“24 but let him who
boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the
earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” ~ Jeremiah 9:24
I recall the time when I was in the army, and one of my fellow soldiers invited me to go to church with him. The car was packed with his church friends as they squeezed over to let us in. We hadn’t even cleared the parking lot when I felt attacked by these Bible-thumpers with the invasive questions. “Do you know Jesus?” “Do you know Jesus?”
Of course, I did. Rude. I went to Sunday School every Sunday morning as a child. I even received little paper awards for not missing a Sunday all month. I took part in the Christmas programs. I even went to an all-day meeting once; on my own accord, I might add. Of course, I know Jesus.
Well, if truth be told, I really didn’t know Him. I only knew about Him. And He didn’t know me. For the Scripture says that He will say to those on His left, depart from me, I never knew you. Knowing Jesus as your personal Savior is a whole lot different than knowing about Him. You may know who the President of the United States is, but you don’t know him in the sense of having a relationship with him. That’s how many of us are. We know of Jesus. We grew up in church. Sang in the choir, but we’re currently spiritually asleep, lacking a personal, intimate relationship with God. Leaving us with an impression of who we think He might be, who we want Him to be, or who the world tells us He is.
If you’re planning to spend eternity with someone, I suggest you get to know them, just as you would get to know your future spouse. Know their likes and dislikes. What makes them happy and what angers them. What they like to talk about and their favorite things. God is no different. He desires to be known by His people, and He will reveal Himself to those who diligently seek Him. But how do you seek? Read/study your Bible. Pray continually. Spend time in worship. Don’t just have an outward appearance of a relationship with God, only to have no connection to Him on the inside. Go for something more than an outward appearance. Go for a true relationship with Jesus.
“1 Behold, the Lord‘s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull,
that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a
separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face
from you so that he does not hear.” ~ Isaiah 59:1-2
A lot of the time, we pray to God, but there’s no answer. We go to church religiously, but there’s no Spiritual renewal. And when trouble comes, and we can’t hold on, we blame God. Praying to God doesn’t make you saved; even Satan talks to God. Going to church doesn’t make you saved; even demons go to church. When we get saved but don’t hold to the commands of Jesus, we fall asleep Spiritually.
God didn’t turn away from us. His hand didn’t shorten. His ear didn’t go deaf. But our sin that we refused to give up separated us from God. When we pray with hearts filled with sin, it’s like talking to someone but covering your face with a pillow; they can’t hear you or understand you. We separate ourselves from God but keep up a religious front as if that will justify the sins we’ve grown accustomed to and can’t live without.
Going to church doesn’t save you, praying doesn’t save you either, but combining those things with righteousness and living your life as Christ lived His will. Look at your life; is it a religious front? Or is it Spirit-filled?
“13 As for you,
brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” ~
2 Thessalonians 3:13
As Christians, we see the world and everything that we cannot do. Sometimes we look at them in envy. We look and see their grass, and we believe that it’s greener than ours. They seem to be more successful. Life seems easier. More tolerant. More likable. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; sometimes, that’s the Devil tricking you. Playing on all your flesh desires. Whispering in your ear, showing you all that you don’t have and will never have.
As Christians, we are under constant
Spiritual Attack. Paul writes, “do not grow weary of doing good.” In other
words, don’t grow tired or bored of following Jesus. Of being the good Christian.
Of turning the other cheek. Of living a morally sound life. Don’t get tired of
it. They may seem like their enjoying life now, but this life is only
temporary. What they have now, they can’t take with them to Eternity. Look towards
eternity, for your reward is great. This life and its troubles won’t last
forever. Look towards eternity. Build up treasure for yourself in Heaven, for
where your treasure is, so your heart is also.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Look Away From Their Grass.
“6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near; 7 let
the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him
return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will
abundantly pardon.” ~ Isaiah 55:6-7
We often believe that God will forever show us grace. No matter what we do. No matter what we say, God will always be there, but is that true? Will God always be there? Isaiah tells us to seek the LORD while He may be found. We expect God to always be there, just waiting for us to give Him a little of our attention. But God says to seek Him while He can be found. Today is the day of salvation; tomorrow is promised to no man. Seek the LORD before it’s too late. Before time runs out and you can no longer find Him. Wake from your Spiritual Slumber.
“4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” ~ 1 John 4:4
John said we have overcome because we are from God, with the Spirit of God living inside of us, and there is no power on earth that can match. Do you need power to overcome? There is power in the blood. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your LORD and Savior, you are empowered with the Holy Spirit. No matter what obstacle stands in your way, or what sin is keeping you in chains, you can overcome with the help of God, for you are not alone. Jesus overcame so we shall overcome as well.
