#19 Claiming the Hebrew Victory

by Dr. Stephen R. Phinney

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting” (Psalm 136:1).  

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).  

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6).  

God did not give us a spirit of fear; but one of power, love, and a sound and reasonable mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Fearfulness is not of God. The Holy Spirit is not one who makes us be afraid; rather, He gives us the supernatural spiritual power of Christ, fills us with His love, and then gives us the mind of Christ.  

Satan is the author of fear. He and his demons are masters of fear. Fear is the fuel he uses to pull us away from the power of God’s love. Satan walks around on this earth looking for opportunities to deceive and destroy. We are called to be sober and awake because our enemy is ready and willing to devour us at the first opportunity – when he sees a believer submitting to fear. An older lion will get on one side of the prey and roar vociferously, producing fear in the prey, and causing it to run toward the younger lions waiting in ambush to leap out and kill them. Satan uses the same technique! He roars to instill fear, and then attacks. Without the submission to fear, our faith stays steadfast and we are able to resist (1 Peter 5:8-9). 

VICTORY REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING 

Satan is an enemy to be understood regarding the limited power God gave him to rule over the earth; but we are not to fear him. The only appropriate fear in life is the fear of God. These are two very different types of fear; one type builds respect and unity and the other destroys it. Our victory over Satan is clearly laid out in the Scriptures. It is total and complete. When men apply by faith this victory, which is freely given to us by the Holy Spirit, we can overcome all temptations the enemy throws our way!  

What is the will of Satan anyway? The enemy seeks to use three primary tools; the world, the flesh, and his demonic forces. The flesh tempts, the world offers illustrative examples of sin, and the demonic forces pull it all together for the fall. He simply does not want you and I hearing the voice of the heavenly Father. For he knows when we do hear God’s voice, we are apt to submit to it. This is why he fills our heads with chaos and distractions. He doesn’t care what distracts us; he just wants us following his voice and will. That is the ugly part of submitting to the temptations offered to us by our flesh. We are literally carrying out the will and testament of Satan himself. (It is so ugly, I didn’t even what to write it.)   

In 2 Corinthians 2:11, the Lord tells us, “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Ignorance is the key, here. God wants us to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves in our view and understanding of the schemes of the devil. So let us not be ignorant!  

The day you asked Jesus into your life, you became what the Bible describes as a “believer.” The moment this happened, God placed the Holy Spirit into your body. It is just like a mother giving birth to her child, flesh of flesh. This is the same way our spiritual rebirth takes place; Spirit gives birth to our newborn spirit. As Christians, we become reborn, regenerated, filled with the Holy Spirit, and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13). Now the point: Neither Satan nor his evil forces can enter our lives -- not for a moment. We are sealed and sealed with a promise. And be reminded, God never breaks a promise.  

A believer’s soul (made up of his mind, will, and emotions) is in process of being transformed on a day-to-day basis. Satan knows this, so he takes advantage of deceiving the mind and emotions in order to have the will submit to temporary slavery. It is our responsibility to grow in Christ, in order for the activity of the enemy to be resisted. If you and I believe a lie and take action upon that lie, we give Satan a foothold in that particular area of our lives. Picture a tabletop. Each time we submit to one of Satan’s lies and take action on this lie, the enemy places one more object on the tabletop. After a while, the tabletop becomes full of Satan’s objects, if the believer continues a pattern of submission to the enemy. The process I have taken you, in this series, was removing these objects one at a time. Now that your tabletop is clear, you must keep it clear. Use the authority you have been given to keep the enemy away from your table. Believe me; he is coming back for another round!  

In order to stay unconditionally free, stay in the habit of dispatching the power of Jesus Christ in all of your prayers and verbiage. The thoughts that torment your mind will cease, the feelings that have overwhelmed you will be gone, and you will remain enslaved to Christ. 

There is constant victory available to us through our authority in Jesus Christ. Use it as often as needed. Stand in your new convictions and learn to lead others with this newfound freedom. You are a child of God who has been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Christ’s light. Walk in the light, my dear friend! 

