How to Overcome the Devil: What the Enemy Doesn't Want You to Know

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. Visit our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org doubles as your your failure well, you don't deserve my responses that I wrote on Jesus Christ. It was in our good works section is coming up today measure Greg Laurie reminds us it was Jesus shot over Ephesians 213 says you were sometimes for all their blood. Jesus knew beginning Greg Laurie and just before study gets underway as we been mentioning this weekend is big. It's a huge one night evangelistic event SoCal harvest yesterday whether listeners are in Southern California or elsewhere. This is their opportunity to invite someone who needs to hear the gospel will debut actually could call it the Americas harvest because this isn't just a Southern California though the event is based there. It's going to be national. Frankly, it will be international because were going to use every media platform available and will be in all of our Facebook pages will have partners and friends that will work with in the cross opposed the event live.

It'll be on YouTube. Little bit harvest on Oregon working with some partner radio stations in its own skin to be a lot of places so I wanted tell them who Christ is what Jesus said how to come into a relationship with him and then I'm going to give them the opportunity to believe in Jesus Christ and we have amazing music for my friends for King and country until we come in a few surprises and then a message for everybody and enemies is that one of the thing for those of you that have the opportunity to attend this in person or watch it. This is going to be different than any so-called harvest you've ever been to before. I would describe it as more of an immersive experience will be elements of our cinematic crusade that you remember that we call the Russell Pope woven in to the live event is just going to be cool. What can I say, if possible, make plans to come to Southern California ever outside of our state and if you're in the state definitely make plans to join visit Angel Stadium on October 3 for the one night SoCal harvest what our listeners need to do right now, right this very minute to prepare for this weekend. Start by praying you know Jesus said the harvest is great, but the laborers are few and he said pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into the harvest so pray. But don't just pray that other people would be sent pray that you would be sin because God wants to use you pray for a person that you know that is not yet a Christian and pray that God will soften their heart and open their spiritual life and then invite now you extend a personal invitation. Hopefully you earned a little credit with them, so to speak as a friend you been there for them in times of need.

And now you're saying listen, this is the most important thing to me.

My faith and I want you to come to this event or watch this event or however you choose to connect them to what is happening. I read recently that 85% of the people out there who are not believers would be willing to talk about faith issues with their friend if it was important to their friend. So it's important if it's important to you. It will be important to your listener so pray, invite, invite, and then this is the key. Maybe bring them don't send them bring them so if you're in California Sam to come pick you up in a motor drive you to the event. Mabel will get dinner before or after or whatever but I need to bring you to this event and then while you're at the event you're praying for them or you send them that link and you're saying I want to be watching to let's talk about it afterwards or you're watching it together you and others harvest up for your TV up for the Apple platform for the Roku platform. This is an event that will be available on every kind of platform out there and I hope that you utilize it because you know what people need to hear the gospel well. Any other thoughts before we go on SoCal harvest yes Dave, I have a very important announcement to make. And what I need is echo and then fanfare following and then some applause.

Are you ready I'm ready.

Okay, here it is, people listen. Volunteers SoCal harvest and that means you. That means I am asking you to come and be a part of what God is doing on October 3 in the Angel Stadium. Hey have you been to one of these events. There's nothing like it. This is an experience you want to have to be used by God, you might be an usher you might be a counselor you might work in our merge table. You might do something else but whatever it is you matter and we need you and frankly I'm depending on you. So Dave wanted to tell them where they need to go to sign up and actually be a part of the so-called harvest on October 3 in Angel Stadium.

Yes really easy just go to harvest.org/SoCal again harvest.org/SoCal you get information on volunteering and you also get general information about SoCal harvest coming up this Sunday what you tuned in for a powerful series of studies in Revelation here on a new beginning, and today Pastor Greg provide some help on overcoming our spiritual adversary be nice if the devil took a vacation you know maybe take summer off go someplace really hot like how well the devil never takes a day off. By the way, I heard a story about a man living in Chicago was very cold and he decided to go on vacation with his wife down to Florida so he went ahead and she was going to join them. The next day after his plane landed, he got to his hotel room and descended text to his wife. Here's the problem she had just changed her phone number so he got one number wrong in this text. The text did not go to his wife. It went instead to an elderly pastor's wife whose husband had just died.

She read the text or phone let out a huge streak in faith. Her family came running in to see what was wrong and they looked at her phone and here was the text she received dearest wife just arrived looking forward to your arrival tomorrow. PS it sure is hot down here. Well, I wish the devil took some time out, but he never does.

