Guaranteed Victory

As believers, we understand that the death of Jesus was the price He paid so that we can live victoriously. This statement is not just an abstract idea that we think about once a year. This truth; that through His death and resurrection we ALREADY have been given victory over every trial and crisis in life...over sin and death, means that how we approach every day should always be from the offensive position instead of a defensive position.

I wrote about this in my book Constructing Paradise in the chapters on spiritual warfare. For most people, the idea of spiritual warfare looks a bloody battle against the devil. The truth is that spiritual warfare is not about fighting a battle or striving to win a war. Jesus already did that for us.

We are already more than conquerors through the finished work of Jesus Christ. The grace that Jesus Christ gave us is the victory over a war that we did not and never will have to fight. So stop squaring up with the Devil as if he isn't already defeated. Take your place of DOMINION and call those evil forces back into alignment. When we choose to position ourselves in “warfare” with the Devil we reveal our ignorance and we undermine what Jesus Christ has already done for us. When we operate defensively, we are stating that the work of Jesus Christ was not enough. Believe now the truth that, Satan has been defeated. With this truth in mind, the question arises as to what type of warfare should we engage in.

Well, the victory that Jesus afforded to us, gives us the confidence to step into territory that was once ruled by the enemy, to enforce the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are in the army of God but serve more so as occupational troops. This is a term that I use to describe prayer as our means of pushing back the enemy in our lives. This is a victorious position. We are not fighting to win, we are fighting to occupy. We wear the victory of Jesus as our armor and we push onward to possess what God has given to us already. The earth is ours to rule, this is evident in the book of Genesis. However, sin was a barrier that kept us from accessing our true potential and in being able to live in the realm of Dominion. Jesus solved the problem of sin!

Ephesians 6 teaches us about the Armor of God. The interesting thing is that the armor is given to us so we can stand against an enemy who is already defeated. This is shown throughout ancient history, as one kingdom would confront and defeat the armed forces of another Kingdom in order to possess new land. Thereafter, that king or ruler would send in troops, not to continued fighting, but to fully occupy that land and introduce those citizens of a new culture. This is exactly our position in Christ. The challenges we face every day are in occupying and bringing the culture of heaven into a world that has been ruled by the forces of darkness. I talk more in-depth about this in my book but one part of the armor that I want to highlight here is the armored shoes on our feet:

Our feet are covered with the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15.) The Greek word here for peace is eirēnē, which can be defined as “the exemption from the rage and havoc of war”. The Gospel of the Kingdom is considered good news because it is a proclamation of victory. Jesus guaranteed victory in every confrontation. Warfare is something that every believer engages in, in their mind. Overcoming lies, negativity, fear, and misunderstanding about our identity is the first step in living in the victory that Christ has given us. From there, our lifestyles and our position in society gives us the ability to rule over the culture of this world and introduce the ways of God to a world, ignorant of God’s power and wisdom.

Remember today, that you have guaranteed victory in Christ Jesus!

Check out more on this in my book Constructing Paradise: Click Here

Top Secret Weapons of the Enemy

The Top 5 Secret Weapons of the Enemy (And how to Disarm them)

The greatest battlefield that you will ever fight on is the battlefield of your mind. In fact, spiritual warfare is the council of the human mind, with any other spirit other than the Spirit of God. That means that the power that the enemy has is the power of suggestion, accusation, and lies. The enemy is sneaky in his approach because his power is limited, therefore he comes in ways that we would not expect. Here are the 5 secret weapons of the enemy that I have exposed in my own life and I pray will help you overcome the temptations of the enemy!

5. The enemy always targets you when you are physically tired.

I've learned that we are most vulnerable to attack when we are exhausted or when we are first coming out of sleep. Whenever you are tired, you are open to suggestions and temptations from the enemy because your defense mechanisms are not at their peak. The enemy will normally target you mostly at the beginning of your day or at the very end as you are getting ready to sleep.

Your Strategy:

Stay away from technology when you first wake up. Keep your phone away from your bed, when your alarm goes off (from across the room) make it a point to get up and begin your day with prayer, breakfast, and if possible a simple physical exercise. This way, you fortify your mind before the day begins. How you start your day is very important to the trajectory of the rest of your day.

If you allow your mind to wonder as you wake, you give the enemy room to start suggesting alternative pathways other than what you had intended that day. Instead of allowing your thoughts to wonder, you should direct your thoughts intentionally.

When you check Facebook or any other social media platform right when you wake up, you are at the mercy of whether of your select group of friends. If they are projecting negativity that day, then you are empowering that energy to work in your day, simply by reading it. Trust me, it's not a risk you should take...maybe there will be encouragement on there...but maybe there will be drama. Also, you don't wanna start your day checking the latest headlines or trending stories. When you do this, you are giving away your personal power to the status of our economy or negative situations going on in the world.