The only way to break the cycle of lies the enemy placed within our souls is to claim the Truth: 

1. There is no marriage relationship with Christ the Father cannot heal.  
2. The primary purpose of our marriage to Christ is not to be happy, but to glorify the Father and reflect His redeeming love. 
3. God uses our weaknesses to conform us into the image of how He originally created us.
4. True love (God’s love) is perfect, unconditional, and never fails.
5. We cannot love Christ in our own strength – God must do the loving through us.
6. Our marriage with Christ is a covenant. God is a covenant keeping Father. He will never break His covenant based on our fear of intimacy. 
7. God will always forgive us without limits. Only humans put limitations on forgiveness. Humans base their level of forgiveness on their level of pain.
8. Your faithfulness to the Father is the means of your spiritual healing. Healing requires faith and faith demands action.
9. You cannot solve marital problems by “putting another pair of shoes under the bed.” Thus, you cannot solve your spiritual problems by looking to other gods. The parallel is the same!! 
10. God’s grace, through your Groom, is enough for you to complete the work He is doing in you.
11. God the Father will never forsake you - regardless of what you must endure here on earth.
12. The rewards for your faithfulness to Christ and God the Father are not given here on earth – they are eternal.

• God’s Grace Is Sufficient: 2 Corinthians 12:9

• The Blood Of Christ Is Sufficient: 1 John 1:7 

• Sin Shall Not Master You: Romans 6:14  

• Your Past Does Not Have To Haunt You: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 

Our past (i.e. our childhood), the ways we have been wronged, and the ways we have hurt others – these things do not have to be stumbling blocks for our growth as Bridal members. In fact, by God’s perfect grace, all these things can actually become building blocks to a greater victory and freedom.

Our heavenly Father enables us to keep all things within the view and doctrines of His sovereign hand. He gives us the wisdom to know the battle we are in is not evidence of defeat, but one of victory. By accepting His battle plan, we embrace the purpose of His plan for our daily living. He is able to give us a thankful heart as we battle in a war that He won. He allows these attacks to refine, deepen, mature, humble, and build our faith in walking after the Spirit.

It is critical that we ask for insight and understanding to know our victory, even before we engage in frontline activity. Our mindset of battle determines the outcome of each battle. If we go onto the battlefield with an attitude of weakness, our strength will be immediately robbed. 

However, if we enter the battlefield with the reality that we are invincibly strong:  

• through our union and sanctification in Christ  
• through the person and work of the Holy Spirit  
• through the wholeness of the armor He provides  

then, we cannot be defeated!

Next: Four Keys to Unlocking Our Victory

Claiming the Hebrew Victory Copyright © 2013 IOM America. Permission to reproduce for educational purposes. Please keep author’s name intact.

Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

#18 Tough Times Will Come

By  Dr. Stephen Phinney

Editorial note: Words in italics are from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete). 

“ ‘And Jesus answered and said to them (his disciples), “See to it that no one misleads you” ’ ” (Matt. 24:4, parentheses added). 

“ ‘For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will mislead many’ ’’ (Matt. 24:5).  

“ ‘You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end’ ” (Matt. 24:6).  

In Matthew 24:4, Christ foretells the going forth of deceivers. He begins with a caution, “See to it that no one misleads you.” The disciples expected to be told when these things should be, to be let in on that secret. But this caution only peaked their curiosity. Christ wanted the disciples to mind their duty, follow Him, and not be seduced from following Him. The fact is that Christ conceals much of the prophetic knowledge because of evildoers, not Bridal members. If Christ had revealed what the Father has concealed, the lawless men would use it to mislead many. Most inquisitive types need to be kept away from the secret things of God; for otherwise, they will use them to seduce. 2 Thess. 2:3 tells us: “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”  

Christ reveals that seducers are more dangerous enemies to the Church than persecutors. In this discourse, He mentions the appearing of false prophets three times. The appearing of these seducers was the occasion of dividing the people into parties and factions, which made their ruin the more easy and speedy; and the sin of the many that were led aside by them, helped to fill the measure. Secondly, it was a trial to the disciples of Christ, and therefore agreeable to their state of probation (trial), that they which are perfect, may be made manifest. This is the message for the Bride - that we would be perfected by staying on our toes.   

