Tearing Down Community Strongholds

One more piece. If you do, Dr. Tony Evans says you need to be praying for your earthly leaders accountable. This is the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker and pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas and president of the urban alternative. Sometimes it seems like nothing we do makes a difference in Satan is an expert at using that attitude to keep our neighborhoods. Under his control was joined Dr. Evans as he explains how you and your church can break out of isolation, to be the salt and light your community needs. Today we want to look at what kind of stronghold cities nation can be held hostage in this realm of spiritual spiritual presume something battle in the heavenly that is responsible for every battle on earth, we are told by Paul the apostle that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers in heavenly places, so that what can make a mess of what is down the conversely what I can install daily and that is why when you battle and anyone else what categories personal, family, church, or even in our society where we do not start up layout, we could very well be wasting our time down the because we were not against flesh and blood with me.

First of all, probably Colossians chapter 1.

What we read about Jesus Christ in verse 15. The image of the invisible God. Jesus Christ is the image of the God man, the firstborn of all creation by Christ. All things were created, both in heaven and earth, whether throttle or domain authority. All things were created by men. They all froze principalities and powers throws the menu, principalities and powers to get together and provide energy for the throne menu principality power to operate and doing things through institutions able and willing people are being controlled like a string by somebody outside of themselves and that is why listen to me if you got a phone problem on your job. We convulse if you gotta throw problem in the state of the city government and national government.

If you gotta throw problem sons life. The first thing about the throne you're up against. The first thing to do is get math so that they can help you down the Satan. Satan's control all the community institutions because communities are collections of people and therefore the management of those community institutional in nature and history of government created by God but we know that those good things can become a principal operator that an individual operates with a institution and that is the powers that be under the influence of the evil one term in Exodus chapter 1 that we know the story of Exodus, the children of Israel hostage in an institutionally pagan place called Egypt and unrighteous throw Pharaoh you have unrighteous demons controlling the gods of Egypt unrighteous regime unrighteous laws. It wasn't just oppressive environment. It says in verse seven sons of Israel were fruitful and increased multiplied and became exceedingly mighty. The land was full of them rose up who did not know Joseph is people all the people of the sons of Israel are more than we interesting statement by a mighty king about a people only had Shepherd books and have any fighting weapons widely with them. They multiplied an event also joined themselves they joined me in the path reported tax map with hard labor and storage cities. Israel helps out the enemy. They build storage places enemy is well-off not install MS exactly what the devil wants you to do the make life so like Pharaoh to be a slave to have no victory and even wind up helping Satan out you wind up building storage places the Pharaoh labor charge help Satan out buyout the powerlessness, the theology of powerlessness.

Once again my theology is not able to between the trial and the bird say give thanks for everything you say.

Give thanks for everything that is of God. If my child thank you much out of the drugs you have the power to deliver my child. So what you want to do is find God for what he can do through a trial but you don't thank God for burdens become the new excuse the responsibility Israel had become content to be slaves helping out enemy. In fact, verse 14 says they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and all kinds of labor in the field all their labors which they rigorously imposed on them.

They want to publicly thank you Lord we miserable enemy of the agenda so don't let Satan do you in the given thanks to God for putting that off him him.

Satan wants to keep you in a spiritual kitchen even want to become a soldier across the spiritual kitchen to keep you from becoming so he'll never have to worry about you leaving his kingdom Egypt. So long we would need know how to operate in the cave because we accept as unchangeable God. Good news about the way this is chapter 2, verse 23 that came about in the course of those many day that the king of Egypt died in the sons of Israel side because of their bondage. There was all life is so miserable how you doing okay under the circumstances Bayside because of their bondage.

But, please notify covers 23 and cried out, and made cry for help because of their bondage to God, so God heard their groaning, and God remembered with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and God saw the sons of Israel and took notice of the they transport the problem with that secular community to God upstairs and he said let me come down here and get in this story of Israel deliverance from not begin until they cried Kelly.

Contact was made that was not a change in the actual owner they were due and the giving up until they remember God. Many times we are really agency and not an army.

We just want People that we don't want to set people free.

And God wants to set people free, not secondly, the power over these kind of community strongholds is just like the power of any of you in Christ is looking into Colossians 2, he says, in Colossians 214 And cancel out the certificate of debt, consisting of degrees against the end which were hostile to us. He is taken out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, when he had all the rulers, up in heaven now authority you remember in chapter 1 authority to leave on the ones that haven't made a public display of them having trial over them. Try this chapter to Paul what he created in chapter 9 chapter 1 when he created said chapter 2, by virtue of his work on the cross to even throw dominions authority and powers no longer have the final say so.

Jesus has overcome their demonic influence was that man means we gotta get people who are Christians in places like that will bring Jesus Christ the bear and righteousness to exist in the because Jesus Christ by virtue of its cost. Spiritual part of it come down here and overcome the physical part, 2000 spiritual body. Ephesians 1 Paul prays look what he says. I pray verse 18 of the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling.

Because of the glory of inheritance and the thing what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe we are in accordance with the working of the strength of his life which he brought about in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in heavenly places where verse 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion member, Colossians, and everything that his name not only in this age but in the aged, get 22, 23, put all things in subjection.

See and gave him as head over all things to the church which is his body with available bills that all of the body not doing anything. The hand of God the body's job is to go ahead and give, implement, carryout, execute, apply what is been accomplished by Christ and of our communities are going down is because Christians is been all the time in church that will be the church but it means we have not taken the kingdom of God beyond the four walls so that God's people everywhere, demonstrating the everywhere in the playoffs. But Jesus is because if they were, we would be seeing a greater impact in our culture. For Christians, when Dr. Evans comes back in just a moment. You have some specific thoughts for us about what the church should be up to.

So don't go away for so I want to tell you about your last chance to receive our current special resource package that includes Tony's powerful teaching collection called spiritual warfare. One of the most popular series we've ever offered, as well as your choice of either victory in spiritual warfare or prayers for victory in spiritual warfare. Either these companion books can help equip you to stand against the enemy's attacks on your spiritual life, family, relationships, and more. Just visit Tony Evans.org today or call 1-800-800-3222 were resource team members are standing by 24 seven to assist with your request that information for you again after part two of today's lesson and this year, like most Christians there are in your life who knows, you may not know Jesus do something about that but don't feel equipment to share your faith effectively. In other words you more you can do more. That's with Tony Evans training center comes in. It's an online Bibles with classes that will take you deeper into the most important important concepts of faith start with our free introductory course on evangelism to move on the subjects like spiritual warfare, marriage, building maturing in the faith, and many more.

Content is challenging through it at your own pace. Any time you're online. There's also lots of custom content from Tony online forum where you configure specific questions answered. Go to Tony Evans.org and follow the link to the Tony Evans training center. It's like having a seminary on your smart phone so it is our job. Ephesians 3 tells us that God first in my be made known through the church to the church is life that it might be worked out down here is the authority the church is thus called to respond. Verse 11. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which he carried out in Jesus right Lord means that I want to fix my own personal life. That means I want to fix my family to be the one have a strong church law.

For me that will make a difference in the cold hard for chemically controlled people. Simple world and I don't want our community held hostage by drug lords community held hostage by criminals. People want to say don't want anything to happen we have to do is have good people do nothing.

So that leaves us finally to the Scripture have taken a look at after working through this process.

First Timothy chapter 2 is writing about the church and how the church operates, but he throws a curveball in their first Timothy chapter 2, first of all, second, third, if you have time, not after everything else you've tried has failed. First of all you you you Thanksgiving be first of all I want on the line that were first you do it and it's too late. Paul tells them of the first of which the respondent responded people would be too much fun stable on behalf of because it's all you really wanted to try something the person you talk to God. Marriage most of all make sure all guess what, we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness you want a better neighborhood. You want a more peaceful neighborhood. You want a safer neighborhood all peace and tranquility that means be able to live life in a way where you don't have to be afraid every day to be controlled by evil well first of all those public officials from because I the influence and shape. No domain words influence.

I have a heavenly counterpart and do control what happens down here. Remember authority of the passage Matthew 18 closing version read probably quoted and I think perhaps misunderstood Charlie Rose 18 chapter 18 of mapping for I say to you whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, or whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again I say to you that if you agree on earth about anything that they may ask Shelby for them by my father who is in heaven. What's this all three are gathered in my main that in the midst of them show. He is the number of people pray were two or three again okay yeah in the room.

Whatever we pray for we don't get well activity would mean mechanic. The issue is in agreement. So we must have agreement that we must not mean a lot I have to do blessing in Jesus name, amen Jean is not errand boy. His middle name is not Santa clause I name Bible. The work made me already whenever the word name. Talk about God's name is already in this you will agree on something you come together based on that agreement on June agree on something to get God to do something your great on you all in agreement when it lets want to get Jason's grade without an upgrade when already in the next circle tool 345 how many circle G but that's me circle and charging the big three, and mixed what I want to God not to regather circle and get in the mix wants to do and I promise not because God had returned other than that God had turned down Jesus not enough to what we have not an evening when you want the problem that must be unity that must be agreement that must be down, but he must be in the midst must be the center point, we must want to find out what it wants to do when we do that, you'll see prevention seapower you never have before. Salama pollen on your behalf, she's already from the dead Powell that personal addiction to say that family church community. You don't need law which needed more access to authority, and that comes when Jesus is in the midst unless Jesus is in the center of your personal life you will get your personal prevent Jesus is in the center of your family life.

You will get your family. It is Jesus is the center of this church we will get our church prayer and left his church makes Jesus the center of the community. The community he must speak in the middle that is all eyes focused Dr. Tony Evans with the promise that when Christ is your focus. You can be in overcome her in this world. Now today's message wraps up Tony's nearly month-long series on spiritual warfare and there still a lot of material we didn't have time to present on the air like this entire examination of this important subject. Get in touch with us today and request the complete 12 message audio collection spiritual warfare you receive all of the full-length messages on CD or instantly downloadable MP3s and as a special bonus will include your choice of one of two of Dr. Evans companion books on the topic. There are gift to you. When you make a donation to help make this broadcast possible each day.

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We are all aware that we can catch something from those around us. Fortunately, not everything that's contagious is bad for us.

In fact, there are many things we transmit that are helpful. Kindness is one of them and Dr. Evans encourages you to look for ways to spread it so others will see and do the same. They say life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans will tomorrow. Dr. Evans will look at what we can learn from a man whose life had more than the usual share of unexpected twists and turns.

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