FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART
OP / ED BY DR. ROBERT KENNEDY
Allow me to use this reflection to ask you ten questions that might determine whether you are under a cursed attack from the devil. Here are the questions.
- Have you ever felt like you are in a state of deep confusion that even the room where you are feels eerie?
- Have you ever felt like your world is turning upside-down, and everything is just out of place?
- Have you ever felt like you were so distracted – your mind wandering all over the place that you could not focus on anything?
- Have you ever felt like you are under condemnation – everything wrong you have done in life is just haunting you; even though you have confessed and repented, the devil keeps you feeling that God has not forgiven you?
- Have you been under someone’s control – you know you are being manipulated, you know it, but you feel so helpless that you do not feel like you can do anything about it? That you are in a toxic relationship, but you feel trapped?
- Have you ever felt so much fear that you think you are going crazy?
- Have you ever felt like you are losing your spiritual desires?
- Have you ever felt like you do not want to pray through a difficult situation?
- Have you ever been under the control of some old habit that you wish you could put away, but it is just beyond your strength?
- Have you ever felt like your anger is beyond your power to control?
What do you do when the attacks or curses come upon you? If you have known the way of God when the time is dark, and you seem helpless and alone, I encourage you to use the authority of Jesus. Here is it straight from the Bible, in Psalm 50:17-19:
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you? (NKJV)
Alongside the above, let me draw your attention to one of the most significant promises that Jesus Christ gave to those who would be his followers, namely: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)
Some people might not claim this promise, but it is still obtainable. When anyone uses the authority that Jesus has given, such a person can wield the weapon of warfare against all of the attacks the devil will seek to bring upon them. They can detach from any internal and external distress and focus not on what is going in in the world around them but on Jesus Christ.
One commentator on the text quote from Luke 10:19 in the above states that “All our victories over Satan are obtained by power derived from Jesus Christ, and he must have all the praise.” (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/10-19.htm) In a longer comment, another expands on the above by noting other Scriptures as support:
“One of the most vital areas of the believer’s authority is his power to stand against Satan successfully. Ephesians 4:27 says, neither give place to the devil. In the sixth chapter of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul describes the armor that we, as believers, must wear in combat against Satan. He explains each piece of that armor as the armor of God. But not once does he say that God will put the armor on you or that God will fight the devil for you. The understood subject of these verses is YOU.
“He says, ‘YOU be strong in the Lord. YOU put on the whole armor of God that YOU will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. YOU take the whole armor of God that YOU may be able to withstand in the evil day; and having done all, YOU stand.’
“God has given you the power and the authority to stand against Satan and his destructive works. He has provided the armor, but it is your responsibility as a believer to put on that armor and stand against the devil. James 4:7 says YOU resist the devil, and he will flee from YOU.
“The armor and the weapons are at your disposal. God is there with you to back His Word, but all is worthless unless you take your position of authority and assume the responsibility to use what He has provided. You have the power and the authority to take the Word of God, the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit and chase Satan out of your affairs.
“Don’t pray and ask God to fight Satan for you. You are the one in authority. Take responsibility and speak directly to Satan yourself and stand your ground firmly. He will flee!” (https://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/10-19.htm)
The point is that we need not be left to suffer under any attack if we are willing to call upon the name of Jesus, cooperate with Jesus, be obedient to Jesus, and live in constant intimacy with Jesus.
Yes, I know that psychologists can give us a lot of good tools to help us deal with our feelings, but no tool that is given to us to fight any demonic attack is going to do what Jesus Christ can do for us. As is said, “The mightiest of demons, even Satan himself, does not have as much power and authority as the weakest of believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit of God.”
The invitation to all is to learn how to use the authority of Jesus. Call upon the name of Jesus and gain victory over the demonic forces that seek to harm you.