Our Father, help us to forsake the wrong and choose the right. Teach us how to connect with your power so that we can indeed overcome, for there is forgiveness, healing, peace, and joy in your presence. Help us to receive today. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” ~ Matthew 7:7-8
Jesus is saying here that if you want something, you must pursue it. It does no good to say, “I want a good college education, but never study or do homework.” Or to say you want this or that but never fill out the application for it. Likewise, you can’t have the full blessing of God if you never seek the face of God. Let us determine this year to ask, seek, and knock.
Heavenly Father, please rebuke the spirit of procrastination and grant us the determination to ask, seek, and knock. So that our prayers and requests will be heard and answered. In Jesus name, amen.
The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit. As Christians, one of the first things we learn is the Armor of God. Paul tells us to put on the Full Armor of God, but do we really understand what the Armor of God is? Do we know why we are to put on the Armor in that order? Was it random that God gave us the Belt of Truth first? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find answers to these questions and more in our latest video, The Armor of God Pt. 1: What Is It?
Ephesians 6:10-18 Romans 10:9 Ephesians 4:30 John 16:13 John 8:31-32 Leviticus 20:5-6 Ezekiel 6:9 Ezekiel 20:30 Ephesians 5:25-27 Titus 3:4-7 Jeremiah 17:9-10 Matthew 15:18-20 Galatians 5:22-23 John 14:26-27 Matthew 14:28-33 Luke 10:17-19 Hebrews 11:6 Ephesians 2:8 Hebrews 11:1 Luke 8:11-15 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 1 Peter 5:8 Revelation 1:16 John 4:25 Hebrews 4:12 Ephesians 6:12
What is the Armor of God?
Prayers To Put on The Armor of God
The Armor of God is compiled of six different pieces of armor: The Belt of Truth; The Breastplate of Righteousness; The Gospel of Peace; The Shield of Faith; The Helmet of Salvation; The Sword of the Spirit.
A.G.: The Belt of Truth
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:16-18
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 16:13
A.G.: Breastplate of Righteousness
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 7:1-3
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10
A.G.: The Shoes of The Gospel of Peace
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
John 14:26-28
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33
A.G.: The Shield of Faith
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:8
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
A.G.: The Helmet of Salvation
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
A.G.: The Sword of the Spirit
24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth.
John 4:25
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” ~ Ephesians 6:10-18
Since the war we are fighting is a spiritual one, let us get
spiritually ready with our spiritual armor on and march boldly into the enemy’s
camp and take back that which he has stolen from us. Let’s take back our
families, our children, our peace, our joy, and our happiness. Let’s take back
our finances, our health, our creativity. We are children of the Most High God.
Therefore we are more than conquerors! We are mighty upon the earth! We are
victorious!
Our Heavenly Father, I come to you this morning on behalf of the saints, which are Your people. I pray for spiritual and financial breakthroughs today, for victories, and for the unity of families. Give back to Your people what the devil has stolen from them, O’ our God, and place them in positions of authority that they may take their rightful stand and bring You glory.
From haunted houses to horror movies, we, as a people, have become obsessed with the supernatural, specifically possession. We see girls’ heads turn all the way around, people levitate, get telekinetic abilities all because of demon-possession, but are any of that even real? Is demon-possession real at all? Does the Bible validate the notion of people being possessed by demons and levitating or their head spinning all the way around?
If demon-possession is real, what does it look like? If we haven’t experienced something for ourselves, oftentimes, we find ourselves relying on what we’ve seen and what we’ve heard to understand a subject, even if the source is fiction. We see the words ‘based on a true story,’ and we automatically assume that every portrayal in that movie (or book) is accurate, but is that true? Is demon-possession just like in the movies?
What about Christians? If demon-possession is real, can Christians be demon-possessed? How can God live in us if we are possessed by an evil spirit? The two just seem to contradict. God can’t be where evil is. Right? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to answer these questions and more.
Luke 13:10-13 Mark 9:17-29 Matthew 11:4-6 John 9:1-7 John 5:2-9 1 Kings 18:28 Job 2:7-10 Genesis 12 Genesis 20 Mark 5:1-15 Acts 19:11-16 Acts 16:16-19 1 Samuel 28:8-14 Luke 13:16 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 Colossians 2:13-15 Isaiah 53:5-6
Demon-Possession: The Spirit of Infirmity
14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.
