|
"Breaking the Bondage of a Passive Spirit"
by Francis Frangipane
Web:
http://www.frangipane.org/
Email: comments@frangipane.org
 As
Christians, I want to again discuss our need to exercise spiritual authority.
The fact is, if we do not use the authority of Christ daily in our lives, no
matter how hard we try, we will always be harassed by the demonic realm. And
while prayer and repentance are irreplaceable stages of deliverance, they may
simply not be enough if what is complicating your freedom is an unclean spirit.
In truth, you may actually need to face your enemy and, in the context of your
repentance, command that spirit to depart from you.
Indeed, we have accepted the idea that God wants us to tolerate oppression
instead of conquer it. Fear, self-pity, anger, immoral thoughts or fleshly lusts
will not go away by themselves. Your mind must be renewed through repentance and
the knowledge of God's word, and if there is demonic activity exploiting your
sin nature, that enemy must be confronted in the authority of Jesus' name.
You say, "I don't have a problem with an evil spirit; my battle is with sin." I
agree, your frequent failure in a particular area might genuinely be rooted in
the carnal attitudes of your old nature. However, if you have repeatedly
repented and still cannot find lasting freedom, perhaps the issue is a
combination of your sin and the devil's manipulation of that sin. You see, the
real power behind your iniquity is often demonic in nature.
The Time of Re-Entry
Even if you've embraced true repentance and found spiritual freedom, there is a
time when the enemy tries to re-enter your life. Recall that Jesus warned,
"Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes
through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, 'I
will return to my house from which I came' " (Matt 12:43-44a).
Jesus tells us that, even if we have had a genuine deliverance from the hand of
God, a time may still come when that "unclean spirit" seeks to return to the
"house from which" it came. The "house" it seeks to re-enter is the darkness
created by your pre-repentance thought-life, and the way it seeks to access your
soul is to masquerade as your thoughts.
Jesus further warns that, when the unclean spirit comes back and finds our souls
unguarded, it comes with "seven other spirits more wicked
than itself" (Matt 12:45). First, the enemy will infiltrate your mind,
seeking to plant a thought or seed an idea in your soul. Then, he will attempt
to water that seed with a corresponding temptation. As soon as we discern the
ungodliness of this thought, we can turn and take authority over it. However, if
we fail to use our authority, if we sit down inside and allow it to grow, the
enemy will then approach with a full scale invasion. Jesus says,
"the last state of that man becomes worse than the first"
(vs 45).
At the first stage of Satan's counterattack, we must use our authority in Christ
and capture those initial, invasive thoughts. Do not let them multiply. Do not
allow them to dwell in your soul for even a moment. Whether you are fighting
fear, lusts, anger or any other sin with its corresponding demonic strongman,
you are in a war for your soul and the primary battleground is your mind. To
win, in the midst of all you do, you must guard your heart and mind from the
enemy. To do this, we must exercise spiritual authority.
Pursue Your Enemies
God has called us to war. He, in fact, has anointed us with the power of His
Holy Spirit. Our prayers are arrows in the heart of our King's enemies. Jesus
has given us authority over all the power of the enemy (Lk 10:19). Yet, the
authority of the Lord is not just for guard duty or defensive maneuvers. The
Holy Spirit desires that, as we follow Christ, we take the battle to the enemy
as well. In that same Psalm where David sings that he can "bend a bow of
bronze," he also says, "I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and I did not
turn back until they were consumed" (Ps 18:37).
Let's make this clear: David was first a worshiper of God. He didn't pursue his
enemies without first pursuing God. However, when the Lord led him into war, he
thoroughly defeated his foes.
Unfortunately, I know many Christians today do not pursue their enemies. They
would rather secure a little temporary relief than obtain an anointing in God
that equips them as a warrior. The moment they finally receive a little peace,
immediately they begin to beat their swords back into plow shears. They quit.
I will tell you a solemn truth: We either pursue our enemies or our enemies will
pursue us. We must develop Christ's attitude toward evil. He came that He "might
destroy the works of the devil" (1 Jn 3:8). The Bible says, "...hate evil, you
who love the Lord" (Ps 97:10). There can be no neutral ground.
Indeed, the Holy Spirit is looking for something in us that, like David, pursues
our enemy until he is consumed. We are discussing spiritual authority and
possessing an aggressive attitude of heart that causes us to grow into mature
Christ-likeness. Jesus could live with and forgive human failure, but He never
allowed evil spirits to influence His life. He was aggressive toward His
spiritual enemies.
Future Victories And Present Attitudes
There is a story in the Old Testament that captures well my concern with the
effects of a passive spirit. Elisha the prophet was about to die and Joash king
of Israel came and, in an unusual show of affection, wept over the man of God.
