Library -> Spiritual Warfare
the schemes of the devil: His lies are the chains of captivity
THE DEVIL IS A LIAR
Psalm 107:14 NIV
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.
The devil wants to hold you in captivity with his lies. He promises a better way for you, but it's a deceptive scheme to lead you to the dark pit of hell, where he will eventually be, awaiting the eternal lake of fire.
A Warning to the Wise. Beware of the devil because he is still working his schemes of deception against you, the believer, to trick you into following his practices and teachings, without even knowing it. He wants you happily going through life, without evaluating the philosophies and beliefs that you hold. He wants you to naively believe that everything is good, and there is no need for analysis. He is working his lies using the elemental forces of this world to promise you spiritual healing and comfort; and these are nothing more than doctrines of demons designed to steer you away from glorify God. He is crafty and comes in the form of a friend, with a helpful suggestion, for something you already desired. Believers are to depart from anything ungodly, whether it's people, places, things, practices or beliefs. We are to be in the world, not of it. The gospel has sounded the trumpet, BEWARE! Walk as children of Light for a great price was paid, the blood of the lamb, to redeem you.
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Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever. (1 John 2:15-17).
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If with Christ you died to the elemental forces of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations (Colossians 2:20).
Elemental Principles of this World. We were slaves in bondage under the elemental forces of this world (Galatians 4:3), and Christ died to these elemental forces (Colossians 2:20). Elemental forces, G4747 stoicheion means a fundamental principle or first principle of something including material cause of the universe, heavenly bodies, or the foundation of any art, practice or religion. It's based on a word meaning to walk orderly, as through your life. So it can be described as any foundational belief system that is of this world, not based on God, that you incorporated in your life. Paul warns us to watch for deceivers with empty philosophies, vein deceits and traditions of man with lies based on these elemental forces, as he doesn't want us led astray (Colossians 2:8). He warns us again, not to go back and submit to these elemental forces (Galatians 4:9; 5:13). Continuing, he says, let no one disqualify you insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause from a unspiritual mind (Colossians 2:18). Why such a warning?
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations (Colossians 2:20).
Believers Are Still in Battle. These doctrines of demons are man's teachings of religion or philosophy which link your spiritual healing and redemption on forces of this world, not God. Asceticism is a pious practice of strict denial of the lower physical and psychological desires in order to reach a higher spiritual goal, to connect with god; once the soul is not hindered then it is free to search for spiritual knowledge. These deceivers want you to give honor to anything: the universe, angels, nature, false religious practices, animals, or anything except God. The invisible battle is raging around us, and the bible clearly warns us to seek God and resist the devil and his deceptive chains which can entrap us again. The very things the enemy says will set you 'free' are the things that will hinder you, and drag you back into captivity. These are empty deceitful promises of healing and redemptive spirituality from ungodly practices, which are devilish schemes of doctrines of demons. He wants to fill your mind and your meditation on the honoring of creation, rather than the creator. Are you involved in ungodly practices, which the bible clearly forbids?
Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds (Jeremiah 14:14).
You Have to Be Spotless: a Bride Ready for her Groom. These were the false gods of the nations, which the Jews honored causing them to be scattered, and resulting in the wrath of God to come upon the earth. This is filth, and godly people should have nothing to do with it. No exceptions. We have to run the race enduring until the end, remaining faithful in honoring God and giving Him the glory. This doesn't mean we live without sinning; rather it means we fully devote our lives to Christ and we don't count the cost, as we are to hate this life and desired a life with Christ (John 12:25). We have to devote ourselves to the Lord, by reading His word, seeking His face, being in fellowship, building up the body of believers and straying from evil. We have to take our thoughts captive and to the obedience of Christ. The bible states, My people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6; Job 36:12; Proverbs 5:23; 10:21). Are you doing what the bible commands? Are you doing what it forbids?
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32).
Made Alive Through Christ Jesus. We have been set free from the slavery of following Satan, and his hoards with their doctrines of demons, into sin and death (Romans 6;16, 18, 22; Hebrews 2:15; John 8:36: Isaiah 61:1; Galatians 5:1). And we are also free from slavery of the elemental forces of the world (Galatians 4:3). And having been set free from sin, having become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18). We are free to follow Christ and obey Him; for the freedom to be lead by God will lead to eternal life. Having been born again (John 3:3), regenerated by the blood of Jesus Chris; the believer has been forgiven of their sins, given a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26) and given the presence of the Holy Spirit inside their heart (2 Corinthians 1:22). Depart from these ungodly practices.
If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him (1 John 2:29).
