Overcoming the stings of witchcraft. By the precious blood of the Lamb. No one will fight to win if they do no believe victory is possible. Many teachings that declare the church's defeat before Christ return have been promulgate. Yet the whole prophetic testimony of scripture is the Lord, the church, and the truth are going to prevail. Yet the whole prophetic testimony of scripture is that the Lord, the church, and the truth are going to prevail. Satan indeed being cast down to the earth bringing with him a time of trouble like the world has never known before — but we will still win!
According to google,
1. Stings - A carefully planned operation typically one involving deception.
2. Witchcraft, the practice of magic, especially black magic, the use of spells, and hypnotism, children and goods were believed to be vulnerable to the witchcraft of jealous neighbors.
3. Spiritism or spiritualism, a system of belief or religious practice based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead, especially through mediums.
I. Introduction
Consider what the Bible says about witchcraft. It may surprise you to learn that what the world so call witchcraft is not always one in the same as what the Bible calls witchcraft. For example, when you think of witchcraft you probably think of black magic or conjuring the dead. Those abominations are covered in the Bible. But witchcraft is not always so mysterioys. Indeed, rebellion, word curses and works of the flesh also fall into the realm of witchcraft. However, practicing witchcraft is a serious sin, and far more Christians are experts at sorcery than you may realize.
II. Topics to be discuss : The stings of witchcraft
1. Discouragement - this never comes from God. He is the author of faith and the source of hope which never disappoints. Although God does discipline us when we need it, He never does so by afflicting us with discouragement.
a) opposite - Discouragement is the opposite of love, joy, peace and other attributes of the Holy Spirit's fruit
b) rejection - we must learn to quickly reject discouragement, giving it no place in our thoughts.
c) captivity - We must tenaciously resist it, taking every thought captive to obey Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5)
2. Confusion - In 1Cor 14:33, So we can know for certain that when confusion strikes, it is not coming from Him.
a) Training. In the military, confusion is one of a primary elements of battle that the soldier is trained to handle. Nothing ever goes exactly as plan, there will rarely be a battle where there is not confusion.
b) Advantage. The disciplined soldier who understands this aspect of warfare learn to use the confusion to his own advantage. He does not let increase his discouragement, but begin to anticipate it, looking for an opportunity to gain an advantage over the enemy.
c) resolve. We must learn to expect confusion as part of the battle & not be surprised or affected by it. Our resolve to stand and fight will quickly dispel this aspect of the attack.
3.) Depression. God told Cain the most effective remedy for depression. Then the Lord said.to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen (the ancient expression for depression)? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door, and it's desire is for you but you must master it. (gen 4:6-7)
4.) lost of vision. "Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" (Prov. 29:18) This attack can also be turned to our advantage and used as an opportunity.
A) Recommit - when we begin to lose our vision, we must recommit ourselves to strengthened our vision more than ever.
B) Direction. We must hold our counsel. We should. Not change our direction until we can clearly see the new course.
C) Clarity. As we hold our course, keep moving forward. Soon, it will break out a clarity of our vision.
5) Disorientation. Every believer who enters spiritual conditions of reduced visibility, (spiritual clouds) usually rely to their feelings, for guidance, and thefore lose control.
a) walk by faith. We do not walk by feelings, but by faith in the sure testimony of the Word of God.
b) The Word. The word of God will keep us oriented and on course if we put our trust in it. Even when our feelings may tell us to do otherwise.
6. Withdrawal - when you are being pressed in a battle, you can't call a time out. On the front line, we can't ask the enemy to stop the battle because we have a headache or want to take a break.
a) vulnerable. Every christian is at the front line everyday whether they like it or not. Our enemy won't stop when we call a time out. It is when we start to consider ourselves, civilian, or not a soldier, that we will be the most vulnerable to his attack.
b) Front line. However, when we know we're on the front, even our breaks are taken with vigilance, because we realize that fresh attack can come at any time. Christians must never remove their
c) Strategic Retreat. In time of warfare, there are occasion when strategic retreat is necessary. At times, we may over-committing ourselves spiritually and must draw back but that isn't the same as withdrawing from the battle.
d) Repent. Even when we discover that in a certain matter we have acted presumptuously, without being commissioned by God, we must not quit — we should repent.
e) Difference. There is a difference between quitting and stopping because of repentance. The first is defeat. The latter is an adjustment that will always result in further victories.
f) Sets us free. Repentance comes because of the truth that sets us free. Defeat will result in a spiritual bondage to the power of the enemy.
7. Despair. We are social creatures and when we widraw from fellowship we usually sink into the deepest pit of hopelessness, despair. At this point in the downward spiral, we must return to fellowship and get help in reversing the slide, or else we will be defeated.
A) remedy. As simple as this may seem, it's the remedy. Even though fellow believers can be the source of the enemy's attack on us, we must never run away from the church.
b) work out. We must rather ran to it and work out our problems until they are resolved.
8. Defeat. Even if satan's stings of witchcraft have brought such devastation to our lives that we are temporarily defeated, we must see that God can still bring us to ultimate victory.
a) Not destroy - paul commented to the Corinthians that he had been, " struck down but not destroyed" (2 cor 4:9)
b) Regaining victory. At one point, Paul faced such severe attack that he despaired even of life. But through it all he learned that the secret of regaining victory was not trusting in himself but I'm God who raised the dead. (2 Cor 1:9)
Conclusion. Paul wrote in 1 Cor 15:57, Thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And but in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)
Therefore, defeat is not an option in Christ. We will gain victory in that which He has called us to do. The only way we can be defeated is to quit.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!