He doesn't take a month off.

He doesn't take a week off.

He doesn't take a day up.

He doesn't even take an hour off the Bible says he's restless roaming about like a lion looking for someone to devour. So here's my question for you. Have you ever been overcome by the devil. In other words, you find yourself being held captive to sin and they get you again and again and again and you wonder Kelly ever get free from this. Do I have to always be under the thumb of Satan, the answer is no.

I want to talk to you about that in this message.

How to overcome the devil because we are in a war, but it's an invisible war. It is spiritual battle and Ephesians chapter 6 says there were no wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in the rulers of the darkness of this age is spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

It's a very real battle. So let's pick the story up now, in Revelation chapter 12 verse seven and war broke out in heaven, Michael. We remember is the Archangel and his angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought, and they did not prevail know is a place found for them in heaven any longer than that great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast with him.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation, and strength in the kingdom of our God, the power of his Christ to come. The accuser of the brethren who accuse them before our God day and night have been cast down, and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the devil has come down to you, having great anger because he knows he has but a short time. So from these verses we learn a lot about the devil and his fallen angels that we now call demons today and thought I would add I think this is a chapter of the Bible. The devil does not want to to read.

Here's some points if you're taking notes.

Point number one.

The devil knows his days are numbered.

Let me say that again, the devil knows his days are numbered.

He's working through his network of demon powers and here we find this battle in heaven.

I remember the Angels are referred to as stars right and Satan himself as a fallen star.

So this is the first instance of Star Wars in history. No Luke Skywalker, no Han Solo or Princess Leia. This is a heavenly battle between the Angels of God under the direction of Michael the Archangel and Lucifer, the son of the morning. The powerful fallen angel and his demon forces, and they did not prevail. Verse eight says so. Satan usually have this all access pass to heaven.

Sort of. I'm okay and with the bandpass, but now he doesn't have that access into God's presence any longer and know basically Satan is dumped in Revelation chapter 12, you know, the grammatical construction of the phrase in the Greek indicates Satan started this figure better be translated. Michael and his angels had to fight the Dragon this is crazy because Michael's powerful decide Satan and God. There is no match.

God is a need to fight with Satan.

God is all powerful.

Satan is limited in his power. So this is more even match of Michael and Lucifer. But Michael is more powerful than Lucifer.

So he's losing this battle, yet he effectively chooses off Michael, if you will come on let's go Michael like you want some of this is sure will. Lucifer is losing so the devil and his angels cannot defeat these powerful angels from God so number two. The devil does not want you to know that his primary attack comes to accusation the devil does not want you to know that he primarily attacks you through accusation. Paul wrote were not ignorant of his devices in second Corinthians 211 Victor Hugo, the author of Les Miserables, made this statement and I quote a good general must penetrate the brain of his enemy." So our enemy is the devil. Let's try to penetrate his brain for a moment, verse 10, the accuser of the brethren who accuse them before our God day and night is been cast out one of the primary ways that Satan attacks us is to accusation. This is the way it works. He tempts you. By the way, it's not a sin to be tempted because temptation comes at the worst time, like maybe you're listening to a message like right now and all of a sudden an evil thought comes into your mind.

And then the devil condemns you for having an evil plot. It's not a sin to be tempted. It's only a sin if you give in to the temptation. It's not the bait that constitutes sin.

It's the right and so maybe the devil comes and says why don't you think about that are why don't you go look at that are why don't you do this other thing in and then he'll say no one will ever know. No one will ever be aware of what you don't go for you'll have fun and so you go for it and then the devil comes back and says you miserable hypocrite. You call yourself a Christian.

You say you're a child of God. No believer in Jesus Christ would do what you done don't even pray don't even read your Bible, that would be the ultimate act of hypocrisy.

Don't you dare show your ugly face in church see how this works. First, he tempts you and then he condemns you for giving in to the temptation we need to learn to know the difference between Satan's accusations and the Holy Spirit conviction they wanted Christian sins. And yes, we will set the Holy Spirit will convict or convince you of your sin wide to drive you into shame know to bring you back to Jesus.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit in John 16, eight when he comes still convince the world of its sin and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. So if you've sin and you feel guilt and then you turn to the Lord, and you want him to forgive you. That's a good thing right so like that smoke alarm that goes out it's made you aware of a bigger problem so you respond to the alarm you respond to the conviction.

But if you feel guilt and shame and you walk away from God. You're listening to the wrong voice.

Satan will accuse you and use your own sins in a hateful way to destroy you.

