Roaring Lion: Spiritism In Borneo Challenged by the Power of Christ (1968) by Robert Peterson, Book Review

Roaring Lion: Spiritism In Borneo Challenged by the Power of Christ (1968) by Robert Peterson

 
This is an exciting book by Robert Peterson, a missionary in Borneo (particularly in Kalimantan) who has seen the Lord at work in the lives of many Chinese and some Malays who settle there. During this time (and still is), there were many customs and practices common to the animistic tribes of the islands. Spiritism and demon worship occupied a major place in their daily lives. All this while, Satan, that adversary who prowled around like a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), boldly manifested his unchallenged dominion over them. But that won’t be long, because when Christ’s faithful servants like Robert Peterson went there and preached the gospel of peace, darkness became light and our true King, “the Lion of Judah” (Revelations 5:5), reigned mightily. George M. Steed writes, “We believe it is not just coincidental that when the Lord’s servants commenced openly to challenge the power of darkness and, in the name of our victorious Lord, command the demons to come out of the possessed ones, the gates of hell began to yield and captives were set free.”

Of course, we must not believe there are demons under every bush, but we must not deny the existence and influence of demons in our world today either. The supernatural is natural in the spiritual realm. If you believe in God, then recognizing the reality of Satan and demons shouldn’t be a problem. But the sad fact is that so many Christians have little knowledge of spiritual warfare, or even if they do, they tend to ignore it. Based on my experiences and, more importantly, from the Scripture, we must remember that: “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). As the author puts it, we must know a little better the ‘depths of Satan', and by knowing, we are able to ‘fight the good fight of faith.’

What I like about this book is that Peterson began the story by describing his failures in dealing with demon activities. After many encounters, risks, and mistakes, he started to examine the Scripture about the issue and progressively learned how to deal with it effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God. The stories he told were very interesting because they reminded me of my own experiences during church mission trips to the interior parts of Sarawak many years ago. Read this book and know that God already gives us the weapons (for example, read Ephesians 6:13–20). The chief among them is that Christ is with and in us. “Many truths in the Word of God are a source of strength in our warfare against Satan, but the realization of the indwelling Christ and a day-by-day acknowledgement, acceptance, and utilization of this truth will set us on the victory road and keep us there,” writes Peterson. “Christ has never been and can never be defeated by Satan.” Amen.

#LeadersAreReaders #RoaringLion #TheLionOfJudah #Satan #JesusChrist #IndwellingChrist #RobertPeterson #BorneoForChrist #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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9 Powerful Quotes from Derek Prince's War In Heaven

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Lord, Heal My Tongue: 6 Diseases of the Tongue (Part 5/9)

We have studied an example from the Old Testament that illustrates how "death and life are in the power of the tongue." We learned that the right use of the tongue will impart life, and, conversely, the wrong use will impart death. Now we will consider certain specific diseases that affect our tongues. These six (6) diseases that commonly infect our lives through the misuse of our tongues can, in some cases, be fatal if left unchecked.

[This is a reading from Derek Prince's Does Your Tongue Need Healing? (1986) by Derek Prince Ministries International. Published by Whitaker House] #ServeToLead #HealMyTongue

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Lord, Heal My Tongue: Out of the Heart It Overflows (Part 2/9)

There is a direct connection between the heart and the mouth. Jesus states, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good words; an evil man, out of the evil treasure in his heart brings forth evil words" (read Matthew 12:33-37). If the heart is good, then out of the mouth or tongue will come words that are good. But if the heart is evil, then out of the mouth will come words that are evil. Does your tongue need healing?

