A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (January 13, 2017)
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)
(This is going to be a three-part series on dealing with demonic forces, and the authority given to the believer, from Chris Musgrove of Future Now. We don’t usually do a series like this but this topic is too important to just gloss over. Please read all three parts of this series. You will be blessed!)
I knew a preacher that has gone home to be with the Lord now, but before he died he had a vision of Jesus. Here’s his story.
While Jesus was speaking to me an evil spirit that looked like a little monkey or elf-like creature ran between Jesus and me and spread something like a smoke screen or dark cloud. I couldn’t understand why Jesus allowed the demon to make such a noise and I wondered why Jesus didn’t rebuke the demon so I could hear what He was saying. I waited a few moments, but Jesus didn’t take any action against the demon. Jesus was still talking, but I couldn’t understand a word He was saying—and I needed to, because He was giving instructions concerning the devil, demons, and how to exercise spiritual authority.
I thought to myself, doesn’t the Lord know I’m not hearing what He wanted me to? I need to hear that. I’m missing it! I almost panicked. I became so desperate I cried out, “In the Name of Jesus, you foul spirit, I command you to stop!” The minute I said that, the little demon hit the floor like a sack of salt, and the black cloud disappeared. The demon lay there trembling, whimpering, and whining like a whipped pup. He wouldn’t even look at me. Then I said “Not only shut up, but get out of here in Jesus’ Name!” I commanded. He ran off.
The Lord knew exactly what was in my mind. I was thinking, why didn’t Jesus do something about that? Why did He permit it? Jesus looked at me and said, “If you hadn’t done something about that, I couldn’t have.” That came as a real shock to me—it astounded me. I replied, “Lord, I know I didn’t hear You right! You said You wouldn’t, didn’t You?” He replied, “No, if you hadn’t done something about that, I couldn’t have.” I went through this four times with Him. He was emphatic about it, saying, “No, I didn’t say I would not, I said I could not.”
I said, “Now, dear Lord, I just can’t accept that. I never heard, or preached anything like that in my life!” I told the Lord I didn’t care how many times I saw Him in visions—He would have to prove this to me by at least three Scriptures out of the New Testament (because we’re not living under the Old Covenant, we’re living under the New). Jesus smiled sweetly and said He would give me four. I said, “I’ve read through the New Testament 150 times, and many portions of it more than that and if that is in there, I don’t know it!” Jesus replied, “Son, there is a lot in there you don’t know.”
He continued, “Not one single time in the New Testament is the Church ever told to pray that God the Father or Jesus would do anything against the devil. In fact, to pray that way is a waste of your time. The believer is told to do something about the devil. The reason is because you have the authority to do it. The Church is not to pray to God the Father about the devil; the Church is to exercise the authority that belongs to it. The New Testament tells believers themselves to do something about the devil.”
The least member of the Body of Christ has just as much power over the devil as anyone else, and unless believers do something about the devil, nothing will be done in a lot of areas.
(Continued in the next Nugget from New Life)
