Are You Passing the Test?

Have you heard about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh?” Did someone tell you that God did that to him? Well, let me tell you something that might shock you—God didn’t give Paul this problem, and it wasn’t about sickness.

See, Paul was stepping in huge revelations and Satan hated it. So, Satan came immediately for the Word. The thorn in the flesh was an irritation that Paul kept coming up against. He was encountering resistance in his efforts to share the Gospel.

And God couldn’t remove it. Like I said a few weeks ago in Keep Shooting, Satan has a legal right to test you. He doesn’t know your heart and he wants to make sure that you don’t get into agreement with heaven. Because He knows that the only way that heaven can invade earth is if earth comes into agreement. So, he attacks the agreement. He doesn’t want that word to produce so he brings trouble and persecution to see if you’re really in agreement. And, most of the time he comes under cover.

But we’ve been given authority to trample him under our feet if we keep in agreement with heaven. If we step out of that, we don’t have any ability to overcome it. But, if you resist him, James 4 tells us that he will flee from you. Picture that—the enemy running from you in terror.

Don’t be ignorant of his schemes. He wants to steal, kill, and destroy, but you’re fully equipped to deal with him. Paul uses a Roman soldier as an example for us in Ephesians 6. He tells us how we can protect ourselves and overcome the enemy’s advances:

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert!”

Satan is going to try to condemn you and make you feel bad. You have to have that breastplate so you can defend yourself with what Jesus has said about you, not what you’ve done, or what the enemy reminds you of.

Before I pastored, I woke up one morning and I was really sick. I went to the hospital, but the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with me. I really didn’t know if I was going to live or die. I went to church and I just shuffled up to the front and got prayer. I felt better instantly. Then, I went to Pizza Hut after church and that same feeling came over me again. I thought I was healed, but it was back. It took some time, but God taught me about my authority. He said, “Gary, you’ve got to know your enemy.” He told me I had to stop paying attention to my feelings. “Truth is truth,” He said.

Once I learned about my authority, I spoke over that sickness and you know what? Nothing changed. I didn’t feel any different. But, I kept speaking the Truth and about five minutes later I was free. That sickness tried to come back week after week and month after month. The enemy tried to come after me with it in my sleep! But I knew better this time. After several months of trying to come back, he finally gave up.

The enemy has nothing on you, but he’s probably tricked you into thinking he does. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you to deal with the enemy. Maintain that cloak of grace. Don’t let the enemy get you out of agreement with heaven. Renew your mind and think the thoughts of God. Realize the authority you have. Go put your armor on.

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