[This is a reading from Derek Prince's Does Your Tongue Need Healing? (1986) by Derek Prince Ministries International. Published by Whitaker House] #ServeToLead #HealMyTongue

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Timothy, Some Will Turn Away from the True Faith a.k.a. Apostate (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

"Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer"

(1 Timothy 4:1-5, NLT)

The New Testament warns and church history demonstrates that holding the truth and maintaining the purity of the Gospel is not easy. As H.A. Ironside, Bible teacher, once commented: "Men would accept antichrist instead of the Christ of God." This is true then as it is today. The apostle Paul now instructs Timothy – now instructs us – to be on guard of what is ahead. Paul begins by writing that "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly…" (“expressly" or "explicitly"). They have been warned! The Holy Spirit has made it clear that in "the last times" (this term is different from the "last days" or "last hour") – during Paul's times – "some will turn away from the true faith" or apostate. This is sad. You and I know those who have been departed from the true faith in Jesus Christ either by choice, force, desperation, marriage, and lack of Christian witness on our part. But there is more…

The influence of evil spirits. "They will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons." These evil spirits are ever active in seeking to turn many away from the faith "that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people" (Jude 3). It is interesting that whenever someone departs from the faith, he will give heed to deceptive or seductive spirits and the doctrine of demons. This shows the real source of false doctrine. Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12 that "we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but… against evil spirits in the heavenly places." The Devil (and his evil spirits) "is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44) and is actively engaged in combating the faith of Christ. Behind Islam, one of the main religions that act against Christianity, for example, is not men of intellect or ‘holy' religious leaders, but the Devil who "always hated the truth" (John 8:44). We are not at war with the Muslims ("we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood") but with the Devil and his armies. This is not a Christian vs. Islam, this is Truth vs. Lie! Focus on the real enemies!

First, the departure from the truth. Then, the Deceiver deceives them to follow false doctrines and in turn, they deceived others. By doing this they being deceived themselves. And so it makes sense that "these people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead." They reached the place where conscience no longer responded to the voice of God. Paul told Timothy earlier that Christ-followers must "live with a clear conscience" (1 Timothy 3:9). Have you ever meet someone who has known the truth, witnessed God's miracle and healing power performed in the name of Jesus, and saw much evidence of Christ's Lordship and divinity in the Scripture and still don't believe? Don't be surprised because "their consciences are dead"! Due to inner spiritual emptiness, they turn to outer laws. "It is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods," they said. Nowadays, nuns, monks, and priests had to take a vow not to marry, is this what Paul was referring to here? Not eating certain foods on certain days, is this not the teaching of demons too? Beware!

Nothing that God has created is to be rejected as being evil. Marriage is good (see Hebrews 13:4) and nothing God made for food is to be rejected (see Matthew 15:11). You may throw something away because you don't like it, but not because it is evil. These things used for food are "made acceptable by the word of God and prayer" in a sense that they are recognized by Christ's followers as being "made holy" or "sanctified" for our good by God. Of course, this comes through proper instruction from His Word and from our receiving them from His hand through prayer. Jesus set the example in this when He returned thanks before feeding the multitude and on other occasions.

Kevin Pier, a fellow blogger in kevinpierpoint.com, ends his article on 1 Timothy 4:1-6 this way, I quote: “There is a lot of gift-wrapped garbage in these days. We need to be on our guard that false teaching does not take place in God’s church. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you need to take care that you have not been led astray and deceived by those who are teaching things contrary to the Word of God. You need to be sure you aren’t hypocritical in your own life. The only way we can stand firm is to be students of God’s Word.” And then he ends with this question, “Are you a student of God’s Word?”

The same Holy Spirit (4:1) that warns us about these things is also able to keep us faithful.

Ask and pray for guidance and strength from Him.

“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth” (John 14:17). Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

I read this book as soon as I finished Francis McNutt's Deliverance from Evil Spirits (see the previous book review). This book came as a surprise to me. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. If truth be told, I went into it a bit critical and skeptical. I'm just not one to subscribe to all these manifesting spiritual things. But the way the book was written, you know that Don Basham was really experiencing this. For what reason he was 'chosen' to deal with this phenomenon events is another story (though he wrote the details of how he called into this ministry. But by him coming from a completely conservative background to be thrown in the midst of manifestations of evil, is quite bizarre and had me thinking a lot. The book was well written on this subject and I learned a lot.

