intimately. King David loved God and he did not care what anybody else might think about him.
2Sa 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
2Sa 6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
2Sa 6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
Stop worrying about what other people think about you and start worrying about what God thinks if you want to please Him and enter His rest. You might say, “Doesn’t the Bible ask, do all pray in tongues?” Obviously everybody does not pray in tongues but it is not because everybody should not pray in tongues. See what the Apostle Paul said:
1Co 14:5 I would that ye ALL (emphasis added) spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
Paul wrote that, “I would that ye ALL spake with tongues! I know Paul’s main subject was the gift of prophecy but prophecy is actually the next stage AFTER we begin speaking in tongues. Prophecy is part of the final stage of growth for a Christian.
If you want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the manifestation of speaking in tongues, you simply need to ask God. God desires greatly that everyone receive His Holy Spirit so that He can have fellowship with you in spirit and in truth.
Luk 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
I sought the baptism in the Holy Spirit for a long time. One day I went to a revival meeting at a charismatic church, and the man of God asked if anyone would like to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I went up and He laid hands on me and prayed for me…nothing happened. I went back to my seat and I was praising God and thanking Him, but I was wondering, “How come I wasn’t baptized in the Holy Spirit?”
As I praised God …OUT LOUD…everyone else in the building was also praying and praising God, suddenly I started speaking in tongues…I was so happy! Everyone has a different story but if you do not receive the baptism right away keep knocking, keep asking, keep seeking, eventually God will baptize you in His Holy Spirit. You might also ask people who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit to pray with you.
No matter what problem you may be dealing with, whether your problem is over eating, or over drinking, or taking drugs, or practicing violence, or something worse, PRAYING IN TONGUES is the answer! You may not change overnight, but eventually you will change! Exchange the raging storms of this world for the calm, gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit.
Rom 12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.
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