If you walk in the Spirit, you will constantly be harassed by demonic powers. But you do not have to be intimidated by any demon power—anywhere, at any time!
Paul was continually harassed by demonic powers. He was preaching on the isle of Paphos when demons attempted to interfere: “…a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus…withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith” (Acts 13:6–8).
Barjesus means “son of Jesus” or “angel of light.” This was the devil standing up against Paul! But the Holy Ghost welled up inside of the apostle: “Then Saul…filled with the Holy Ghost…said…thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord” (Acts 13:9–12).
Paul, “filled with the Holy Ghost,” brought down all the powers of darkness!
It is not enough to be grieved by the attempts of Satan to harass you! In Acts 16 Paul was grieved—meaning “disturbed, troubled.” He allowed it for many days, but the Spirit of God welled up in Paul, and he said to the demon power, “That’s it—that’s enough! In the name of Jesus, be gone!” (See Acts 16:16–18.)
Beloved, we take too much from the devil! There comes a time when we, too, must stand up in the power of the Holy Ghost and say, “Enough—that’s it, I command you in Jesus’ name to go!”
When you take authority and command devils to flee, Satan will come at you with everything in his arsenal. Just after Paul had cast the demons out of the possessed girl in Acts 16:16–18, Satan started stirring things up. He enflamed the crowd against Paul and Silas—and suddenly they were in a terrible crisis!
The city magistrates had them whipped and cast into prison. And with every stripe on their backs, I can hear the devil saying, “So you think you’ve won the victory? You think you’re going to cast out my demons and take authority over me?”
The devil didn’t seem to know that the more you whip a servant of God who walks in the Spirit, the more praise you whip up from him! If you throw him in a crisis, tie him up with problems and troubles, he’ll sing, shout and worship!
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).
If we are to walk in the Spirit, then we must believe God for supernatural deliverance from every bondage of Satan. It doesn’t matter if God has to create an earthquake to do it. That is exactly what he did for Paul:
“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” (v. 26).
Satan will try to bring upon you the most dreadful temptation or trial you have ever faced. He wants you to get bogged down in guilt, condemnation, self-examination. Dear saint, you have to arise in the Spirit and get your eyes off your circumstances and bondage. Don’t try to figure it all out. Start praising, singing and trusting God—and he will take care of your deliverance!
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David Wilkerson (1931 – 2011)
Founder of Times Square Church in New York City with over 100 different languages spoken in the congregation. Wilkerson wrote many powerful books such as: The Vision and Cross and the Switchblade. His ministry was prophetic as God called him to be a watchman to the Church in North America. He gave clear messages on repentance to the Church.Wilkerson also founded Teen Challenge where there are hundreds of centres for Christ-centered drug recovery and addiction recovery. He also organized and spoke at pastors gatherings in many countries where he gave prophetic strong messages to encourage pastors and leaders.
Recommends these books by David Wilkerson:
The Vision and Beyond, Prophecies Fulfilled and Still to Come by David Wilkerson
Knowing God by Name: Names of God That Bring Hope and Healing by David Wilkerson
God's Plan to Protect His People in the Coming Depression by David Wilkerson
David Wilkerson is an American Christian evangelist, most well-known for his book The Cross and the Switchblade. He is also the founder of Times Square Church in New York, an interdenominational church.
Wilkerson is well-known for these early years of his ministry to young drug addicts and gang members in New York City in the 1950s and 1960s. He co-authored a book about his work with the New York drug addicts, The Cross and the Switchblade, which became a best-seller, selling over 50 million copies in over thirty languages since it was published in 1963. The book was included among the 100 most important Christian books of the 20th century.
For over four decades, Wilkerson's ministry has included preaching, teaching and writing. He has authored over 30 books.
David Wilkerson is the founder and president of World Challenge, Inc., a nonprofit organization incorporated on September 22, 1971. Reverend Wilkerson, the author of over thirty inspirational books, is perhaps best known for his early days of ministry to young drug addicts and gang members in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. His story is told in The Cross and the Switchblade, a book he co-authored which became a best-seller. (The story has been read by over 50 million people in some thirty languages and 150 countries since 1963. In 1969, a motion picture of the same title was released.)
For over four decades, Reverend Wilkerson's evangelistic ministry has included preaching, teaching and writing. Throughout that time a distinctive characteristic of his work has been his direct efforts to reach the neediest members of the population with help for both body and soul. Even now, the almost 70 year-old minister often goes out alone or sometimes with an assistant to walk through the streets of New York City, along Broadway and Eighth Avenue or down 42nd Street and nearby "Crack Alley" on 41st Street. His mission is always to seek out the lost, the disoriented, and the addicted , to tell them of the power of the risen Christ to set them free.
David Wilkerson, born in Hammond, Indiana on May 19, 1931, was married in 1953 to Gwen Carosso. The Wilkersons' two sons are ministers, and their two daughters are married to ministers. They have 11 grandchildren. The Wilkersons served small pastorates in Scottsdale and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, until Reverend Wilkerson saw a photograph in Life magazine of several New York City teenagers charged with murder. Moved with compassion he was drawn to the city in February 1959. It was at that time he began his street ministry to what one writer called "desperate, bewildered, addicted, often violent youth.