Attacks come before the Blessing comes.

[Yitzchak]

Tonight I heard it again. I was listening to a sermon online and the Pastor talked about how the devil comes against you in severe attacks when you are moving forward with God. He said that the amount of the attack is related to the amount that we have stepped out for God. The greater the attack , the greater that the blessing that is coming.

So how about it. Is this biblical ? I know that we are often tested before the blessing comes .

I have mixed feelings about this. I have heard it preached a hundred times.

Joyce Meyer talked about this once. Have the rest of you heard this ? have you studied what the word says ? Do you know of any good teachings on this subject ?

 

[HolySpiritWOF]

Hi Yitzchak,

JESUS said in the parable of the sower that persecution comes for the WORD'S sake ......

Matthew 13:21
tribulation or persecution arises because of the word...
Mark 4:17
tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake....

i have heard WOF teachings on how the devil doesn't really care about us....it's the WORD that he hates and tries to stop because the WORD does not return void but accomplishes EVERYTHING it was sent to do......

GOD BLESS you Yitzchak,
i was praying for you today and thinking about you.... you have posted really good WOF concepts many times.....i still remember when you said "be word of faith about it".....that phrase comes to me often.....and encourages me......woff

 

[CindyisHis]

Yeah, what she said.

Honestly, I do agree. Persecution arises for the Word's sake.

The seed of God's Word enters our heart. This is assuming we are not in the first bunch, where the seed fell by the wayside. It never went into the heart so the devil is not concerned about that group. There are three remaining groups - the one that gives up when trials come, the one that is distracted by cares or pleasures, and the one that produces. All three face the trials. The first gives up. The second two go on to face the other. One must hold steadfast in both trials and temptations, and also in cares as well as pleasures. Don't get caught up in worry, and don't start loving things. If you hold tightly to the Word, you will produce.

Resist the devil and He will flee. Whatever he throws at you, resist Him. You submit to God, resist him (cuz he's scared of you ), and he will flee.


Greater is He that is in you!!!


Stand on His Word. He is faithful.

 

[HolySpiritWOF]

Yeah, what she said.

Honestly, I do agree. Persecution arises for the Word's sake.

The seed of God's Word enters our heart. This is assuming we are not in the first bunch, where the seed fell by the wayside. It never went into the heart so the devil is not concerned about that group. There are three remaining groups - the one that gives up when trials come, the one that is distracted by cares or pleasures, and the one that produces. All three face the trials. The first gives up. The second two go on to face the other. One must hold steadfast in both trials and temptations, and also in cares as well as pleasures. Don't get caught up in worry, and don't start loving things. If you hold tightly to the Word, you will produce.

Resist the devil and He will flee. Whatever he throws at you, resist Him. You submit to God, resist him (cuz he's scared of you ), and he will flee.


Greater is He that is in you!!!


Stand on His Word. He is faithful.

AMEN.....attacks come to get us OFF the WORD ....we have to ABIDE in HIM and HIS WORD abide in us......and with faith and endurance we WILL SEE HIS WORD COME TO PASS in our lives.....the WORD WORKS.....

when we step out on HIS WORD attacks come to make us let go of the WORD...lose our confidence in the WORD....doubt the WORD.....misunderstand the WORD.....

BUT if we refuse to go by what we see...hear....feel...think....believe.....AND ONLY go by what GOD'S WORD says....no weapon...no attack....SHALL PROSPER......the WORD will PRODUCE GOD'S PROMISED OUTCOME.....

GOD BLESS you Yitzchak....GOD BLESS you Cindy....GOD'S OVERFLOWING love favor blessings provision for your EVERY need....woff

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

Tonight I heard it again. I was listening to a sermon online and the Pastor talked about how the devil comes against you in severe attacks when you are moving forward with God. He said that the amount of the attack is related to the amount that we have stepped out for God. The greater the attack , the greater that the blessing that is coming.

The devil hates Jesus. We are in the image of Him. We are saved, and the devil can't change that, but what he wants to do is hurt us because by hurting us he is trying to attack Jesus.

What he can do is affect our walk. If we need healing and he can get us to focus on the hurt, then we are not focused on the Word. Rebuke him and he will flee.

