The Triumphant Church (Lesson 4)

The New and Living Way Church, Ikorodu.

Meeting:        Sunday Service

Message: The Gospel The Power of God for salvation

Date: 9th May, 2021

Ministers: Pastor Moses Omomkhafe & Pastor Happy

Pastor Happy

SPIRITS IN THE CHURCH

Evil spirits like to stay in localities where they have established strongholds (Mark 5:9-13). Man’s soul has not come into salvation and can still entertain wrong things if he has not come into alignment with God. When church members yield to evil spirits, it gives Satan the right of way in the church (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). Scripture says that nothing is of itself clean (Romans 14:14). For each locality, spirits peddle thoughts, for example, in Nigeria there are spirits that peddle corruption in the country, and if the church is not careful that spirit can gain entrance into the church. We can already see the focus in most churches in Nigeria is prosperity. 

Apostle Paul noticed there was a spirit peddling fornication in the Corinth church and that is why he took out that brother found committing such because a little leaven can leaven the whole lump( church) (1 Corinthians 5:6).

We know that despite the fact that we are believers, our soul is not saved and lusts are still in us, this is what attracts those evil spirits. There are times we can go to a locality and would notice that we are fighting things we have not had to fight before, for example, going somewhere like ShopRite can trigger in us covetousness. 

We must also be able to judge our motive of doing things if not we can get stuck because nothing is of its own self clean. Some locality by the wrong spirits in some location can lead a man (1 Corinthians 12:2), dumb idols too can lead a man, not just the Holyspirit. There are places that we must check our heart before going there so we avoid fellowshipping with wrong spirits and save ourselves the stress of unnecessary warfare.

Even when it comes to the lord’s work, unless we are sent, we should not go to some localities. We must have spiritual perception and should be able to discern thoughts of the Lord and wrong thoughts. Fellowshipping with wrong spirit can also affect others, we see that in 1 Corinthians 5:1-6. Some of us might need to change friends and stop some things that do not edify or lead to profiting. We must also know that not all believers hearing the word of righteousness is saved. We need to be careful in dealing with one another because we share things with one another sometimes unconsciously. When we relate with people, spirits relate. When we communicate with one another, power is involved. We need to be careful so we can pull Satan far away from our camp.

PULLING DOWN STRONGHOLDS

What are Strongholds?

(2 Corinthians 10:4-6/Phillipians 2:5-8) Last week, we established that our warfare is in our thought realm. We must have the mind of Christ, we must do something so that thoughts can disappear. Jesus made himself of no reputation so that He will not think himself equal to God. A good weapon of warfare is to think of ourselves as an unprofitable servant (Luke 17:10). When we have done all God commands we must say to ourselves I am an unprofitable servant and this is what I was created to do. We must pay attention to the leading of the Lord so that we can do well. 

(Romans 8:29) The devil’s strategy is to sidetrack believers from fighting the true spiritual battle, which is taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. That is one reason believers need the full armour of God with the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith so that they can protect themselves from Satan’s attacks on their minds. The fact that Satan and his hosts are still here should not disturb us. They will continue to be here until Adam’s lease runs out (soul of man fully journey to salvation).

THE PREACHING AND TEACHING OF THE GOSPEL

(Acts 17:15-23) When Apostle Paul saw that these people were given to Idolatry, he preached Jesus Christ and the ressurection. He didn’t even mention that there was idolatry because that was not his concern. He knew by the preaching of Christ those things will be pulled down. One thing the church must understand is that we are not to confront satan but to focus on He that confronted satan. 

We are not to focus on pulling down strongholds or casting out devils but to give attention to the word for strongholds to be pulled down. (Luke 4:18-19) The spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus Christ not to cast out devil but to preach the gospel that men will be saved. As preaching is going on,we are being delivered from things like covetousness e.t.c., the only solution is the gospel. We should focus on preaching the gospel, giving attendance to the word and not on casting out devils or tearing down strongholds over nations. It is this gospel that will tear it down. (John 8:32) It is the knowledge of the truth that will set a man free, any man struggling with anything should be preached to. We are looking for eternal life not dethroning/overthrowing Satan. The knowledge of the son is truth. (John17:3) Eternal life is knowledge of something, of persons, not casting out devils. We have a knowledge in us and we need another knowledge, knowledge of the gospel to inherit eternal life. As we listen to the gospel, strength comes to obey the Lord and we’ll see ourselves become free of some habits. Truth is the antidote to the mystery of Satan not man’s wisdom or advice. 

