We are either going to ‘overcome by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony, and by not loving our lives to death’...or we will be overcome. (Rev. 12:11)

Seven times, in Rev. 2-3, we read where those letters to the seven churches end with the same reminder...all these promises are given to those...who ‘overcome’. Jesus said in Matt. 24:13...those who ‘endure till the end...will be saved”.

Today, I want to focus on three passages found in the NT – Matt.12:43-45, John 12:35-36 and 1 John 1:5-7. We have been studying about ‘unclean/demonic spirits’, which the Bible has much to say about. Jesus shared an interesting lesson there in Matt. 12 about what happens...when an ‘unclean spirit goes out of a man’. (43). It’s safe to say that if that spirit went ‘out’ of the man...then it must have been ‘in’...the man, yes? Take a quick look at Eph. 2:2 and see where exactly this unclean spirit resided or operated from, if you would please.

Do you realize why so many countless people struggle the way they do, never able to overcome their ‘demons’ as even the secular world would acknowledge? Because they are dealing with spiritual forces (bondages) that are much stronger than them. And just as those Canaanite nations were stronger and more powerful than the Israelites who went in to take possession of the promised land, so are these forces of darkness stronger than us; which is why we will never overcome them in our own power and strength. IF we could ‘save’ ourselves from them, then Jesus would have never needed to come.

Friends...it is not ‘flesh and blood’ that we are contending with; it is the powers of spiritual darkness. (Eph. 6:12; Luke 10:19; Acts 26:18; 1 Pet. 5:8; Col. 1:13). And we can only find freedom and deliverance ...His way, which means we come to Him with ALL our heart in surrender. If you really saw what was at stake here, you could not run to Jesus fast enough where you might be set free, and be free indeed. (Mark 5:2-6; John 8:32-36). That is, after all...what Jesus came to do. (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38; John 3:17; Rom. 5:9)

So back to the passage in Matt. 12. We are told this unclean spirit ‘went out through dry places seeking rest...and found none’. So where did he attempt to go? Back to the very place from which he was evicted. He even saw it as his ‘house’. (44). This is where I believe we have failed so many in the ‘church’ today by not making it clear as to what is at stake here when we... 1) fail to stand and resist this enemy (James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8-9) and 2) warn believers of the consequences of ‘giving them place back into our lives. (Matt. 12:45; Heb. 10:26-27; 2 Pet. 2:21-22; Eph. 4:27; Rom. 13:14). [Also, fair warning...I’m going longer today]

I have a strong feeling our ignorance in this area is why so many prayers of desperation have gone unanswered by God, showing His mercy in a way we might find confusing, until you put these ‘pieces together’. What was the condition of that man in Matt. 12, at the end, when those ‘seven other spirits more wicked’ than the first one entered in? You might also look at Leviticus 26:21.

Let’s now turn to John 12:35-36. Jesus is with His disciples and He exhorts them to ‘walk while they have light...’suggesting that we might not always have this ‘light’. And what is the lingering danger here? That we might be overtaken by...the ‘darkness’? I’m pretty sure He’s not referring to a really cloudy day. You might make note of, and even look up Nahum 1:8 and Deut. 28:45. What seems to be the somber warning found in those two passages...that we can be ‘pursued and overtaken’ by... what?

Now let’s go read 1 John 1:5-7. Is it possible for a person to claim to be a follower of Jesus...yet not walk in the light as He is in the light? And if that is the case, what does John accuse us of doing there in vs. 6? I believe he says we ‘lie’. Hold your place there while we take a look at Rev. 21:7-8. It seems we have two groups being mentioned here...those who ‘overcome’...and those who don’t, and the expected outcomes. Do you read there where ‘all liars’ will have part in the ‘second death’? (8). What became of all those people in Matt. 7:22-23 who were doing great things for God...yet continued to practice sin (walk in darkness)?

You know...we saw in Rev. 12:11 how we ‘overcome by the blood of the Lamb’. But were you aware that the blood does us no good at all...IF...we fail to walk in the light as He is in the light? That is clearly, what 1 John 1:7 is saying there. Go read that nice and slow if you would; and you might even want to underline it. And here’s the thing - we still want to refute and resist: IF...we are truly abiding in Him, walking in the Light as He is in the light...then we will be ‘walking just as He walked...and no longer practice sin. (1 John 2:6; 3:6-9). And the hard reality that we need to come to terms with...is that the majority of ‘other gospels’ being preached today...have taught us we can’t do that. (2 Cor. 11:4)

Therein lies the great deception that has ‘carried many away’ with the flood that Jesus warned us about, repeatedly. Trust me, I know the magnitude of what God is trying to awaken a sleeping church to is staggering. (Eph. 5:8—16) And I really don’t care if anyone thinks I’ve become some ‘religious nut job’ either. I can’t help but to share and proclaim the ‘things which I have seen and heard’. (Acts 4:20)

One last thought for today. I know how challenging this all might be as we come to terms with much of what we have been taught has been a lie, or greatly distorted at best. And having to ‘unlearn’ things can be difficult. Take for example, coming to terms with the fact that your struggles have been ‘spiritual’ in nature, and yet you were probably told that once you ‘accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit’...that you could not possibly ‘have demons inside of you’. This was built on the premise that ‘light and darkness’ cannot dwell together, or maybe that God’s Spirit won’t ‘share His temple with the devil’, or something similar to that. Okay...I hear where you are coming from. But let’s not make this some theological debate as to whether ‘Christians can have demons...or not’.

Consider this: IF...Jesus truly dwells in you, by His Holy Spirit...where is He then...when you continue to ‘practice sin’? What’s going on if He is truly in your heart...and you sit down to watch a movie...that glorifies sin, or videos...that feed some lustful desires that reside in you...does He ‘step out of the office’ while you indulge yourself, because you claim to be and ‘imperfect saint who still sins’? Where exactly is the Holy Spirit dwelling...when you sit down with others and begin to gossip, or you lose your patience with your spouse and/or kids...and begin to berate them and criticize them, or worse? Do we not see a ‘problem’ with this faulty thinking? And what did Jesus say about trees and the fruit they bear in Matt. 7:17-20? Is He only your ‘Master’ when you are having a ‘good day’, maybe singing at church or giving a testimony after reading scripture? Did He not ask why we call Him ‘Lord, Lord’, while we fail to do the things He asks of us? (Luke 6:46). And what did Jesus teach about ‘serving two masters’? (Matt. 6 :24; John 8:34)

Friends...one of the most profound things I have learned and experienced these past five years...is the quicker we come to terms with, and ‘receive the truth’....the sooner we can be set free by it. (John 8:32-36)