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(James 2.19) "... the demons ... tremble." Other people may get sick or suffer misfortune or even die as a result of a curse, but not you. As one of God's children you rise up like a lion and roar back at devils if they try to bother you.
That's why it disturbs me to see God's people tremble when a demon manifests itself. Christians should never tremble -- it is the devils who tremble. I used to be afraid until I learned the truth. But since then, I have never been frightened or intimidated in the face of demons. When I hear people ask for prayer because the devil's after them, I want to say, "Wait a minute! The devil shouldn't be after you -- you should be after the devil."
Well, you say, that's all very nice. The church should be triumphant, always on the offensive. But, in fact, it is not. How exactly are we to make all this happen? It seems to be a big order. It is a big order, but it's possible. A few years ago I encountered a demonized child in a church in California. The demons made such a scene. I thought half the congregation was going to jump up and run out. They weren't convinced that their spiritual weapons were effective against Satan.
The first step, then, is to become convinced. On one occasion I stood every morning for two weeks and confessed to God, "The weapons of my warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." I was absorbing the truth of 2 Corinthians 10.3: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh."
That's why it disturbs me to see God's people tremble when a demon manifests itself. Christians should never tremble -- it is the devils who tremble. I used to be afraid until I learned the truth. But since then, I have never been frightened or intimidated in the face of demons. When I hear people ask for prayer because the devil's after them, I want to say, "Wait a minute! The devil shouldn't be after you -- you should be after the devil."
Well, you say, that's all very nice. The church should be triumphant, always on the offensive. But, in fact, it is not. How exactly are we to make all this happen? It seems to be a big order. It is a big order, but it's possible. A few years ago I encountered a demonized child in a church in California. The demons made such a scene. I thought half the congregation was going to jump up and run out. They weren't convinced that their spiritual weapons were effective against Satan.
The first step, then, is to become convinced. On one occasion I stood every morning for two weeks and confessed to God, "The weapons of my warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." I was absorbing the truth of 2 Corinthians 10.3: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh."