ABUNDANTLY

Your Adversary The Devil

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  1 Peter 5:8

Most con artists are very pleasant, kind and amiable people or they would not be con artists? Similarly one of the great ploys of the devil is to pretend that he doesn’t exist and to blame negative things on natural elements, hereditary things or other people. But the word of God clearly states that our adversary walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He has come to steal and to kill and to destroy and he doesn’t have the best interest of his victims. He is a murderer and the father of liars and there is no truth in him. For God’s word is unchanging:

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

"But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?  "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. "And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. John 8:42-50

Darkness, deception, lies, and diseases are some of the devils favorite tools that he uses to ensnare people who fall into his traps.  For God’s word is true:

Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."

He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"

Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. Mark 9:17-27

And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."

The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound-think of it-for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?" Luke 13:11-16

Jesus cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all kinds  of sickness and all kinds of disease.  As a matter of fact He commanded His disciples to:

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8

"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17

Jesus spent a lot of time in His miracle ministry casting out demons and healing the sick.  He disturbed the religious hypocritical leaders who were devoid of God’s power and they said He was demon possessed. The bible records for our profit and instruction:

Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?   "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.  "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.   "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:22-32

Jesus Christ the author and founder of the Christian faith taught that one of the signs that the kingdom of God has come upon men is when demons are cast out by the Spirit of God. He warned men not to attribute to the devil the work of the Holy Spirit or they will not be forgiven for this sin either in this age or in the age to come. He told all of His disciples to “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”  Unless they are not the disciples of Jesus, God’s people are commanded to do what Jesus has told them to do including casting out demons in His name. For God’s word is unchanging:

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side." Luke 9:49-50

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.   But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. " Luke 11:14-15

Jesus never apologized for casting out demons and performing curses even though the “dead” Pharisees didn’t like it and wanted to murder Him. But God’s word is unchanging:

On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."

And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' "Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  "See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' " Luke 13:31-35

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12


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EXTRACT FROM Be Filled
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