DARK FORCES (2)

1. What must we do?

a) Stop sinning or else something even worse may happen

i) 14But afterward Jesus found him (lame man healed at the pool of Bethesda) in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14 NLT)

ii) 7 other spirits more evil than itself

@1. 43“When an evil (impure / unclean) spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45Then 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. That will be the experience of this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45 NLT)

iii) An evil spirit can be cast out of a person through the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. When an evil spirit leaves a person, it is extremely important that the void within them is filled with the Holy Spirit, lest the evil spirit return and bring with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself (Luke 11:24-26).

@1. 24“When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26Then 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.” (Luke 11:24-26 NLT)

b) Do what is right

i) 6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching (bend down; to stoop low; to lie close to the ground with the logs bent, as an animal when waiting for prey) at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:6, 7 NIV)

c) Fear God and always keep all his commandments

@1. 27You (Moses) go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us (all the tribal leaders) all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it. ’ (Deuteronomy 5:28 NKJV)

@2. 28 “Then the Lord heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken. 29Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! (Deuteronomy 5:28-29 NKJV)

d) Put on the full armor of God

i) 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11 NIV)

ii) What is the full armor of God?

@1. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17 NIV)

@2. You can stand firm only when you have this full armor:

#1. Belt of truth.

#2. Breastplate of righteousness.

#3. Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

#4. Shield of faith - extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

#5. Helmet of salvation.

#6. Sword of the Spirit (word of God).

e) Pray in the Spirit on all occasions

i) 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18 NIV

f) What is the main reason for Paul to request for prayer?

i) The main reason: "Whenever he speaks, words may be give so that he can fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

@1. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19, 20 NIV)

2. What are the 7 Spirits of God?

a) In Scripture, we also have 7 Spirits of God mentioned in Isaiah 11:2:

i) 2The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord . (Isaiah 11:2 NKJV)

@1. The Spirit of The Lord.

@2. The Spirit of Wisdom.

@3. The Spirit of Understanding.

@4. The Spirit of Counsel.

@5. The Spirit of Might.

@6. The Spirit of Knowledge.

@7. The Spirit of Fear of The Lord.

3. Breaking-through miracles

a) 8When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. 9Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim; 10so David inquired of God: "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?" The Lord answered him, "Go, I will deliver them into your hands." 11So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim. (1 Chronicles 14:8-11 NIV)

b) That is why the place is called Baal Perazim means "The place of breaking through".

4. Prayer focus

a) Pray that we will be anointed and bestowed with 7 Spirits of God in Isaiah 11:2.

b) Pray for breakthrough miracles!