The "censored quarter of Christ's ministry," in Basham's estimation, is the part involving evil spirits or demons. He claims that one-quarter of Christ's ministry was devoted to deliverance ministry, yet the Christian church - during his day and even today - often chooses to ignore it totally or partially (or avoid this topic altogether). Basham has spent years counseling people with chronic problems and addictions. But throughout the course of his work, he was amazed to discover that exercising authority over demons could achieve in an instant what months of personal counseling often failed to do (not that he discounted the counselling ministry. Not all sickness and problems caused by demons but mostly are, said the author. We must be careful, of course). And so deliverance became not a fearful thing to him, but a thing of hope and reassurance. Don believes that "the ministry he now understands means more than (just) deliverance 'from' evil, it means deliver 'into' health and well-being." With real-life stories and vast experiences, the writer hooked me into reading this book to the end. Very good!

This book is now updated (this one is the first published version) and had a new title, "A Pastor's Reluctant Encounters with the Power of Darkness." I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about this subject.

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Jesus: Master of God's Domain

God hasn’t kept the ending a secret. He wants us to see the big picture. He wants us to know that He wins. And He also wants us to know that the evil we witness on the stage of life is not as mighty as we might think.

Many passages teach these truths, but my favourite is a couple of verses recorded by Luke. Jesus speaks the words on the night before His death. He is in the upper room with His followers. They are shocked to hear His prophecy that one of them will betray the Master. Their defensiveness leads to an argument, and the argument leads to Jesus to exhort them to servanthood.

Then in an abrupt shift, Jesus turns to Simon Peter and makes this intriguing statement: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32, NKJV).

This passage gives us a glimpse into an unseen world. It raises many questions, but it also affords many assurances, the chief of which is the chain of command. God is clearly in control, and the devil is on a short leash. Did you notice the verb that followed Satan’s name? Ask. “Satan has asked…”

The devil didn’t demand, resolve, or decide. He asked. Just as he requested permission to tempt Job, he requested permission to tempt Simon Peter. Sort of recasts our image of the old snake, doesn’t it? Instead of the mighty Darth Vader of Gloom, a better caricature is a skinny, back-alley punk who acts tough, but ducks fast when God flexes. “Uh, uh… I’d… uh… like to do a number on Peter – that is, if you don’t mind.” The chain of command is clear. Satan does nothing outside of God’s domain, and God uses Satan to advance the cause of His kingdom.

[Taken from When Christ Comes by Max Lucado]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Holds Us Secure: Three Great Assurances from God (1 John 5:18-21, End)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts”

(1 John 5:18-21, NLT).

The Apostle John highlighted three important “we know” statements at the end of his letter. First, we know that we can be freed from the power of sin. This doesn’t mean that we never sin but we “do not make a practice of sinning” or habitually sinning anymore. We do not have to be helpless slaves to sin; it does not have to be a constant habit. Even though in reality the devil is dangerously active in this world and his power is great, we are assured that Jesus is more powerful and greater! He is with us and for us, no matter what happens. Jesus holds us “secured,” and that is why “the evil one cannot touch” us!

Second, we know that we draw our very existence from God. God is like our life support system. We receive all that we are and have from God, even though we know that Satan has tremendous power in “the world around us” (for a while). Many people are under the influence of the evil one. They have chosen to live their lives apart from God. Know that the Bible only divides the people of the world into two groups: light and darkness. Either a person chooses to live with and for God, or for the powers of evil in this world. There is no third choice. So, with God on our side, there is really no battle too great or disappointment too large that can cause us to be defeated. “We are” – after all – “children of God.”

Third, we know that we believe in the true God. There certainly are many counterfeit gods today. But we know that through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can “know the true God.” One way we know this is that our God does not make us feel confused, instead, He gives us “understanding.” In other words, being a Christian doesn’t mean that we have to put our minds in neutral and commit intellectual suicide (or blind faith or simpleton faith). Nor do we have to be obsessed with unanswerable issues (complex theological and philosophical arguments). The truth of God and about God requires faith-understanding, and thus it stimulates our thinking so we will know what is fundamentally right (or wrong) and true (or false), especially as we face false teachings and false gods. But notice that we not only know God, we are also “live in” God. It means we not only have an acquaintance with God but also live in fellowship in/with Him and He in us. This is a much deeper experience than a mere passing acquaintance might be. “We live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ.”