Adding to the intrigue, the king then spoke the very words Elisha uttered to
Elijah in the last hours of Elijah's life: "My father, my father, the chariots
of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Ki 13:14).
It is possible that the king sought some special power or gift-anointing from
the prophet before he died. Elisha, in fact, accommodates the king, yet he tests
him, ordering the king to take a bow and arrows. He then told Joash, "Put your
hand on the bow." Elisha then laid his hands on top of the king's hands. He
said, "Open the window toward the east," and Joash opened it. Then Elisha said,
"Shoot!" And he shot. Elisha then proclaimed: "The Lord's arrow of victory, even
the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until
you have destroyed them"
(2 Ki 13:15-17).
God was going to honor the efforts of Joash. The king had recognized the Lord's
anointing on His servant. He had come to receive, by impartation, the prophet's
blessing as it pertained to the need in his life. Elisha actually "laid his
hands on the king's hands" (vs 16). Yet, one more test was required. Elisha
said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel,
"Strike the ground," and he struck it three times and stopped. So the man of God
was angry with him and said, "You should have stuck five or six times, then you
would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it. But now you shall
strike Aram only three times" (2 Ki 13:18-19).
Elisha was angered by the passive spirit in King Joash. The prophet knew Joash
did not possess the perseverance to pursue his enemies until he fully conquered
them. Joash could possibly have been a great king. Yet Elisha's anger burned at
the king's passive approach to God's promises - ultimately, many Israelites
would die in the future raids of the Arameans because Joash would only defeat
them three times.
Elisha's Anger
Elisha's anger actually mirrors the Lord's displeasure toward the laziness of
His people today.
You may argue, "God is love. Jesus would never be angry."
I beg to differ. Consider the Lord's word to the church in Laodicea, a church
that was overly concerned with its own comfort and passive in its attitude
toward spiritual realities. Jesus said, "I know your
deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So
because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My
mouth" (Rev 3:15-16).
Jesus would rather we were hot or cold than lukewarm. Does He still love those
He rebukes? Of course, but He calls us to change our attitudes. It's not that
passivity or laziness are such terrible sins, like murder or adultery. It is
simply that such attitudes create a psychological prison around a believer that
actually holds us hostage to our other sins.
Immobilized by Passivity
In our world, the spiritual passivity and indifference of God's people is one of
the most difficult things for the Lord to accept. Indeed, we are daily
threatened by the potential of serious terrorist attacks or the advance of
perversion in our cultures, yet so many Christians remain prayerless and
inactive. This is in spite of the Lord's promise that if we will come before
Him, humbling ourselves in earnest prayer, He will empower us to pursue our
enemies and defeat them. But instead of seeking God's face on behalf of the
lost, too many of us are immobilized by the grip of a passive spirit.
The Lord is not pleased with our spiritual laziness. Elisha could see that King
Joash was a quitter just by the unaggressive way he struck the arrows. I'm not
talking about the level of our energy, but the level of fire in our obedience.
Today many nations are at a crossroads: Demonic initiatives have been
successfully advanced that not only decriminalize sodomy, but seek to legitimize
the union of homosexuals as another form of marriage. In many states and
nations, homosexuals are already allowed to adopt and raise innocent children,
and we are too passive to rise against this outrage!
Jesus gave us His authority to "make disciples of all the nations" (Matt 28:19).
Our authority is not limited to our prayers against evil; God will help our
efforts against wickedness as well. In America we have been asked not only to
pray for our nation, but to take action. That action might be as simple (and
important) as writing our senators and congressmen (www.afa.net)
telling them that we are against gay marriages. Or our actions might be to reach
out to someone confused and deceived about their sexuality and seek to bring
them healing. But if we pray and do nothing more, we might actually lose the
soul of our nation, and I am not only discussing the USA, but many other nations
as well. Our defeat might come, not because God's help wasn't available, but
because we saw the advance of evil and did nothing.
Beloved, God has given us authority, He has given us the weapons of our warfare
to help us, but we need to get up and fight. We need to repent of a passive
spirit and stand with Christ's authority in this day of war and battle.
For maximum benefit, pray this prayer out loud: Lord God, I thank You that
You have given me authority over all the power of the enemy. Forgive me for
allowing my voice to remain silent and my will immobilized by a passive spirit.
I realize to be an overcomer I must pursue my enemy until he is consumed. You
have given me authority over the plans and works of evil. You have created me to
be a minister of Your righteousness. You have filled me with Your Holy Spirit
and with fire. This day I confront, renounce, and take authority over, the power
of the enemy. I break the bondage of a passive spirit, in Jesus' name.
by Francis Frangipane
Web:
http://www.frangipane.org/
Email: comments@frangipane.org
 |
"The Days of His Presence"
by Francis Frangipane
$10.00 Book |
A great shaking is
occurring in the church, and unscriptural divisions are all crumbling like
houses of clay in an earthquake; God is rumbling through Christianity! What
remains will be our devotion to Christ.
