I have witnessed countless brothers and sisters in the Lord who are having issues and problems in these days, me included. I have also talked to many of them and it seems like everybody is going through something nowadays. There is an air about them and I can discern the spirits that have them bound.

Lately the Lord has been opening up my eyes to see into the spirit world. Not so much a visual discernment, but one that you know in your knower that that is what binds these poor souls. You can see the effects of Satan’s handiwork as the spirits of bondage hang all over them prying them further and further away from Christ. Satan is pure evil but subtle in his devious ways. In this hour, Satan is stretching the people to the limit, and the bad times haven’t even come close to being here yet.

v21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [Matthew 24:21 KJV].

Satan and his minions are well into their final attack on mankind, as the end of human government will soon come to a close. I have seen many of his warriors in my mind’s eye as they hover on many believers. The spirit of complacency, of apathy, of irritation, frustration, negativity, familiarity  and the spirit of confusion all roam about looking for whom they may devour.

The spirit of resignation has also reared its ugly head. I have seen so many good believers who have given up and have resigned to their fate and to the times in which they find themselves. They have given up the fight, the warfare, and the occupying. Some have even given up presenting the Gospel to others. You can see it in their demeanor. It is sad to see, when the spirit of resignation takes over a man’s soul.

These are all subtle and first round spirits. They are sent to gradually ween you away from God. They are quiet and subversive and put you to sleep so that when the second round hits, you are caught unaware and don’t even know what is happening. They are meant to passively set you up for the fall. Remember in Genesis 3:1 when the Serpent said, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” His subtleness was the first round attack. First round attacks start in the mind [James 1:15] and are meant to weaken you and to make you pliable for the next round. Proof of the pudding, so to speak is that shortly after “. . .hath God said?” — Adam sinned. Do not give up the occupation. Keep our eyes on the Lord. Remain focused. What is the business at hand?

The Bible says that we are to occupy. In other words, it should be business as usual until Christ comes. That is, the business of bringing souls to Christ. This is the business at hand. The word “occupy” of Luke 19:13 means “trade,” or to go into business, until He comes again. It has nothing to do with politics as some portend.

Many use this verse to support their belief that God wants them to do everything politically possible to take America back. However, while Christ was on Earth, He never once tried to change political laws. Jesus came to change the hearts of men and He passed that mantle on to us. When interpreting Scripture, context is everything.

v13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come [Luke 19:13 KJV].

Therefore, with our free will, we need to bring as many people to Christ [Mark 16:15] as we can, and then the accumulation of our Spirit driven souls will then effect change in the world. Accept for a select few (the elect), America, and the rest of the World are rejecting God but until all of mankind returns to Him, things. . .will. . .not. . .change.

v14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us [Luke 19:14 KJV].

There is much talk about hope and change these days, and of “yes we can,” but I say unto you that Christ is the only hope of mankind and of the world, and “Yes He can,” because He already has.

Our hope, faith, love, and focus should be on Christ in these days. See if things don’t change when we institute these attributes. Christ left His Comforter behind so that we would be led into all truth and power. The same Spirit that was in Christ, resides in believers today. Granted, some nasty times are ahead but I exhort you to keep the faith, keep the focus, and keep occupying till the end when you’ll face Jesus and He looks you in the eye and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Faith is the conduit between our soul and our Spirit. So align our soul with the Spirit of God that dwells within us. After a while you begin to recognize the symptoms of clinging and first round spirits of the enemy and can invoke the name of Jesus and take authority over them by the power of the Spirit [Zechariah 4:6]. However, we have to be sober and vigilant [1 Peter 5:8]. Can the enemy devour us? You bet. May the enemy devour us? Absolutely not, as long as we have a modicum of faith [Hebrews 11:6] that with the faith of a mustard seed [Matthew 17:20], we will prevail [Romans 8:31] by invoking His name [Philippians 2:10].

However, do not fear [2 Timothy 1:7] and remember that it is a constant battle because the enemy is relentless [1 Peter 5:9, Romans 16:17, John 10:10, Revelation 2:12, 13] and will be more so in these days because he knows that his time is short [Revelation 20:10]. If I may illustrate?

One day at lunch while I was still working, I was talking to an unbeliever. I can’t really remember the conversation, but I do remember a few words. (You mean your Jesus is there for you all the time?” I said, “Yes He is. He will never leave me or forsake me.” I sat up straight and leaned into him a little and said, “Watch. At the name of Jesus, all knees must bow.” And while all the other coworkers were clamoring with many different conversations, I yelled out loud, “Je-e-esus!” It was as if someone had cut the noise in the room with scissors. ALL clamoring and noise stopped immediately. You could have heard a pin drop.

The jaw dropped on the coworker I was talking to and he must have gotten a little scared at the silence and what he’d just witnessed and he said “Woe!” and got up and left. The look in his eye told me that the Holy Spirit had got His attention and there is no doubt that one day, someone harvested that seed that I planted.

The enemy is even relentless in couples as he subtly gets them to unequally yoke with each other. This may be the craftiest first round of them all. Next week, we will cover equally yoked and unequally yoked. Depending on its length, I may make it a two part series. See you then.

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For your encouragement, I leave you with this reminder. . .Romans 8:37-39 KJV.

v 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

v38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

v39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.