PRAYING SCRIPTURALLY

(1 Corinthians 14:2/Romans 8:26) Speaking in tongues is not to war against Satan. It is not the language of Satan but a language between man and God. Our major business is with God and in establishing ourselves in the knowledge of the truth

Why do we have to pray?

(James 4:2/John 16:23) John Wesley once said that it seems that God is limited. He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks him. (1 Timothy 2:1) Scripture commands us to pray. (Ezekiel 22:29-31) A kingdom that stands against itself will not stand. Prayer is powerful to God and we see here that he couldn’t find anyone to stand in the gap praying. The Lord needs our prayer for things to happen. Even with Sodom and Gomorrah, even though God intended to destroy, Abraham was able to stand in the gap for the righteous men there. For the will of the Lord to be done on earth, man must be in agreement. Our agreement is in the place of praying, labouring tirelessly. (Exodus 32:7-14) Moses also stood in the gap for the Israelites. Before God was going to destroy them, He sought permission from Moses.  We must understand our position in the place of prayer. God recognises the prayer and the labor of the saints. For the things to happen amongst the saints, it has to be by the permission of the saints. God has given authority to the church, if the church fails to exercise that authority that’s our fault. We have a role to play in making sure that the will of God is established on the earth.

(1 Timothy 1:19-20/ 1 Timothy 2:1-2) We must pray for those in authority over our nation and over our spiritual authorities. Without our prayers, we won’t be able to lead a quiet and peacable life. The peace of our land is our peace and there will be prosperity of the word. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2) It is our responsibility according to scripture to pray for all men in authority so the word can have free course. Authorities are under attack by spirits so we must pray for them. We must persevere in prayer and stand in gap for people. In Daniel 10:12-13, the angel would not have come if Daniel did not pray. The prayer and the labor of Daniel brought angels and they were able to minister understanding to him. These are scriptural prayers and we should pray that the Lord will send angels that will minister understanding or bring utterance to the church. The fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much. (Colossians 4:12) Epaphras laboured and persevered in prayers for the Colossians. We must not just pray but persevere. We must learn how to watch. 

CONCLUSION

Exhorting any other thing asides the word of God will sidetrack us and open the door to the devil. (Psalm 119:130/Psalm 119:133) The entrance of the word brings light and understanding to us. We must pray that heaven will bring grace to persevere and watch in the place of prayer until we see the will of God accomplished (Ephesians 6:18).

Pastor Moses

We must go into the basic application of the things that we have learnt and not just be hearers only but doers also.

Territorial spirits seek to culture people within an environment. There are certain things we can identify in some cultures or tribes. It comes like tradition, like rudiments. 

Anything that exists in a particular culture,that thing becomes a stronghold and this is something we are to fight. As believers,we can also be cultured by these spirits. If we don’t fight these things, we would behave in certain ways and these things would serve as Satan’s footstool in our lives. (1 Corinthians 6:12/Romans 14:14/ Romans 7:23) Nothing is of itself clean, spirits can savour things with uncleanness but by reason of understanding and sight all things are lawful. We must upgrade our judgement.

We need to be able to judge things that are lawful but not expedient at certain times. If we indulge in some things too much we can be overpowered by it. We must be spiritually sensitive because we are warring all the time. This is not to say we should be suspicious. Anything that does not edify has a contrary power to indoctrinate us and cause obsession, we can see this with mobile phones. Mobile phones in itself is not evil, it is lawful to use but when it starts to exude a power or create certain lifestyle or habits over us, spirits have encroached upon us using it. 

Even with spiritual exercises, there might be something more expedient and we must be able to be sensitive to the leading of the spirit because evil spirits can savor everything and what was supposed to please the Lord can be against God in that moment.

We must fight back to overcome spirits, speak out what the Holyghost is ministering to us at the time. There are times when we are willing to do what the Lord says but because of power involved we feel held bound, unable to obey and sometimes might have to speak or scream out at our soul to obey. We must realize that we are in a warzone. Evil is already upon us, what we are seeing in the natural now is an impact of what has happened in the spiritual. God needs us to pray because the days are evil (Genesis 18:32).

(Romans 1:16/John 15:3) As we give attendance to the gospel, it is powerful enough to cleanse us. Rudiments cannot stop a man from fornicating or sinning. The gospel of Christ is potent to transform a man and to convert his soul. When we still find ourselves struggling with some things, we must check our motives, sincerity level and our attitude towards the word. One of the reasons we don’t change in some areas are the idols in us, something we love and are not willing to let go. If you are convicted in your spirit that you have to let something go, seek help,talk to authority or to brethren. Join forces with brethren to pray together concerning that thing (James 5:16).