Your Strategy:

REST! Even God had to rest on the 7th day after creation! What makes us think that we are any different than God? Whenever you have reached a low place...where you have given out and you are seemingly exhausted..surround yourself with people who will keep you safe and accountable! Sleep, yes! But also, stay close to friends and family that you trust can help you make some good decisions and will pour into you until you are fully rested up! Listen to your body when it tells you to slow down for a moment!

4. The enemy uses offense and unforgiveness to keep you trapped in a place where he has free reign over your life.

Every single day there is an opportunity for you to be offended. You can't always help what happens to you but you are ALWAYS in control of how you respond. The bait that is an offense can quickly take hold of you, and will sabotage not only the rest of your day, but if you allow that offense to take root it can destroy your life. Unforgiveness puts a blockage in your life from receiving the forgiveness of God through Jesus Christ.  As we all are sinners in need of forgiveness, God desires that we extend the same grace that he has given to us to those who have offended us.

Matthew 6:15 "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Your Strategy:

When it comes to a daily offense, the best thing you can do is immediately forgive, pray, and bless them. Knowing that harboring an offense in your heart will keep you from God's best is motivation to shake off the little offenses that may come every day.

I have been offended on many levels in my life, and before I knew the importance of setting yourself free by forgiving others, I would harbor the offense inside. It would eat away at me and eventually it would explode out of me. It wasn't until I identified my areas of hurt, verbally confessed forgiveness, and blessed those that hurt me, did I truly experience the fullness of God’s best for me! Just a few weeks ago, my wife's car was stolen from her job. I knew that this was an opportunity to be offended, and I was. I stood in the parking lot of a restaurant with my wife and we grabbed hands and prayed for them. We forgave whoever had stolen the car and blessed them. I knew that a stolen car was not worth losing my peace over. What the enemy offers is never a measure of a comparison to what God has given us so freely! When the enemy entices me to be offended my answer is always NO DEAL!

3. The enemy uses what may seem harmless to "portal" you to a place of harm.

An appropriate definition for DECEPTION is "Truth with a little lie mixed in". The enemy is good at taking what seems harmless and lacing it with an evil underlying factor. We have to be very careful how we surf the web and click links after links after links. Especially from a man's perspective, it is easy to be distracted once you have been lured in by seemingly trusted links and images...even from friends that you know on Facebook. The internet is a powerful place for good but at the same time, the internet can be a slippery slope for so many people that are addicted to internet pornography, or online gambling, or simply being wrapped up in social media to the point that you are not living your own life effectively.

Music and movies are other portals that can cause you to let your guard down and allow evil into your thoughts and life. Just because a song or movie seems safe doesn't mean that it has the right message behind it. 

Your Strategy:

Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit! When you feel that check in your spirit, do not ignore it! Immediately change the channel or shut the phone down. It may not be that show, or song, or image that is harmful...but it might be a portal to a place where the enemy can trap your mind.

2. The enemy will use your own words against you.

Your words are a powerful creative source of ...remember that all of heaven is waiting to back up your words and declarations that are positive and in alignment with the will of God. At the same time, all of the evil forces of darkness is waiting to back up all of your negative and self-defeating words. The enemy may have the gun but you are the one that gives him the ammunition. Without ammunition, a gun is useless. Whatever you put out into the atmosphere is a creative force that causes a whirlwind to swing back around and hit you in the face!

Hosea 8:7 "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind."

Your Strategy:

Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of the negative and self-defeating patterns of language that you have used. Whenever you feel negative or you have just said something you should not have...immediately release a blessing and cancel the evil words that you have released! Making yourself do this...will keep you aware of how often you actually use horrible speech...The more you are aware...the more you will be more selective with your declarations.

Many people have unanswered prayers, not because they prayed wrong...but because their daily language practices have canceled out all of the declarations they have made in prayer! We must OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD!

1. The enemy loves when you make bad decisions and give him the credit.

What you glorify you draw to you. Don't blame your bad decisions on the enemy. Take ownership of your own decisions and hey...if you don't like where your decisions brought you then MAKE ANOTHER DECISION. Don't waste a second of time and energy on blaming other people or the enemy for consequences from decisions you have made! Don't be one of those people that said, "The Devil made me do it..." wow...

Your Strategy:

Take all of your energy and give God the praise. Instead of focusing on any negative situation, you may be facing...choose instead to think of at least one thing that you can be thankful for and repeating that over and over in your mind. One Moment of Praise and Thankfulness will draw good things toward you! Like a Magnet...what you praise you will see more of!