John 9

 John 9

A Word on What Really Matters.

John chapter 9 is a great chapter of the Bible.

Jesus heals a blind man on the sabbath and the local church leaders get mad about it.

They don't care about the man. They don't care about the miracle. All they care about is that some rule was broken. or at least broken in their eyes.

So instead of loving the man and praising God. They start using fear and intimidation to control the man and his family. They treat him like he is a second class citizen. Threatening him and anyone else who doesn't do what they say to do.

But, the man knows the truth. He knows that God loves him, even though the church leaders try to make him think that he is a wicked sinner deceived by the devil. They even called him a liar.

The church leaders cannot handle the thought that someone might not be scared of them, or controlled by them, or deceived by them. They cannot just leave it alone, because they cannot stand the fact that this peasant is not submitting to their authority.

So, they drive him out of the church. And probably make up stories as to why he's gone.

But, Jesus came to see the man again. And asked him if he believed on the Son of God.

That's it. Jesus didn't tell the man that he needed to submit to the authority of the abusive church leaders. He didn't quote verses about "Not forsaking the gathering". There was no guilt trips or threats or fear or manipulation, or anything else.

Jesus just said to believe on Him. That's it.

Then, he tells the church leaders that if they would admit they didn't know it all they might learn something. But, since they think they have it all figured out. They will remain blind.

 

Oftentimes people are more worried about rules, and having control. They are so filled with pride, that they reject the truth and peace that is right in front of them.

That is a consistent theme in the Gospels. Time and again Jesus, the God of all, is sitting right in front of them, and they still cling to our fleshly fears and beliefs.

Pilate, when he interrogated Christ, asks 'What is Truth?'  Truth was sitting in front of him. The only truth that matters.

We cling to our fleshly beliefs and maintain worldly systems. Not knowing that God is right there.  When we die, we will just step through and He is there. He sees and knows all.

He waits for us to turn to Him and ask Him to save us and teach us and grow us.

He is right here with us.

Waiting.

 

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Bio:Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ His newest book is called “The Future is Coming” and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

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Spiritual Warfare

 Spiritual Warfare

A Word on Real Spiritual Warfare.

This is an overview of spiritual warfare. It is not all inclusive. It's just a bit of truth so you can fight the enemy.

Spiritual warfare is what we do as believers. There's no way around it. If you are saved, then the Holy Spirit is leading you to do things that will engage the forces of darkness.

Light drives out darkness. Salt purifies and prevents decay. Love drives out fear. 

If you serve Christ, then you are engaging in spiritual warfare. Satan seeks to kill, steal and destroy. If you feed the poor in Jesus name, you are opposing this, and bringing light.

It starts with prayer. Learn what God's will is, then pray for people according to His will.

God is not willing that any should perish. So, you can confidently pray for people to be saved. (2 Peter 3:9)

The Lord came to set people free, to heal them, to restore them, to reconcile them. This is God's will. (Isa 61:1-3, 2 Cor. 5:18)

We can see in Genesis, that God provided everything we need. That is His will. That we have what we need.

Stand on the Word. 

 

You must know the Word to stand on it. You must be saved and have the Holy Spirit to have authority in Jesus name. Know the promises. Ask God to teach you and help you.

Speak God's promises into the world. Remind yourself, remind the demons, and remind the entire creation of what God has promised. These are facts. They will happen, and are so determined that they actually have already happened. Who can stop it? Who can stop God?

This builds faith, as we see Him working and fulfilling His promises in our lives, the lives of others and the world. This drives out darkness. Trust God.

 

So, when you feel or think that you can't do something you say out loud. "No Satan! Begone in Jesus name. The Word says I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." or whatever verses come to mind. There are tons of them. "The Word says, Whatsoever you ask in my name I will do. and I trust Him in Jesus name!"  Stand on the Word. Build faith.

Cast out demons.

If you are saved, then you have authority over the enemy. Do not play games with this. Stand on God's promises, and tell the spiritual enemies to be gone in Jesus name. Not by your power, but by His. You are like a police officer. Your power and authority comes from the King.