So how do we overcome the devil. The answer is found right here in Revelation 1211.

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. So first they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. So let's see you sin, the devil says your hypocrite. Your failure, you don't deserve to approach a lot of my responses. That's true. I don't deserve to approach.I am not worthy. And I never will be worthy is the sometimes as Christians we get into this weird little works righteousness thing we think of.

I do X amount of good things, God will be happy with me and you'll hear my prayers.

I read 10 chapters out of the Bible and and I actually talk to somebody about Jesus look. God doesn't hear your prayers based on what you've done. He hears your prayers based on what he's done in sending his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in your place, so there's nothing I need to do to earn the favor of God is he sometimes people think God is mad at them, when in reality, God is not about them know that you are loved by God, your cherished by God and your prayers are welcomed by God is a McGregor know where the you'll never be worthy.

Forget about being worthy. I approach God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1019 says, dear friends, we can boldly enter heaven's most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. This is the new life-giving way crisis open up for us, it's the blood of Jesus at the cross of Calvary.

Jesus dealt a decisive blow against Satan and his minions. Colossians 214 says Christ obliterated the hand written document of ordinances against us. And they yielded to the cross, having stripped off and away from himself. The principalities and authorities. He boldly made an example of them.

So here's the point. It's through the blood of the Lamb.

It's through the blood of Jesus I can approach God. Ephesians 213 says you or sometimes far off the been made near by the blood of Jesus, but John says that we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

Years ago I was having a meal with Billy Graham and his home and I was a young man at that point in my late 30s and so I asked Billy what would you say the to a younger Billy that he should be preaching on more than he is now and without missing a beat, Billy said I would preach more on the cross and the blood of Christ because that's where the power is and I never forgot that there's power in the blood as the old song says what you need to apply the blood is that I have no idea what you're talking about K member in the Old Testament book of Exodus we have ears or lights that were display the lamina put the blood over their doorpost. In other words at the top of their door and on the right and left God's judgment came upon the Egyptians, it would pass over the house with the blood had been a place you go to apply the blood is a what is that mean it means that you come to God and say I'm sorry for my sin. Thank you for sending Jesus to shed his blood for my sin and I apply the blood of the situation and I believe that I am forgiven I take you Lord at your word you promise that he would forgive me of all of I sent these folks overcame the devil by the power of the blood by the blood of the Lamb and also for the word of their testimony. It says by the word of their testimony. Knowing a believer is walking closely with God and fellowship and friendship. They wanted tell others sort of like when we make a recommendation by go to yelp people give their opinions on everything. Who are these people we don't know, but they give their recommendation of their endorsement and maybe before we walk in the restaurant we check it out with all while they didn't get a good yelp review but if you really like something you going to tell others that I just from the best burger on earth in this place. This is the greatest movie I've ever seen or hey man, you gotta listen to this song or read this book we give our endorsement never really walking with Jesus. Should we not do the same for him.

What we just going to talk about burgers in movies and books talk about Jesus, give your testimony tell people what Christ has done for you. Listen to this. Every Christian has a testimony that some are more dramatic than others is something from a life of crime or addiction or had all kinds of issues and others never got into those things. But here's what we can all say when we tell our story of how we came to Jesus like that blind man was healed by the Lord, we can say once I was blind but now I see. Listen, I know your testimony is what it was. You were a sinner separated from God. You heard the gospel.

You put your faith in Jesus and Christ came inside of your life in these changes is a pretty accurate they overcame him. These people by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and finally they loved not their lives to the death.

What is happening means that these believers recognize that their lives belong to God. I got a Tyson when you became a Christian, you became God's possession. He owns you and that's a good thing. I mean I want to be owned by God right. The Bible says you're not your own. You been bought with a price. Therefore glorify God with your body because I belong to the Lord.

I have his ID tag on me. He's my child and I'm also called in the Bible, the bride of Christ.

So I'm owned by him.

I'm his bride, then I'm also called a friend of God.

So there's many pictures. The Bible gives of this new relationship, but these folks recognize their lives belong to God. Listen God is giving you your life is a gift he's given you the beat of your heart. He's given you the breath in your lungs, that's all a gift from him. So these folks recognize God is in control of our lives. We belong to the Lord, and he loves each and every one of us in the great thing to know. So let me close by asking you this question. Are you overcoming the devil or are you being overcome by the devil. Maybe your end of the power of some addiction. Maybe it's alcohol. Maybe it drugs. Maybe it's pornography maybe it's something else. It just has a grip on you and you can break free from it and it seems like when you pray God isn't listening and Satan whispers in your ear, and he says God will not cure your prayers. Why don't you just end it all and whether to just take your own life. Don't listen to Satan he's a liar and the father of lies. Listen, God hears your prayers.

