AGGRESSIVENESS IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM

[Albert Finch]

"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16

A TRECHEROUS FOE

Before we engage in spiritual warfare, we should know this about satan: he is an ancient and extremely treacherous foe. Therefore, be bold but never arrogant in your prayer life

Whatever lofty spiritual plane you imagine that you are on, remember: Adam was in Paradise when he fell. Before your increased knowledge and religious experiences make you overly self-confident, recall that Solomon wrote three books of Scripture; he actually gazed upon the glory of God, yet he fell. Yes, even in your deepest worship of the Almighty, do not forget in long ages past lucifer himself was once in Heaven pouring out praise to God.

WISE AS SERPENTS

"Prepare plans by consultation, and make war by wise guidance" (Proverbs 20:18).

"Wisdom is better than strength... Wisdom is better than weapons of war" (Ecclesiastes 9:16, 18).

"There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom." - (Ecclesiastes 9:14-15)

Ephesians 3:10 reveals God's glorious plan, that "through the Church" God has purposed to make known His manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers "in the heavenly places." You see, as the Body of Christ on earth agrees with its Head in Heaven, the Spirit of Christ Himself displaces the powers of darkness in the heavenly places.
When the Church on earth is aggressive in its agreement with the will and Word of God, then the presence of God increases in the spiritual realm, proportionally displacing the influence of Hell on earth. Shortly thereafter, manifesting in the world of men, we see revivals, healings and miracles. But when the Church is passive, indifferent or carnal, the powers of Hell increase their rule over the affairs of men: marriages break up, crime increases, and wantonness becomes unbridled. We must see that our prayers, attitudes, and agreement with God are an integral part of establishing the reality of the Kingdom of God on earth!

KNOWING GOD'S WORD

Our fight is the fight of faith: Do we believe, affirm and meditate on what God has promised? Our war is against principalities and powers.
Jesus said His words "are spirit and are life" (John 6:63), which is to say that the substance or meaning in Christ's words represents an actual reality -- the living Spirit of the Kingdom of God.

CHRIST CAME TO TRAIN AND EMPOWER WARRIORS

Jesus prepared His disciples for everything, including war. They saw Him casting out demons. In fact, He sent them forth doing the same.

Christ not only came to set captives free, He came to TRAIN and EMPOWER the recently freed to be warriors. How can we, imperfect Christians, walk triumphantly? The Bible says we overcome "because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the word of [our] testimony, and [we do] not love [our lives] even when faced with death" (Revelation 12:11).

Many Christians are awakened spiritually, but they do not know God's promises in the Bible. To be successful, we must know God's Word, believe it, MEDITATE on it, and SPEAK it with faith. We overcome by the "word of our testimony."

Proclaim the Word of God with authority. Indeed, the Holy Spirit tells us to take up "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). If we advance protected by the Blood of the Lamb, if we war armed with the Word of God, and if we shoulder in our hearts the Cross of Christ, we will truly be "more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).

CONSIDER HIS PROCLAMATION

"So will My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). No matter how the battle rages, God's Word shall not return to Him void.

Consider also His commitment:
"I am watching over My Word to perform it" (Jeremiah 1:12).

"The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' – that is, the Word of faith which we are preaching" (Romans 10:8).

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY