God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 7

• "satan doesn’t need to consume you to be satisfied.  he is satisfied with whatever territory you allow him to possess.
•  satan wants territory and he will take whatever territory is not prayed down or tied down by faith.
• satan knows the rules of engagement.  Do you?

satan knows that the truth of Jesus Christ and the presence of the indwelling Spirit is not only enough to win the war, but it is enough to win the daily battles too.

• he knows that he cannot do anything in your life that you do not allow. 
• he knows that he cannot oppress you unless you let him.
• he knows he cannot discourage you unless you let him.
• he knows that he cannot cause you to doubt if your mind is made up  
• he knows he cannot have any territory unless you relinquish it. 
• he knows that he cannot make you worry unless you let him.
• he knows that you have within you the power to exile him.

The Word of God says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:8

It’s that simple. Just say, “stop, you have no authority here.”  If you resist him, he has to go, that’s the rules of engagement."

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 6

"satan is lord over:       

pornography - gambling - terrorism - murder - rape - pedophilia - necromancy - debauchery - adultery - witchcraft - spirit guides - fraud - lying - cheating - stealing - hatred - prejudice.

He is sometimes subtle, sometimes cunning, sometimes disguised, sometimes blatantly open, but always against Jesus Christ and those who have the Spirit of God. 

he is not like you.  You have good sense and you understand boundaries.  satan has lost all the attributes of the heavenly and knows only those boundaries that God has installed.  

satan has been with you since the beginning and he is going to be with you until the end of the age.  He cannot be destroyed or maimed.  he has no feelings, empathy, sympathy or loyalty to anyone, not even those who serve him. 

he is thrilled at death, sickness, poverty, abortion, war, wickedness, terror, plague, famine, confusion or anything that could keep you and I from the knowledge of the truth. 

he seeks to corrupt the soul of every human being and relentlessly casts doubt on every truth of God that you tarry in believing. 

• he hates the young and the old.
• he seeks to make you sick.
• he seeks to make you poor.
• he seeks to make you fear.
• he seeks to make you worry.
• he seeks to make you give up.
• he seeks to make you sin.

Anything that dishonors God, anything that distracts us from seeking the kingdom of God,

anything that keeps you from making a commitment of your life to Jesus Christ, that will he do.

Unlike you, satan has thousands of years of experience.  he wants your soul, but if he cannot have it, he wants who you love.  he is at battle right now, bidding for place in your life. 

• If he cannot have your time, he wants your money.
• If he cannot have your money, he wants your time.
• If he cannot have your house, he wants your TV.
• If he cannot have your TV, he wants your video game.
• If he cannot have your video game, he wants your books, your music - anything that you have or do that is not protected by faith.

Anything that does not glorify God."

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 5

"God wants you to know about your enemy, his boundaries, his abilities and his inabilities; not to get to know him better, but to empower you against the wiles of the wicked by revealing the truth about what he can and cannot do. 

There is no excuse for Christians not understanding the boundaries imposed on their enemy.  
 

Here are some truths extracted from 37 years of studying scripture: 

Every idle word - every impure thought

every word of gossip - every unkind word

every demeaning or discouraging remark

every word spoken out of anger

every negative and pessimistic word

all give satan tools to work with.

 

he will enter any door, any mouth, any opportunity, any mind, that is left open for him.  satan cannot win the war for your soul, but he is not in it to win the war for your soul, he is in it for the sheer joy of desecrating the people of God.  Once you understand this about satan you have been empowered to protect yourself and your family from him.

 

For those who think it is some kind of game and they want to dabble with the spirit world on their own terms, without understanding or abiding by sound truths from the Word of God, here’s a story from the scriptures that is quite revealing.

Acts 19:11-16

“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

V12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
V13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
V14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
V15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
V16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so they fled out of the house naked and wounded.”

This event took place 23 years after Jesus ascended into heaven. This is no funny matter.  There are many people that think they can cast out demonic forces because they speak the name of Jesus.  But to speak the name of Jesus without the indwelling Holy Spirit and an understanding of how satan operates has no efficacy."

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 4

"satan isn’t after you, your friends, your family, your children, because he thinks he can win you over, because he can’t. 

