We often wonder about the perfect will of God. Should we? The mandate is clear. Our Lord has commanded us to go into the world and spread the gospel. Use every gift. Use every resource. Use every moment. Go! The Father wants souls. He sowed His Son that He might receive sons and daughters; and Jesus deserves to reap the reward of His suffering.
In order to become a real threat to hell and a real help to others, we must be loosed from the distracting nature of superstition and learn how to engage in true spiritual warfare. In the introduction to this book, I presented a caution about our approach to spiritual warfare and warned against the extremes of both skepticism and superstition. I now want to focus on avoiding superstitious thinking that can keep you from overcoming the enemy.
Through my observation and study of Scripture, I have come to believe, quite confidently, that demons cannot be fallen angels. Now, I know that idea will be rather jarring for some people. It may seem that I am not only challenging a widely held traditional view but also contradicting very clear teachings of the Bible. Well, the idea that demons are not fallen angels certainly contradicts tradition. But in no way does it contradict Scripture.
Dear reader, you don’t need to be a “demon expert” to be a threat to hell. Should you know the dynamics of spiritual warfare and demonic activity? Absolutely. But how much more do you really think you need to learn before you begin to exercise your authority over them? The ability to cast out demons and destroy the works of hell is not necessarily about how much you know about demons; it’s about how much demons know about Christ in you.
Begin to talk about changing the world, and you’ll be met with cynicism, skepticism, mockery, and disdain. But be totally convinced of this: it’s possible to change the world. “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes–the Jew first and also the Gentile.” – Romans 1:16
Unless you’ve gone out of your way, you’re reading these words on a digital screen. Your eyes are scanning across these letters that are presented upon a plain backdrop. What you don’t see, and what you’re not currently thinking about is this: behind this simple-looking display of words is a complex combination of technology that works to achieve the visual. This display shows up on your computer or device screen, and you don’t have to understand it to benefit from it.
When I first learned the wonderful truth of the Holy Spirit’s personal nature, I desired to cultivate a friendship with the mysterious third Person of the Trinity. I found everything about His essence to be alluring, magnetic. As I examined the scriptures, I sought for clues and insights to His nature and personality. I wanted to understand His every nuance, familiarize myself with His every quality.
Now many often quote that verse and assert that “Peter’s shadow healed people!” But that’s not exactly what the scripture says. The scripture tells us that the people were the ones who brought out the sick. Peter didn’t tell them to do this; this is something they did on their own. And why would they do this? What odd occurrences might have led these people to believe that Peter’s shadow could heal? It’s because the healing presence of Jesus was so intense on Peter that people were healed just by being around him!
But there is no substitute for the genuine power and presence of the Holy Spirit. You cannot duplicate His craftsmanship. We have to stop limiting His timing to our Church calendars and schedules. We need to stop confining His power to back rooms and “special services”. Methods cannot replace miracles. Programs cannot replace power. Structure cannot replace Spirit. And our pursuit of attendance should never become more important than our pursuit of the anointing.
In scripture, when looking at the God’s mighty prophets and anointed ministers, you’ll notice that it was rare for any of them to doubt that they were hearing God. Sure, they sometimes doubted situations, and they were met with many of the same inner struggles that we face today. But those men were confident in their ability to hear God. Compare that confidence with the uncertainty of many of today’s believers, and you’ll be forced to ask yourself this important question: why do believers today struggle to hear God?
I want you to picture a tree. See its leaves, branches and stems. Imagine its thick trunk and twisted roots. Allow yourself to see through the dirt and visualize the tree in its entirety, from the highest point to the far tip of its deepest root. Now, let us say that this tree represents your salvation. Only a real tree can bear fruit. But is it the fruit that causes the tree to grow? No, it is the root system that causes it to grow. Good works are the fruit of salvation. They are not the root of salvation.