Then John ends his letter with the affectionate phrase: “Dear children…” John’s love reflects God’s love for all of us, His children. This is wonderful! He then challenges us to “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in [our] hearts” (In Greek it translation simply: “Keep yourselves from idols”). In John’s time, it mainly refers to physical images of false gods but today it can also refer to the influences of false faiths around us; in education, religions, social media, etc. John wants us to avoid counterfeit gods – anything or anyone that claims our values, our time, our relationships, and our hearts from “the only true God.” We must avoid anything that denies Jesus Christ of His full deity and humanity, any human idea that claims to be more authoritative than the Bible, or any royalty that replaces God at the center of our lives. Therefore, “Keep yourselves away from idols!” with the exclamation mark “!!!”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Command: Pray on Behalf of Sinning Brother and Sister In Christ (1 John 5:16-17)

“If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sins, but not every sin leads to death”

(1 John 5:16-17, NLT).

“If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning… you should pray.” As our faith grows, we should go beyond the concerns we have about ourselves and pray for others. This is called the intercession prayer. If we pray only about our own needs, as important as these needs may be, we can become quite self-centered and not see how great and privileged it is to be a part of the growth of other people as well. As we learn to pray for others, we become more sensitive about their needs and will keep in touch with them so we know what their needs are.

And not only do we pray about the needs of others; we should be willing to be a means or channel through which God can answer our prayers. In case this is a new thought for you, let me share an example: Let’s say that you find out that a friend is suffering from the loss of a job and an illness. You have heard that he or she has very little food or money at home. So you share these concerns with God, and you pray that God will provide for their needs, so they won’t go hungry and thus will not sin against God for the situations that he or she experiencing now. After praying such a prayer, you can ask yourselves, “In what way would God like me to be the way that an answer is provided? How can I become the answer to my own prayer?” You could buy him or her dinner, or you could help to find a job, or you could offer to care (if need be) until he or she gets better, etc.

What is amazing about this process, then, is that prayer does not become a closet activity in which we withdraw from people and think only ‘heavenly’ thoughts. As we pray about the needs of others we are drawn back into loving others. So, Lord Jesus Christ is the connecting link between ourselves and others. As we feel loved by Jesus and as our prayers are answered, we grow in our ability to love and care for others. This is especially true when it comes to praying for our “Christian brother or sister” whom we knowingly “sinning” and commit “wicked actions” against God. We must pray for and at the same time, love and lead him or her back in the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle James was very clear with this: “If someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about many forgiveness of many sins” (James 5:19-20). As we “pray” earnestly and be open to being used by God in this way, He “will give that person life” [This promise applies in the context of brothers and sisters in Christ]. 

However, the part of this section that may be less clear involves what John calls: “…a sin that leads to death.” Exactly what this means has been debated for centuries until now. But let me try, in a simple way: We know that God has promised to forgive us our sins when we confess them and ask for forgiveness (read 1 John 1:9 again). But there is one attitude – only one – that seems to cut oneself off from God. Jesus talks about this sin as being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (read Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:29). This kind of sin that “leads to death” is the sin that says the work of Jesus is the work of Satan or origin from Satan, imply that Satan is really more powerful than God, and that evil is more powerful and maybe even is  – preferable to what is good and true. To talk and live like that is to live a life in spiritual ruin. So, John is saying “there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it” – because it is useless to pray for them since they already decided willingly that everything that Jesus did and done is attributed to evil one. Don’t do it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil (1 John 3:8-10)

“But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practise of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God”

(1 John 3:8-10, NLT).

The Apostle John goes on to make it very clear that the devil is the mastermind of this problem of sin. Just as love and obedience are evidence that a person belongs to Jesus Christ, so habitual sinning and hating are evidence of the devil’s involvement.

When you think of the devil or Satan, what comes to your mind? Many people think of a monster-type figure with a terrifying face, goat-like head, dressed in red, and carrying a pitchfork. Other people may think of a demon who floats in the air like a ghost and causes scary things to happen. Some may just believe whatever the movies depicted Satan to be. What do I think? I’m not sure. I don’t care much. But I’m very sure that Satan is able to “disguises himself as an angel of light” (1 Corinthians 11:14).

