Protection?

[strawberry]

Is it true that God protects believers from evil, ie evil works and evil spirits?

 

[drdeancrosby]

Strawberry I wish it were true.The problem is that Satan has gained temporary control of our world as we are now entering into the period of tribulation.Of course prayers for God's protection should be made and God does assign angels to protect us.But the sad fact is that many times angels are over-powered by demons and Christians sometimes are made ill,physically,mentally and/or spiritually, by demons.The good news is that it's only going to last for seven more years at which time Jesus will return to drive Satan out of the world to establish His kingdom.So the best advice anyone can give you is :STAY CLOSE TO JESUS

 

[strawberry]

seven?how do you know?

 

[doulos]

Whatever power Satan has, he cannot touch those that are Christ's own except as the Lord may permit a shaking for disciplinary purposes with a good end in view. The Lord Jesus said to Peter: "31* And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32* But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." (Luke 22:31, 32).

Also, Job was tried to show Satan that he did love the Lord not for any blessings Job got from God, but for His own sake. (Job chapters 1, 2).

As to the Tribulation, it will last seven years, this has to do with prophetic studies, and if you want to PM me I can give you bibliography on that, but for it to begin the Man of Sin has to be revealed. And it has to do with the judgment of the world. God's children have not been appointed to wrath, but to salvation. Satan will indeed work havoc on the world, but only as allowed by God in His judgmental purposes against a world that has been and is rejecting Christ Jesus.

At the very end of the Gospel of Matthew it says: "And behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age." (New Translation.)

doulos

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Is it true that God protects believers from evil, ie evil works and evil spirits?

Let's take a look at what the Bible says:

Psalm 91 (NKJV)


Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God
1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."


3Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[1]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.


7A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.


9Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.


14"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation."


We as believers have authority over devils. We do not have to put up with their attacks. That does not mean that we will not have to fight. . .we most definately will. We may experience many different bad things as humans, but we are never to lie down and be a doormat to the enemy. Scripture promises that as long as we are abiding in His shadow we are protected. Period!

 

[strawberry]

Hey thanks so much! Thats so cool!
Straw

 

[Lyle]

Strawberry - He will protect us, though present dangers may not be as big of a threat to God as they are to us. You see, He's already purchased His children's souls, eternally, there's nothing more secure then that. And present dangers don't really hold a candle to the light of heaven and the life in it.
But alot of these evils that come into our lives may be to shape us to be like His Son, and fashion us into His image; To be like Him.

 

[Lizquests]

Sometimes I feel like the closer I get to Christ/God, the harder I am hit by Satan. I know that satan wants to take me away from God. I believe in scripture somewhere it says when you profess with your lips "Begone Satan, my love is with my Lord Jesus Christ" that satan has no power left to do his work. (At that time that is; satan always seems to come back.)

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Sometimes I feel like the closer I get to Christ/God, the harder I am hit by Satan. I know that satan wants to take me away from God. I believe in scripture somewhere it says when you profess with your lips "Begone Satan, my love is with my Lord Jesus Christ" that satan has no power left to do his work. (At that time that is; satan always seems to come back.)

Yes Liz, sometimes it does feel that way. Our enemy relizes that the closer we get to God the more we will understand our authority over him and I believe that strikes great fear in him. So, he sets out to do everything possible to deter us.

The scripture says though, "submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) The more we submit to God the more we will learn how to resist the devil. And when we resist the devil it causes him to flee.

The one way to resist the devil is to draw near to God. The very next verse in James continues with, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

When we draw near to God, He is going to come closer to us and in that closeness we will begin to see the things in us that need to be cleansed and purified. As we do what we are told. . .cleaning our hands of things in our lives that pull us down and letting the Holy Spirit deal with the attitudes in our heart then this is submitting to God. And as a result of this submitting the devil flees.

As far as the enemy coming back. . .I believe he's always looking for a crack in the door to get through. . .that is why we seal the cracks up by drawing near to God, submitting to Him, and resisting. It works. I've known the Lord for over 40 years. . it works.

 

[Lizquests]

Thanks Quaffer. I was wondering where that scripture was. James 4:7.

You know what I also wonder, I think that now my eyes are upon the Lord, I am recognizing that I am being attacked by satan. Where before, I thought that it was just another life trial.

 

[Brooke]

Angels can't be overpowered by demons. That would be silly. Good always is greater than evil, and there are two times the number of angels compared to demons. Angels would whup their butts!