Dear John, I have written this study as a tool for others as I have gone through some extremely trying times over the last two years.
I have gone through a severe car accident and almost died, plus two other car accidents, lost my job twice, my home, got a divorce, lived in an apartment in Section 8 housing, and went through a surgery and almost died at the time of a fire coming to my new place. I remarried and have undergone tremendous battles in this marriage including fierce anger, not being able to trust and always in fear, my spouse having an online addiction looking at women and dating websites, my addictions to energy drinks, and his addiction of overcoming pot. I have had tremendous problems with witnessing to people of the Muslim and other occult faiths from the enemy as well. I have been to the extremes of the bottom where I felt like Job, only to see the Power of Jesus Christ overcome every obstacle after a period of time. I have lost everything, but I won't lose my salvation or my rewards! I have fallen on my face wondering what is happening to me. I have cried, screamed, felt abandoned. Here is hope and help for anyone hurting.
Combating the Enemy and Discerning the Spirits : Tools for the Overcoming Believer
As a born again believer we have stages of growth. We begin with a honeymoon period where all our sins are forgiven; we feel on top of the world, everything feels so wonderful. Then after a period of time, for me it was a year, the honeymoon is over and Jesus asks you to take your cross to other places with Him. Sometimes you walk through nice soft sand and everything feels so wonderful, some other times He leads you into a valley and you feel alone, other times it is a high rocky mountain where things are hard and others it seems like a dark corridor where you battle the enemy. As you are in each season of your life going through these places, remember “This Too Shall Pass.”
This study is for those people feeling like the Lord are walking with them through the dark corridor.
Have you ever wondered why everything is going so well in your life and then BAM you get attacked from all sides from the enemy? And at this great time of your life the Lord leads you into further study, witnessing, or you get a big job promotion, or are called into a higher position of the church, or the Lord takes you down a path you might have been afraid of going? Maybe you were afraid of going to a certain area of town, talking to a certain group of people, researching a certain topic, having visions or dreams of the future, seeing visions of the enemy etc. Usually at the best and happiest times of your life is when it is easy to fall back into sin, so the Lord does not want anyone to sit for too long, lest they become lukewarm. He wants us to remain in joy and have peace always as we are to remain in His presence, however if things are so happy and easy, it is so easy to get caught up in the world.
Have you ever noticed you are getting along with everyone, your house is clean, bills are paid, you feel great…then bam you find out your spouse has a terrible disease or illness? Then on top of that your bank account gets hacked into, then you find out your child is failing some classes, your computer breaks down, your boss wants you to work late and you just can’t and if you don’t you will be fired, or you have visions of demons or evil? You might begin to feel extremely disturbed, uncomfortable and anxious wondering what this is all about. How can I be born again and all of this is happening. Some may have a strange thought enter their mind, well am I really saved because this is all too weird? Or am I going back to old sins “like a dog back to his vomit” and allowing a stronghold to come to me to destroy all God has built?
It seems all of a sudden your whole life is about to collapse and then it seems everyone is mad at you. How did this happen? Did I sin and cause this to happen? Is the Lord allowing me to go through hardship to pull buried sin out of me? We start going through a guilt trip and in our mind the anger starts to set in. Usually we feel discouraged, disconnected and all of a sudden our friends and family question our abilities. They start talking about us that we somehow got off the right track, that we fell into sin that we are hanging out with the wrong people, or we did something to allow an “in” or “foothold” for the devil to come in. Sometimes this is the case, but not always. I want to show some of you through my testimonies as well as other teachers I look up to, that you are not alone. You are not to blame for these bad things happening to you. It is not your fault! God loves you and wants you to grow and what the enemy uses to try to “sift you like wheat” the Lord will use for your growth.
Remember, a person is never staying the same spiritually. We are either going forward or backward.
The enemy has a file on every believer. He knows our weaknesses and attacks at specific times. This study is to help people who are struggling in any aspect whether they are all of a sudden called by the Lord to do something in their life they were afraid to do, or were afraid something was going to happen to them.
This study is also for the struggling person. Are you struggling with weight, with alcohol, with lust, with an illness whether physical or mental, is your self esteem taking a nose dive lately? Do you feel that you felt on top of the world as a wife, husband, employee, friend, mother, dad and then all of a sudden your bubble has been popped?
Steve Foss
Why is it I bind a spirit of lust, addiction, etc. it always comes back at another period of my life?
