“Delivered from the Lion”

 “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.” (2 Tim. 4: 17, NKJV)

 

Satan goes about as a “roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5: 8). Jesus said he is come to “steal, kill, and destroy” like a wolf with the sheep. (Jn. 10: 10). He is a predator and is locked into his target.

 

_ Daniel, David, and Samson were “delivered from the lion” (physically). Paul was referring to Satan, the lion who sought to kill him. We must see ourselves as fighting a real, ruthless enemy who we have power to conquer:

“You will tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and serpent you will trample under foot.” (Ps. 91: 13)

 

_ Satan has three major weapons to attack you: “strongholds,” “curses,” and “arguments.”

 

 “STRONGHOLDS”: the attack on your mind

reinforced, negative thought. It occurs when we pay attention to a _ The MIND IS THE BATTLEGROUND, and a “stronghold” is a wrong thought and meditate on it until it becomes a “high thought” that is fortified. Here are a few strongholds that try to control our minds:

 _ Fear (thoughts of anxiety)

 _ Pride (thoughts of arrogance)

 _ Lust (thoughts of passion)

 _ Hatred (thoughts of anger, bitterness, revenge )

 _ Doubt (thoughts that deny God)

 _ Religion (thoughts that deny God’s grace and goodness)

 _ Poverty (thoughts of lack)

 _ Greed (thoughts on possessions)

 _ Witchcraft (thoughts of spiritual manipulation)

 _ Depression (thoughts of hopelessness, suicide)

 

_ Thoughts are the “code” of the enemy’s work, a counterfeit idea to a truth of God’s Word (Eve)

 

_ Spiritual “warfare” is the process of discovering the lie and removing the spirits that have built their stronghold upon that lie.

 

“CURSES”: a spoken word that releases spiritual powers of evil

 

_ “Curses cannot hurt you unless you deserve them. They are like birds that fly by and never settle” (Prov. 26: 2, Good News Translation).  A curse cannot hurt you unless there is an “open door” that allows it to enter your life.

 

_ A generational stronghold that passes down in a family for at least four generations (Ex. 20: 5);

 

_ A broken vow, covenant, or treaty that releases covenant curses (Mal. 3: 9, Joshua 6: 26, 1 Kings 16: 34, over 500 years later).

 

_ A spoken word over your life of rejection, disaster, witchcraft.

 

“ARGUMENTS”: a legal access for Satan to enter

 

_ “So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don’t think I’m carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways! (2 Cor. 2: 10-11, Message).

 

_ Satan operates like a prosecuting attorney, constantly accusing us before God (Rev. 12: 10). He uses arguments, evidence of disobedience to God’s Word, as his “prosecution” to bring judgment.

 

 

 

 

 1) A hidden sin that gives access to Satan and brings judgment (Acts 5: 3, Ananias and Sapphira)

 

 2) Any rebellion in our lives that is out of Divine order: marriage,       parents, church, finances

 

   3) Any relationship that has become bitter and words that have been

spoken in anger and hatred (Eph. 4: 26-31)

 

“BREAKING THE CHAINS”

1. Repentance (godly sorrow) and not just remorse over consequences (2 Cor. 7: 10)

2. Renouncing the wrong thinking and behavior on our part that has

contributed to Satan’s stronghold (2 Cor. 4: 2)

3. Restoration of order, goods, integrity, justice and mercy (Zaccheus in Luke 19: 8)