Now, the specifics of your question: does the severity of the attack match the blessing that will follow? Hmm. Not sure I can find a scripture that says that. We are blessed of God and He richly blesses us -- no prerequisite of how much persecution we have to withstand first. Now, as you become stronger and stronger in the Word, the enemy will step up his attack more and more -- after all if he can break you down in one shot he doesn't have to keep trying.

But remember that you have the authority to overcome him ALWAYS!! Resust the enemy and he will flee!!!

 

[CindyisHis]

I wrote down something Jerry Savelle said - The magnitude of your praise determines the level of your victory. I'm not sure if level was the exact word he used, but it was something to that effect.

So maybe it is not answering your question specifically, but it made me think of that.

 

[Yitzchak]

I wrote down something Jerry Savelle said - The magnitude of your praise determines the level of your victory. I'm not sure if level was the exact word he used, but it was something to that effect.

So maybe it is not answering your question specifically, but it made me think of that.

I like this way of looking at it.

 

[Yitzchak]

The sermon I was listening to , the preacher seemed to have in mind the structure of the demonic kingdom. he preached that the fallen angles have an authority structure where they are given assignments over certain regions or certain organizations or people. I guess kind of the other side of the angels of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation.

The idea seemed to be that if you come up against strongholds that the devil has set up , you will have a battle. The bigger stronghold or the more strongholds that you challenge would lead to counter attack by demonic forces.

I guess I believe it , at least in part. Not sure of all the details . But we do have an enemy. If we do nothing and do not challenge the enemies strongholds then we don't have much of a battle. But if we try to change things for the better to accomplish more of the will of God in our life , then it does make sense that we could run into opposition since we have an enemy.

I like the post about what Jerry Savelle said about using praise to overcome the opposition. It puts the focus back upon God and who great God is rather than focusing upon the enemy who is defeated.


What I learned over the years in church is that there are three arenas that we do battle in. The flesh , the world and the devil. My experience as a Christian , it seems that many struggle with the flesh a lot. The love of the world is not talked about much but I think it can be summed up in the verse in Matthew that says seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Keith Moore taught in one of his series about how we can add things to ourselves rather than letting God add things to ourselves. He said he reached the point where he felt he could not tithe. It was his early days when he was just getting started. Anyway , he had a car payment and some other debts and there simply was not enough to pay his tithe and all his bills. When he prayed about it , God told him that the reason he was in this mess is because he tried to add things to himself by going into debt. Very convicting message , by the way. So he sold his car and made some other adjustments and walked and took the bus for a while. This freed him up to be able to tithe and to give. It was his way of putting the kingdom of God first. The story has a happy ending though. God has added lots of things to Keith Moore now.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

The sermon I was listening to , the preacher seemed to have in mind the structure of the demonic kingdom. he preached that the fallen angles have an authority structure where they are given assignments over certain regions or certain organizations or people. I guess kind of the other side of the angels of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation.

Rick Renner goes into this a bit. Covers it a little in Sparkling Gems from the Greek. But I remember he covered it in more detail elsewhere. I'll look at the books I have to see if I can find it (anyone else know??). But he says that the Greek suggests that there is a sort of military structure to the enemies camp.

edit: here is a link to an article by him. http://www.cfaith.com/index.php?opt...-file-of-the-devil&catid=49:victory&Itemid=67
(may have to scroll down the page to see the article....I did)

edit #2: right there on my shelf: Spiritual Weapons to Defeat the enemy by Rick Renner. Thin little thing, but mighty in information.

 

[jesus always loves me]

Rick Renner goes into this a bit. Covers it a little in Sparkling Gems from the Greek. But I remember he covered it in more detail elsewhere. I'll look at the books I have to see if I can find it (anyone else know??). But he says that the Greek suggests that there is a sort of military structure to the enemies camp.

edit: here is a link to an article by him. (may have to scroll down the page to see the article....I did)

edit #2: right there on my shelf: Spiritual Weapons to Defeat the enemy by Rick Renner. Thin little thing, but mighty in information.

Thank you for the link.
I found this there:

It is a fact that we have more authority than the devil. We have more power than the devil. And we have the Greater One living within us. In light of this, one day I asked the Lord, "If we have more authority, and if we have more power, and if we have the Greater One living inside us, then why does it seem that the Church is full of so much defeat?"