“Satan's Dirty Little Secret exposes two of the most devastating and yet hidden demons that Satan has ever released. From the garden of Eden until our present day, Satan has used the same secret strategy to bind, oppress, confound, and deceive mankind. This prophetic revelation given to Pastor Steve Foss in a vision exposes this secret strategy and gives to the readers the keys to total victory. You will understand how this dynamic duo of demonic spirits empowers every other spirit, and how you can defeat them. Leaders from around the world call this one of the most significant break throughs in revelation that they have ever had.
Satan's Dirty Little Secret is Steve Foss' best-selling book around the world and has been featured on Sid Roth's "It's Supernatural" which aires on several major Christian stations around the world including TBN and Daystar.”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e3mwE9nJ0M
Katie Souza
How did I get this sickness? Why do I feel ugly? How do I fight the enemy to get rid of sickness? How can I get revelation from God over my situation?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIXnXQg0c-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfgFph5DgUQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtj_Yw4Nf9s&feature=related
Pastor Yong-Doo Kim
“During 30 days of continual midnight prayer at a small Korean Church, the congregation experienced a unbelievable revival. With their hands raised up, and praying all night long, the congregation had their spiritual eyes opened as they experienced visions, healings, intense spiritual warfare, and transforming encounters with Jesus. With their spiritual eyes opened, they could actually see the demonic battles taking place during their prayer time. They were shown how devils/demons try to distract us, scare us, and deceive us while we are praying. Every demonic trick in the book was used against them to stop them from praying. They encountered and fought against numerous dragons, demon kings, false angels, false christs, demons seeking sympathy, vampires, evil spirits disguised as beautiful women, etc. They were shown demonic strategies used against Christians, and powerful new spiritual weapons useful in defeating the enemy. They were also taken to Heaven and hell many times by Jesus. It was revealed that mid-night warfare intercession, (along with the gift of speaking in tongues), was the most intense, difficult & fruitful time to pray.”
http://www.spiritlessons.com/Documents/Babtize_by_Blazing_Fire/index.htm
Mel Bond
Discerning of Spirits: “Mel Bond sees into the supernatural realm, even discerning demons on people. When he prays, demons leave and people are healed. Are you struggling in your relationship with God and with others? Mel wants to help you receive your healing and equip you to operate in the supernatural of God in the area of discerning of spirits.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0uTsiZEOs8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQvwbn5b2_A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMPFcR6NNAk&feature=related
Jonathon Welton
“Get ready to enter the world of a Seer and have your spiritual eyes opened! Jonathan Welton is a Seer, and uses this special gift to bring supernatural healing to others. Through this interview Jonathan will teach you about the world of a seer and pray a powerful prayer of impartation for you to be activated and begin seeing in the unseen world!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2829EWFx1eU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj4QAtpMSEo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gdc5DZ7JgE&feature=related
Rick Joyner
Final Quest Book
Satan and his armies and the Christian prisoners they keep through fear, depression, etc.
http://99.198.110.36/FQ-Protestant/TFQ-en.html
Spritual Warfare Sight: Insights of God
“This is a topic that doesn't really get talked about much in the body of Jesus Christ. Many people, when you talk about the idea of waging war against an invisible enemy, will think you are fanatical or crazy. We are in a battle folks. It is a battle of life and death. The scriptures even warn us to put on "battle armor of God" and to use the "Sword of the SPIRIT". By no means is the enemy backing down without a fight. Below, you will find much strategic information that will help you understand more of Satan's tactics.
Ask the Holy Spirit for direction in your reading!! If something doesn't feel right in your spirit, don't throw away all the revelation. Just put on the shelf anything you don't understand and ask the Holy Spirit to discern truth and deception-- along with comparing anything you read with the scriptures.”
http://www.insightsofgod.com/spiritual_warfare.html
Spiritual Warfare Sight: Battle in Christ
Excerpt: “A special note: The purpose for this teaching is that we may begin to understand the goodness of God as opposed to the evilness of the devil. These two parameters are often blurred and confused, whereby evil is wrongfully attributed to God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Understanding the goodness of God is first and foremost in spiritual warfare, in order to build the kind of faith that will move mountains and fulfill God's promise of victory in our lives.”
http://www.battleinchrist.com/
I hope that everyone is a little more aware of things that are going on and can apply them personally.