Money Matters 2 - LOCATING THE LYING LOSER

Revelation 20:1-3 - Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven... He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years... so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished...

Defeated But Still Deadly?

If satan was defeated by Christ on the cross 2000 years ago, why do we still need to deal with him anymore? Why does he still have power over us?

It is true, Christ defeated satan. Jesus totally stripped satan of his stolen authority to mess up people's lives. The devil is indeed a defeated foe.

In the Garden, Adam lost his authority of dominion over the planet to the devil who took over and unlawfully, became the 'god of this world.' The human race came under the spiritual slavery of satan. Every facet of human life - political, social, spiritual, economic and the educational spheres came under satan's evil influence through his lies and half-truths. 

Through the cross, Jesus Christ took back those keys of authority from satan who stole it from Adam its rightful owner.

Luke 10:19 - Behold I give unto you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Since the devil and his cohorts have all been defeated, how can he possibly have anymore hold or power over the saints?

Satan's Pseudo Power

Though satan has been denuded of all authority to hurt and harass people, it does not mean that he sits idly by, giving up further attempts to thwart God's plans and purposes. He is not going to roll over and show himself dead. No, he still persists in destroying the destinies of man.


Satan exploits the ignorance of the saints on Christ's finished work and devour those who live in ignorance of the victory of Christ over him.  The devil cannot harass just anyone he sees or he wants. He has to carefully seek and particularly select potential targets. These targets must always be those who are unaware, ignorant and oblivious of the truths concerning the cross and satan's utter defeat.


Destruction from Ignorance
Hosea 4:6 - for My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge


The greater the ignorance in a person, the greater is satan's advantage over that person. When people are ignorant of God's ways and will, they become vulnerable to enemy manipulation and domination.


Satan's Only 'Power' - Deception!
The 'power' satan has over anyone is released by his getting the person to believe his lies. The devil actually activates his victim's spirit and soul against himself. This is so because God designed a man to thrive when his life is based upon truth. He self-destructs when his life is based upon 'lies' because he was not designed to function on lies.


The devil is not the roaring lion. He only tries to sound like one. He paints a picture of himself as a powerful lion that can destroy people's lives and families. The truth is he is not! He is a totally beaten, toothless little wimp! The actual roaring lion is Christ Jesus - the Lion of Judah!

Satan is a Liar!
The devil lies about everything - about God, about himself, about people, about heaven, about hell, about the earth, about the Church and so on. It is in satan's nature to lie. He can only deceive those who listen to his lies. The devil himself knows - If you can be deceived, you can be defeated.


John 8:44 - You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires {which are characteristic] of your father. he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar himself and the father of lies and of all that is false.


Some vital truths from the passage of scripture...


1. All that is false and untrue is sourced in satan. All that is true is sourced in God. Satan is called the father of lies. Jesus is the Truth.


2. Truth gives us access into God's life. Lies forces us into the devil's domain and therefore his dominion.


3. Satan's quest to kill the life of Christ in believers is done through lies and all that is false. He is a murderer or a taker of life. God is Author of Increase in and for believers. He is the Prince or Author of Life.


Only God Reveals Destinies
To fulfil one's destiny, one must first know it. A person's destiny was ordered in eternity, before time, by God Himself. Unless the person is reconnected and stays connected to the Creater, he can never discover his true purpose in life. The connection is only possible through a living, heart relationship with Him. This life is the very thing satan seeks to kill - the life of God flowing in and through the saint - satan seeks to murder the life of God.


Word Looters
How then does he accomplish this murder? It is by stealing the word or rhema - the specific message that God speaks. God has placed His life in His word and satan knows this!


Specifically, the devil's focus is to stop the beleiver obtaining revelation knowledge. It is revelation knowledge that produces faith and without faith, a person is disconnected from the Power of the Life source - God himself!


Hebrews 11:6 - For without faith, it is impossible to please God...
Romans 10:17 - Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.
John 16:13 - When He, the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth...


The Weakened Church
As far as money matters go, satanic deception has spanned many decades now on the church of Christ...


a) The Boxed-In Church
Much of the Church is boxed up today. She has not been 'allowed' to fully express herself, optimising every gift, talent and ability resident with her. God being the increase demands that His people multiply and prosper and manifest His manifold wisdom to the world. Since everything in His kingdom operates based on the law of increase, members of His kingdom will necessarily and resultantly be advancing in an upward, increasing direction for all areas of life.


God wants His people to be blessed in all areas of their lives. When the saint is powerfully plugged to the God of Increase, he cannot but increase!


b) The Holey Christian
Much of the church still hold to the lie that God wants them saved and then to wait contentedly - either for the rapture or their death, whichever comes first! While waiting, they believe, Christians are to be contented with what they have and not to shoot for the top, or excel in becoming their best, in contributing to human society. All such quests are deemed ungodly, unholdy and worldly.


c) The Low Life Christian
Many believers have believed that God frowns on such 'ambitions and desires' to be great and successful. So they remain stuck at mediocrity or low level of life. They substitute godly contentment with ungodly complacency and lethargy all in the name of being holy or humble.


The gifts, talents and abilities resident within the saints are rarely allowed full expression. Mediocrity and low-living seemingly praised above the spirit of excellence or the desire to breakthrough in life. The Church is thus boxed up and shamefully limited in her expression of the God of Increase to the world.


d) Molested and Beat Up
The Church believes 'money is the root of all evil' wrongly connects evil to money and consequently avoids all money issues fearing she will become evil.


Last Day Apostasy
The last day Church is prophesied to be an overcoming and triumphant one-in all aspects of life. The Church will again be the world leader in all spheres of life - socially, politically, economically, spiritually and educationally.


The greatest key to experiencing God's promises and power in our lives is to have a listening ear. We need to be plugged into God continually and this comes through being tuned in to God's frequency instead of the other frequencies of the world, satan and man.


John 10:3-5 the sheep hear His voice... and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.


SUMMARY OF PRINCIPLES


1. Through His cross, Christ totally stripped satan of his authority to oppress or enslave people again. It is a done deal, a completed mission, a fulfilled victory.


2. The only 'power' satan has over people today comes through his lies and deceptions. Ignorant Christians are vulnerable and easy victims of satan only because of their ignorance of truth.


3. If you can be deceived, you can be defeated.


4. The success of satan's battle against the Church is tied to his stealing the word or message of Christ to and for the Church. No word (rhema) means no life. No life means unfufilled destinies.