• It isn’t because he thinks he can separate you from the love of God, because he can’t.
• It isn’t because he thinks he can break the seal of the Holy Spirit, because he can’t.
• He doesn’t come after you because he thinks he can convert you, because he can’t.

he comes after you because he is evil.  he cannot help but be who he is.

Satan has no joy, no peace, no love.  The attributes that once shined like the sun have all been stripped away.  he is unable to do good or think good thoughts.  he is vile and full of all things against God. 

But there is one reason in particular why your enemy is so adamantly against you.  he sees Christ in you and he is against everything that has to do with Jesus Christ.

satan knows that if he doesn’t discourage you, cause you to worry, cause you to doubt, oppress you and tempt you, you will be about the Father’s business:

• Healing the sick - Speaking the truth in righteousness
• Visiting the widows and the fatherless
• Keeping yourself unspotted from the world
• Empowering the saints - Comforting the afflicted
• Delivering the oppressed - Bringing hope to the hopeless  - Strengthening the brethren.

 

satan is truly your enemy, but he is not a valiant warrior, nor does he have any honor or discretion.  his best work is performed in cowards like those who rammed the world trade center.  he works in the lives of the ungodly to bring havoc in the lives of the godly.

 

he cannot take your soul, but he can use any and every person, place or thing that is not consecrated to Almighty God to thwart your efforts."

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 3

"Jesus Christ is for you, blessing you and giving you the very best. Filling you with Himself.  Helping you on your journey.  Drawing you close to Himself.  Jesus Christ sends His angels to minister to you and protect you, to reveal and enlighten.  God and the Holy angels are working day and night saving you:

• saving you from yourself
• saving you from disasters
• saving you from car wrecks - bad decisions - poor choices.

And when you were down and ready to just give up, God put His hand of comfort out to lift you up.  God blesses you and enlightens you - empowers you and protects you - teaches you - embraces you - fill you.

Here’s what happens:  Every time you start to make progress in godly living, or you become stronger in the faith; every time you become empowered, or comforted or filled, your enemy takes note.

Of all the people that satan hates and seeks to destroy, Christian’s are his arch enemy.

Many people have a false view of who satan is and why he does what he does? 

Do you believe what God says about the devil or have you created your own devil, who is less dangerous and almost non-existent?"

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 2

"It’s obvious that many people and yes, many Christians don’t believe the scripture, because the scripture says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8

And again in James 4:4, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” 

And again, “Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”  Matthew 4:1

Where did you or any Christian or anyone else get the idea that satan is not real? 

From the king of liars himself, from the master of disguise and deceit, from the one who loves nothing and no one, the one who cannot be satisfied and will never cease the demise of each and every person - satan seeks to devour and destroy every Christian or non-Christian, man, woman or child, born or unborn.
 

There is one truth that is seldom discussed concerning your one, true enemy.  You cannot harm satan, kill him or maim him.  You cannot stop him, change him, teach him or convert him.  There is nothing you can do to satan to harm him, but there is a lot you can do to keep satan from harming you."

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

 

God Thinking XXI - Know Your Enemy 1

"God Thinking teaches you to have the mind of Christ, and the mind of Christ did not ignore the reality of a wicked enemy. 

As a matter of fact:

It was the same enemy that gave Adam and Eve a visit.

• The same enemy that had taken over the city of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• It is the same enemy that provoked David to number Israel.
• It was the same enemy that was after the baby Jesus.
• The same enemy that entered into the heart of Judas.
• The same enemy that visited Jesus in the wilderness.
• The same enemy is going to continue to bring havoc wherever he is welcome.
• This enemy is not moved that you or your family have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Even though he has no authority where he is not welcome, there are far too many people who treat him more as a friend than an enemy.

 

Even though you know that you must “Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” Eph. 6:11

Even though you have been told that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. 6:12

 

There are far too many people willing to dabble or play games with this enemy.

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XXI - Know You Enemy by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem 14

"It takes faith to seek the face of God to help you accomplish the impossible. 

The world says you can’t. God says you can.

1. You might have family that says you can’t, but God says you can.
2. You might have a doctor that says you can’t, but God says you can.
3. You might have a friend that says you can’t, but God says you can. 

Who are you going to believe?

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  Philippians 4:13 or, I just can’t do it. 

