Weekly Message: How to overcome a satanic attack and live in unity by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly Message: How to overcome satanic attack?

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries 6/15/2016 & 3/17/2024

 

                   Living in this Dark Age, and face spiritual warfare, weekly message today, "how to overcome a satanic attack and live in unity?" Listening to this biblical precepts and message, what Jesus urges His disciples in John 16:33 and what elements in Eph. 6 that can result in victorious life? it may intensify of your faith. We understand that evil intended to steal, destroy kill and create a sense of fear. In Jesus age, he urged His disciples, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world. (John16:33). In this era, we faced the same changeling of darkness forces of evil. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, we earnestly pray for peace, comforting and we encourage the brothers and sisters rest on God's promises and plans. As Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John14:27).

We lift up Jesus' prayers,

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from evil one. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me so that they may be ONE as we are ONE (v.11) My Prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me. Through their message, that all of them may be ONE. Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you, may they also be in us so that they world may believe that you have sent me… That they may be ONE as we are ONE. I in them and you in me, may they be brought to Complete UNITY...(John17:15,11,20-22). 

We do believe that "the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and he delivers them. And the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him on those whose hope is in his unfailing love." (Ps.34:7,18). We who follow Jesus Christ have an enemy, and his name is Satan (Mark1:13). A created being, Satan is loose in the world but limited in what he can carry out against us. Satan's schemes and intends to draw us away from God through both direct and subtle means. Satan intends to thwart God's purpose in our lives by getting us out of our Father's will. Or deny God His rightful glory and honor, which results from our choosing to live obedient lives. But Jesus said, "Take heart! I have overcome". Christians need to believe “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." (1 John4:4)

Today there continue to be many dividing walls between people. Human nature is no different in the modern age than it was in the first century: Power, pride, and privilege still dominate in the kingdom of darkness. Unfortunately, many dividing walls also exist in the Christian community. Yet, the gospel of Jesus Christ is just as powerful today in " Making the two into one new man, thus establishing peace".(Eph.2:15) It doesn't matter what the barriers are -we can overcome them by recognizing that we all have our access to the Father through the same Spirit. (Eph.2:18). As Apostle Paul spoke to the church in Ephesus, "now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall. (Eph.2:13-14). O Lord, so we pray... make us one and in unity.

 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of peacemakers (Matt.5:9) some people do have a way about them that brings peace wherever they go. All of us, however, can become peacemakers because, as 1 Corinthians7:15 says, "God has called us to peace." and " if possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." (Rom.12:18). Jesus made it clear that unity within the church is a top priority. It doesn't really matter whether we have offended others, or they have offended us in either case, we should take the initiative to be reconciled with our brothers. Even if a brother will not listen, we can still pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. (Rom.14:19)

              How to overcome a satanic attack? Christians need to know there are six items of God’s armor in Ephesians 6 in order to stand firm in this Dark Age and live a victorious Christians’ life. Let’s discover “breastplate of righteousness” (Eph.6:14), “the Gospel of peace” (Eph.6:15), “Helmet of salvation.” (Eph.6:17). And “The shield of faith” (Eph.6:16). To put on 

1) “the breastplate of righteousness” is to cover our conscience, signified by the breast. Satan is the one who accuses us. In fighting against him we need a conscience void of offense. Regardless of how clear we feel our conscience is, it needs to be covered with the breastplate of righteousness, to be righteous is to be right with bother God and man. If we are just a litter wrong with either God or man, Satan will accuse us and there will be holes in our conscience through which all our faith and boldness will leak out. Therefore, we need the covering of righteousness to protect us from the enemy’s accusation. Such righteousness is Christ.(1Cor.1:10).

2). “Gospel of peace” means the Christ made peace for us, with both God and man, on the cross, and this peace has become our gospel. This gospel of peace has been established as a firm foundation as a readiness with which our feet may be shod. Being thus shod, we will have a firm footing what we may stand to fight the spiritual warfare. The peace for such a firm foundation also is Christ.

3) “Helmet of salvation” is for covering our mind, our mentality against the negative thoughts shot in by the evil one. Such a helmet, such a covering is God’s salvation. Satan injects threats, worries, anxieties, and other weakening thoughts into our mind. God’s salvation is the covering that we take up against all these. Such a salvation is the saving Christ whom we experience in our daily life. 

In Eph.6:16 indicate that believers need to take up “the shield of faith”, with which they will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. “The flaming darts” are Satan’s temptations, proposals, doubts, questions, lies, and attacks. Flaming darts were used by fighters in the apostle’s time. The apostle used this term to illustrate Satan’s attacks on us. Therefore, believers need 4) “Shield of faith” to protect ourselves against the attacks of the enemy. And to have our loins girded with truth, our conscience covered with righteousness, our feet shod with peace, and our entire being protected with the shield of faith. If we live by God as reality (truth), we have righteousness. And righteousness issues in peace. Having all these, we can easily have faith as a shield against the evil one’s flaming darts. Christ is the Author and Perfecter of such faith. For us to stand firmly in the battle, we need to be equipped with all these four times of God’s armor.

            Through it all, God's intention to His people is good not evil. So that Christ may make His home in all the believers' hearts through faith. And being rooted and grounded in love. And be full of strength to apprehend with all the saints what the breadth and length and height and depth are. And to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, that all the saints may be filled unto all the fullness of God. For to Him who is able to do super abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power which operates in us. (Eph.6:17-20). For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father, of whom every family in the heavens and on earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man. That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith. (Eph.3:14-17).

Bibliography,

 Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3^rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press,2000.

Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.

Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1^st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.

       Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.