Evil forces surround us. Spiritual Warfare is going on whether we choose to accept that truth or not. Demonic spirits are at war for your minds and have been ever since Satan first whispered his lies to Eve so long ago. Paul warned us of this truth in Ephesians 6:12 we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
What with all that has been going on, we must awaken and see the reality that evil forces surround us. They seek to control by gaining control of human thoughts. This they achieve easily through first watering down truth, instilling lies, and through subtle suggestions presented in everything we watch, read, and are taught. Then, once they have the mind programmed with fear, confusion, relativism, pride, and a false self-awareness, they easily get people to act. Having invaded the thoughts, those perpetrating the evil even believe they are doing it for the good of all the world. Therefore, whatever their actions and whatever it takes, they willingly do for the good of mankind. Or so they think. Blinded to the truth, they no longer can distinguish right from wrong; but genuinely believe they are the creators of truth and all must agree with them.
It is evident evil forces have invaded our schools, our societies, our nation, our churches, and our lives because we silently stood by and allowed this to happen. So, what now? I propose there are 7 steps that every follower of Christ must do for us individually and then as a nation to have victory over evil forces.
Is God Really Listening?
The Bible throughout has warned us about this spiritual warfare from Genesis through Revelation. It has presented to us through examples, instructions, and direct commands how we gain victory over demonic influence and evil forces. Never forget. God IS Sovereign and has won the victory. Our current situation is not hopeless, nor are we helpless.
Daniel mourned greatly and prayed for his people. Indeed, for three weeks he ate no food, drank nothing, and did not even bathe or dress himself. He remained in constant prayer with great sorrow.
The angel Gabriel delayed in arriving with God’s answer. Yet, he explained:
“O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” (Daniel 10:11-14 NKJV)
Although everything appeared to be lost and all hope had faded, God was in control and revealed His plan to Daniel when it was time to reveal it. This is when He told Daniel of Christ’s coming foretelling it down to the exact day He rode into Jerusalem.
7 Steps to Proclaim Victory Over Evil Forces
There are 7 steps to proclaim victory over evil forces.
- Recognize Evil—which you cannot do of your own strength and knowledge. Therefore, you must continue.
- Study God’s Word
- Prayer
- Bind Evil—Demand it be revealed and bound in the Name of Jesus
- Remember God is in Control and has already won
- Put on all the armor of God
- Praise God for the victory is won
So, let us delve deeper into each of these steps.
Recognize Evil
This might sound an easy task; however, it is not. Particularly it is difficult in our post-modern society where right seems wrong and wrong is proclaimed as right. Or perhaps it is not a new phenomenon. Afterall is that not what God accused people of throughout. The children of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years until an entire generation died. They were then commanded: You shall not at all do as we are doing here today every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8 NKJV).
All too often, what we hear, “sounds good”; but only leads to evil taking hold of our minds and hearts. Example: “Well surely God wants you to be happy and it won’t hurt anyone if you accept the policies of abortion. After all we cannot force our ideas on others. The party supporting this portray themselves caring. So, you are just being too judgmental. Or sexual freedom. Why does God want us to not be fulfilled? Even if that means sacrificing babies and families on the altar of physical desire. Worshipping the body instead of God.”
The problem is all these ideas are filtered into our brains through TV shows, education, big tech, and everything we see around us. Sometimes we feel we must fall in line, because it seems the power, they have is greater than our power to fight it.
But how has that worked in the past? Remember the days of Noah or Sodom and Gomorrah. Or do you remember Stalin? Hitler? Everyone marching to a better society. Yet, once power of thought is given over to these ideologues, the evil forces have won a society or a nation. So, open your eyes wide, awaken and stand on truth.
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Study God’s Word
God says: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)
But how do we distinguish good from evil with so many evil forces bombarding our brains all day, every day? Even more so with so much media surrounding us.
The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Therefore, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness (2 Timothy 2:15-16).
With my whole heart I have sought You. Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord!
Teach me Your statutes. (Psalm 11: 10-12 NKJV)
Proverbs 2:
My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.
10 When wisdom enters your heart,
And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11 Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 Who rejoice in doing evil.
In other words, study God’s word and He will show you wisdom. Example: the more I study God’s word, the more often I find my spirit bristle at vanities, sinful speech and even the subtle anti-God rhetoric hidden within even the children’s shows and movies we consider safe.
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Prayer:
Our greatest power exists in prayer. It guides us and opens the gates of heaven to intervene. Yes, God already knows what will happen. But that is because He also already knows when we will cry out to Him in prayer. Remember God is outside of time/space as we know it. He knows all things in advance; yet, at the same time He enters time/space constraints with us. Therefore, we are commanded to pray. Furthermore, we have been given great examples of prayers that God has responded to. Jesus, Himself God, set an example of prayer throughout His ministry here on earth. If the very son of God needed to begin and end His day in prayer and communion with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need to.
Jesus prayed for our protection from the evil forces around us. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (John 17:14-15 NKJV).
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (I Peter 3:12)
if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 12:4).
Daniel, Moses, and Jesus did not cease praying, neither should we. This is our power to overcome evil forces-God’s Power.
Bind Evil in the Name of Jesus
Jesus told the disciples to beware of the leavening in the bread.
12 Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees… 16 Simon Peter answered,[q] “You are the Christ,[r] the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him,[s] “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood[t] did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock (what rock?—the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God He is our rock, our fortress, the chief cornerstone) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[u] will not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven (Matthew 16 NKJV).
And again, He tells us, “18 “I tell you the truth,[ac] whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19 Again, I tell you the truth,[ad] if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.[ae] 20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18 NKJV)
So, how do we bind evil forces? 1. We speak truth from God’s words 2. Then we pray 3. And we believe as we proclaim in Jesus name that the evil forces be bound in hell—shouting, Be Gone Satan in the name of Jesus!
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Remember God is in Control and has already won against evil forces
18 For thus says the Lord,
Who created the heavens,
(AND) Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
(and) established it,
(He) did not create it [a]in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
19 (Neither have I) spoken in secret,
In a dark place of the earth;
I did not say to the seed of Jacob,
‘Seek Me [b]in vain’;
I, the Lord, speak righteousness,
I declare things that are right…
21 there is no other God besides Me,
A just God and a Savior;
There is none besides Me.
22 “Look to Me, and be saved,
All you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
23 I have sworn by Myself;
The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,
And shall not return,
That to Me every knee shall bow,
Every tongue shall take an oath. (Isaiah 45)
I am God, and there is no other.
(No other name by which men can be saved)
I am God, and there is none like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure (Isaiah 46: 9-10)
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (I Corinthians 15).
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Put On the Armor of God to Overcome Evil Forces
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the [b]wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [c]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 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.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6 NKJV)
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Praise God for the Victory against Evil Forces
O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
2 Awake, lute and harp!
I will awaken the dawn.
3 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
4 For Your mercy is great above the [a]heavens,
And Your truth reaches to the clouds.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,
And Your glory above all the earth;
6 That Your beloved may be delivered,
Save with Your right hand, and [b]hear me.
7 God has spoken in His holiness:
“I will rejoice; (Psalm 108).
And if He delays, He has a bigger plan—bigger than we can ever imagine. He will accomplish all that He desires and plans which will ultimately display His Glory to its fullest to we His children and to all nations. That we know for certain.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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Disclosures
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2020
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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