Are you going to believe;

“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”  Luke 18:27 or, are you going to believe the world?  Because the world says faith in Jesus Christ is a hoax.  The world says there is no power in having a relationship with God.

Are you going to trust Jesus when he says, “only believe.”  Mark 5:36 or are you going to only believe what you want to.

Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills?

Can you honestly stand before God and say you are under supplied to reach the goals that God inspired in you?
 

Who created the earth and everything in it?

Can you honestly stand before God and say we don’t have enough resources?
 

Who set things in order and established the number of our days?

Can we honestly stand before God and say you don’t have enough time?

Most of us have had more than enough money, time and resources to reach our goals many times over.  You have got to trust God in this.  You have got to see how God works in your life and start to use your faith. 

 Your goals are just around the corner if you trust God." 

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem 13

"Another goal killer is perfection analysis.  'I can’t get started with my goal because all the conditions aren’t perfect.' If you are looking for the perfect scenario before you get started, you will put it off forever.  And if you put off forever what you were inspired by God to do, does that glorify God?

If perfection paralysis has stopped you from moving forward, you need to change the way you think.  

Waiting until all the conditions surrounding your life’s goals are perfect is not sensible and responsible, it is vain and foolish.  It is just one more excuse that keeps you from moving forward with your life’s plans. 

Perfection is not an option. , but having a:

Realistic - measurable - specific - action oriented - time bound goal, is an option.

It’s all about perspective.  God thinking doesn’t listen to the world.  God thinking listens to God.

If you are thinking, that God has not called you to anything, you are mistaken.  It’s easy to think that you just can’t; it doesn’t take any faith to just can’t. 

But it takes faith, to start right where you are, with what you have, at whatever age you are, with whatever resources you have at hand, with all that is against you, to believe what God says.

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...12

"Maybe you have a huge goal that takes millions of dollars, years of time and hundreds of educated people to fulfill; Don’t be afraid to get on with it.  With God all things are possible. 

Maybe you just want to move.  It’s your most important  goal right now.  Have you prayed about it?  I mean, have you prayed about it!!!?  Are you thinking that God isn’t interested in where you live, how you get there, or who lives there?  God will assist you in finding just the right place, for just the right money, at just the right time; but you have got to have the goal and include God in your plans.  It’s that simple.

"But you don’t understand, I don’t have enough money to make my dreams come true!!." There are thousands of people who would love to invest in your idea, your dream or your goal.  How many people have you asked?  Have you asked the right people?  Have you prayed about it and asked God, “Father, what would you have me to do?  You know I don’t have enough money to make this thing happen.  Would you lead me Lord.  Would you guide me and help me?"

Maybe your argument might be, “I don’t have enough time.”

Really?  Listen to the Word of God.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:1
 

You might be cramped for time now, but when you determine the relevancy of how you spend your time and redeem the time wisely in relation to your goal/goals, then you can re-allocate the time needed to advantage ourselves under God’s direction.

Maybe you feel you are not educated enough to reach your desired goal or you feel you are just too old to get started.  “After all, if I were to get the five years of education I need to do what I want, I would be 70.”

Let me ask you something, “How old will you be in five years if you don’t get the education you always wanted?”

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...11

"Maybe you have a huge goal that takes millions of dollars, years of time and hundreds of educated people to fulfill; Don’t be afraid to get on with it.  With God all things are possible.

Maybe you just want to move.  It’s your most important  goal right now.  Have you prayed about it?  I mean, have you prayed about it!!!?  Are you thinking that God isn’t interested in where you live, how you get there, or who lives there?  God will assist you in finding just the right place, for just the right money, at just the right time; but you have got to have the goal and include God in your plans.  It’s that simple.

But you don’t understand, I don’t have enough money to make my dreams come true!!. There are thousands of people who would love to invest in your idea, your dream or your goal.  How many people have you asked?  Have you asked the right people?  Have you prayed about it and asked God, “Father, what would you have me to do?  You know I don’t have enough money to make this thing happen.  Would you lead me Lord.  Would you guide me and help me?

Maybe your argument might be, “I don’t have enough time.”

