Saints, here's another one that will open the floor for discussion!!! Be blessed (LC)

Unwelcomed Company

Anyone that really knows me will tell you that I love movies . . . especially those that cause you to think. Around 1995, an action movie called "The Usual Suspects" came out. In one scene, actor Kevin Spacey made a statement that even to this day, I vividly remember: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he never existed."

"When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says 'I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before . . ." (Matthew 12:43-45) - New Living Translation

Have you ever noticed that when some Christians get in certain environments, they no longer look like or act like or talk like Christians? A young lady that had recently gotten saved ask me what was wrong w/ her going to a club to hang out w/ her friends. My exact words to her were "Nothing is wrong w/ it. But being that you used to club hop, it might not be a wise decision b/c you run the risk of falling back into the whole "club" mindset." By opening ourselves up to various types of potential sin, we pretty much invite evil spirits to come take residence in our lives.

Jesus clearly explains what happens when you've been delivered from something. He says that the evil spirit, upon being booted out of your life, decides that since he can't overtake you alone, he's going to get some spirits that are even more sinister than him to help bum rush you! It's kind of like a bank robber that realizes he can't pull off a heist by himself, so he goes and recruits some other professional thieves to help out. This warning lets us know that whatever you used to do, when the familiarity of it comes upon you, you are going to be in for a tougher battle b/c you will now be up against a hybrid, more complex, stronger variation of that spirit.

Understand this as well: the evil spirit's personality is directly compatible w/ whatever a person entertains. For example, if I decide to watch some "adult" late night entertainment on HBO, I open the door for the spirit of lust. If I choose to listen to music that propagates hate, I subject my being to the spirit of negative aggression. I'd even go as far as telling you to watchfully limit your time around certain people. I've seen for myself when someone that has just had a superb day gets around a bunch of complaining, contentious people and before it was said and done, they were complaining too! Upon receiving deliverance, it's important to note what kinds of activities you were involved in when you were bound so that you can recognize them when they reappear.

So . . . . what do you do when you've been set free and the familiar spirit comes back?? First off, you have to already be prepared BEFORE the spirit comes back. But the big thing is this: KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN. Here's why: spirits are parasitic in nature. They seek something in you that is not like God (i.e. a thought, a deed, a desire, etc.) so they can latch on to it and gain a foothold on you. The primary reason a spirit will ever even have a chance to gain control of you is b/c he's tapped into something about you that is ungodly. The flesh and the spirit of God in you war against each other, trying to gain control of your life. It's up to you to remember that once Jesus empties the house, sweeps the house, and cleans the house, dirtying it up again brings unwelcome company.

Edifying, Encouraging & Enlightening, GP

"Most of the major breakthroughs you get in life, you got them while in trouble." - Bishop T.D. Jakes

Copyright © 2002 Joined @ the Hip Ministries All Rights Reserved

gospelpreacha@iservejesus.com

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2002

Answers

What a Word...What a Word. I know it is right, and if one is not sure, don't attempt to test its validity.

So when we clean up the house, we got to have the spirit of God to encompass it. Just like the spirits seek something in you that is not like God....they flea that which is of God.

Your post reminds me of a song "God is stretching out in me. I cleaned up my house, kick the Devil out...God is stretching out in me."

In Christ, Rose

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2002

Thank you Elder Crawford!!!

I just can't get enough teaching about spiritual warfare.

-- Anonymous, September 25, 2002

Thank you, Elder Crawford for that powerful word! Peace!

-- Anonymous, October 14, 2002