As we read the Scriptures, we know that Satan existed for a very long time even before the earth was created (see Ezekiel 28). It was Satan who masqueraded as (or influenced) a serpent and tempted Eve and Adam to disobey God. Satan “has been sinning since the beginning” and is the very essence of evil. And he seems to be very sly and cunning. Satan, no doubt, has great power and influences great numbers of people. He even has a temporary throne (see Revelations 2:13; 1 John 5:13). Many people are so influenced by Satan and his demons that they worship him as the god of this world. They are totally under Satan’s control (see John 8:44; 2 Timothy 2:26).

But you my friends, don’t be afraid! We might think that Satan’s power is so great that he will rule the world forever. Don’t be afraid! The Scriptures make it clear that even though the devil is powerful, God is even stronger. In fact, Satan’s overthrow began with the coming of Jesus (read Matthew 12:25-29; Luke 10:18; John 12:31). “The Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus took Satan’s power away to neutralize this terrible influence and replace it with the power of love, freedom, peace, and forgiveness. But even though the devil has been knocked down, he still is alive and doing well in the lives of many people. He serves God’s purposes on earth. Soon God will finally destroy Satan totally when Christ returns to earth (read Revelations 20:10). Then Satan’s power will be gone forever. Even at this moment, anytime Jesus would wish to snap His finger, Satan will be destroyed!

Then John goes on to say that “those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practise of sinning, because God’s life is in them”. “God’s life” is also translated as “God’s seed.” I think John here is compares the Word of God to a seed that produces new life (read James 1:18 and 1 Peter 1:23). Just as a beautiful plant must begin by being a seed which is fed and watered, so we as human beings grow spiritually as we study, understand, and obey what God wants us to do. God’s Word gives us strength and guidance to know who God is, and what God wants us to do. If God’s Word is in us “[we] can’t keep on sinning, because [we] are children of God.”

There are two basic tests to show what influence God is having in our lives: 1) the first is whether a person continues to sin deliberately, knowingly, and habitually. This is different from the occasional sin (which you and I, all Christians will continue to do), and shows that sin is still dominant. The second test is more positive: 2) the children of God show that they belong to God by living righteously and loving other believers. According to John, then, we show who our spiritual father is – God or the devil – by the way we behave. It’s not our words but our actions that make the difference. Talk can be cheap; actions are more costly. And the actions of the Christians are to be summed up in one word: LOVE, agape.

What can you do to change your attitudes, behaviors, and so on,

so that you can look forward eagerly for Christ to return?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Top 10 Reasons He Came to the World (a.k.a. Birthday Sure-Happened Wishes)

So You Often Quote Him? Augustine of Hippo on the Relation of God and Evil

In his early period, Augustine was attracted to Manicheism, partly because it provided a simple explanation of the origin of evil (You can read this in Augustine’s autobiography The Confessions). According to this movement, evil had its origins in an evil or defective deity, who was opposed to the true and righteous God. On becoming a Christian, Augustine rejected this dualism, and was therefore obligated to give an alternative explanation of the origins of evil. In this passage, written in Latin during the period 388-395, he argues that evil represents a free turning away from God, rather than a positive entity in its own right. However, he is unable to provide a convincing explanation of why someone should wish to turn away from God in this manner. He writes:

“If there is a movement, that is a turning away of the human will from the Lord God, which without doubt is sin, we can then say that God is the author of sin? God, then, will not be the cause of that movement. But what will its cause be? If you ask this question, I will have to answer that I do not know. While this will sadden you, it is nevertheless a true answer. For that which is nothing cannot be known. But hold to your pious opinion that no good thing can happen to you, to your senses or to your intelligence or to your way of thinking which does not come from God. Nothing of any kind can happen which is not of God… For all good is from God.

Hence there is no nature which is not from God. The movement of turning away, which we admit is sin, is a defective movement; and all defect comes from nothing. Once you have understood where it belongs, you will have no doubt that it does not belong to God. Because that defective movement is voluntary, it is placed within our power. If you fear it, all you have to do is simply not to will it. If you do not will it, it will not exist. What can be safer than to live a life where nothing can happen to you which you do not will? But since we cannot rise by our own free will as we once fell by our own free will spontaneously, let us hold with steadfast faith the right hand of God stretched out to us from above, even our Lord Jesus Christ, and look forward to receiving the certain hope and love which we greatly long for.”