Really, listen to the Word of God.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

We might be cramped for time now, but when we determine the relevancy of how we spend our time and redeem the time wisely in relation to our goal/goals, then we can re-allocate the time needed to advantage ourselves under God’s direction. 
 

Maybe you feel you are not educated enough to reach your desired goal or you feel you are just too old to get started.  “After all, if I were to get the five years of education I need to do what I want, I would be 70.”

Let me ask you something, “How old will you be in five years if you don’t get the education you always wanted?”

 

Excerpt from God thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...10

"You know, some people can’t live without having everything. And the resources that they could be using to help bring to success their goal or dream, is expended on unrelated and quite often insignificant things.

If you want God to assist you in reaching your life’s goal, long term, short term or right now, you have to give God something to work with.  It has to be more than an idea, more than frivolous talk, more than a silly notion. 

The LORD says, “commit thy way”. 

There is a lesson we can learn from the pelican.  God feeds the pelican well, but seldom will you see a fish jump into a pelican’s mouth while the pelican is perched on a pole.

It is time to go to the LORD and pray.

It’s time to make a decision.

God wills for you to want or desire something more than just existence.

If you go to God in prayer and make a decision to move forward, God has something to work with.

Dedicate some time to it.

     Budget some funds toward it.

          Pray over it again and again.

Stop the futile struggle in the, “I wish this or that was different" game or “If only I had more money”, or “if only I had more time” or “If only I were more educated.”

If you have an honest goal and you have applied the threefold foundation of God thinking to it, and you have confirmation from the Holy Spirit to get on with it, there isn’t anybody or any time better suited than you, right now for the task." 

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...9

"When we do this, (pray) we open the windows of heaven to receive what cannot be obtained by just working hard. 

• Some things just cannot be obtained by writing a good plan.
• Some things just cannot be obtained with a PhD.
• Some things just cannot be bought with money.
• Some things just cannot be arranged by your family.
• Some things just cannot be accomplished with the intellect.
• Some things can only be accomplished by God. 

I pray to God that each of you will find yourself in the center of God’s will.

 

The next aspect of goal setting that we are going to discover is relevancy.

 

If you want your goals and dreams to be blessed by God, you need to ask yourself,

“What is relevant in assisting me to accomplish the goal at hand?, and seek more of it.

And,
“What is irrelevant or inconsequential in assisting me in reaching my goal, dream or task at hand?, and seek less of it.

You also need to ask yourself,

“What is it that I cannot live without while I am working my plan?  And get it.

And you need to ask yourself,

“What is it that I can live without while I am working my plan?  And ditch it."

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

 

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...8

"God Thinking demands that you live by faith.

Faith that believes God, and God says, “commit thy way, (thy goal, thy path, thy desires, your course of life, your life’s goals) and I will bring it to pass”. 

Do you believe that you should operate in faith with the wisdom of God?

Why do you attempt to manage so much of your lives on your own?

Why do you wait until things go wrong to get God involved in the matter?

Why do you make plans without going to God on your knees and seeking His wisdom in the matter?
 

You must learn to use the threefold foundation of God Thinking in every goal, dream, desire or task at hand.

Does anyone remember the threefold foundation of God Thinking?

1     Choosing a goal that can be sanctioned by God.

2     Acknowledging what we are able to do towards creating our goal and acknowledging 
what is impossible for us to do and will require the hand of God.

3     Talking and listening to God while on the journey.

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013

God Thinking XX - It's Not time That's The Problem...7

"If your goal or dream doesn’t require the hand of God, then it’s not all it could be.  It doesn’t meet the criteria of a goal or dream of a child of God. 

Everything you do is to be by faith with the expectation of God completing you and bringing to pass the impossible, the miraculous.

God blesses what He endorses and God endorses His Word.  God reveals what He endorses by His Word and by revelation. 
 

Can you just say Amen.
 

Can you say, 'I need to expand my dream and include the mighty hand of God in it.'
 

Can you say with me, ‘Enlarge my borders Lord and take away any doubt that would keep my dream from being all it can be.'

Can you agree with me to seek the high ground - to go after the impossible - to step out in faith and trust God to bridge the gap between the natural and the supernatural?"

 

Excerpt from God Thinking XX - It's Not Time That's The Problem by Keith C. Powell Copyright 2013