Luke 11:14-16
32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
Matthew 9:32-34
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28
Non-Demonic Infirmity
25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 5:25-34
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”
50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Mark 10:46-52
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Mark 1:40-45
1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:1-11
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
Matthew 9:27-31
Demon-Possession: Cutting and Self-Mutilation
1You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 14:1-2
28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:28
Demon-Possession: Violent and Supernatural Strength
9 Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10 And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
1 Samuel 19:9-10
22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech.
Judges 9:22-26
Demon-Possession: The Spirit of The Occult
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem will I put my name.”
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.
2 Kings 21:1-7
9 When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
2 Kings 17:16-18
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.”
Daniel 4:4-9
Explanation:
Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, had a dream that troubled him deeply, so he went to his magicians and his enchanters, all those who were demon-possessed or filled by a Spirit of The Occult, but none of them could tell him his dream. Because of this, he had to go to Daniel because he knew that the Spirit of God rested upon and Daniel. So, if no one else could determine the meaning of the dream, he knew Daniel could because he knew Daniel’s God could.
During the time of Moses, Pharaoh also had demon-possessed men who were magicians able to imitate some of the works of God that Moses did. Exodus 7:10-12, “10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.”
Christians and Demon-Possession and Demonic Legalism
There is a Christian who used to dabble in the occult, but then she found Jesus and accepted His Salvation. She even was filled with the Holy Spirit, but the demonic realm still had a legal tie over her life because she didn’t cast out that demon. Here’s her story.
1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.”
5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.”
Zechariah 3:1-7
Explanation:
This has to occur before the Final Judgment because Joshua has not yet been changed into his immortal, pure, perfect body. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). So, this has to before The Final Judgment, and yet, Satan, the Accuser, is accusing a Christian in the Courts of Heaven.
Satan The Accuser:
Satan is constantly accusing the Church, if all ties are broken the moment that you accept Salvation what is he accusing you of? 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” (Revelation 12:10)
Peter’s Warning To The Church:
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8-11)
Healing Is The Children’s Bread:
26 And He answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)
24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
In the Church today, we see ourselves having one enemy and one enemy alone, Satan or The Devil. We don’t see other spirits mentioned in the Bible as other enemies, such as Beelzebul or Leviathan. We see all spirits as the same being, unlike the early Church and our Forefathers of the faith. One of the most overlooked enemies of the Church is Belial. In the Bible, Paul even asks what Christ and Belial have in common. We’ve read his name once or twice, but we have no idea who he is or how to identify him. In fact, most of us just categorize Belial as another name for Satan or Lucifer, but are they the same being? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture to find the Truth behind this ominous spirit in our video, The Spirit of Belial.
2 Corinthians 6:15 Deuteronomy 13:13 2 Samuel 20:1 1 Samuel 2:12 Judges 19:22-26 1 Kings 21 Romans 1:28-32
The Spirit of Belial
Some Traits of The Sons (Children) of Belial in The Bible
Throughout the Bible, specifically the Old Testament, the LORD gives us examples of the Sons or Children of Belial and their characteristics or actions. In other words, people with these different kinds of character traits often suffer from these flaws are often oppressed by a spirit of Belial.
They Are Evil
12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? 13 Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.” But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.
Judges 20:12-13
They Are Alcoholics
13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”
1 Samuel 1:13-16
They Reject God-Ordained Authority
20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” 23 Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25 Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. 26 Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
1 Samuel 10:20-27
Deeper Explanation
The Spirit of Belial causes people to reject not only God but also reject those whom God has ordained and/or sent to them. This is especially dangerous because if you reject God, there’s still hope because someone can still teach you and lead you to Christ, but if you reject both God and those who God has sent, how can you ever be saved?
No One Can Speak To Them
14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”
1 Samuel 25:14-17
Deeper Explanation
The Bible gives us the example of Nabal, a king that wasn’t necessarily evil, as an example of having the Spirit of Belial or being a Son of Belial. The reason the Bible refers to Nabal as a Son of Belial is because he refuses to listen to correction or wise council. Here’s the problem with this, if we always reject correction, then we’ll never know the Truth. No one gets every single thing right, which is why we need Godly correction. We need to understand that God sends people to correct us in love so that on Judgment Day, He may find no flaw in us.
They Are Foolish
23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
1 Samuel 25:23-25
They Are Selfish
20 David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, “This is David’s spoil.” 21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them.
22 Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” 23 But David said, “You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24 Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.”