I will never forget what the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart. He said, "The reason the Church is experiencing so much defeat is because the devil has something that the Church does not have!" I quickly asked, "Lord, what is that?" It was then that the Lord quickened Ephesians 6:12 to my understanding. The word kosmokrateros came alive in my heart, and then I understood!

The word kosmokrateros ("rulers of the darkness of this world") is a military term that has to do with discipline, organization and commitment!

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

Thank you for the link.
I found this there:

It is a fact that we have more authority than the devil. We have more power than the devil. And we have the Greater One living within us. In light of this, one day I asked the Lord, "If we have more authority, and if we have more power, and if we have the Greater One living inside us, then why does it seem that the Church is full of so much defeat?"

I will never forget what the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart. He said, "The reason the Church is experiencing so much defeat is because the devil has something that the Church does not have!" I quickly asked, "Lord, what is that?" It was then that the Lord quickened Ephesians 6:12 to my understanding. The word kosmokrateros came alive in my heart, and then I understood!

The word kosmokrateros ("rulers of the darkness of this world") is a military term that has to do with discipline, organization and commitment!

So true. How many Christians go to church on Sunday, forgetting their Bible (or to a church that doesn't even ask their people to bring one), struggling to stay focused and awake for as little as a half hour, and all the while thinking about their problems rather than listening to Life.

And Christian television? No, Desperate Housewives is on. Can't miss that. (And of course I know a few Christian television shows that are more damaging than DH!)

 

[jesus always loves me]

The sermon I was listening to , the preacher seemed to have in mind the structure of the demonic kingdom. he preached that the fallen angles have an authority structure where they are given assignments over certain regions or certain organizations or people. I guess kind of the other side of the angels of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation.

The idea seemed to be that if you come up against strongholds that the devil has set up , you will have a battle. The bigger stronghold or the more strongholds that you challenge would lead to counter attack by demonic forces.

I guess I believe it , at least in part. Not sure of all the details . But we do have an enemy. If we do nothing and do not challenge the enemies strongholds then we don't have much of a battle. But if we try to change things for the better to accomplish more of the will of God in our life , then it does make sense that we could run into opposition since we have an enemy.

I like the post about what Jerry Savelle said about using praise to overcome the opposition. It puts the focus back upon God and who great God is rather than focusing upon the enemy who is defeated.


What I learned over the years in church is that there are three arenas that we do battle in. The flesh , the world and the devil. My experience as a Christian , it seems that many struggle with the flesh a lot. The love of the world is not talked about much but I think it can be summed up in the verse in Matthew that says seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

Keith Moore taught in one of his series about how we can add things to ourselves rather than letting God add things to ourselves. He said he reached the point where he felt he could not tithe. It was his early days when he was just getting started. Anyway , he had a car payment and some other debts and there simply was not enough to pay his tithe and all his bills. When he prayed about it , God told him that the reason he was in this mess is because he tried to add things to himself by going into debt. Very convicting message , by the way. So he sold his car and made some other adjustments and walked and took the bus for a while. This freed him up to be able to tithe and to give. It was his way of putting the kingdom of God first. The story has a happy ending though. God has added lots of things to Keith Moore now.

What about the promise that says "No weapon formed against us shall prosper" and "He made and open show of them triumphing over them through the cross" ?

That sounds like the devil's bunch might want to hurt us but they can't. Our covenant with God promises us protection. And "when the devil comes at us in one direction he flees from us in seven" seems to imply that we can have the victory no matter what the devil tries.

I heard one preacher say years ago that if something you hear about the devil makes you afraid of him, then it is a lie. If something you hear about the devil makes him afraid of you, then it is the truth.

Somehow we have to be more than conquerors with the devil running in teror from us.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

What about the promise that says "No weapon formed against us shall prosper" and "He made and open show of them triumphing over them through the cross" ?

That sounds like the devil's bunch might want to hurt us but they can't. Our covenant with God promises us protection. And "when the devil comes at us in one direction he flees from us in seven" seems to imply that we can have the victory no matter what the devil tries.

