Acts 10:34-38
"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
Unless you are walking in complete sanctification of your body, soul, and spirit, without any spot, wrinkle, or blemish, then you have some oppression in one or more areas.
The word oppression in the Greek means:
2616. katadunasteuo kat-ad-oo-nas-tyoo'-o from 2596 and a derivative of 1413; to exercise dominion against, i.e. oppress:--oppress.
1413. dunastes doo-nas'-tace from 1410; a ruler or officer:--of great authority, mighty, potentate.
As a result of sin and iniquity, Satan gains access to our lives and our flesh. He becomes a ruler over us, exercising dominion against us as long as we remain unrepentant and disconnected from the life of Christ.
Even after being born from above and contrary to popular belief, we are not instantly holy when we enter the kingdom of God. In most cases, (including mine) the Lord does not deliver us from everything immediately, we must all take part in the sufferings of Christ and go through chastening, pruning, and washing in order to be transformed into the image of Christ. This is called the process of sanctification, or to be made holy.
We must be healed by Jesus from the years of oppression by Satan who held us in bondage to do his will. We can be oppressed in many different ways, for example, we can have an evil spirit of infirmity like the woman who was bent over and bound for eighteen years. Many would look at her and think that her condition was just physical, but Jesus saw in the spirit that she was being oppressed by Satan.
Luke 13:10-17
"Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him."
Also contrary to popular belief, it is possible for a born again believer to have an evil spirit and darkness in the flesh at the same time the Holy Spirit indwells your heart. Understand that the Holy Spirit does not enter the physical heart or the organ that pumps blood to our bodies, but He enters the spiritual heart that's in our soul.
The thorn in Paul's flesh gives us scriptural proof of this truth.
2nd Corinthians 12:7-8
"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me."
The Greek word for messenger means:
The scripture tells us clearly that Paul received a thorn (something that causes distress or irritation) in the flesh and that thorn was a messenger (or angel of Satan) to buffet him. We know it must have been very painful to him because he pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from him!
For further insight into the topic of Christians having demons in the flesh, check out Derek Prince's message, "How To Be Delivered From Evil Spirits or Demons" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed8j33e8viE
The good news is Jesus can and desires to deliver us from all our oppression so that we can walk in purity and holiness!
1st John 3:8 "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."
1st John 3:8 "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."
In Jesus,
Tyrone
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