You might want to read this quote one more time… maybe twice and slowly.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

References:

1) de libero arbitrio, II.xx.54; in Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, vol. 74, ed. W. M. Green (Vienna: Hoelder-Pichler-Tempsky, 1961), 87.18-88.20

2) The Christian Theology Reader, edited by Alister E. McGrath (Oxford UK: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 1995), p. 104

Jesus, son of the Devil or the Son of God? (Lord, Help My Unbelief)

“Now when the Pharisees heard [Jesus healed the blind and mute demon-possessed man (12:23)] they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.’ But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house’”
(Matthew 12:24-29, NKJV).

For those determined not to believe, even a miracle can be a waste of time and effort! When the Pharisees heard about Jesus’ power over demons, they didn’t doubt the miracle; but they refused to believe what the miracle indicated. They looked diligently for another explanation. “The miracle occurred,” they seem to said, “because Jesus was on the same team as the demons – they were playing along with him rather than being forcibly removed from their victims!”

Their explanation at first certainly seemed to them to fit the observable facts. But Jesus shattered their accusation with two devastating counterarguments. First, what could possibly accomplished if Satan were casting out Satan? If the demons were being exorcised by friendly fire, then Satan’s kingdom was self-destructing. Second, the Pharisees, so eager to discredit Jesus’ power, ended up discrediting their own exorcists. By saying that only the demonic can expel demonic, they had inadvertently offended some of their own group who were involved in confronting demonic powers (“…by whom do your sons cast them out?”). Jesus mildly pointed out that those people would not sit idly by and let their ministry be discredited.

But Jesus wasn’t finished. He now answered the question originally posed by the crowd that had witnessed the healing: “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” (Matthew 12:23). He said, “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (v.12:28). The “if” challenged Jesus’ listeners to make up their own minds. They had just seen the miracle and heard two widely divergent explanations; which one were they going to believe?

Think about this: Even today, we can hardly think about Jesus without asking questions, so it helps that the Bible doesn’t forbid questions. But it does press us to use questions on the way to faith rather than using unending questions to put off believing. If we insist that every question must be answered before we believe, we will never get around to believing. Now, after you encountered his miracles (healing, raising the dead, multiplying food, etc.) and people’s witnessed about him (the Father and the Holy Spirit during his baptism, John the Baptist, the old prophets by means of prophesies, those who he healed and done miracles, etc.), you must make up your own mind. Is Jesus just mere son of a man or the son of the devil or the Son of God? Jesus is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference: Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2011) Week 12, Day 4.

Jesus is able to Rescue Us from Temptation

Jesus crushed the Serpent, the Devil under His feet at the Cross. Jesus wins. 

“And don’t let us yield to temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one”

(Matthew 6:13, NLT).

Traditionally the first half of this verse asks, “Lead us not into temptation” (KJV), but a more accurate translation is “Don’t let us yield to temptation.” God doesn’t tempt us, as James clearly states: “When you are being tempted, do not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away” (James 1:13-14, NLT). At times God allows us to be tempted, as a test. But this testing always has a purpose. Always. God continually works to refine his people, teach them to depend on him. How he does this differs in every person’s life. Don’t try to compare.

The next line has been translated “Deliver us from evil” (KJV), but the more accurate translation is “Rescue us from the evil one.” Satan, the evil one, is actively looking for ways to harm God’s people, to throw them off course. Jesus wanted his followers to place their trust in God during trying times and to pray for deliverance from “the evil one” and his deceit. We can’t – absolutely can’t – resist temptation or defeat in our own strength; we must depend on God working in us and in our situation. Believers who pray these last lines of the Lord’s Prayer seriously will realize their sinful nature and their need to depend on God in the face of temptation.

Think about this: All Christians struggle with temptation. A temptation can be so subtle that we don’t even realize what is happening. Yet hear this promise: “God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT). When temptations hit, thank God for trusting you that much, ask him to show you what to do, and pray for his strength to deliver you from the evil one. Ask God to show you ways to resist and endure, and thank him in advance for his promise of deliverance.

