THIS PRESENT TIME #19
Warring With Wisdom 7.2.23

Luke 10:17-20 NASB Now the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name!” 18And He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

I. An evening in Fort Worth

· January 1988



· An 18 month battle


· Two extremes: FEAR AND ARROGANCE


· Any living in darkness can possibly open the door to the enemy. Yet we are continually cleansed by the Blood of Jesus.


· The Key is Humility and Purity.

HUMILITY: Our rejoicing is in our relationship with Jesus, not in power over demons.

PURITY: “Satan has come, but he finds nothing in me.” - Jesus


· Possessed or “demonized?” The issue is not whether an intruder has a gun in my ear, near my head, or is shooting from across the room. The issue is that I don’t want him in my house in the first place.



II. A walk into freedom

· An offended mind (my tradition)



· Offended friends (my culture)


· A new journey (my continuing freedom)



· A new understanding (my devotion to the Scriptures)

I. Shutting the doors on demons.
Note: None of these doors are automatic. Note: These doors do not name every doorway, but are considered categories the enemy can use. It has been said that the devil “does not need an invitation, simply an opportunity.”

· Anger and Unforgiveness

Ephesians 4:26, 27 NASB Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not give the devil an opportunity.


2 Corinthians 2:9-11 NASB For to this end also I wrote, so that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.


· Sexual sin, perversion, uncontrolled lust

1 Corinthians 5:5 NIV hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.


· Hatred and Violence

Luke 9:54-56 NASB When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; 56for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” And they went on to another village.


· Envy, jealousy, narcissism

James 3:13-18 NIV Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.


1 Samuel 18:8-11 NASB Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on. 10Now it came about on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul’s hand. 11Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.


· Occult practices

Leviticus 19:31 NIV Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.


Deuteronomy 18:9-13 NIV When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.


Acts 16:17-18 NIV She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.


· Idolatry or Greed

1 Corinthians 10:20 NIV No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.


Revelation 9:20 NIV The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.


1 Timothy 6:9-12 NIV Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.


Colossians 3:5 NIV Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.



· Blasphemy

1 Timothy 1:19, 20 NASB keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 20Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.


· Sorcery

Revelation 9:20-21 NASB The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.


Revelation 18:23 NASB and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

Note: Many scholars include the usage of certain hallucinogens/illegal drugs as a doorway for demons on the basis of these Scriptures.



IV. Living Free

1. Recognize – agree with Scripture concerning possible doorways.



2. Repent – turn away from practices forbidden.



3. Renounce – formally, turn away from agreement with hell.



4. Reject/Rebuke – reject and rebuke any work of Satan in your life and home.



5. Resist – keep on walking in freedom.



Christian Life Lessons

1. Stay Full of The Holy Spirit!

Stay full of The Spirit; Faith, The Word, and good works!

Matthew 12:43-45 NIV “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

PLEASE REMEMBER: It is not enough to bring evil down. We must fill the void with Righteousness! Jehu was zealous, but he wasn’t devout.


2. Stay Smart by following the wisdom (the ways and leading) of The Holy Spirit!

Romans 16:19 NASB For the report of your obedience has reached everyone; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.

1 Corinthians 3:18 NASB Take care that no one deceives himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.


3. Stay Out Of The Bog!