Learn what you are doing. All humans, are tempted, harassed, and attacked by the enemy in various ways. Even saved humans. (I did not say possessed)

James says, that if we are tempted it's because the enemy is playing on something in our flesh. So, temptation is an attack of the enemy and something we can wage spiritual warfare against. Cast out the demon when temptation comes. 

Listen to what I'm going to say because some preachers will have you spending your life trying to stop sinning. Demons will have you spending your time and mind trying to stop sinning, instead of serving the Lord. 

 

You learn to overcome by serving. The devil loves for Christians to keep struggling with sin. Because it keeps them from waging real war. YOU ARE FORGIVEN AND WASHED. If you are saved. Confess your sins to the Lord, believe he has saved you and get busy doing what He called us to do.

In the world, we wait till we are trained and ready to go out and work. But, in spiritual terms we learn by stepping out. Because it's not us doing it, it;s Him doing it through us. Then we grow and learn and see God working as we step out and serve. When we see God working it grows our faith and our relationship with Him and this helps drive out the flesh. This is the battle between the flesh and spirit. We are over comers through Him. And that happens as we go and serve, in HIS name.

Satan doesn't really care if you sin. He tempts you to sin, in order to keep you from serving God. If he can get you to focus on not sinning, then you are not out there getting people saved. Understand? The battle is to grow in Christ, be in relationship with him, driving back darkness and getting people saved. It's not in quitting sinning. Jesus already overcame sin on the cross. Get it?

 

Take fear as an example. Paul says that God has not given us a spirit of fear.  So, fear is an attack of the enemy. It's a demon. Fear is doubting God's power and love. Anxiety is a spiritual attack. Cast it out. Fear keeps us from doing God's will and serving Him. We overcome fear through spiritual power of prayer and casting out demons, through loving God and others enough to push through and do the work we are called to do, and through our sound mind in what God's Word says, and what is right and good and wise. (2 Tim 1:7)

There are tons of demonic entities who tempt and torment us. When the Holy Spirit reveals it to you, Cast it out in Jesus name.

We don't war against flesh and blood. Our true enemies are spiritual demons who attack us and other humans. They use us to serve their goal of building the Kingdom of the Anti-Christ, and keeping us in bandage. The enemy seeks to hurt God, by hurting the humans God loves, and getting us to reject God.

Overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

We often think that spiritual warfare is all spooky casting out demons, and weird stuff.

But it's not. It's spreading the Gospel. It's using the fruit of the Spirit in the world. love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The fruit is the Spirit's. not ours. Understand this. He does this through us. Yes, we grow in these things. But, the actual fruit is of the Spirit. Not our works. We develop fruit by serving, and the Spirit grows these things in us and puts them out to the world. We are saved sinners, we cannot develop fruit. The Spirit does it. But, none of it happens if we won't even cross the road to help someone in Jesus name. (Gal 5:22-23, Mark 16:15-20)

It's visiting the sick and imprisoned, it's clothing the naked. It's feeding the hungry and helping the poor, in Jesus name. (Matthew 25:31-46)

It's giving a cool drink of water, it's helping the broken and encouraging the fallen. It's working to change lives and save souls, in Jesus name.

And that's the foundation of spiritual warfare. Building the kingdom in Jesus name. Not our own. Not someone else's. But His. His name. His Kingdom.

Find your gifts, find your ministry, find your place and serve. Do battle, in Jesus name. You do this by going forth and doing. Then, he moves and reveals. Faith grows and more is revealed. Our battle between flesh and spirit, is helped by going forth and serving.

No more games. No more wasting time. The King is coming.

 

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Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois. He has published in several magazines, and has written a poetry eBook called “Against the Man” and an Addiction Recovery eBook called “Made Free: Overcoming Addiction“ His newest book is called “The Future is Coming” and is a collection of dystopian short stories.

Follow Him on Medium: https://chris-bunton.medium.com/

Read His Spiritual Writings on Blogger: https://chrisbunton.blogspot.com/

Buy a cup of Coffee

Support the work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13514235&fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Photo by the author.