APOSTASY MUST COME  

Most conservative Christians are annoyed by other “Christians” who are liberal in their thinking – not believing the Word to be literal. In the end-times, many Bridal members will view the Word of God to be primarily “cultural” - not literal and absolute. Christ warned us of these times. By the way, we are in those times right now. This period of Christianity is called the Apostasy – there will, first, come a falling away. We may not be in the middle of the Great Apostasy, but we certainly are entering the warm-up phase.  

The primary evidence we need to watch for is the Bridal members becoming more offended by what Christ says than non-Christians. This is why the divorce rate in America is higher within the Christian church than it is in the world. The Bridal members are abusing the Scriptures to prove their “rights” as humans. This has become my overall experience, as a counselor, as I have much better working relationships with non-believers than I do most Christians. These are the “birth pangs” of apostasy.  

This apostasy will not be within civil government, but in spiritual or religious (Christ) matters, from sound doctrine, instituted worship and church government, and a holy (live by His absolutes) life. The apostle (Paul) speaks of a very great apostasy, not only of some converted Jews or Gentiles, but such as will be with Christians in general, though gradual. The purpose of the apostasy is to reveal the rise of the Antichrist, Satan. Take note of this: no sooner was Christianity planted and rooted in the world than there began to be a defection in the Christian church. Whenever God lays absolutes down, Satan starts an apostasy. It was so in the Old Testament church; presently after any considerable advance made in religion (Christianity) there followed a defection: soon after the promise there was revolting. The warning for those of us that believe God in what He says must be prepared for Satan to create in us a “falling away” each time we decide to “put our foot down.” Apostasy always follows covenant, unless blocked by embracing absolutes.  

James 1:2-4 tells us: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” The suffering state of the Bride of Christ in this world is represented in this passage. In a very instructive manner, if we attend to what is plainly and necessarily implied, together with what is fully expressed, we will experience joy.  

It is implied that troubles and afflictions may be the lot in life for most Christians, even those who have a “spoiled” or “overprotective” lifestyle. We can walk in a constant state of joy, yet endure very grievous afflictions. Joy does not mean living a pain-free life. The Bride of Christ must not think it strange if they encounter troubles. These outward afflictions and troubles can only provide a temptation to walk in despair; they cannot force us to give up our joy. Satan uses hardship and sufferings to draw men to sin and deter them from their duties as Bridal members.  

Our afflictions are in God's hands. They are intended for the trial and improvement of our walk in Christ. The only way to remove the impurities in raw gold is to purify it by fire. So it is with the Christians; we, too, must be baptized by fire. It is a part of our commitment to the Groom. Our trials may be of many and different kinds, and therefore we have need to put on the whole armor of God. We must be armed on every side, because temptations lie on all sides. The trials of a good man are such as he does not create to himself, nor sinfully pull upon himself. But they are oftentimes a result of a passionate love life with the Groom.  

Please take a few minutes to look up the stated verses.   

• Do Not Be Frightened About The End: Matt. 24:6
  
• Don’t Exchange Truth for Fear: Matt. 24:7
• These Things Are The Beginning of the End: Matt. 24:8  
• The Bride Delivered to Persecution: Matt. 24:9 
• Many Bridal Members Will Fall Away: Matt. 24:10
• Many Bridal Members Will Grow Cold: Matt. 24:11-12
• Members that Endure Shall Be Saved: Matt. 24:13
• After The Tribulation: Matt. 24:29
• Signs In The Sky: Matt. 24:30 
• Then He Will Gather His Bride: Matt. 24:31
• Learn From The Fig Tree: Matt. 24:32-36
• Be On Alert: Matt. 24:42-44

Next: Claiming the Hebrew Victory  

Tough Times Will Come Copyright © 2013 IOM America. Permission to reproduce for educational purposes. Please keep author’s name intact. 

James, chapter 1. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete), originally written 1706, public domain. 

Matthew, chapter 24. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete), originally written 1706, public domain. 

2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete), originally written 1706, public domain. 

All Scriptures, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.