Wrestling Against Principalities
Wrestling Against Principalities, I
Wrestling Against Principalities, II:
An acquaintance boldly told a group gathering that she is a pagan. I later typed “pagan” in a search engine to be sure I understood and was a little surprised at the pages and pages of information. She had been raised in a Christian home but recently concluded that the Bible is a “boring history book”. I assure you, the Bible is not boring but one must study to receive the blessings it holds. It is, indeed, a history book, along with a prophetic and promising revelation. If it can be done, someone in scripture tried it before me! God love her, I will continue to be friendly toward her and love and pray for her to be safely returned to the Good Shepherd.
The principalities of Satan’s domain are powerful and I strive to be diligent. Sometimes it’s a struggle; they know our weaknesses: children, spouses, good or bad habits, or anything that could come between God and His family. As far as that goes, going to church can be a hindrance as much as not going, given the right circumstances. Prayer and intercession is ever necessary!
(Note: Red text= links opening in new windows.)
Every time an individual commits or speaks against “good”, an “evil” spirit is given permission to act. In a previous post, I mentioned using God’s name in front of the word damn. What we speak does matter, we will give an account for idle words, and asking God to damn a person or situation is valid.
One cannot help but notice how often we hear about a Hollywood star, an athlete or a politician having some sort of weakness of the flesh causing them distress. When these matters are publicized and apologies are forthcoming, I cannot help but wonder if they are sorry or just sorry they were caught; it is not important in a gossip context, it is important in a repentance to God context. You may think it is not anyone’s business but in the way of concern and praying for others, it is everyone’s business. My relationship with God is personal but I have a responsibility to make it public and it is even more so in being a public figure.
Luke 12:48 …to whom much is given, much will be required…paraphrased. Public icons are who many gauge their actions by as to how bad, not so bad or good they are. If I go by how often some of them have been in rehab or cited for drinking and driving, I look like a saint. Considering the very personal ”love lives” that are no longer a taboo topic, I certainly am boring by those standards.
It is the same in everyday life. I know someone who has been to prison for being a DUI habitual violator, but he got another one when he came home for driving his tractor, while drunk, down Main Street.
Does that put me on a higher level against human frailty? No, it should cause me to think about the things I have not corrected or not been caught doing. James 2: 4-10. I am as susceptible to do evil as the person standing beside me in the grocery store intending to rob the place. Even though I would not commit robbery in the same sense, when I do not stand up for righteousness, I am committing a more serious type of robbing others of the joy and peace Jesus will impart.
There are conflicting emotions in knowing when and where to speak. Satan is overwhelming so many facets of society that persecution and prosecution is a viable threat to anyone who brings biblical principles in to a public discussion. However, Matthew 24:12 lets me know that God expects iniquity to permeate and that people will care less about each other. It is neither His plan nor His fault; we are allowed free will and are allowing the demon hosts to create confusion. Our super-knowledge is actually causing weakness in the spirit and much dissension. We know so much yet reject basic principles of right and wrong in many areas of our culture.
The next time you watch TV, read the newspaper or something on the internet, ask God for a spirit of discernment.
These are a very few examples of the deceptions coming at us from these “principalities” and, as is noted in several Bible verses, “gird yourself“, “watch and pray” and be “ever diligent” to seek God’s guidance.