In the Day of The Lord. These elemental forces are so bad, that the Day of the Lord is coming to burn them with fire, it wasn't enough for Jesus to just set us free from them. We read in second Peter the heavens will burn up with a roar and the elemental forces will also be burned with fire (2 Peter 3:10, 12), so the earth and the works done on it will be exposed (2 Peter 3:10). So Peter asks, Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness (2 Peter 3:11)? These elemental forces are so bad, that Jesus had to come to die on a cross to free you from slavery to them, and then He is coming back to completely destroy them. Peter goes on to caution us to be diligent to be found without spot or blemish (2 Peter 3:14). Be found, on that day, to have rejected these lies of the enemy for they are only schemes to enslave us in bondage. If you are free, then protect that freedom.
But the one who endures until the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
Dear heavenly Father, help us to know Your word as it is the power to save; help us to know the schemes of the devil; help us to want to please and honor only You; teach us to love what You love and to hate what You hate. Amen
Elemental Principles of this World. We were slaves in bondage under the elemental forces of this world (Galatians 4:3), and Christ died to these elemental forces (Colossians 2:20). Elemental forces, G4747 stoicheion means a fundamental principle or first principle of something including material cause of the universe, heavenly bodies, or the foundation of any art, practice or religion. It's based on a word meaning to walk orderly, as through your life. So it can be described as any foundational belief system that is of this world, not based on God, that you incorporated in your life. Paul warns us to watch for deceivers with empty philosophies, vein deceits and traditions of man with lies based on these elemental forces, as he doesn't want us led astray (Colossians 2:8). He warns us again, not to go back and submit to these elemental forces (Galatians 4:9; 5:13). Continuing, he says, let no one disqualify you insisting on ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm and inflated without cause from a unspiritual mind (Colossians 2:18). Why such a warning?
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations (Colossians 2:20).
Believers Are Still in Battle. These doctrines of demons are man's teachings of religion or philosophy which link your spiritual healing and redemption on forces of this world, not God. Asceticism is a pious practice of strict denial of the lower physical and psychological desires in order to reach a higher spiritual goal, to connect with god; once the soul is not hindered then it is free to search for spiritual knowledge. These deceivers want you to give honor to anything: the universe, angels, nature, false religious practices, animals, or anything except God. The invisible battle is raging around us, and the bible clearly warns us to seek God and resist the devil and his deceptive chains which can entrap us again. The very things the enemy says will set you 'free' are the things that will hinder you, and drag you back into captivity. These are empty deceitful promises of healing and redemptive spirituality from ungodly practices, which are devilish schemes of doctrines of demons. He wants to fill your mind and your meditation on the honoring of creation, rather than the creator. Are you involved in ungodly practices, which the bible clearly forbids?
Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds (Jeremiah 14:14).
You Have to Be Spotless: a Bride Ready for her Groom. These were the false gods of the nations, which the Jews honored causing them to be scattered, and resulting in the wrath of God to come upon the earth. This is filth, and godly people should have nothing to do with it. No exceptions. We have to run the race enduring until the end, remaining faithful in honoring God and giving Him the glory. This doesn't mean we live without sinning; rather it means we fully devote our lives to Christ and we don't count the cost, as we are to hate this life and desired a life with Christ (John 12:25). We have to devote ourselves to the Lord, by reading His word, seeking His face, being in fellowship, building up the body of believers and straying from evil. We have to take our thoughts captive and to the obedience of Christ. The bible states, My people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6; Job 36:12; Proverbs 5:23; 10:21). Are you doing what the bible commands? Are you doing what it forbids?
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32).
Made Alive Through Christ Jesus. We have been set free from the slavery of following Satan, and his hoards with their doctrines of demons, into sin and death (Romans 6;16, 18, 22; Hebrews 2:15; John 8:36: Isaiah 61:1; Galatians 5:1). And we are also free from slavery of the elemental forces of the world (Galatians 4:3). And having been set free from sin, having become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18). We are free to follow Christ and obey Him; for the freedom to be lead by God will lead to eternal life. Having been born again (John 3:3), regenerated by the blood of Jesus Chris; the believer has been forgiven of their sins, given a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26) and given the presence of the Holy Spirit inside their heart (2 Corinthians 1:22). Depart from these ungodly practices.
If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him (1 John 2:29).
In the Day of The Lord. These elemental forces are so bad, that the Day of the Lord is coming to burn them with fire, it wasn't enough for Jesus to just set us free from them. We read in second Peter the heavens will burn up with a roar and the elemental forces will also be burned with fire (2 Peter 3:10, 12), so the earth and the works done on it will be exposed (2 Peter 3:10). So Peter asks, Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness (2 Peter 3:11)? These elemental forces are so bad, that Jesus had to come to die on a cross to free you from slavery to them, and then He is coming back to completely destroy them. Peter goes on to caution us to be diligent to be found without spot or blemish (2 Peter 3:14). Be found, on that day, to have rejected these lies of the enemy for they are only schemes to enslave us in bondage. If you are free, then protect that freedom.
But the one who endures until the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
Dear heavenly Father, help us to know Your word as it is the power to save; help us to know the schemes of the devil; help us to want to please and honor only You; teach us to love what You love and to hate what You hate. Amen