The Days of His
Presence is a trumpet call. It not only heralds the return of the
Lord, but the return of His glory to the church at the end of the age.
Under-girded by both the Word of God and a vision the Lord gave Francis in 1971,
this book will do two things: Transform your view of the last days and help
prepare you to receive the fullness of Christ in the day of His glory!
Feel free to
order online OR by phone (1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=459
|
 |
"The
Stronghold of God"
Finding God's Place of
Immunity from Attacks of the Enemy
by Francis Frangipane
$13.00 Book |
A road map into the
stronghold of the Most High. The atmosphere of thanksgiving, praise, faith, and
love are places of immunity for God's servant. This book is the first part of a
series on spiritual protection. (Formerly The Place of Immunity)
Feel free to
order online
OR by phone (1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=462
|
 |
"The
Three Battlegrounds"
by Francis Frangipane
$8.00 Book |
An in-depth view of
the three arenas of spiritual warfare - The mind, the church, and the heavenly
places.
One of the most respected and popular books on spiritual warfare ever written.
It gives an in-depth view into the three arenas of spiritual warfare which the
maturing Christian will face: the mind, the church, and the heavenly places.
Also gives a clear strategy for tearing down strongholds.
Feel free to
order online
OR by phone (1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=461
|
 |
"Holiness, Truth and the
Presence of God"
A Penetrating Study of
the Human Heart and How God Prepares it for His Glory
by Francis Frangipane
$9.00 Book |
| This book,
Holiness, Truth and
the Presence of God, is not a book for everyone. It is for those who
are unsatisfied with their progress and willing to do something about it. It is
for every saint who feels he cannot exist unless he finds the fullness of God.
Feel free to
order online
OR by phone (1-8.6.6-881-0477)
http://www.elijahshopper.com/detail.aspx?ID=464
|
To donate by regular mail, use
this address:
Elijah List Ministries (Now a
Non-Profit Ministry)
528 Ellsworth St SW
Albany, OR 97321
or call: 1-8.6.6-881-0477 or
1-541-917-0484
If you donate $15 or more to Elijah List
Ministries, we will send you our current tape of the Month NO_CHARGE, as a token
of our appreciation. Any amount over $15 will be tax deductible.
Permission is granted (and you are
also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending
them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only
that you keep Elijah List website, email contact info, and author contact
information intact.
Thank you and blessings, Steve
Shultz, Publisher, The Elijah List
http://www.elijahlist.com
Subscribe to the
Elijah List Here |
|
or
unsubscribe
(please allow 2-3 business days to process, you only need to submit an
unsubscribe once)
Cliquez ici pour souscrire à la Liste Elie en français
ElijahElie@qwest.com
Puede suscribirse a La lista de Elias en español al mandar un mensaje de correo
electrónico a:
lalistadeelias@myexcel.com
|
 Conference
"The Way of the Warrior"
with Graham Cooke, Pat King, Steve Shultz, and Arthur Burk
$80.00 15-cassette series
 Book
"The Bait of Satan"
by John Bevere
+$13.99
More New Resources...
 Book
"Parables in the
Night Seasons"
by Joy Parrott
$12.00
 Audio
Set
"Overcoming the Spirit
of Jezebel"
with Rick Joyner, Francis Frangipane and Steve Thompson
$20.00 4-cassette series
More Top Sellers...
"Forgiveness: It Just Ain't Fair!!"
by Philip Yancey
(Jun 27, 2004)
"The Joshua Journey: Killing Giants and Receiving
Divine Strategy"
by Jill Austin
(Jun 26, 2004)
Balancing Justice
and Grace - The Entrance to the Kingdom
by Rick Joyner
(Jun 25, 2004)
"The Strength in the Bronze Bow"
by Francis Frangipane
(Jun 23, 2004)
"I Plan to Give Mouth to Mouth Resuscitation
to America...and Kiss Her Face Again!"
by Bill Yount
(Jun 22, 2004)
 Visit
our Online Web
Store
Asia-Pacific
Tape
Distribution
South
African Tape
Distribution
Tape/CD
Duplication
Service for Ministries
Healing
Room
Directory
Words/Prophecy
Archive
Find
a Prophetic
Conference Near You
Receive
the Elijah List
Newsletter in Plain
Text
Please forward
this to your friends and your own lists. Please also keep the author and Elijah
List info intact. Others may freely subscribe or unsubscribe to THE ELIJAH LIST
by sending an email to: elijahsubs@elijahlist.com
or by going to
www.elijahlist.com
|
The
Days of His Presence
The
Stronghold of God
The
Three Battlegrounds