God loves you and if you sinned against him. He will forgive you, no matter what you have done Satan is not want you to know that there is forgiveness to Jesus Christ. But here's a God says if you will confess your sin, he is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all on righteousness. What does it mean to confess it means to agree with God. So you say Lord I see things the way you see them. I'm tired of making excuses for my sin. I'm tired of rationalizing and justifying it. I admit Lord I've sin and I'm sorry for that sin.

And I ask you to forgive me.

Maybe you're watching me right now and and you've never known this relationship with God, I've been talking about.

This is not a religion thing's is a relationship with God. Jesus died on the cross. 2000 years ago for your sin and mine, and then he rose from the dead three days later and now he stands at the door of your life and Enoch's and he says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in. Would you like your sin forgiven. Would you like to know with certainty that when you die you will go to heaven. I'm telling you right now if you will pray with me and asked Jesus to come into your life. Everything can change for you. You can change your eternal address from hell to heaven. In the course of your life can be changed from death to life from a hopeless life to a hopeful life. He's just a prayer away and I'm in ask you to pray this prayer with me if you would like Jesus to come into your life and in this prayer. I'm also going to ask some of you maybe have sinned against God, and have not asked for his forgiveness to return to the Lord. Like the prodigal son.

Prodigal daughter. It can happen for you right now so if you want your sin forgiven, if you want to know that you go to heaven when you die if you want your guilt taken away or you want to come back to Jesus Christ again make a recommitment pray this prayer with me right now.

Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner but I know that you are the Savior who died in the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I discern from my sin. Now that I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for hearing this prayer.

Thank you for answering this prayer in Jesus name I met prayer Pastor Greg Laurie was making a change in the relationship with God today and if you yourself it prayed with Pastor Greg and made a decision for the Lord would like to help you get started in your new relationship with God. Would like to send you our new believers growth packet. It's a collection of resources. Pastor Greg is put together to help answer your questions and you started off right in your walk of faith and will send it without charge just right is that a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 seven. Again, 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God and as you contact us. Thanks for letting us know how you're enjoying this brand-new series in the book of Revelation will Pastor Greg are excited to make available your new book on Revelation in conjunction with our current study series and now many Bible students know Revelation promises a blessing to those who read here and keep the words of this book. That's right so it seems. Even the Bible acknowledges that Revelation is no ordinary Bible study. That's right, it stands out from every other book of the Bible. Of course it's the final book at the end of your Bible and the word Revelation means unveiling because it's not God's desire to conceal but to reveal in Bible prophecy is not given to scare us but to prepare us and there is a special blessing attached to this book. In particular, and it's in the first chapter of Revelation, and that promise is blessed is the person that reads, hears and keeps the words of this book. So they've it's interesting because the phrase read means to read out loud so there's a blessing on you if you will simply read this book but then it says you must hear it you know Jesus will often say he that has ears to hear, let them hear our modern vernacular would be. Listen up.

Pay attention so I have to read it. I have to hear it and then finally I need to keep it. Meaning I need to take these Jews in this book and apply them in their own life. What we study Bible prophecy is not just to know more about the future but it's for us to know how we should live in the present and we are not only teaching on it here on a new beginning, but we have a brand-new book that we have just completed its thick hardcover book a commentary if you will, on the book of Revelation. Here's what I've had a lot of people say to me for the first time I understood how this book applied to me.

I think this is very understandable, but a very relevant boat especially for the times in which we are living so for your gift of any size were offering you this brand-new book hot off the presses, simply titled Revelation, subtitled a book of promises. So whatever you can send a helper ministry is greatly appreciated.

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So get in touch today for Pastor Greg's new book Revelation, a book of promises by the way, where including a custom bookmark along with the book it shows the timeline of God's end times events graphically help you see the order of events very clearly. It comes automatically with the book, so send your donation today to a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime 24 hours a day at 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org help bring them when I'm 99) compelling experience help from Greg Laurie music from Lori when it's time move into the revealing chapter of Revelation we get a clear picture of the antichrist important part of our Revelation studies join us here on a new beginning.

Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Moore and everybody thinks her list. Beginning this is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. So for more content can help you know God and equip you to make him known to others or to learn more about how you can become a harvest partner. Just go to harvest.org