Remember that in the New Covenant we have authority over the enemy, but it does not come without our responsibility. You quoted Renner on Eph 6:12 a post ago or so. Don't forget verse 11 with it:

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
​

Don't forget, we need to "Put on", "stand against" and "wrestle." WE have been given the authority:

Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.

​

WE need to use it. The enemy has no power when WE EXERCISE that authority. Praise God!!

 

[Yitzchak]

Remember that in the New Covenant we have authority over the enemy, but it does not come without our responsibility. You quoted Renner on Eph 6:12 a post ago or so. Don't forget verse 11 with it:

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
​

Don't forget, we need to "Put on", "stand against" and "wrestle." WE have been given the authority:

Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.

​

WE need to use it. The enemy has no power when WE EXERCISE that authority. Praise God!!

This is a good point. Many of the promises of God are not automatic. They are sure and they are there. But we must come on God's terms.


I was just reading F.F. Bosworth's book on healing earlier this evening. In it he says this.
" Many , instead of saying, "pray for me, " should first say , " teach me God's word, so that I can intelligently cooperate for my recovery. "

We must know the promises and we must receive the promises by faith. We also must know the conditions to receive those promises. I'm not talking about striving about it. We hold onto our confidence in what God's word says even in the face of circumstances. But I am talking about a diligent and prayerful research of what the word says about the issue.

I remember Joyce Meyer talking about this in one of her sermons. She said all of God's promises have conditions.


It reminds me of Keith Moore talking about his early days and he reached a point where he was desperate for an answer because his finances were not going well. He asked God what he was doing wrong and God showed him. He was not automatically prospered just because he was a Christian. he had to cooperate with God to receive prosperity.

 

[ABlessedAnomaly]

This is a good point. Many of the promises of God are not automatic. They are sure and they are there. But we must come on God's terms.


I was just reading F.F. Bosworth's book on healing earlier this evening. In it he says this.
" Many , instead of saying, "pray for me, " should first say , " teach me God's word, so that I can intelligently cooperate for my recovery. "

We must know the promises and we must receive the promises by faith. We also must know the conditions to receive those promises. I'm not talking about striving about it. We hold onto our confidence in what God's word says even in the face of circumstances. But I am talking about a diligent and prayerful research of what the word says about the issue.

I remember Joyce Meyer talking about this in one of her sermons. She said all of God's promises have conditions.


It reminds me of Keith Moore talking about his early days and he reached a point where he was desperate for an answer because his finances were not going well. He asked God what he was doing wrong and God showed him. He was not automatically prospered just because he was a Christian. he had to cooperate with God to receive prosperity.

Absolutely!! They are sure, but we must participate.

"Daddy can I have some candy?" she asked.
"Sure, sweetheart."
"Promise?"
"Yes. It's on the table."
"Can I have it?"
"Yes, it is yours."
"When can I have it?"
"Now, sweetheart. Just go get it."
"But I want some candy."
"It's yours, dear. It's on the table."
"You promised, Daddy!"
"Yes, I did. It is yours."
"When?"
"Now. It's on the table."
"I dont' have it Daddy."
"Did you go to the table?"
"But you promised!"

...how many times have we wondered where our manifestation of God's promises were in our lives? They are there!! His promises are yes and amen! We need to reach out and get them!!

 

[CindyisHis]

What about the promise that says "No weapon formed against us shall prosper" and "He made and open show of them triumphing over them through the cross" ?

That sounds like the devil's bunch might want to hurt us but they can't. Our covenant with God promises us protection. And "when the devil comes at us in one direction he flees from us in seven" seems to imply that we can have the victory no matter what the devil tries.

I heard one preacher say years ago that if something you hear about the devil makes you afraid of him, then it is a lie. If something you hear about the devil makes him afraid of you, then it is the truth.

Somehow we have to be more than conquerors with the devil running in teror from us.

Remember that in the New Covenant we have authority over the enemy, but it does not come without our responsibility. You quoted Renner on Eph 6:12 a post ago or so. Don't forget verse 11 with it:

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
​

Don't forget, we need to "Put on", "stand against" and "wrestle." WE have been given the authority:

Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.

​

WE need to use it. The enemy has no power when WE EXERCISE that authority. Praise God!!

I like this.

Let's be on the offensive instead of the defensive.

Remember, the devil's a defeated foe already.