The truth is Jesus himself when he became human were being tempted (Matthew 4) but he never sinned. The Bible says Jesus “shared fully in our experience of temptation, except that he never sinned. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace will fullest confidence, that we may receive mercy for our failures and grace to help in the hour of need” (Hebrew 4:15-16, J.B. Philips). Thus, as man, Jesus experiences our temptations; as God, he is able to rescue us from temptation and the deceits of the evil one. And even if we fall into temptation (it won’t be long, repent), his mercy and grace is there to lift you up again. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. 

Pray for Persecuted Church: Somalia

[The Voice of the Martyrs prayer calendar] Somalia has experienced continuous conflict for more than a decade and has not had a functioning government since 1991. Transparency International ranks Somalia as the most corrupt country in the world. Islam is the official religion, and there is no official religious freedom. Out of 22 people groups in Somalia, 16 are unreached by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Category	Restricted Nation
Religion	Muslim 99.7%, Christian 0.3%
Ideology	Islam
Head of State	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud

Most Somali Christians are secret believers who worship in house churches. Persecution has intensified in the past 15 years amid increasing lawlessness and diminishing authority of the central government. Islamic radicals, such as the al-Shabab group, have vowed to eradicate all Somali Christians. The murder of Christians, specifically Muslim converts to Christianity, is increasingly common. Conversion to Christianity is not illegal, but it is socially unacceptable. Persecutors include family members, clan members, Islamic extremists and local administrators. Distribution of the Somali Bible is possible only in refugee camps and outside the country. On May 10, 2009, the parliament approved implementation of Shariah Law nationwide in an effort to appease the militant Islamic groups. The transitional government has also banned proselytizing. A 17-year-old girl who converted to Christianity was shot to death in an “honour killing” on Nov 25, 2010.

Pray for Pastor “Abu” and for Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) safe house

that shelters persecuted Somali Christians.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Authority and Power amazed Everyone

Jesus at Synagogue

“Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority. Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon – an evil spirit – began shouting at Jesus, ‘Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!’ Jesus cut him short. ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man,’ he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further. Amazed, the people exclaimed, ‘What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!’ The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region” (Luke 4:31-37, NLT).

Jesus actually moved to Capernaum, making that village in Galilee his base of operations during much of his ministry years. He became a regular teacher in the local synagogue “every Sabbath day” when he was in town (Btw, synagogue was like a local church fellowship). The brevity of the Gospel accounts often leads us to picture Jesus continually on the move, at times almost driven from place to place by the crowds that followed him. But Jesus lived at the normal speed of life, walking from place to place. One of the easy-to-miss lessons from Jesus’ life is that when we follow him, we must slow down.

Jesus taught with authority, unlike other spiritual teachers of his day. While they quoted various authorities, Jesus spoke as one intimately aware of the meaning of God’s Word, with confidence and clarity, connecting the content of Scripture with the lives of his hearers. Luke wrote, “The people were amazed at [Jesus’] teaching, for he spoke with authority”; and they themselves exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess!” Jesus amazed everyone by his authority. After all, he was “the Holy One of God.”

The rude interruption by the demon-possessed man shows us spiritual realities that seem foreign to most modern people. People who never encountered this kind of situation wonder, ‘Could this happen today?’ (One student from Peninsular Malaysia, after he went back from mission trip at rural area of Sarawak, said to me, “Brother, I never thought that demon-possessed is real!”) C.S. Lewis pointed out that Satan knows enough to go undercover when it suits him. In our current society, too many simply dismiss the possibility of the Satanic force or see it merely as character for movies and TV shows with no real base in reality. Here, Jesus’ presence forced the demon out of his hiding. We discover with certainty that demons do exist and that their purpose is to destroy (but Jesus came to give life). Against Jesus, however, they have no power or authority.

Think about this: Ignoring demonic activity and the other ways Satan is active in the world means we would have to ignore a great deal of Scripture. Treating God’s Word seriously means we have to conclude that Satan and his demons are real, dangerous, and powerful. They are not to be trifled with or taken lightly. We take them seriously because, as Christians, we put on the armour of God specifically for this battle (see Ephesians 6:10-16). But then again, remember, in Christ we have His authority. We are in the spiritual battle, and yet we have won!

Do not fear, commit yourself confidently to the Lord today,

whose power and authority triumph over every enemy.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference: Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2011)