Well it’s been a riveting series so far. I have prayed for
all of you who left your lies at the foot of the cross on Monday. Thank you for
your courage and for defeating the enemy’s power in your life. Stay diligent and
work to place God’s truth into your lives, hearts and minds.
The demons are relentless and will try to come back. Take
every thought captive immediately. Say out loud again, I reject that lie in the
name of Jesus. I believe I am a child of the Most High God. His truth is my
truth. I will obey Him. I will trust Him. I know I am loved, valued, and I have
authority over all demons, their works and effects. In Jesus name and by His
blood. Amen
Okay there’s another area where believers can sign over their
authority and become captives. This is also an area where not only can you
become a prisoner, the tormentors come.
Are you ready?
Unforgivness.
Kris writes: Unforgiveness imprisons our souls and opens the
door to evil spirits in us. In my experience, unforgiveness is the number one
reason why Christians are oppressed.
Unforgiveness and its cousin, bitterness wields a great
power over our lives. You can be consumed by these two. And for our community
here at SUM, some of us here have endured marriages that are not kind, but hurtful,
even harmful, we are so utterly vulnerable to this area of torment.
I remember reading a story that Kris shared in one of his
books about a woman who was at church. She was wreathing on the ground as
people were praying over her for deliverance. Kris was summoned and as he got
down to pray for her, he sensed unforgivness was her captor. This woman was in
bondage to hatred. She was raped as a child by her father. She spewed out, “I
will not forgive him. I hate him. I want him to burn in hell.”
Kris responded, “I can’t help you then.” He began to walk
away. She lay in the floor with the demon continuing to torment her.
She screamed to him, “Okay, I will forgive him. Just help
me.” They prayed and worked through her deliverance and she became free. Free
indeed. (Paraphrased)
My friends, living in this kind of bitterness will destroy
you, your relationship, your life…. Your very soul. Was this woman perhaps
justified in her hatred? Maybe. But her hatred ONLY served to empower the
devil.
One other area that the enemy works like magic is
unforgiveness of our Self. I will share one more story with you of Kris’
dealing with a young girl who lived in shame and utter torment. She appeared
before Kris scratching at herself. He began to pray but realized this wasn’t going
to be an easy one. They prayed and began working through her shame. She lost
her virginity to a man who left her ashamed, alone and abandoned. The thought
of her ex-boyfriend would send her into a rage. Unable to escape the shame she
began to punish herself by having sex with other men. Self-hatred,
self-loathing and unforgiveness had become her closest friends. She was a
powerless prisoner of her own demise.
Kris walked her through a process of forgiving herself. And
the theology of what Christ did on the cross. She said to him, “I want the
punishment to go away. I can’t stop punishing myself,” she cried.
He took her by the hands and had her repeat, “I love myself.
I love myself.”
These stories are brief recounts. My friends, if you are
struggling in any of these areas or you know someone who is, you need to read
the entire book. The examples are real. They have truth and power and offer
understanding of the spiritual realm without fear. Buy it. Spirit Wars by Kris
Vallotton. (See the sidebar)
Are you asking me why we must go through this basic
training?
It’s crucial to understand how the enemy gains captives and prisoners.
Through sin, unforgivenss, and lies. When we understand this and obtain our own
freedom then we can help our spouse and our children. It’s vital that we find
our freedom first.
So I ask you, do you have unforgiveness, bitterness or
self-hatred in your heart. Can you share with me who you need to forgive? Can you
begin this day to say to yourself every single day, I love myself? Let me and
Dineen and this entire community walk together toward healing. We will all pray
for one another. And if you need counseling, search today for a counselor, a
pastor, Celebrate Recovery group that can walk you through this healing.
Okay, we are nearing the end of our boot camp. But we still
have ground to cover and then this terrorist training camp of Spirit filled
believers is going to let loose on the devil and his minions. With all authority
and in the name of love, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The world is looking for something worth dying for so that
they have something really worth living for. ~Kris Vallotton.
I love you. I really love you. Lynn
Leave a Reply